If you're disillusioned with the state of network television these days, you're not alone. An onslaught of reality programming has dominated the airwaves since the beginning of this century.

While things are starting to improve, with innovative shows like "Lost" and "House" now airing, it's still a far cry from the comforting shows of yesteryear. While I do get engrossed in every episode of Desperate Housewives", its dark, eerie black comedy would not be what I'd want to watch if I was having a particularly bad day. On days like that (you know what I'm taking about--dreary, rainy days, or maybe days when you're depressed or sick in bed with the flu), you need some cheering up. That's where the familiar, family oriented (or at the very least, G-rated) shows of years past come in. If you're pining away for some of your favorite old television shows and need some comforting, see if you can remember these classic television series.

-- I Love Lucy. You don't have to pine away too much if you loved this show, because it is still on the air all over the country. In fact, since its inception in 1951, I Love Lucy has never been off the air, thanks to a constant stream of repeats airing in syndication. Starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley, the show featured the antics of a daffy redhead and her Cuban bandleader husband. I Love Lucy had just the right mix of slapstick humor and romance. This timeless show still holds up today (okay, maybe the fashions have changed).

Must see episodes: "Job Switching" and "Lucy Does a TV Commercial".

-- The Lucy Show. A few years after her first series (and her marriage) ended, Lucille Ball tried her hand at a solo project-- well, not exactly. Handsome husband Desi was no longer around, but she brought along her "I Love Lucy" costar, Vivian Vance, to star in this series about a widow and a divorce, living together and raising their kids. This show showed Lucille Ball at her best and it dealt with the hardships of single motherhood-- including raising children while trying to date-- with humor and class. Both Ball and Vance became masters at slapstick comedy in episodes that featured them installing a shower and climbing on the roof to a put up a TV antenna.

Must see episodes: "Lucy and Viv Install a Shower" and "Together for Christmas".

-- Bewitched. Since 1964, this delightful fantasy comedy about a beautiful witch and her mortal husband has charmed millions. Featuring an all star cast (with guest stars like Agnes Moorehead and Marion Lorne), Bewitched portrayed the struggle of a witch, Samantha Stevens, trying to keep her marital promise to her husband Darren-- no more witchcraft. Obviously, that promise was broken repeatedly because there was witchcraft used in every episode. Still, husband Darren managed to forgive her every time.

Must see episodes: "Nobody's Perfect"" and "Sisters at Heart"

-- Little House on the Prairie. This series, based on the popular children's book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, was about a pioneer family living in Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Starring the handsome Michael Landon and a pint sized Melissa Gilbert, the entire cast was pretty attractive for people who were roughing it. Rich girl foe, Nellie Olsen (played brilliantly by Allison Angram), was always around to stir up some trouble. A feel good show with its share of heartbreak, this show was very popular family fare in the mid 1970's.

Must see episodes: "The Richest Man in Walnut Grove" and "The Spring Dance".

-- The Brady Bunch. A blonde widow with three daughters marries a dark haired widower with three sons. Chaos ensues. That's the premise of this endearing comedy from the early 1970's. While critics charged that the show was sappy and farfetched, fans have kept this beloved series on the air (in syndication) for over 35 years.

Must see episodes: "Will the Real Jan Brady Please Stand Up?" and "Hawaii Bound".

-- Mary Tyler Moore. This award winning comedy about a liberated, single woman working in a newsroom starred Mary Tyler Moore (of The Dick Van Dyke Show fame). Touted as groundbreaking, it explored the complex--and comical-- issues of being thirty something and single. Featuring an eclectic ensemble cast (like Ed Asner, Cloris Leachman and Ted Knight) the show garnered huge ratings throughout its seven year run.

Must see episodes: "The Dinner Party" and "Chuckles Bites the Dust".


-- The Courtship of Eddie's Father. Take a widower father and his precocious young son and you have a match made in television heaven. Audiences fell in love with young Eddie Corbett (played by Brandon Cruz) and his handsome single father (Bill Bixby) as they learned lessons about life-- and love-- together.

Must see episodes: "How Do You Know if It's Really Love?" and "The Unbirthday Present".

-- That Girl. Marlo Thomas starred in this series about a struggling actress living in New York City. Fans loved the chemistry between Ann Marie (Thomas) and her long suffering beau, Donald Hollinger (Ted Bessell).

Must see episodes: "Break a Leg" and "It's a Mod, Mod World".

-- Hazel. Starring Shirley Booth, this hit series was about a bumbling and very chatty maid, Hazel Burke, and the family that she worked for. Booth entertained audiences for five hilarious seasons on this light hearted show.

Must see episodes: "But is it Art?"" and "Maid of the Month".

-- The Partridge Family. Teen heartthrob David Cassidy and the legendary Shirley Jones starred in this series about a singing family-- five kids and their mom. Based loosely on real life singers the Cowsills, the show spawned a bunch of top ten hits and anything bearing David Cassidy's likeness quickly flew off store shelves.

Must see episodes; "I Can Get it for you Retail" and "Days of Acne and Roses".

-- Happy Days. I have mixed feelings about the show. The first three seasons were phenomenal (although season three was by far the best, in my opinion). The show centered around the loveable Cunningham family of Milwaukee. Son Richie (the first season had one older son, Chuck, who was written out of the show after the first season) and his pal Fonzie were the main characters. Once they started introducing useless new characters like Fonzie's love interest, Pinky Tuscadero and the goofy Chachi Arcola character (played by Scott Baio), I feel that the show started heading in the wrong direction. This show ran for eleven long seasons and by the final season there were so many random characters (like Ted McGinley's Roger) that it was definitely time to pull the plug on it. Still, season three alone, with its fresh writing, is worth the price of admission.

Must see episodes: "Football Frolics" and 'The Beauty Contest".