Before the 2002-2003 television season began, three classicsitcoms were made available on DVD. “All in the Family,” “Sanfordand Son” and “The Jeffersons,” three shows by one of the medium’sproducing pioneers, Norman Lear. To know good TV is to know whothat man is, what those shows were in their time and why they’restill in fashion almost thirty years later.

I purchased “The Jeffersons.”

Why would I mention that? Because other than achoice handful of shows, there really wasn’t much to watch ontoday’s television set. I would rather settle down to my collectionof edited “West Wing” episodes and “Jeffersons” DVD than see what’son prime time any given night.

But alas, this season was to be a shocker.Television may just be picking itself up out of the gutter, withone glaring flaw growing larger in frequency. Yes, reality showshave not gone away, but rather over populated the prime time lineupeven more so this year. Kids and, very literally, vanity contestshave come into style, as well as “Bachelor” rip-offs. It’s enoughto make your head pop off without spinning.

I digress. Really, this has been a smashingseason. And there are two returning trends that are coming ongenuinely strong like the Lear comedies did in their time (withoutthe controversy, of course).

The most successful and praised sitcoms of theseason have been those centered around families, rather than thecomedy found in homosexuality, office workers, and yes, evenfriends. Two heterosexual parents, two or more kids and some tokenrelatives and friends. That’s all that’s needed for a good heartylaugh without guilt or stupidity.

The other trend addresses a fear from thebeginning of the season, with an overpopulation of dramas. Thefunny thing is, the best shows on television today are as such.There must be something in L.A.’s water, because the writing hasn’tbeen this sharp and anti-spectacle in years. No network has touteddeath in their shows in the usual tasteless manner and nolarger-than-life stunt cliffhangers (the exception being “Alias,”but it’s all in the eye of the beholder for that show).

Family sitcoms and the one-hour prime timedramas. One can truly sit down once a week to those shows, beimmersed in a world not of their own, and not feel guilty about itafterwards.

No bad aftertaste, just good ol’ fashionedentertainment. The way it should be.

Here’s some highlights:

ER

Much like “West Wing,” “ER” started out ratherpathetically. It ended the previous season with a weak link: the ERwas quarantined because of a rampant virus. And this seasonstarted, ridiculously, like the 1995 thriller, “Outbreak.” Theycouldn’t even avoid usage of a monkey for the season premiere. AndDr. Robert “Ramjet” Romano even lost an arm.

If that’s not stupid, I don’t know whatis.

Fortunately, I’m not really a cynic, andneither are the makers of this fine show. As if to give themselvesa challenge by really screwing things up, “ER” matured like italways does by picking up the pieces. They dealt with Dr. LukaKovac’s reckless bachelor with grace and temporarily relocated him,therefore allowing the triangle of himself, Nurse Abby Lockhart andDr. John Carter to simmer down. “Friends” and “Will & Grace”are on the same night, America doesn’t need more melodrama.

Perhaps the hallmark of the season was thegrowth from newbie Dr. Gregory Pratt (Mekhi Pfiher of “8 Mile”). Hestarted out on Dr. Mark Greene’s last day in the ER last season asthe most ignorant intern yet to grace the show. Think of an AfricanAmerican “Ramjet” Romano.

He has grown in a year’s time to become verycareful, cautious and caring about his trade. Much like the show inits ninth season. Gone are the glamorous principals (Anthony Edwardand George Clooney) and left are the down-to-earth hearts and soulsof the show. Nothing can stop this show.

The Agency

A miracle saved this show from cancellationlast season, as well as critical bashing and a non-stable audience.But just like “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” caught on to an olderaudience eventually, so has “The Agency.”

Gil Bellows died yet again on network TV,getting shot in the previous season’s finale. His peers picked upthe pieces and have strove on since to make the world safe for theinnocents and not-so-innocents. The cast is across-the-boardexcellent, and the end of the show, the credits remind me that thetight-pace and edge-of-your-seat thrills are thanks to WolfgangPetersen and Gail Katz, the team behind bringing one of the mostentertaining popcorn flicks of the turn of the century, “Air ForceOne.” Take a peek at this show, it’s a good adrenaline rush withoutthe guilt and fakeness of other television thriller wannabes(cough, cough).

The West Wing

Creator and writer Aaron Sorkin, pothead atlarge, did it again. Produce another stellar season that is. Theprevious season ended with a mixed bag, giving Claudia Jean Cregg arun for her emotional money and bringing seasoned actor Mark Harmon(“Chicago Hope” alumnus) in as an ill-fated love interest andSecret Service agent, but letting the politics of the show go intopredictable cruise control.

