The Waltons (Hallmark Channel, Syndicated)

Created by Earl Hamner, Jr.,THE WALTONS was based on his book, Spencer's Mountain (which also inspired the same-named 1963 film starring Henry Fonda). The series follows the daily lives of the extended Walton family, led by parents John (Ralph Waite) and Olivia (Michael Learned), who live with their seven children and John's parents, Zeb (Will Geer) and Esther (Ellen Corby), in rural central Virginia during the 1930s and 1940s. Narrated from the point of view of eldest son/aspiring author John-Boy (played first by Richard Thomas, then by Robert Wightman), the show chronicles the family's determination to withstand the emotionally and physically trying times that saw the repercussions of the Depression and the devastation of World War II. While storylines often stay close to home, relating household happenings (like their first telephone) and the coming-of-age of the Walton kids, John-Boy's exodus to New York City to pursue journalism after college broadened the show's geographic scope. When he heads overseas to report on the war, the global events of the time become a larger part of home life for the Waltons, and viewers get a peek at how such far-off events can infiltrate an otherwise secluded and peaceful existence.

Parents -- many of whom likely grew up watching this classic in first-run episodes and the ubiquitous reruns -- will love sharing The Waltons with their own school-age kids. There's little content here likely to cause concern, and with wonderful stories and characters who are civic-minded and hardworking, the show delivers first-rate family entertainment. Just make sure your kids can grasp the historical significance of storylines that occasionally include war battles, scenes of soldiers training with weapons, and air raid drills. (You might even want to brush up on your history lessons so you can answer any questions they have about the time period.) Serious topics like a family member's death also pop up occasionally and may require some additional discussion.