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.

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[–] 59 points 10 months ago (5 children)

Watch Bluey! It's a kids show, but everyone should watch it.

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  • [–] 12 points 10 months ago* (2 children)

    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.

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  • [–] 8 points 10 months ago

    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.

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  • [–] 6 points 10 months ago

    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

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  • [–] 50 points 10 months ago (4 children)

    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.

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  • [–] 10 points 10 months ago

    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.

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  • [–] 26 points 10 months ago* (2 children)

    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.

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  • [–] 22 points 10 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 15 points 10 months ago*

    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!

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  • [–] 13 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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  • [+] 12 points 10 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)
    [–] 12 points 10 months ago* (2 children)

    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

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    [–] 11 points 10 months ago

    The Incredibles and Inside Out both portray realistic, flawed, loving family dynamics. As a parent, they're hard and beautiful to watch.

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  • [–] 8 points 10 months ago* (2 children)

    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:

    https://youtu.be/ip2T3BS3mgg

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    [–] 8 points 10 months ago

    Film: Mitchell's vs the Machines.

    TV: The Great North

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  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    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?

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  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago

    Sid the Science Kid

    Addams family (Movies)

    Malcolm in the Middle(dysfunctional, but deep down concern)

    The Mummy (movies)

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  • [–] 6 points 10 months ago

    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.

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)
    • Digimon Adventure (1998) -- Contains: Divorced parents who deeply love their children and are willing to put their differences aside for their sake, adopted son learning that his parents really love him and that he really loves them, cool older brother who tells overly-pressured kid to stop trying to meet expectations and go do what makes him happy. (also -- Kaiju fights, of course) -- Plus, christmas miracle, ALL the family members are alive at the end!

    If you're willing to tank a whole heap of tragedy around the wholesomeness --

    Fullmetal Alchemist: Brothehood (and the Manga. Actually I prefer the Manga) is a classic about a pair of brothers who face many difficulties together. It's really sweet how much they protect each other. Shout out also to their not-sister-childhood-friend for being an honorary third sibling. Then there's their father, absentee for most of the show, but once he appears he's fully ready to sacrifice himself for their sake and all that.

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago

    For anime: Sweetness and Lightning.

    It's about a single father cooking different dishes for his daughter with the help of one of his students.

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago*

    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

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

    You didn't ask for a video game, but the first piece of media I thought of was, Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2. They literally made me cry at some scenes because of how wholesome parts of them are. He kinda adopts a little girl, and starts an orphanage. There's even a section of the game where you just walk around town holding her hand. Although the game has a lot of mature elements and is not entirely about this.

    I can't really think of many parent/child wholesome media, but Mr Rodgers is something I enjoy watching with my daughter.

    Edit, I just remembered, I Love Lucy is pretty wholesome with a parent child relationship

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  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago

    Netflix's Lost in Space.

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  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago*

    Figure 17

    Loving dad. And what if you suddenly had an identical twin that's trying to better you and helps you get out of your shell?

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  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago* (7 children)

    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)
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  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago (4 children)

    I'm hesitant to count The Last of Us as an answer to OPs question. That show is not wholesome at all lol.

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    [–] 3 points 10 months ago

    The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity

    It's a new anime and it's more focused on the kids, but the relationship the main has with his family is so good. Honestly all of the characters are just so darn good. They're all so wholesome and just good.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago

    Fresh Prince of Bel Aire with Will Smith and James Avery. Not a perfect family, but James plays a wonderful tv dad.

    A story about found family overcoming trauma that I love is Fruits Basket, particularly the 3 season remake.

    I'm also very partial to Boy Meets World (TOPANGA!!!!)

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago* (1 child)

    The original Naruto series has its moments. The first two or three arcs hit me throughout several times.

    Hunter x Hunter has friend dynamics like that and can turn up the feels with missing father throughout.

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  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago*

    ouch the trauma of HxH

    though yes the family relationship in those few episodes are best in anime. i dare say you see alot of physical and emotional and psychological and sexual trauma for the "rest" of the 50 something episodes. that doesn't make it a better of anime to comfort by if you'ven't seen it before. having peeked at the manga & the 2012 anime i'm confident i like the 1999 anime best because it strays from the harshness. HxH 1999 is the varmest.

    though anime wise: World Masterpiece Theatre is the varmest family dynamics without the trauma. for example Little Women 2 Jo's Boys

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    For a movie I got “Instant Family”. This one’s focus is entirely about adoption, and it’s a great ride.

    A show that I think is very unknown is “Parenthood”. It also does the huge family thing like “Modern Family” which I love. The stories about parenting are more diverse here tho: you’ve got the classic parenting teens, dealing with autism, and adoption, all in one show.
    Plus the actors are all great, I mean who could say no to Craig T Nelson as patriarch and Holly Genero from Die Hard as matriarch?

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    [–] 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

    Kakushigoto is really good.

    It is the story of a single-parent manga artist who is ashamed of his work and goes to great lengths to keep it from his young daughter.

    The story begins when the girl, now older, discovers her Father's job, and is told through flashbacks to her growing up and life with her father who was always trying his best for her.

    I can't find the official trailer with subtitles but it gives you the idea. Trailer.

    Really heartwarming, and bittersweet at times, and other things I won't spoil.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago

    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.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    Usagi Drop is an anime about an unwanted orphan being adopted by someone with a big heart and no experience. https://anilist.co/anime/10162/Usagi-Drop/

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  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago

    Watch out though, because while the TV anime ends on a sweet note, and you should probably stop there, the manga ends with time-skipping forwards 10 years to when they start a romantic relationship together.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago

    The Paddington movies are absolutely delightful.

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  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    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.

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    [–] 2 points 10 months ago

    For something new you could try Alma-chan Wants to Be a Family.

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