How old should kids be to watch these shows? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

USATVFAN · 06-26-2008, 09:52 PM

How old should kids be to watch these shows?

Three's Company
All in The Family
Roseanne
Cheers
Friends
The Jeffersons
M*A*S**H
Home Improvement
Murphy Brown
Maude
Sanford and Son
Good Times
Charlie Angel
Frasier
Married... With Children
Will & Grace

Mr. Television · 06-26-2008, 09:59 PM

Heck I was 5 when I started watching AITF in 1971 and I watched all those other shows from the 70's when they originally aired too. I turned out alright I guess.

samanddiane4eva · 06-26-2008, 10:11 PM

I was 12 when I started watching Three's Company on Nick at Nite and I was 13 when Cheers came. I think I was 15ish when I first started watching M*A*S*H on Hallmark Channel. I don't really remember when I first started watching the others you listed. I turned out fine.

Heather987 · 06-27-2008, 01:25 AM

It really depends on the kid and the show material. How much would you have to explain to the child and how much are you willing to explain? Some parents let their children watch what is considered sexually charged or violent shows at a young age and its affect is none on a child while others immitate a character they like cause they are not mature enough to understand that life does not always immitate art.

I have to determine what I would let my child watch on each individual person. My children range in age and some are more mature and the adult themes dont bother them while the younger ones ask questions that I am not prepared to answer. I have told all my kids about sex and violence but at early ages sometimes the line can be blurred.

For me the ages that I felt were appropriate for my children were about 8-10 for most on your list, but some of the dialogue was over their head and really had to explain that you should not think like George Jefferson or Archie and it got complicated to explain to the younger ones when they questioned.

I think I watched most of the shows growing up, cannot remember the ages as some of them were not first run and by the time they came on TV as reruns I was close to teen years. Being a parent I really do think differently about the ages and content of a show. Shows like Roseanne though most of the episodes I watched with my children (reruns) and it didnt affect them while Married with Children comes on and my eldest daughter is only 8 and she wants to dress like Kelly and acts dumb cause she thinks that will attract boys (she is just starting to get into boys) so that show I had to turn off. Friends is another one my daughter wants to be like and the language on it is about the worst thing she picks up so I let her watch it if I am around. The other kids question some jokes or comments made by characters and I try to explain it to them and they still look puzzled so I am not sure what affect it is having on them yet, they are still young.

Schmoopie · 07-13-2008, 06:56 AM

How old should kids be to watch these shows?

Three's Company
All in The Family
Roseanne
Cheers
Friends
The Jeffersons
M*A*S**H
Home Improvement
Murphy Brown
Maude
Sanford and Son
Good Times
Charlie Angel
Frasier
Married... With Children
Will & Grace

Most of the shows listed seem fine for kids of any age to watch (although I can't imagine really young kids being interested in "Home Improvement", etc.). I would say that since "Three's Company" and "Friends" regularly dealt with "relationship" issues of an adult nature, that they should be rated PG-13. I don't really see anything wrong with the rest. Okay, maybe "Will and Grace" could fit into the PG-13 range. Will's character is gay, and parents might find it difficult trying to explain that to a kid (if they don't already know about it). But a lot of the shows listed I would think would go right over a kid's head. Especially MASH. Although that might be a good show to give parents the chance to educate their kids about war.

That's a really interesting topic. Thanks for posting that. I never thought about age-ranges for kids on older TV shows.

Andrea

06-26-2008, 09:52 PM	#1
USATVFAN Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2007 Location: Kalispell, USA Posts: 1,742	How old should kids be to watch these shows? How old should kids be to watch these shows? Three's Company All in The Family Roseanne Cheers Friends The Jeffersons MAS**H Home Improvement Murphy Brown Maude Sanford and Son Good Times Charlie Angel Frasier Married... With Children Will & Grace
	__________________ Love watching 1960's-1990's TV Classics! 1970-2004: The best Years of Televsion

06-26-2008, 09:59 PM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	Heck I was 5 when I started watching AITF in 1971 and I watched all those other shows from the 70's when they originally aired too. I turned out alright I guess.
	__________________ Sonny

06-26-2008, 10:11 PM	#3
samanddiane4eva Icon credit: Me Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 13, 2001 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 476	I was 12 when I started watching Three's Company on Nick at Nite and I was 13 when Cheers came. I think I was 15ish when I first started watching MAS*H on Hallmark Channel. I don't really remember when I first started watching the others you listed. I turned out fine.

06-27-2008, 01:25 AM	#4
Heather987 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 476	It really depends on the kid and the show material. How much would you have to explain to the child and how much are you willing to explain? Some parents let their children watch what is considered sexually charged or violent shows at a young age and its affect is none on a child while others immitate a character they like cause they are not mature enough to understand that life does not always immitate art. I have to determine what I would let my child watch on each individual person. My children range in age and some are more mature and the adult themes dont bother them while the younger ones ask questions that I am not prepared to answer. I have told all my kids about sex and violence but at early ages sometimes the line can be blurred. For me the ages that I felt were appropriate for my children were about 8-10 for most on your list, but some of the dialogue was over their head and really had to explain that you should not think like George Jefferson or Archie and it got complicated to explain to the younger ones when they questioned. I think I watched most of the shows growing up, cannot remember the ages as some of them were not first run and by the time they came on TV as reruns I was close to teen years. Being a parent I really do think differently about the ages and content of a show. Shows like Roseanne though most of the episodes I watched with my children (reruns) and it didnt affect them while Married with Children comes on and my eldest daughter is only 8 and she wants to dress like Kelly and acts dumb cause she thinks that will attract boys (she is just starting to get into boys) so that show I had to turn off. Friends is another one my daughter wants to be like and the language on it is about the worst thing she picks up so I let her watch it if I am around. The other kids question some jokes or comments made by characters and I try to explain it to them and they still look puzzled so I am not sure what affect it is having on them yet, they are still young.

07-13-2008, 06:56 AM	#5
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	How old should kids be to watch these shows? Three's Company All in The Family Roseanne Cheers Friends The Jeffersons MAS**H Home Improvement Murphy Brown Maude Sanford and Son Good Times Charlie Angel Frasier Married... With Children Will & Grace Most of the shows listed seem fine for kids of any age to watch (although I can't imagine really young kids being interested in "Home Improvement", etc.). I would say that since "Three's Company" and "Friends" regularly dealt with "relationship" issues of an adult nature, that they should be rated PG-13. I don't really see anything wrong with the rest. Okay, maybe "Will and Grace" could fit into the PG-13 range. Will's character is gay, and parents might find it difficult trying to explain that to a kid (if they don't already know about it). But a lot of the shows listed I would think would go right over a kid's head. Especially MASH. Although that might be a good show to give parents the chance to educate their kids about war. That's a really interesting topic. Thanks for posting that. I never thought about age-ranges for kids on older TV shows. Andrea