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Let's face it, parents, our children watch too much TV. And in particular, too many cartoons. Gone are the days of classic (though violent) cartoon slapstick, as purveyed by 'Tom and Jerry' and 'Road Runner', or the prehistoric social commentary of 'The Flintstones'. Cartoons have become surreal, edgy, and 'in your face' obnoxious. Yet despair not, there is an alternative; kid sitcoms. Subjected as I am to the viewing fare of my children, I've noticed that Nickelodeon has some major talent on their 'young adult' actor roster (they're not exactly child actors).

'Drake and Josh', stars Drake Bell and Josh Peck. Drake's the cool, charismatic rule-breaker, opposite his smarter, less fortunate step-brother, Josh. Of course, actors playing characters that have their own first name is often a heads-up that there's limited acting ability on show. But Drake and Josh are major comedic talents. Some may remember Drake and Josh from another Nick show, 'The Amanda Show', starring the Lucille Ball-like phenomenon that is Amanda Bynes. 'Drake and Josh' also features the precocious acting ability of Miranda Cosgrove, in the role of a scarily intelligent, mean younger sister. Many will have seen her in 'School of Rock', in which she was quite outstanding.

'Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide' is another show featuring some fantastic young actors. 'Ned's Declassified' is a fairly routine high school sit-com, with the twist that it's intended as a guide to the pitfalls, moral dilemmas and such like facing the modern high school student. But you really don't need to know the premise of these shows. The comedy may be contrived, but it's delivered with wit and impeccable timing by its young stars. Devon Werkheiser plays Ned, who like Drake in 'Drake and Josh', is the good looking, cool anti-hero. He's supported by Dan Curtis Lee, as Simon Nelson 'Cookie' Cook, a nerdy, academic comic foil, and Lindsey Shaw as Jennifer 'Moze' Mosley, who is smart, the most likely to succeed, but prone to the usual teenage insecurities and 'issues'.

There are lesser Nick shows that your children may enjoy; for example, 'Zoey 101' starring Jamie Lynn Spears (Britney's younger sister) and 'The Naked Brothers Band', the lead of which is Nat Wolff, an alleged song-writing prodigy (although I've heard no real evidence of this).

I'm not saying these are brilliant, ground-breaking shows; but then I'm not a teenager, so of course I'm not the target audience. However, the casts of these shows are, in my opinion, actors and actresses of whom one can expect accomplished, possibly stellar careers. The road from child to adult star-hood is perilous, and strewn with many Danny Bonaduces. But I'm predicting these Nick superstars will go all the way.

Learn more about this author, Paul D.
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