Fall TV Parents' Guide

It's 8pm -- do you know what your kids are watching? The 8-to-9pm slot, or first hour of primetime, is commonly called Family Hour. It is, supposedly, filled with kid-friendly selections that the whole family can enjoy together before most children head to bed. So just how many of this fall's major-network 8pm lineups are appropriate for Family Hour viewing? We took a look at the hottest new shows, as well as returning shows across the dial, and broke them down according to the following categories: Green means kids can watch unsupervised; yellow means content might have some adult themes but is suitable to watch with parents; and red refers to shows that contain profanity or might be too violent, disturbing, or racy for kids. Keep in mind that all children and families are different, so you'll know best what your kid can handle. Whether your kids will want to turn off a show because it's just terrible is another matter entirely.Friday, October, 2, 2009, 12:2 AM

"Vampire Diaries" // Rating: Red -- Teen girls everywhere will be swarming to this "Twilight"-esque tale of vampire-human love, especially with hottie Paul Wesley playing the sultry and mysterious Stefan. But this teen show gets a bit gory and violent, thanks to its hip bloodsucking storyline. People are attacked viciously and left bloodied, sometimes dead. But most of the other red flags are mild, like a few salty words, a drug reference (followed closely by an anti-drug message), and scenes of teen drinking. Though it's not good for the youngest viewers, teens can probably handle it. Thursdays at 8pm ET on The CWThe CW/Kharen Hill - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"FlashForward" // Rating: Red -- While this exciting drama will definitely hook adults with its fast-paced action and engrossing supernatural mystery, "FlashForward" is packed with disturbing images that could be too much for children. In the first 20 minutes, the show depicts catastrophic images of dead bodies amid wrecked cars, people on fire, and a bloody medical surgery. Consider saving this one on your DVR and watching it after the kiddos are asleep. Thursdays at 8pm ET on ABCABC/Bob D'Amico - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"The Middle" // Rating: Green -- Reminiscent of FOX's "Malcolm in the Middle," this quirky comedy follows the struggles of mom-of-three Frankie (Patricia Heaton), who lives "in the middle of nowhere" in Indiana. The writing is fairly clever but still tame. You can safely enjoy this with the whole family. Wednesdays at 8:30pm ET on ABCABC/Craig Sjodin - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"Accidentally on Purpose" // Rating: Red -- This comedy follows the trials of 30-something Billie (Jenna Elfman), who gets pregnant during a fling with young boy-toy Zack (Jon Foster). Though it's not raunchy, the pilot is filled with scenes of Billie hooking up with her baby-daddy. It also incorporates jokes about sexual situations. There's also a scene depicting Zack and his buddies smoking pot, and it's actually portrayed in a positive light. Proceed with caution, especially when it comes to young kids. Mondays at 8:30pm ET on CBSCBS/Art Streiber - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"Mercy" // Rating: Red -- This medical drama about an Iraq vet and nurse Veronica (Taylor Schilling) deals with some heavy adult themes, from the horrors of war to struggles with alcoholism to divorce and infidelity. And being a show about medicine and hospitals, people die -- or almost die -- throughout the pilot, sometimes in gory ways. This show is certainly not meant for young viewers. Wednesdays at 8pm ET on NBCNBC/Mitchell Haaseth - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"Brothers" // Rating: Green -- In this new comedy, retired NFL star Michael Strahan plays retired NFL star Mike Trainor. He comes home to Houston to make a fresh start with his parents and brother Chill, who is now in a wheelchair. Kids who are NFL fans may be drawn to this sitcom starring Strahan, and there's not much objectionable content here (unless you count a few jokes about Strahan's teeth). Fridays at 8pm ET on FOXFOX/Michael Lavine - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"The Cleveland Show" // Rating: Red -- Don't be fooled by the fact that this show is a cartoon. It's a spinoff of the highly provocative "Family Guy." In other words, the creators of this animated sitcom specialize in everything that's inappropriate for children. The pilot is chock-full of enough lewd sexual and racist humor to make even grownup heads spin. Just avoid this one entirely if you have kids in the room. Sundays at 8:30pm ET on FOXFOX - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"V" // Rating: Red -- Those of us who grew up in the '80s may remember the original sci-fi series "V." The show was about aliens who looked like us, but peeled their faces off to reveal they were lizard creatures underneath. This update sticks pretty close to the original premise, but brings it into our current cable-news-obsessed culture. It'll be fun and exciting, especially for kids who love sci-fi. So what's so bad? While the alien takeover is fairly peaceful, it certainly may be scary to some children. There's also violence with guns, and fighting aplenty, including the reveal of the lizard skin in one scene where the skin is knocked off a guy's face. Eek! Premieres Tuesday, 11/3 at 8pm ET on ABCABC/Bob D'Amico - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"Hank" // Rating: Green -- Kelsey Grammer returns to sitcoms as disgraced CEO Hank Pryor. He must move his family from New York to rural Virginia after he's forced out of his job. "Hank" is hokey, vanilla, and completely unthreatening. It's family-friendly all the way. Wednesdays at 8pm ET on ABCABC/Kevin Foley - Tuesday, October, 6, 2009, 8:6 PM

"The Biggest Loser" (Tuesdays at 8pm ET on NBC), "So You Think You Can Dance" (Results show Wednesdays at 8pm ET on FOX), "Dancing with the Stars" (Performance show Mondays at 8pm ET on ABC), "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (Wednesdays at 8pm ET on CBS), "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (Sundays at 8pm ET on ABC), "The Amazing Race" (Sundays at 8pm ET on CBS), "America’s Funniest Home Videos" (Returns Sunday, 10/4 at 7pm ET on ABC), "Football Night in America" (Sundays at 7pm ET on NBC) Thursday, October, 1, 2009, 10:1 PM

"America's Next Top Model" (Wednesdays at 8pm ET on The CW), "'Til Death" (Returns Friday, 10/2 at 8:30pm ET on Fox), "Lincoln Heights" (Mondays at 8pm on ABC Family), "Survivor: Samoa" (Thursdays at 8pm ET on CBS), "Smallville" (Fridays at 8pm ET on The CW), "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update" (Thursdays at 8pm ET on NBC), "The Simpsons" (Sundays at 8pm ET on Fox), "Supernanny" (Returns Friday, 10/16 at 8pm ET on ABC), "Parks & Recreation" (Thursdays at 8:30pm ET on NBC), "Gary Unmarried" (Wednesdays at 8:30pm ET on CBS)Thursday, October, 1, 2009, 10:1 PM

"Cops" (Saturdays at 8pm ET on Fox), "House" (Mondays at 8pm ET on Fox), "One Tree Hill" (Mondays at 8pm ET on The CW), "Bones" (Thursdays at 8pm ET on Fox), "How I Met Your Mother" (Mondays at 8pm ET on CBS), "Ghost Whisperer" (Fridays at 8pm ET on CBS), "Law & Order" (Fridays at 8pm ET on NBC), "Heroes" (Mondays at 8pm ET on NBC), "60 Minutes" (Sundays at 7pm ET on CBS), "NCIS" (Tuesdays at 8pm ET on CBS)Thursday, October, 1, 2009, 10:1 PM