Best movies & TV Shows like The '80s: The Decade That Made Us

The joyous, emotional, heartbreaking celebration of the life and music of Whitney Houston, the greatest female R&B pop vocalist of all time. Tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom.

For over five decades, Ozzy Osbourne has personified rock and roll, from his childhood in poverty and time in prison, to fronting metal band Black Sabbath, a successful solo career and a lovable 21st century television dad.

Roy Cohn personified the dark arts of American politics, turning empty vessels into dangerous demagogues - from Joseph McCarthy to his final project, Donald J. Trump. This thriller-like exposé connects the dots, revealing how a deeply troubled master manipulator shaped our current American nightmare.

One of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century, Arthur Miller created such celebrated works as Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, which continue to move audiences around the world today. He also made headlines for being targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee at the height of the McCarthy Era and entering into a tumultuous marriage with Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. Told from the unique perspective of his daughter, filmmaker Rebecca Miller, Arthur Miller: Writer is an illuminating portrait that combines interviews spanning decades and a wealth of personal archival material, and provides new insights into Miller’s life as an artist and exploring his character in all its complexity.

Part of BBC Four's Black Music Legends of the 1980s, this documentary explores how Prince - showman, artist, enigma - revolutionized the perception of black music in the 1980s with worldwide hits such as "1999," "Kiss," "Raspberry Beret" and "Alphabet Street." He became a global sensation with the release of the Oscar-winning, semi-autobiographical movie "Purple Rain" in 1984, embarking on an incredible journey of musical self-discovery that continues to this day.

Barack Obama launched into our national consciousness at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and ever since, he's delivered messages of patriotism, unity, and hope through the power of words. But of all the speeches he's given, six in particular may define his legacy as, in historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's words, "one of the best writers and orators in the presidency." Interviews with eminent historians and key figures in his writing process give rare insights into these iconic speeches, as well as the Obama presidency and the man himself.

The story of the triumphs and hurdles of brothers Barry, Maurice, and Robin Gibb, otherwise known as the Bee Gees. The iconic trio, who found early fame in the 1960s, went on to write over 1,000 songs and have 20 No. 1 hits throughout their career, transcending more than five decades of changing tastes and styles.

See Michael Jackson, one of the most recognizable and popular entertainers of all time, like never before in the feature-length tribute Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon. Known to millions of fans worldwide for his record-breaking albums, groundbreaking music videos, mesmerizing dance moves and humanitarian efforts, his true story has never really been told...until now. This unprecedented look into the King of Pop's fascinating life includes all-new interviews with his mother Katherine Jackson as well as siblings Tito and Rebbie Jackson, family, friends and music legends such as Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick and many more.

The third installment from executive producers Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Mark Herzog, following in the footsteps of critically-acclaimed series THE SIXTIES and THE SEVENTIES, tackles 10 years shaped by exceptionalism and excess. Like its predecessors, THE EIGHTIES intersperses rare archival newsreel footage, interviews, and comments by historians, journalists, politicians, celebrities and others, painting a perspective-rich picture of a vibrant decade. Episodes examine the age of Reagan, the AIDS crisis, the end of the Cold War, Wall Street corruption, the evolving TV and music scene, and everything in between.

Hit rewind and explore the most iconic moments and influential people of The Nineties, the decade that gave us the Internet, DVDs, and other cultural and political milestones.

Historian Diarmaid MacCulloch explores both what it means to be English and what has shaped English identity, from the Dark Ages, through the Reformation to modern times.

Mankind The Story of All of Us is an epic 12-hour television event about the greatest adventure of all time—the history of the human race. It takes 10 billion years for the ideal planet to form and 3 billion more for the right conditions to emerge before it finally happens: mankind begins. From there unfolds a fast-paced story told here through key turning points—stepping stones in our journey from hunter-gatherer to global citizen. It’s a tale of connections—why some ideas take hold and spread around the globe, and how the lives of people in one part of the world are shaped by events in another.

Andrew Marr explores the lives and works of the Scottish writers who helped define a national identity over the last three centuries.

The series looked back at British lifestyle television programmes shown on the channel from across the decades, with episodes on the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and the 2000s.

