I kinda didn’t get much love during childhood, so I kinda get obsessed about it. I recently watched Spy x Family and holy hell, I get so jealous of the wholesomeness of their family dynamic, I cried. I need more of that.
A show I forgot from my prior post because it’s so new is Joe Cappa’s Haha You Clowns on Adult Swim. It’s very loosely modeled after the classic sitcom My Three Sons and follows the loving and earnest adventures of 3 beefy Chad teens and their love for their equally beefcake father who recently became a Widower as they lovingly try to fill his broken heart with love. The sincerity rounds the bend to being absurd and funny, but the relationships on display are all loving and healthy.
Steven Universe, from beginning to the end. The last (fifth?) season was called Steven Universe Future; it’s a timeskip several years into the future.
Hmm… It’s an adoptive family dynamic, but I think you’ll like Anne Shirley. You can watch the recent remake or the original anime depending on preference.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Except for scenes with Worf or Keiko
Word let’s you see what a shitty father looks like, Keiko is just Keiko and I don’t want to end up in a transporter malfunction so she’s good.
Usagi drop is an adorable movie.
Word of caution, do NOT read the original manga. It’s kind of infamous for the incredibly controversial direction the story goes in the second half, which the anime thankfully omits.
Joe Pera Talks With You
Joe’s love for his grandmother will make you cry. Then his best friend Gene’s sweet relationship with his sons will make you cry again.
The Midnight Gospel
It’s only really in the final episode of the series, but Duncan Trussell’s relationship with his mother was beautiful and sweet, as evidenced in the finale of this short series.
Nathan For You
While Nathan For You really isn’t about Nathan Fielder’s relationship with his parents and they are only minor characters in the series, in their few appearances, you can tell how much love and respect he has for them. His father loved Taiga soft shell jackets, and as a Jewish family, his father was devastated when Taiga paid tribute to Holocaust denier Doug Collins in one of their winter catalogues. Nathan would go on to create an entire company dedicated to making soft shell jackets in the style his father liked called Summit Ice Apparel so his father could feel comfortable wearing clothing from a reputable company that didn’t promote Holocaust deniers. 100% of the profits of Summit Ice go to the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
As noted in a comment reply about Bob’s Burgers, largely made by the same group of people behind Bob’s Burgers, but back in the 90’s. A sweet relationship between a single father and his aimless but golden hearted adult son.
Bluey and Bob’s Burgers are both amazing for healthy family dynamics, and Bob’s burgers can be so funny I’ve cried laughing. The camping episode!
How much the parents care for their children and each other is extremely touching.
Bluey has such a healthy, compassionate family dynamic I was confused watching it for the first time.
As a divorced dad, Bluey is painfully sweet. I love that show to bits and out saddens me that my girl will soon no longer want to watch it as she gets older.
🥲 Those family dynamics.
maybe prodigy star trek, i hear its geared for children, but it
Wrote this in another thread but I love the found family trope and Spy x Family totally fits that bill. I wrote a few other examples below.
Movies
- Logan
- Ice Age
- Wild Robot
- Up
- Despicable Me
Shows
- The Last of Us
- The Mandalorian
- The Witcher
- Daddy Buddy (this one is an anime on Crunchyroll. I highly recommend this if you liked Spy x Family. Revolves around 2 assassins who accidentally wind up with a 4 year old)
I’m hesitant to count The Last of Us as an answer to OPs question. That show is not wholesome at all lol.
Fair. I’d say the bond between Joel and Ellie is wholesome in a world that everything and everyone is out to get them.
Pascal acting as Joel is like achieved by stripping 85% of his emotional range. the character of Joel is like a rock.
when i think father in film i think Mattis from Ronja Rövardotter! i can cry just recounting his lines! that is fatherhood in film
I’d disagree on Pedro Pascal"s performance. I thought he did an excellent job as Joel. He was nominated across multiple awards for that role.
As for the movie/character you mentioned, I had never heard of it but will check it out. I’m assuming you mean the 1984 version which seems to have better audience reviews than the 2024 Netflix TV series adaptation.
The Mandalorian
BABY YODA 😁
Wild Robot!
I cried so hard watching it. Told a friend, they lightly made fun of me but accepted the suggestion. They cried the whole movie too.
Netflix’s Lost in Space.
the original black and white The Addams Family is extremely wholesome. There’s an absolutely lovely family dynamic and the parents are extremely loving to the children and each other. I highly recommend it!
since all commenters here are missing out on the best family shows and films i’ll add to the collective knowledge
Astrid Lindgren’s
• Ronja Rövardotter
• Saltkråkan
• Bullerbyn
Tove Johansson’s
• 1972 Mumin
overall swedish cartoons
• Alfons Åberg
• Långa Farbrorn
• Creepschool (highlights and helps alot of trauma and social issues of children in every episodes, i can attest)
but if you want only american… i don’t have a family drama, but a found family feelgood
• 1985 Freaks of Science
ask me for clarifications or so
Sid the Science Kid
Addams family (Movies)
Malcolm in the Middle(dysfunctional, but deep down concern)
The Mummy (movies)
It’s kinda mainstream, but I’ve enjoyed Modern Family quite a bit. Sure, there is some friction, but it all works out in the end, so perhaps that fits what you’re looking for.
Barakamon (2014)
After torpedoing his career, a young, lonely calligrapher gets sent to a remote island community where he befriends the local townsfolk and a precocious child. Its quite lovely and I think you’ll like it a lot.
And it looks like someone has put the entire series, with English subtitles, up on YouTube:
There’s an animated and a live action series. Which would you recommend more?
I’ve only seen the animated series, so that.
