#41: My Sister Sam (1986-1988)

My Sister Sam debuted in 1986 and starred Pam Dawber as Sam Russell, a single photographer whose life changes when her lively teenage sister, played by Rebecca Schaeffer, moves in. Though sometimes mistaken as a comedy spin-off from Mork & Mindy due to Dawber’s return to TV, it was a standalone series.

Dawber described her role as grounded in reacting to the eccentric personalities around her. The show enjoyed moderate success for two seasons before CBS canceled it. Tragedy struck in 1989 when Schaeffer, only 21, was murdered by an obsessed fan, bringing national focus to the need for stronger anti-stalking laws.