Parents name today’s best, worst shows on TV

Darcy Anderson AND02005@BYUI.EDU Scroll Staff

Those who find themselves sighing a frustrated “There’s nothing good on TV!” just might be right.

If you ask the Parents Television Council, they’d tell you that there isn’t even a “Top Ten” list of shows they’d recommend for prime-time family viewing — this year, they only came up with nine.

Four Fox comedies topped the council’s recently released annual listing of the worst prime-time shows for families, which were “War at Home,” “The Family Guy,” “American Dad” and “The OC.”

ABC’s family friendly “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and NBC’s new show “Three Wishes” were listed as the best programs for family viewing, according to the council.

President of The Parents Television Council, L. Brent Bozell, was shocked that the three Fox Sunday night comedies are being advertised as family appropriate.

“Families should not be deceived,” Bozell told CNN. “The top three worst shows all contain crude and raunchy dialogue with sex-themed jokes and foul language. Even worse is the fact that Hollywood is peddling its filth to families with cartoons.”

What’s more, Fox comedies “That 70’s Show” and “Arrested Development” were also on the worst list, which means that the network made up 60 percent of the list.

Basing its determinations on the amount of bad language and violent content each show contains, the council gives more weight to shows that appear earlier in the evening when children are more likely to be awake, according to Melissa Caldwell, its research director.

The council’s findings also confirmed the notion that “popular” doesn’t necessarily mean good. Television’s two most popular shows, “Desperate Housewives” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” were among the worst.

The good news is the best list isn’t “Reading Rainbow” and “Sesame Street.” As viewers take a closer look at the council’s top nine, they may be surprised to find not only wholesome choices, but solid, entertaining programs with high ratings.

Fox’s “American Idol,” which returns in January, made the group’s list of best family programs. Two new shows, CBS’ “The Ghost Whisperer” and UPN’s “Everybody Hates Chris,” also made it.

“There are several high quality shows on this list that families can watch together and not be caught by surprise over filthy dialogue or graphic sex and violence,” Bozell said. “However… we could only cite nine shows on prime time that were deemed safe for family viewing. That is outrageous. Network executives should be ashamed and millions of families should be offended.”