Kids TV: Retro Favorites on Dvd

There are plenty of good kids tv shows these days. But maybe, as a parent, you wish your kids could enjoy some of the fun tv shows you enjoyed in your youth. Here are some more "vintage" tv shows now available on dvd for you to pass along to your kids.

Cartoons

The Flintstones. Why not let your kids meet this modern stone age family? I'm not sure who came up with the idea for this Honeymooners-meets-cave people cartoon sitcom, but there it is. A lot of the humor is, as I recall, includes stuff only adults will get which makes it appealing. Season 1-6 are now on dvd.

Pinky & The Brain. For those who think Baby Stewie on Family Guy was the first pint-sized would-be dictator in animation history, check out this series which had a mouse set on world domination. Part of the "Animanics" series, this show took off on its owns with the smart Brain and the dumb Pinky getting into all sorts of sardonic escapades. Adults will enjoy watching with their kids.

Spider-Man, the '67 Collection. Have you noticed how most superheroes have been revamped lately with new looks on new cartoon series? I don't get why that happened. But if you want to introduce your kids to the cool TV Spiderman you used to watch in reruns (or maybe even on Saturdays…). You know "Spider Man, Spider Man, does whatever a spider can…" check this series out on dvd.

Sitcoms

The Brady Bunch. This series about the three brown-haired boys who blend with the three blonde-haired girls may be the most famous family sitcom of all time. Introduce your kids to the psychedelic fun with any of the five seasons, all of which are now on dvd. A good rainy day diversion for when your kids want to play ball in the house…

Diff'rent Strokes. Stupid catchphrases aside, this was a cute kid-friend series about a biracial family facing the usual sitcom situations, mainly from the confines of a New York penthouse. Try to watch without explaining to the kids what happened to the three kid stars…

Punky Brewster. Soleil Moonfrye (yeah, that doesn't sound anymore normal years later…) stars as the spunky title character who lives with an old guy and her dog in a sort of modern-day Little Orphan Annie set-up. Seasons 1-3 are available on dvd.

The Cosby Show. True, The legendary eighties sitcom is widely syndicated, so getting a dvd of the series may seem like a waste of money. But on those rainy days when your kids want to watch tv and the only other option is some highly-commercialized, hyper-violent bootleg anime cartoon, you'll be glad to have Cliff, Claire and the rest of the Huxtable family on hand. Full season 1 & 2 available on dvd.

Kids TV: Dramas

Little House On The Prairie. Laura Ingalls Wilder's autobiographical book series about her family's frontier adventures became a long-running family-friendly series a in the late 70s and early 80s. Starring Melissa Gilbert and Michael Landon as Laura and Pa Ingalls respectively, the show was a fan favorite. The first and second seasons are available on dvd.

The Waltons. Good night, Elizabeth. This series starred Richard Thomas as John Boy Walton, a young man coming of age in rural mountain Virginia during the depression and WWII. Family drama, laughter, tears, and JimBob feature prominently in the stories. Season 1-3 available on dvd.

Action-Adventure

MacGyver. Sure, it may be politically incorrect these days to suggest solving a problem with anything but violence, however, you can't doubt the appeal of MacGyver. Starring Richard Dean Anderson as the title character, the show featured a hero who used brains rather than guns to beat bad guys in exotic locales. One of the best all-time theme songs, too, you have to admit. At least 4 seasons available on dvd.

Knight Rider. Far be it from me to contribute to the comeback of David Hasselhoff, but, what kid could resist Kitt, the ultra-cool talking car that was Hasselhoff's co-star in this 80s adventure series? Mystery, adventure, action, and enough cheese to feed a small country.

These classics, needless to say, aren't appropriate for all age leves. As always, you're the best judge of what's appropriate for your kids. Only you know what you do and don't want them watching. Happy viewing!