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.
Watch Bluey! It’s a kids show, but everyone should watch it.
I’ll admit that this does sound kind of like a joke suggestion, but I’m serious, after a hard day, sit down, suck up your pride and put an episode or two of Bluey on. It’s a warm blanket on a cold day.
Yeah bluey is 100% a show anyone can watch and get something out of, I’ve cried watching it and I’m a 39 year old dude, good stories are good stories regardless of their target audience.
I hope I didn’t come across as joking. Bluey models probably the most wholesome parent-child relationships on television. Yes it’s acted out by cartoon dogs; but the scenarios hit home.
I’m a father of two; watching (and often emulating) Bluey has absolutely made me a better parent. It’s not all “go 100% with your kids all the time”; sometimes it’s “we have to stop playing so I can go to work” or “mom and dad are tired, let’s play a game where we don’t have to leave the couch” or “it seems we’re spending too much time watching TV or screens, how do we reconnect to the real world”. Yes, the irony of a TV show covering that last topic isn’t lost on me :P
Bluey is indeed wholesome!
Seconded.
Bob’s Burgers has got to be the #1 here. One of the most loving families in television history.
Avatar - The Last Airbender might be a contender. If you can tolerate some entirely NOT wholesome dynamics alongside all the wholesome ones.
The Owl House also comes to mind.
Before Bob’s Burgers there was Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, which is where H. Jon Benjamin (voice of Bob) really got on the map in the 90’s. He was so young back then, he played the son.
But I always thought it was a very sweet relationship between a single father who was very understanding and patient with his twenty-something year old son who was perpetually without a job and very immature. So patient, so kind, so loving, no intent ever to kick him out and make him “grow up.”
In fact, Dr. Katz, Home Movies, and Bob’s Burgers are all Loren Bouchard projects. He was a writer/producer/editor on Dr. Katz but he was a creator on Home Movies and Bob’s Burgers.
Fun fact about Dr. Katz. Jon Benjamin’s character, Ben, was infatuated with his fathers secretary, Laura, who was played by Laura Silverman. Even though in the show her character couldn’t stand Ben, in real life Jon Benjamin and Laura Silverman were dating at the time.
I was coming to say Bobs Burgers
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Likewise.
Gravity Falls is pretty good on that front too.
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 it saddens me that my girl will soon no longer want to watch it as she gets older.
🥲 Those family dynamics.
I can’t imagine that some of their lessons won’t stick with her.
My Neighbor Totoro!
Whispers of the Heart, From Up on Poppy Hill, and Arête also have good child/parent dynamics. Among most other Ghiblis. I just wanted to mention some of their lesser known ones.
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!
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Except for scenes with Worf or Keiko
Worf 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.
As a dad with a daughter I absolutely bawled my eyes out during the Mitchell’s VS the machines. It’s a daughter going off to college story and the dad trying to connect.
It’s a pretty funny movie and nails how families can act with each other
My daughter is only 11 but I know some of that is not to far off down the road
That fuckin moose, man. I’m a dad, and that shit killed me.
Right? My daughter and I have connected with the Incredibles, MVM, anything Spider-Man especially the animated movies w/Miles and currently stranger things. Just finished our rewatch of all four seasons in the last month.
But I remember going to across the spider verse with her and seeing that moose on Miles’ shelf. Instant quiet tears
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The Incredibles and Inside Out both portray realistic, flawed, loving family dynamics. As a parent, they’re hard and beautiful to watch.
Film: Mitchell’s vs the Machines.
TV: The Great North
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.
Sid the Science Kid
Addams family (Movies)
Malcolm in the Middle(dysfunctional, but deep down concern)
The Mummy (movies)
We should setup a watch party thing around some kind of FOSS friendly deal. At a minimum we could watch and discuss for a day+ of open conversation. It might be fun?
PeerTube stream?
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.
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.
yes Pascal’s one of the great actors, the role of Joel is less interesting emotionally however. not much room to shine imo.
yes the original film from 1984 =) lots and lots of theatrical re-enactments since then. now some new cartoons i see
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.
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