How many of your children learned their ABCs while watching Sesame Street? How many of your children basked in the gentle wisdom of Mr. Rogers? There were other worthwhile programs for children, but those are uppermost in my mind. And by the grace of television reruns, children are still able to watch Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, even though that dear man has passed on.
There's another pogram for older children that is excellent. It's called ZOOM. The young people do funny and fun games, science experiments, and cooking, all with the notion that education is fun. I enjoy watching it because it's quality television, entertaining and educational. My granddaughter loves it.
Another thing about ZOOM that I especially like is the racial mixture of the young people who are the regular participants. They all work together and play together without any emphasis on ethnicity. And that's the way it should be.
Some of the best shows are on Expanded Cable: some wonderful old movies, Discovery Channel, History Channel, and some great sci-fi. There's good stuff to be found if you want to find it. There are even some pretty good cartoons.
For myself, I tend to the dramas. The so-called comedies are so funny they need a laugh-track to let us know when to laugh. Haha! And some of them are downright embarrassing. The language, the sexual insuations, the totally ridiculous situations. I don't recall that Laugh-In had a laugh track. Anybody remember the Smothers Brothers? Danny Kaye? Red Skelton? Jack Benny? They were funny!! Without a laugh track.
There is quality television for children and adults. Too bad there isn't more of it!
Shalom.