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Bring Back The Huxtables

by Rochelle Gillespie — 27 Jul 10 — Blog 3

I have a confession.  My kids like TV.  They like it a lot.  My husband and I endeavour to be good parents by keeping a rule of moderation.   There are certain times of the day when TV is and isn’t allowed, for instance, not before school on weekdays, and not when it’s dinner-time. There’s been much said of the way television has helped create a generation of couch-potatoes. I agree, the physical health of our youngsters is important, but what I’d like to see is a similar groundswell of support for better quality, family-friendly programming.

At the beginning of the year we introduced a new family rule about television.   

The kids are not allowed to watch programmes where there are no decent adult role-models. Of particular concern is the dearth of programmes featuring intelligent, moral, well adjusted parents.  

After considering miss six-year-old’s viewing habits, we realised little, if anything, she was watching reflected a ‘normal’ family.  In many of the shows she watched there were no parents at all.  In one the main character lives with her older but immensely more immature brother.  In another a group of teens are sailing around the world on a luxury cruise ship with only hired help to supervise them. In the few shows with parents, they’re often portrayed as imbeciles.

This is an entirely unrealistic portrayal of family. I’m not saying all programmes need to be mum, dad, two and a half kids and a naughty but cute puppy, but surely there’s a large demographic of families who’d welcome the chance to sit around the box, and enjoy funny, clever and moralistic programmes together. Today’s families are being sadly neglected by television makers and programmers.

As a child of the eighties I grew up with a wealth of good hearted, well scripted intelligent TV shows.

Remember The Cosby Show? Dad’s a doctor, mum’s a lawyer and together they dealt with the everyday dramas of bringing up a family of five.  Heathcliffe Huxtable was the kind of loving, funny Dad we all wanted to have (despite his penchant for overly decorative woollen jumpers.)  

Family Ties, Who’s The Boss?,Growing Pains – they were all funny, engaging and good wholesome family viewing.

Recently my kids have been watching DVDs of Little House On The Prairie. Now, there’s a show that taught good morals.  Just hearing the “dah, dah, dah, dah” theme music and seeing little Laura Ingalls with her plaits running down the hill makes me want to do good for my fellow man and go bring in the water.

I’m not saying all television needs to be so family-centric, but surely there’s room somewhere in among the reality TV shows, the cartoons, and the kids comedies for the television makers to create something harking back to the Huxtables and the Keatons. If it’s all too expensive to make new programmes, then at least head into the archive and put on some re-runs.

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