The Eighties

The Eighties is an engaging seven-part television documentary series produced by the distinguished news network, CNN, in 2016. The series follows the revolutionary and transformative happenings in the 1980's that distinctly influenced and shaped our contemporary world. The Eighties succeeds two highly acclaimed predecessors, The Sixties and The Seventies, in a decade-wise documentation of modern history. However, the Eighties is a standalone marvel, offering an in-depth yet accessible exploration of one of the most critical periods in history.

Each lengthy episode focuses on a distinct aspect from the era, offering a bird's eye view on defining moments, cultural trends, advancing technologies, and the giants who came to embody the decade. Some themes revolve around advancing television, political changes, technological boom, societal developments, and the evocation of a new wave in music and fashion.

The Eighties begins with taking a look at the development of television during that era, aptly titled 'Television Gets Real.' It examines the growing dominance of the "boob tube" in American homes and showcases the advent of memorable shows, from primetime soap operas to sitcoms, that became cultural milestones in themselves. It provides intriguing insights into the dramatic shifts in the television industry and cable services' emergence that fundamentally changed the way entertainment is consumed.

Punctuating political events, the series showcases a time of transition and tumult, with a focus on the Reagan era, often considered the seed of modern conservatism. With Ronald Reagan as president, the decade also witnessed the end of Cold War tensions and nuclear threats that hung over global politics. It offers a compelling examination of how these socio-political changes propelled America into an era of decisive global dominance.

A significant content portion in The Eighties covers the rapid developments in the field of technology, with an emphasis on the emergence of personal computers and the internet, the 'big bang' in consumer electronics. This comprehensive examination of technological advancements uncovers how the invention of devices such as VCRs, CDs, walkmans, video games, and more took the world by storm and paved the way for today's digital era.

With a keen observation of a significant cultural shift, the series dives into societal issues, civil rights movements, and the changing landscape of gender and LGBTQ+ rights that echoed on the global front. It investigates this era's cultural fabric, maintaining a delicate balance between the harsh realities and breakthrough moments.

In addition to the captivating exploration of the pop culture dynamics of the Eighties, significant highlight remains the later episodes dealing with the revolutionary changes in the music industry with the age of MTV, aerosol hairspray, parachute pants, and Madonna. The rise of pop and rock music, the birth of hip-hop, and the genre-breaking innovations in music gave us some of the most esteemed and influential music makers known today.

With exclusive interviews, expert comments, and an exciting array of archival footage complemented by a nostalgic soundtrack, The Eighties does an admirable job portraying the decade's vividness. It engages viewers into revisiting a not-so-distant past through the perspectives of those who experienced it, invoking questions about the direction in which our world has evolved.

The series is intensely nostalgic, yet enlightening, striking a significant chord with audiences who lived through those years and enlightening the younger audience who marvel at the transformative decade that seems so familiar yet distant. The production values are high, the content engaging, and the pacing nearly perfect as The Eighties pacily brings a whole decade to life.

Not just a reflective gaze into the past, The Eighties makes a convincing assertion about the seminal events, trends, and people of this decade shaping our current world narrative. Traversing through an unprecedented time of change, CNN’s The Eighties is not merely a trip down memory lane but an essential examination of the modern world’s dramatic shift towards the path we walk today.