Classic family-friendly sitcoms

Classic family-friendly sitcoms

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If you can get your kids to stop watching the Disney Channel for two seconds, try to hook them on some retro TV hits. Still in reruns, these '80s and '90s series offer lessons in pop culture history and score high marks for entertainment value.

Doogie Howser, M.D.
Your tween may not have med school experience, but he'll still relate to whip-smart Doogie (a young Neil Patrick Harris) and his struggle to fit in with his hospital colleagues and teenage friends. The Hub; schedule at hubworld.com.

Family Ties
In this '80s sitcom, a young Republican (Michael J. Fox) lives in relative peace with his hippy parents, proving to today's kids that Democrats and Republicans can coexist. The Hub; schedule at hubworld.com.

The Nanny
Fran Drescher brings her over-the-top shtick to this sitcom about a Queens gal who cares for three UES kids. A dose of good comedy may be just what your tot needs to fine-tune his own sense of humor. Nick at Nite; schedule at nickatnite.com.

Roseanne
Comedian Roseanne Barr's series about a working-class family finds laughs in familial spats and money woes. Now that our economy stinks again, the jokes are especially apropos. TV Land; schedule at tvland.com.

The Wonder Years
Teach your preteen a relatable history lesson about the era of landlines and analog TV as Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) tries to survive '60s suburbia, unrequited crushes and the effects of the Vietnam War. The Hub; schedule at hubworld.com.—Mike Albo