TV OR NOT TV

FACED WITH THE NEW FALL OFFERINGS FOR KIDS AND AN ALREADY DIZZYING ARRAY OF CHANNELS, PARENTS MUST PONDER WHETHER TO TURN IT ON AND TUNE IN TO IT OR--DARE WE SAY IT?--TURN IT OFF

Anon, to sudden silence won, In fancy they pursue The dream-child moving through a land Of wonders wild and new, In friendly chat with bird or beast-- And half believe it true. --Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

The children pad down the stairs on Saturday morning, and after a quick breakfast they're beckoned to an adjacent room by a blank TV screen. Taken in hand by the remote control, they are led through a world populated by Power Rangers, Animaniacs, the Cryptkeeper, Cap'n Crunch, Hulk Hogan, the Incredible Hulk, the Mighty Ducks, Rugrats, Spider-Man, Superman, Pinky and the Brain,...

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