This is a list of German television related events from 1986.

• 27 March - Ingrid Peters is selected to represent Germany at the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest with her song "Über die Brücke geh'n". She is selected to be the thirty-first German Eurovision entry during Ein Lied für Bergen held at the German Theatre in Munich.

• 6 January – Engels & Consorten (1986)
• 8 January –
  • Der Leihopa (1986–1988)
  • Lauter Glückspilze (1986)
• 13 February – Schloßherren (1986)
• 17 February – Liebling Kreuzberg (1986–1998)
• 21 February – Tante Tilly (1986)
• 22 April – Detektivbüro Roth (1986–1987)
• 2 June – Die Montagsfamilie (1986–1987)
• 5 June – Ein heikler Fall (1986–1988)
• 22 September – Kir Royal (1986)
• 26 September – Kanal fatal (1986–2011)
• 29 September – Losberg (1986–1988)
• 5 October – The Lenz Papers [de] (1986)
• 9 October – Irgendwie und sowieso (1986)
• 13 October – Ein Stück aus ihrem Leben (1986–1987)
• 12 November – Väter und Söhne – Eine deutsche Tragödie (1986)
• 6 December – Miami Vice (1984– 1989)
• 8 December – Roncalli (1986–1987)
• 16 December – Großstadtrevier (1986–Present)
• 29 December – Anton, wohin? (1986–1988)

• 18 March – Alles was Recht ist (1986)
• 27 March – Wanderjahre (1986)
• 3 September –
  • Rette mich, wer kann (1986)
  • Urlaub auf italienisch (1986)
• 25 September –
  • S.Y. Arche Noah (1986)
  • Hessische Geschichten (1986–1994)
• 21 October – Die Wicherts von nebenan (1986–1991)
• 31 October – Mit meinen heißen Tränen (1986)

• 20 February – Alfons Zitterbacke (1986)
• 23 February – Treffpunkt Flughafen (1986)
• 25 February – Neumanns Geschichten (1986)
• 3 October – Rund um die Uhr (1986)

• 29 March – Unternehmen Köpenick (1986)

• ALF (1986–1990)

• 3 April - Running Scared (1986)
• 28 May - The December Rose (1986)
• The Giddy Game Show (1985-1987)
• The Really Wild Show (1986-2006)
• Farrington of the F.O. (1986-1987)
• Wizbit (1986-1988)
• Pinny's House (1986)

• Tagesschau (1952–present)

• heute (1963-present)

• heute-journal (1978-present)
• Tagesthemen (1978-present)

• Wetten, dass..? (1981-2014)
• Sketchup (1984-1986)
• Lindenstraße (1985–present)

• 3 March - Sandra Rieß, TV & radio host