‘Trashy’ 1983 TV Miniseries That Debuted Today Is the Ultimate Guilty Pleasure

Back in 1983, people were obsessed with Michael Jackson’s Thriller, CBS’s Mash, and ABC’s Lace. But it’s the latter that’s making a lotta noise today.

A two-part miniseries, Lace stars a 19-year-old Phoebe Cates as Lili, a young actress whose search for her birth mother is narrowed to three women who were best friends in boarding school: One got pregnant, and the others made a pact to keep the baby secret for life. Co-stars include Bess Armstrong, Brooke Adams, Arielle Dombasle, and Angela Lansbury.

Two-part TV miniseries ‘Lace’ starring Phoebe Cates debuted on ABC 42 years ago today, February 26, 1984.

• the highest-rated TV movie of the 1983–84 season.

• “Incidentally, which one of you bitches is my mother?" was named the best line in television history by TV Guide in… pic.twitter.com/DmpZFgosuJ

— Boston Radio Watch®️ (@bostonradio) February 26, 2026

Based on the novel by Shirley Conran, Lace premiered on Feb. 26, 1983, on ABC, airing its second part the following night. The TV miniseries went on to become the highest-rated TV movie of the 1983-84 season, per The New York Times.

In 1993, TV Guide awarded the series’ iconic line, “Incidentally, which one of you b-tches is my mother?” the best line in television history. 

Today, fans still can’t get enough of the ’80s glamour, soapy drama, scandalous plot, and two-part must-see TV format. Reliving it in its entirety, though, is a bit of a challenge. You can certainly find it unfolding via clips all over social media, but to watch the movie in full, you’ll have to drag out the DVD player after buying it on Amazon.

With Lace serving as Cates’ fifth screen project, the actress went on to star in Gremlins (1984), Heart of Dixie (1989), and Drop Dead Fred (1991). Following the success of Lace, a sequel was made and released in 1985. The next chapter sees Lili question the identity of her father.

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