1. American Idol is a great show for the entire family. This show is a reality show competition that singers all across the nation compete for a contract with a music production company and one million dollars.
2. Jessie is a new show on the Disney Channel that is appropriate for any age. The show talks provides positive messages about communication, family life, and more.
3. Clarissa Explains It All was broadcasted in the 90′s to show a teenage girl who finds herself in complicated situations.
4. A.N.T. Farm is perfect for children to watch since there is an increase in bullying in schools today. The show has anti-bullying messages for all ages.
5. Last Man Standing has family friendly discussions that mix in stereotypes.
6. Long Island Medium is a show appropriate for ages fourteen and up. A psychic mom tries to balance work and family.
7. X Factor is similar to American Idol, but is a reality show that hosts Simon Cowell.
8. Scrabble Showdown is a great way to get the family involved in solving word puzzles.

The granddaddy to all competition-based reality shows is without a doubt Survivor. While shows such as American Idol draw a younger fan base Survivor appeals to a more mature audience, which may be more intrigued by the social interplay than the actual physical challenges.

Physical prowess and survival skills don’t guarantee a contestant success in the treacherous game of Survivor. The objective of the game is to outlive, outlast and outplay your competitors but in the end the winner is chosen by a jury of ousted teammates who often hold a well-deserved grudge.

Fans of Survivor know that alliances are made to be broken and the nice guy doesn’t always win. In the world of Survivor a corporate CEO may find that fire-building skills are placed in higher regard than business experience and the soccer mom may discover physical capabilities she never knew she had. Much like real life the key to success is adaptability.

Dora the Explorer, found on Nickelodeon, is a Hispanic character that has captured the hearts of many preschool children all around the globe. Dora, who can speak both Spanish and English, solves many different problems with the help of her friends Boots, Bagpack, Diego and Map. This cartoon not only teaches children proper behavior, but it also teaches problem-solving and memory skills.

Named after the science and technology genius, Albert Einstein, Little Einsteins is a musical-based cartoon that focuses on education of preschool-aged children. This fun and educational cartoon airs on the Disney Channel and uses entertaining music to help teach children thinking and memory skills.

Bob the Builder is a cute engineer character that airs on CBS. This fun character has a cheery attitude and wears colorful clothes to attract the attention of preschoolers. This cartoon teaches children many things including the value of hard work, thinking skills and self-confidence.

These are just a few of the many terrific cartoons for preschool-aged children. While there are many more fantastic cartoons on TV and Cable, all of these programs have one thing that they have in common, and that is to educate young children. They use colorful and fun animation to ensure that children are not only entertained, but that they learn something, as well.

There is just something about sitting around the set after hard day’s work that can bring a family together. It is a relaxing scene, a staple of American life. Of course, you have to decide what television shows to watch first!

There are many varieties of shows, and what was popular ten years ago may no longer be popular today. For instance, Star Trek was once a ridiculously popular show to watch…in the 1960 ‘s. Likewise, Seinfeld was popular during the 1990′s. If you ask someone what is the most popular show today, you’ll likely get answers such as Grey’s Anatomy, True Blood, or maybe one of the numerous CSI offshoots.

Television is not a static entity as many thing; it changes over time according to the generations and current interests. If you want to get technical with viewing numbers, though, one must include things other than television shows! The Superbowl is one of the most watched events, occurring annually and attracting millions of viewers nationwide, and likely globally.

CSI holds the status of being the current most watched television show, not only nationally, but globally. Most watched in the US was the MASH finale (est 105,970,000 viewers).

‘Dawson’s Creek” and ‘Beverly Hills 90210′ were two of the most popular and long running drama series, centered around the lives of mostly spoiled teenagers. ‘The X-Files’ was an interesting blend of sci-fi and fantasy that spawned off two big screen motion pictures. ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ named for a movie of the same name, brought vampires, werewolves, witches, and action to the living rooms of viewers of all ages, sparking a renewed interest in sci-fi/fantasy. ‘Charmed’ also brought about a renewed interest in fantasy, as well as witchcraft and Paganism. ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ became the first television series spawn of the original popular series, followed by several other loosely based ‘Trek’ series.

Television series about police and detective work and the prosecution of criminals exploded in popularity with shows like ‘COPS,’ ‘L.A. Law,’ and ‘Law and Order.’ ‘Law & Order’ has spawned several spin off series that remain in production today.

Animated series for adults and crude humor also reached new heights with shows featuring memorable characters such as ‘Married with Children,’ ‘The Simpsons,’ ‘Beavis & Butthead,’ and ‘South Park.’ Each of the listed animated series have spawned at least one major motion picture film release.

Among some of the most popular television series during the 1980s were “Miami Vice,” “Punky Brewster,” “The Cosby Show,” “Airwolf,” “The A-Team,” and “ Married with Children.” “The Simpsons” also cropped up in the late 1980s and game shows were largely popular during the decade.

“The A-Team” brought action, attitude, and moral together into one show, a combination that was not largely popular during the early part of the decade.Confused? Here ‘s a little help . “Airwolf” offered a similar stance. “Miami Vice” brought hot cars and sharped dressed men to the living room of every woman in America with heartthrob Don Johnson as Det. Sonny Crockett. “Knight Rider” was another popular series that featured hunky men with loner attitudes, a cool car, and technology that was unheard of -at the time.

“Punky Brewster” was a popular comedy-drama series about an orphaned girl with memorable pig-tails and mismatched clothing. “The Cosby Show” brought around family oriented comedy and moral. In the late 80s, adult humor began to overtake the airwaves with the tongue-in-cheek humor on “Married with Children” and one of the first animated tv series for adults, “The Simpsons.”

“Laverne and Shirley’, a scripted situation comedy that starred Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams as the title characters, was about a pair of roommates that was so popular that it spawned an animated spin-off.

Action television grew to be very popular in the 1970s. ‘Starsky and Hutch’, one such show, was about a streetwise detective and Army veteran who solved crimes with his partner. ‘Charlie’s Angels’ was another action television show about three women working for a private investigation agency. Both ‘Starsky and Hutch’ and ‘Charlie’s Angels’ have been made into motion pictures due to their popularity, and ‘Charlie’s Angels’ is being remade into another television show in 2011.

A popular sketch comedy/variety shows started in 1975: ‘Saturday Night Live’. ‘Saturday Night Live’ is still a popular television show today that features adult-themed parodies.