I also should have mentioned that Hotel, a.k.a. The Love Boat on land, is coming out on DVD on October 20.
May I suggest the cartoon of Mr. Peabody and his pet boy Sherman. I think the writers of both the shows you mentioned grew up watching Rocky and Bullwinkle and especially enjoying the dog and his boy. I’ve always thought that the producers of The Time Tunnel could have made a great show if they would have just had a touch of humor to their program.
I adored Pushing Daisies. It’s mostly funny, though there are some touching moments (not sure if they’d qualify as “Kleenex-worthy”). But, very sharp writing, and an extremely quirky world view. You’ll definitely want to start with the pilot, as it sets up the series’ high concept, and sets the tone.
Haha So funny, I was thinking that as I typed it. I’m shooting for mid 80s+ though as earlier feels too dated (harder to get into).
But then I’ve watched a few Love Boats recently (roughly same time)… and most are corny but awesome. This one, for example, was a tearjerker:
I found the original ABC “trailer” for Pushing Daisies on YouTube; if this looks intriguing to you, give the show a try. It’s definitely not 1980s-style stuff, however. 
This looks lighthearted and fun… hard to tell from the trailer if there’s teary moments (only the Hallmark Channel sells the kind of sappyness I crave). Any of that?
Did they actually finish that? I’m thinking of the one with Moon Bloodgood and Kevin McKidd as time travelers. Is that the one you mean?
Scrubs was kind of weepy, but has no sci-fi elements. It did have “fantasy sequences” though.
I always recommend Murdoch Mysteries, but it also has no sci-fi elements, though it kind of touches on steampunk, with fun anachronisms. It’s primarily whimsical, but deals with serious issues and can sometimes get quite deep and touching.
There absolutely are teary moments - it’s a medical show, so people get sick or injured, and their families are worried, and sometimes the outcome is tears of joy, and sometimes it’s learning to overcome an illness or disability. Also, there’s a lot of heartwarming drama with the main characters and their relationships, plus there’s Henry Winkler (a recurring character) who is always heartwarming.
If you’re craving Hallmark Channel sappiness, I assume you’re already watching Cedar Cove?