Everybody Hates Chris, Except the Parents Television Council?

The PTC has released their annual list of ten best and worst shows for families (though they cheat a little bit and only pick nine best… I guess it isn’t wrong to teach our children to quit before finishing a task). If you count Desperate Housewives, seven comedies litter the worst list (as it should be). I don’t really want to bitch about these to much. The PTC has some weak reasons for hating all of them, including claiming Family Guy and American Dad are pushed as family shows. Fox advises “Viewer Discretion” in every promo for the pair. The only rationale I can see for this PTC complaint is the words “Family” and “Dad” in the titles. But really, I’m just glad someone’s watching Arrested Development (#9 on the Worst list), even if they’re doing it while frantically scrawling what’s offending them.

More fascinating however is the PTC praising Everybody Hates Chris as a good family show. I’m not saying it isn’t, it’s just a far harder edged show that I would expect the PTC to like (maybe they were stretching to find nine). Of course, the PTC loves how in the pilot episode that the children are obediently being quiet so that their father can get some rest. Kids being good and respectful… it’s always comedy gold. It’s possible for a show to be funny and family-friendly, but some of the families the PTC prefers to see aren’t ones I would want to grow up or raise.