The Electric Company (PBS)

THE ELECTRIC COMPANY teaches grade-schoolers important language skills like letter sounds, reading, grammar, and sentence structure. This updated take on the same-named 1970s classic centers on four friends united in their passion for language and the power of words. Blessed with superhuman abilities to conjure and manipulate words and phrases (thanks to the show's top-notch CGI), the friends -- a.k.a. The Electric Company -- use their powers to squash the troublemaking endeavors of their neighborhood nemeses, The Pranksters. As in the original version of the show, a sketch comedy format combines animated shorts, song-and-dance numbers, and instructional lessons that are all focused on a common educational theme.

English class has never been as fun as it is with The Electric Company at the helm. With lessons woven into humorous, kid-friendly storylines, upbeat music inspired by a variety of genres, and graphics that bring words and their letter components to life onscreen, the show gives kids multi-dimensional instruction that builds on traditional education. Brisk transitions between segments and a varied cast of characters and animated clips maintain kids' interest and entertain so well that they might not even realize the show's true intentions.

If you have fond memories of the original series from your own childhood, this great remake offers an opportunity to sit down with your kids and share some common ground. Since the show revives a few of the '70s series' classic sketches (remember those word-building silhouettes?), it's a fun way to revisit a part of your past while you connect with your kids and help reinforce their learning in a unique way.