TV programs recommended by some Christians

in alphabetical order

  • Biography (A&E)
  • 7th Heaven
  • Touched by an Angel
    Generally offering heart-touching stories dealing with the lives of everyday people, “Touched by an Angel” shares the abounding love and forgiveness of an almighty God in nearly every episode. While certainly not a show to gain accurate theological insight from, God is praised and portrayed in a positive light. Tim Cowley
  • Christy
  • Highway to Heaven
  • Little House on the Prairie
  • Tales of Avonlea
  • The Waltons

Mostly Non-offensive

  • Animaniacs
  • Babylon 5
    Probably too involved for those not into serious science fiction, but it remains a thought-provoking show. Despite being created and written by an atheist, Babylon 5 has presented Christianity in a positive light on several occasions. Believe it or not, one entire episode dealt with the nature of forgiveness and Christ's atonement. However, the show requires some thought, and it is structured like a 5-year miniseries, so it's not for the casual viewer. For teen and up. Christopher Heyn
    A bit on the violent side, poor language. There will be references to God and religion, but usually not in an extreme negative light. Tim Emmerich
  • Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
  • Early Edition
    Moral Rating: 3½ … Quality: 5
    Unique and captivating, this hour-long show deals with a kind-hearted man whose mission is to "save the world" in his own little part of it…Chicago. Often displaying selfless acts of heroism (mixed with humility), the main character mysteriously finds the paper on his doorstep… a day ahead of time! He looks for the story about a missing little boy, a tragic accident, or another incident that he can help prevent by being in the right place and the right time. Tim Cowley
  • ER
    Moral Rating: 3½ … Quality: 5
    On rare occassion has dealt with religious or moral issues and handled them in a one-sided and liberal fashion. Usually handles moral issues in a fair light and is not afraid to tackle controversial issues, but also treating them fairly and relatively objectively. Excellent character development and examination their respective character, or lack thereof. Things often are not as they seem at first, and it is a relatively, although highly dramatized, realistic portrayal of life and issues of this day. Often, it will give you much to think about regarding why you believe what you do and why you would or wouldn't react in a certain way. None of the characters are Christian, or even religious, so their conduct is not reflective of Christian values, but the weekly scripts delve into the psyche of the characters and can offer insight into the motivations and subsequent actions of the non-believing world. Scott Moore
  • Home Improvement
  • Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
  • Walker, Texas Ranger
  • Bionic Woman
  • Happy Days
  • Mork & Mindy
  • Newhart
  • The Rockford Files
  • Six Million Dollar Man
  • Star Trek: Original, Next Generation

Marginal

  • Frasier
    Occassional, but not quite regular, sexual discussion. The cast are the modern masters of the comedic misunderstanding, rivaled only by "I Love Lucy" in the complexity and hilarity of a particular misunderstanding. The characters relate with and compliment each other better than any show on TV. As all the characters are single, and none are religious, sexual plots and jokes are common, but not pervasive. Scott Moore
  • Mad About You
  • Law and Order
    Occassionally strays into political/religious themes which always show Christians or religious persons in a bad light. Scott Moore
  • Third Rock from the Sun
  • The Pretender
    Tends to be a bit on the violent side. It can be viewed that what was done to Jerod as he was growing up as being sadistic. Language is bad at times. Tim Emmerich
  • The Simpsons
    Great satirical humor that hits home rather uncomfortably. Christopher Heyn

Offensive to Christian Values

  • Drew Carey
  • Friends
  • Seinfield (Re-runs)
    Among the most popular of sitcoms in TV history (and now only available in reruns), Seinfield deals with the daily and often mundane lives of four single adults: Jerry Seinfield (played by himself), George Costanza, Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), and Elaine Bennes (Marie Louise Dryfus). While offering often hilarious comedic situations, sexual situations are often the shows topic (including premarital sex, sometimes homosexuality or masturbation, etc.). While enjoyable to watch, this series is often offensive to Christian values. Tim Cowley
  • Spin City
  • The X-Files
    Sorry… it's a quality show on many levels—writing, direction, cinematography—but its main goal is to scare the living daylights out of its audience, and that plus the high level of gore doesn't make for great family viewing. Christopher Heyn

Very Offensive!

  • Dawson's Creek
  • Ellen
  • Melrose Place
  • Saturday Night Live
  • Twin Peaks
    I've never said this about any other TV show, but there are storylines and scenes in this series (especially during the second season) that are demonically inspired. The high production quality and great music in this show makes that fact even more distressing. Christopher Heyn