SHOWS FOR YOUNGSTERS AND THEIR PARENTS TOO : Showtime’s ‘Whiskers’ offers a boy’s best friend; ‘Tots TV’ makes KCET debut; Phish and Chip play Disney

Comedian John Kassir is the host of a new kid show Johnnytime (USA, Sunday at 10:30 a.m.) that tries to help youngsters handle fears and overcome difficult problems, such as peer pressure and lack of confidence. Kassir portrays an astounding 85-plus characters in the weekly series. Recurring characters include Recycleman, Captain Corpuscle, Hedda Gobbler and Kickbutt Buttinski, an upbeat, former daredevil who can “fix” anything even though he is now confined to a wheelchair. For ages 5 to 17.

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Afraid his parents are going to get rid of his best friend, a cat, 11-year-old Jed (Michael Zaloz) calls on an Egyptian goddess to transform the kitty into a human being in Whiskers (Showtime, Sunday at 6 p.m.). She grants his wish, with one glitch: The cat is turned into a full-grown man (Brent Carver) instead of a boy. For the family.

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Phish and Chip II is one of five new toons to kick off the “What A Cartoon! Show” coming to the Cartoon Network every Wednesday night this month (6 p.m.). Phish and Chip are fighting their worst nemesis, Blammo the clown, who is fond of things that go boom. The toons repeat Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at noon.

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Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy star in the 1987 Steven Spielberg fantasy batteries not included (Disney Channel, Friday at 9:15 p.m.). Aliens from outer space arrive in Manhattan, where they help the last tenants of a rundown brownstone that is about to be demolished. For the family.

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A new series, Tots TV (KCET, Saturday at 7 a.m.), offers a wide assortment of characters for a children’s audience. There are the three puppet pals, Tilly, who speaks Spanish, Tom and Tiny. They share a house with their real friend Donkey and a hidden “guest,” Furryboo. In this week’s debut, the tots are amazed to discover a hippopotamus can eat half a loaf of bread in one gulp. They also learn about mud, play with colored water and make a luxurious swimming pool. For ages 2 to 5.