This season, the autopilot was flavored withthe spunky twists and spicy dialogue Sorkin’s most widely knownfor. The introduction of Joshua Malina as Will Bailey to replaceRob Lowe as Sam Seaborn wasn’t just a smart choice but a stroke ofincidental genius; who knew Malina as a Sorkin favorite would workso undeniably well?

With that event serving as the midseasonsweeps trick, it’s comforting to see something “Presidential” asZoey Bartlet’s kidnapping utilized to finish things up, as well asthe birth of Toby Ziegler’s twins and everybody else’s personallives in some generally modest mayhem (if one could call it that).Nothing largely out of place or odd for the show. Too bad Sorkin’sgiven his resignation. Like the show’s Vice President John Hoynes,he’ll be sorely missed. We can look forward to other great thingsfrom him in the future, if he can just keep away from thecannabis…

Everybody Loves Raymond

One thing that, if done right, can never getold is a comedy about a simple family. The more old-fashioned theyare, the less old it gets. There’s nothing more relaxing than tosee people screwing up like your own family, only worse.

Ray continues to find things to whine aboutneedlessly, without falling into the nothingness that made”Seinfeld” so annoying at times. His parents, brother and wife findcountless ways to be verbally sparring amongst each other, butcontinue loving each other.

This season in particular, it’s nice thatRay’s only brother, Robert, has reunited with his former love, AmyMcDougal. The writers could have cut the Amy character loose, butthis return to “reality” as far as the well-being of the charactersare concerned is fresh, something not seen since the shows of the80s (or, what I like to think of as the last time television as awhole was still watchable).

Ray Romano publicly spoke of the show comingto an end at the end of next season. CBS has approached him for anextra season past that. As good as the show is, a season or twomore should suffice. And what a season or two it’ll be!

CSI

Another film production genius is behind thisone, but more famous than Petersen. Jerry Bruckheimer wasresponsible for this 2001-2002 gamble of a thriller, and this crimeshow has had nothing but firm and pert legs to run on from the getgo.

Gil Grissom and company come to the scene, dotheir investigating, flash some attitude and spunk each time out,and usually get their man, or woman. Add the most mature characterdevelopment you could imagine this side of Sin City, and you’veessentially got “ER” crossed with the depth of “Law & Order”and the appearance of the films Bruckheimer is known for (i.e.:”Bad Boys” and “Gone in 60 Seconds”).

I’d like to praise the Floridian spinoff, but,um, I think I was trying not to watch it for some reason…

Dragnet

The badge is back.

Knowing what I know about old television, andeven what good television is, I honestly laughed hearing thattagline. But I already had the insight to look further into thismodern remake of the classic series, “Dragnet.” It was not to be alaughing matter.

But perhaps comes the shocker when theprimaries are mentioned. You’ve got Ed-O’Neill as Sergeant JoeFriday and Ethan Embry as Detective Frank Smith. Yes, Al Bundy ofTV’s “Married with Children” and Preston Meyers of the teen flick”Can’t Hardly Wait” (the dude who longs for Jennifer Love Hewitt’scharacter).

It’s a spectacle that has to be seen to bebelieved. These two are so convincing in their roles as hardenedand determined cops, it’s not funny. Really. Especially O’Neill in”The Cutting of the Swath,” where Friday and Smith race to find theson of a man who’s murdering his entire family, immediate andextended. His reaction to the son’s dead body in a box is prettyharrowing stuff, even for TV.

As of press time, the show is being renamed”L.A. Dragnet” and being shifted from Sundays to Saturdays. Ignorethe stupid renaming and catch up on the show this summer.

In closing…

this year’s programming has the makings of abanner year for television in general. It’s a comforting return totasteful entertainment, and even the likes of “Dawson’s Creek” hasgone out on a truly fantastic note (considering I hated the showfrom the very beginning). When somebody can take comfort inwatching dramas with a sense of personal connection with thecharacters and stories at hand, and without fear of getting toodepressed, then somebody’s doing something right.

The same can be said for family sitcoms. Thenoted ones include the continuing “Bernie Mac” and “8 SimpleRules,” but my personal favorites and the actual shining stars inthe sitcom world today are “The Bernie Mac Show” and “My Wife andKids.” Incidentally yes, they are shows featuring dominant AfricanAmerican casts. But it’s only ironic because they have won over andrelated to all races, much like the theatrical “My Big Fat GreekWedding” took America at large by storm (too bad we can’t say thesame about the television incarnation, at least, not yet). Afather, his wife, their kids and extended family, in-laws andfriends. It’s simplicity at its best.

It’s a good year to be a couch potato.