My mother-in-law used to think I was sending my daughter to hell because I encouraged her to watch "The Simpsons". Not only has "The Simpsons" remained a clever show, but it's got more lessons about life, especially family life, than just about any show I can name, probably even including "The Andy Griffith Show"

By the way, my mom now thinks "The Simpsons" is acceptable; well, actually for a few years now. (We used to not be able to watch it on her family room TV when we were visiting. Love ya, mom.)

However, I still believe that kids should be parented by their own parents, and vice versa.

By the way, I enjoy W.C. Fields and like your sig quote, emjee, but do you think he's a better role model than the Simpsons?

There were a number of somewhat subversive, yet entertaining, shows on "back in the day," as they say. The original Twilight Zone, the Prisoner, and other cold war fables were worth watching then, and worth watching now. I still rate Rocky and Bullwinkle as first rate for genuinely funny but pointed social and political satire. All that said, I think now is a particularly good time for TV. All the competition between media seems to being doing us good.