An up-close and personal examination of the life, music and career of the legendary entertainer. Told in his own words from hours of archived interviews, along with commentary from those closest to him, the documentary weaves the music and images from Sinatra’s life together with rarely seen footage of his famous 1971 “Retirement Concert” in Los Angeles. The film’s narrative is shaped by Sinatra’s song choices for that concert, which Gibney interprets as the singer’s personal guide through his own life.

The story of the Indian sub-continent told through the treasures that have shaped the modern Indian world.

Take a trip back in time to see what Christmas and the holiday season were like in America not too long ago as we reveal how many of today’s popular holiday celebrations and traditions had their start in the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s. With experts and cultural icons offering their own insight and personal memories, we reveal how your favorite holiday films, fads, television specials, songs and toys are still part of your holiday celebrations today.

For millions, the election of Barack Obama marked a new era of hope. This four-part series tells the story of how he tried to reshape America as told by his inner circle - and the president himself.

An immersive 360-degree narrative telling the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never before been told on film. Featuring testimony from nearly 80 witnesses, including many Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides.

Explore the Kennedy family's rise to power and how personal relationships within the Kennedy dynasty shaped national and global events from the Cold War to the Wall Street crash.

Follow an adventurous family on the time-travelling journey of a lifetime as they take on iconic trends in food, design and domestic gadgetry, beginning in the 1940s. Guided by host Carlo Rota, each week the Campus family from southern Ontario will live through a new decade of Canadian food and domestic trends.

A challenging and stimulating view of one of history's most enigmatic periods, shining a light on the people and events that shaped the decade while illuminating the trends that helped design our future.

Explore Richard Nixon’s life and times; tracking his rise, fall, incredible comeback and political destruction during some of America’s most tumultuous decades. From his early political maneuvers in California, to the game-changing Kennedy-Nixon debates through his disgraceful Watergate exit, featuring never-before-seen footage this fully archive based series offers fresh insight into a riveting story of politics, power and scandal.

Take a mind-blowing journey through human history, told through six iconic objects that modern people take for granted, and see how science, invention and technology built on one another to change everything.

A look back at one of the most turbulent decades of America's recent history, this documentary examines the political and cultural changes, from the assassinations of JFK, RFK and MLK to the rapidly escalating war in Vietnam to the wonder of the moon landing, that shaped the era and left an indelible mark on later decades.

A four-part documentary series that explores the many surprisingly unexamined aspects of the Reagan White House, and how Nancy Reagan's paper-doll image was at odds with the power she ultimately wielded throughout her husband's presidency.

The origin stories of 10 athletes, entertainers, and musicians. Each episode centers around a visit to the celebrity’s hometown, touring important locations central to their upbringing. A supporting cast of family members, coaches, teachers, mentors and friends are interviewed, sharing rarely heard anecdotes and insights into the star’s “becoming” story.

Blending in-depth interviews, rare archival footage, and cinematic recreations, this docuseries on the lives of America's most iconic First Ladies is a bold revision of each woman's traditional portrayal, revealing how they were impacted during their time in the White House, and how their achievements fundamentally shaped American and global history.

The visionary work and the turbulent life of Ernest Hemingway, one of the greatest and most influential writers America has ever produced. Interweaving his eventful biography with carefully selected excerpts from his iconic short stories, novels, and non-fiction, the series reveals the brilliant, ambitious, charismatic, and complicated man behind the myth, and the art he created.

Inspired by actual events — and the love story at the center of it all. WeWork grew from a single coworking space into a global brand worth $47 billion in under a decade. Then, in less than a year, its valuation dropped $40 billion. What happened?

Set against 40 years of music history, this six-part documentary series takes a deep dive into the paradox of America’s criminalization of the genre and its fascination with the street culture that created it and still exists within it. Instead of telling the story of hip hop from the top down, this documentary tells the story from the streets up, as it reveals the untold story of how America’s streets helped shape hip hop culture from an expression of survival and defiance into music’s most dominant genre.

A guided tour of all things Channel 4 in a celebration of four decades of iconic TV shows, from live autopsies and award-winning documentaries to anarchic live shows and ground-breaking comedy

Muhammad Ali brings to life the iconic heavyweight boxing champion who became an inspiration to people everywhere.

Six-hour documentary series focused on the President’s personal story and his vision for America, set against the backdrop of the country’s racial history. It traces his own search for identity and his role shaping a more inclusive American identity that has been under attack since he left office. Through the words of some of the people who knew him best, and through some of his sharpest critics, the film ultimately reveals the fallacy of America as a post-racial society, and confronts the work still needed to achieve a more perfect union as the work of a country, not just one man.

