Tonight on ABC Family, before an all new episode of MAKE IT OR BREAK IT, I want you to do me a favor and watch MELISSA & JOEY at 8/7c and 8:30/7:30c.

The show follows the life of a town politician, MEL (played, as you would absolutely expect it to be played, by Melissa Joan Hart), who has taken over the care of her sister and brother-in-law’s teenagers, after a money making scheme landed him on the run, and her in jail.  Melissa soon realizes she needs a “nanny”, and when JOE (played by my mother’s-cousin’s-wife’s-nephew Joey Lawrence, of course) knocks on her door, looking for the money that he was cheated from by her brother, one thing leads to another, and he’s cooking dinner, solving niece Lennox’s problems, and playing basketball with nephew Ryder; he’s a regular Tony Micelli (that’s a WHO’S THE BOSS? reference for those of you too young to realize what I mean).

When I first watched tonight’s premiere, my immediate reaction was that I was transported back to BLOSSOM days, or days when TGIF was still around, or when SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH was still a teenager!  MELISSA & JOEY is a feel good family show on the level of BOY MEETS WORLD (that’s a huge compliment, people).  It’s a modern-day WHO’S THE BOSS, and yes, I agree that the story has a been-there-done-that feel to it, but what makes the show infinitely more enjoyable is the easy going chemistry between Joey Lawrence and Melissa Joan Hart.

Life long friends who hadn’t worked together until MY FAKE FIANCE just a few years ago, Hart and Lawrence loved the idea of bringing the classic family sitcom back to TV, and they worked with the network to get the right fit for the two of them.  The teenage cast is charming, and I like Rhonda Ho’s sarcastic best friend character.  I think what they ended up with is a great way to pass the time on a Tuesday night and I can’t wait to see more.

Follow the jump for some background on the show!

MELISSA & JOEY will airs Tuesday nights on ABC Family at 8/7c and 8:30/7:30c.