SHOWS FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS TOO : Disney’s ‘Lion King’ debuts on ABC, natch; ‘Boy Meets World’ meets a complex topic head-on

The Lion King, the much-praised and highly successful animated Disney feature film, makes its network television debut (ABC, Sunday at 7 p.m.). The story follows the adventures of Simba, a heroic young lion trying to find his place in nature’s “circle of life.” For the family.

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Estelle Getty plays Lloyd’s (Michael McShane) mother, an eccentric senior citizen who loves to mambo, on Brotherly Love (WB, Sunday at 7:30 p.m.). In the episode “Motherly Love,” Myrna (Getty) teaches Andy (Andrew Lawrence) to dance and then takes his place as a driver in the pine box derby. For ages 7 to 15.

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Former football coach and NBC sports analyst Mike Ditka guest-stars as the beleaguered coach of an inept football team on 3rd Rock From the Sun (NBC, Sunday at 8 p.m.). Dick Solomon (John Lithgow) and his alien family catch football fever, leading to Sally (Kristen Johnston) confronting Ditka about his team’s poor performance. For ages 8 to 15.

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Embarrassed by his nerdy father (Wallace Shawn), 12-year-old Charlie (Ben Diskin) rents a dad for a day (Nick Cassavetes) to impress his classmates in Just Like Dad (Disney Channel, Monday at 8:30 p.m.). For the family.

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Jazz legend Nancy Wilson and some of the biggest names in R&B; and hip-hop provide the backdrop in a two-part episode on Moesha (UPN, Tuesday, Part 1 at 8 p.m., Part 2 at 9 p.m.). For ages 7 to 15.

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Cory (Ben Savage) mistakenly assumes that Shawn (Rider Strong) is involved with a classmate after he discovers that she spent the night at his trailer on Boy Meets World (ABC, Friday at 8:30 p.m.). Shawn, however, reveals the real truth, which is a “secret” that requires adult assistance. For ages 10 to 17.