Princess Diana was an icon who both captured and transformed the spirit of the times. Following how this thoroughly modern princess emerged from the bra-burning spirit of the 1970s and helped transform not just the Royal Family, but Britain itself.

The stories behind the iconic structures and engineering feats that have shaped and defined our nation and our world.

This documentary series reveals the origin of Quino's iconic cartoon and his sources of inspiration. Through a combination of stock material, interviews with famous Mafalda fans, and testimonies from historians, editors, and Quino's friends and family, the series offers a fresh look at this classic through the Maitena, Liniers, Montt, Tute, Rep, Kemchs, and Raquel Riba Rossi's analysis.

Explore the revolutionary life of one of the 18th century’s most consequential and compelling personalities, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States.

Masters of American Music is a multi-award-winning television series, as entertaining and memorable as it is educational, it is a must have for any true music fan. The series celebrates a pantheon of the greatest musical innovators with individual programmes tracing the lives and works of master musicians who defined the course of American’s musical history. From the birth of the blues in New Orleans to Swing, Big Band, Bebop, Free Jazz and beyond – all of this rich tapestry is explored with sensitivity and unique depth. The featured artists come to life through conversations with their contemporaries, exciting and rare live performances, period footage and vintage photographs, all of which have been meticulously produced.

The true story of America's iconic 16th president as told by weaving together both scripted dramatizations of important moments in his life and commentary by authoritative historians and public figures.

This docuseries captures the remarkable rise and unprecedented success of one of the most dominant and iconic franchises in professional sports. Featuring exclusive access to the Buss Family and probing, revealing interviews with players, coaches, and front office execs, this series chronicles this extraordinary story from the inside – told only by the people who lived it.

The complex life of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote that "all men are created equal" yet owned slaves, is recounted by master filmmaker Ken Burns in this probing documentary. Covering Jefferson's diplomatic work in France, his two presidential terms, his retirement at Monticello and more.

Across 10 captivating episodes, this docuseries delves into the influential factors that defined the transformative decade known for changing the world forever. From the Y2K scare to the musical genius of Weird Al Yankovic, the cultural impact of Tupac and the phenomenon of Titanic, as well as the iconic presence of Madonna and the global dance sensation of the Macarena, the series examines the powerful forces that shaped this era. Prepare to embark on a nostalgic journey that unravels the essence of a decade that left an indelible mark on history.

This series will be told through exclusive access to the woman at the heart of it all, Coleen Rooney, alongside interviews with family, friends and key players involved in the resulting trial. Uncovering one of the biggest tabloid news stories in Britain for the last decade, it reveals how Coleen turned amateur online sleuth to find an explanation for why private stories concerning herself and her family continued to appear in the media.

This brand new and exclusive 14-part series lifts the lid on established and renowned superstars from history to reveal their secret lives. But Secret Life Of… is a biography with a difference – with its tongue firmly in its cheek, it deliciously dishes the dirt on icons of the past, including Henry VIII, Marie Antoinette and Napoleon.

On the 22nd of November 1963, the President of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated. For the 60th anniversary, this series takes us into the day almost in real-time. Across three episodes, what unfolds is a presidential assassination, a full-scale manhunt, a murder of a policeman, and the killing of the assassin. Giving insight into the multiple perspectives of a day in a brand-new way that will cut through the clutter and appeal to audiences around the world.

3 decades told via the careers of emblematic designers, combining major historical events with minor happenings, anecdotes with fate and fortune, and pop nuggets with collective drama. The collection looks back over 3 decades of fashion (from 1980 to date), from the carefree emergence of the star-designer of the 1980s, to the arrival on the market of the major luxury groups and the toughening-up of the system.

A chronicle of John F. Kennedy's life, including his youth, ascension into politics, presidency, and his lasting impact on history.

From caterer to media mogul, this docuseries explores Martha Stewart's explosive rise, formidable challenges, and remarkable comeback, unveiling the woman behind the legendary icon with unseen images, archival footage, and exclusive interviews.

From the 1930s to today, this series examines Vegas' evolution into an entertainment mecca, and its everlasting ability to reflect and refract American identity. Featuring interviews with entertainers, former showgirls, and other experts.