The Best of ABC’s TGIF (1989-2000) – Ranked

January 1, 2021

In today’s TV landscape, Fridays are where shows either go to die, or where they are relegated to when they can’t stand up to the big guns the rest of the week. But from 1989-2000, ABC ran a family-friendly block of programming that came to be known as TGIF. Kids looked forward to the Friday night lineup more than adults, even though the shows were touted as being for the whole family.

Nonetheless, every one of the shows that lasted more than a season had something in common — they were about family. Whether that was a found family, or a regular nuclear family, they all had some kind of family dynamic that was a prominent feature of the show.

Today, we’re going to rank the eight shows that were the most predominant on TGIF — what you would remember if you thought of that Friday night block on ABC. Sorry, Teen Angel and Odd Man Out fans, but this mention right here will be the only ones they get. At least for this post.

6. Dinosaurs

When you think about it, it’s crazy that Dinosaurs ever existed. It was a departure from the tone of all of the other TGIF shows, and comparatively lasted only four seasons to most of the others lasting seven or eight. But if you grew up during the height of TGIF, you still remember “I’m the baby!” What you may not remember, though, is the exceptionally bleak finale that ended the series. Really, give it a watch, and see if you remember it ending that way. Still relevant to today, honestly, and super sad.

5. Step by Step

Sort of a modern take on The Brady Bunch, Step by Step was about a family that came together after single parents Frank and Carol married on a whim while on vacation. They both have three kids each, with Frank’s being more rough and tumble, and Carol’s being more “high class.” Frank’s nephew Cody also played a large role, and often provided a lot of the actual comedy. Of course, the kids don’t all get along at first, but over time start to become more of a close knit family.

4. Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Melissa Joan Hart followed up her other teenage hit, Clarissa Explains It All, with a second teen classic -- Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Based on the Archie comics series, teenage Sabrina lives with her two magical aunts and discovers she’s a witch (surprise!) on her sixteenth birthday. Many magical hijinks ensue -- and don't forget about her talking black cat, Salem. It's certainly a much lighter take on the Sabrina story than what Netflix has recently cooked up.

3. Full House

Full House is arguably the biggest hit on this list, with a subsequent revival and a ubiquity to the point where nearly everyone has seen it. So why isn’t it number one? Have you ever tried rewatching it? It’s extremely cheesy, guys. While we're told that kids today do still enjoy watching it, it doesn’t hold up very well, as almost every episode was a Very Special Episode in some way. Nonetheless, there are so many sayings that have remained in pop culture throughout the years, it’s certainly got its place. You got it, dude.

2. Family Matters

Did you know that Family Matters was actually a spin off of Perfect Strangers? It’s true, the Winslow parents first appear in Perfect Strangers. And did you also know that Steve Urkel didn’t show up until halfway through the first season? He was only supposed to appear in one episode, but became so popular that he ended up basically being the star of the show from there on out. When you have a catchphrase that people still use years later (did I do that?), you know you’ve made it.

1. Boy Meets World

Why is Boy Meets World at the top? It was a tough decision, and if you were going to base it solely off of the first few seasons of the show, it definitely would not be in the top spot. It started out much more closely related to the likes of Full House, with lessons learned and general cheesiness. But, as the show went on, it explored some darker heart-wrenching topics thanks to Cory’s best friend Shawn and his many issues, and had some really great comedic moments once the kids became older as well. Add in the spice of romance with Cory and Topanga, and you’ve got a winning combination.

What was your favorite TGIF show? Let us know in the comments!

Family-friendly comedies were a staple of ABC’s programming since the 1950s, including Leave it to Beaver, The Brady Bunch, and The Partridge Family.
Jim Janicek, a writer and producer for ABC Entertainment, pitched the idea of a family-oriented block of television, and in 1988 his idea began to garner support.
Though you may think TGIF stands for “Thank God/Goodness it’s Friday,” it actually stands for “Thank Goodness It’s Funny.”
For nearly all of TGIF’s initial run, at least one show was produced or developed by Thomas Miller and Robert Boyett, the two produced Perfect Strangers, Full House, Family Matters and Step by Step.
During the most successful years of TGIF, the main characters of one of the Friday prime-time sitcoms would “host” the two-hour block of episodes for that week – introducing each show and commenting on it afterward.

Family-friendly comedies were a staple of ABC’s programming since the 1950s, including Leave it to Beaver, The Brady Bunch, and The Partridge Family.
Jim Janicek, a writer and producer for ABC Entertainment, pitched the idea of a family-oriented block of television, and in 1988 his idea began to garner support.
Though you may think TGIF stands for “Thank God/Goodness it’s Friday,” it actually stands for “Thank Goodness It’s Funny.”
For nearly all of TGIF’s initial run, at least one show was produced or developed by Thomas Miller and Robert Boyett, the two produced Perfect Strangers, Full House, Family Matters and Step by Step.
During the most successful years of TGIF, the main characters of one of the Friday prime-time sitcoms would “host” the two-hour block of episodes for that week – introducing each show and commenting on it afterward.