Family shows can be oh-so-boring. Sibling rivalries one week, melodramatic classroom tantrums the next. But when the Huxtables or the Camdens take over your TV, sometimes it just works. Showrunners with soft touches who draw on their own genuine experiences create the 21 television shows that make you believe in the power of family.
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1 7th HeavenThe WBThe Camdens have been through more drama than any other family on TV. Cutting, suicide, suspension, TP-ing the gym, boot camp, gang life, flipping the bird in front of your mom, etc. Aaron Spelling's family show to end all family shows had a point: Your family will always love you. Even if they don't like you.
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5 Brothers & SistersABCPre-"Parenthood," there was no hour-long family drama that could make viewers weep like "Brothers & Sisters." With a matriarch played by Sally Field, the grown-up kids were there for one another through divorces, political campaigns, adoption and one horrible, horrible car crash.
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7 Good Luck CharlieDisney ChannelDisney Channel's hit show will end this year differed from the network's other shows by appealing to adults with its sweet video diaries.
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10 ShamelessShowtimeThe Gallaghers are NOT the family you want to emulate. But, if there's one thing the Chicago-bred folks from the wrong side of the tracks know, it's how to take care of one another. Through liver disease, jail time, accidental pregnancies and arson, the Gallaghers sure do know the meaning of unconditional love.
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13 Growing PainsABC"Growing Pains" was another classic family show under ABC's purview, but was able to set itself apart with a strong working mother and the addition of young Leo DiCaprio. Looking back, it's hard to ignore the show's offscreen drama, but "Growing Pains" reruns can still give you the feels.
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16 Trophy WifeABCOn paper, this sounds like a 21st century feminist's worst nightmare: Pete (Bradley Whitford) is on his third wife, Kate (Malin Akerman), but his two former wives can't seem to get out of the picture. But in reality, it's a hilarious, touching look at families who choose to work together instead of against each other.
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17 The Brady BunchABCWatch an episode of "The Brady Bunch" today. Sure, it'll feel dated and corny. But, no other American family captured what it was like to find family in step-siblings. Plus, the show paved the way for "A Very Brady Sequel," which is a film we should all re-watch immediately.
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20 Sabrina, the Teenage WitchABCWhen you're a teenage witch, the only people who can really understand you are your cool aunts and your cat named Salem. "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" showed us that family doesn't have to be mom + dad + kids. Sometimes your extended family knows just how to take care of you ... and your magic powers.
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