Watch Bluey! It's a kids show, but everyone should watch it.
this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2025
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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
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 came here to say Owl House, one of the best found family stories I've ever seen
Likewise.
Gravity Falls is pretty good on that front too.
I was coming to say Bobs Burgers
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.
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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.
The Incredibles and Inside Out both portray realistic, flawed, loving family dynamics. As a parent, they're hard and beautiful to watch.
Came here to say Spy Family, but since you've seen that...Schitt's Creek has a good bit of it, though it is def a slow starter in that regard since it's kind of all about the mc family being shitheads that learn better over time. Still, lots of sweet familial bonding moments all throughout. It's also just a stellar cast and series. No complaints from me about it iirc.
Spy Family also has a manga that has been going on quite a bit longer than the anime. I think their chapter count is in the 200s last I checked? So it's quite far ahead of where the anime left off and is genuinely just as good a read as it is a watch. Maybe even funnier at times with the differences in the way the medium sells comedy compared to animation.
Speaking of comics, there's a great western one called Black Science all about a family surviving some very unfortunate scifi chaos. Less cozy vibes than the others by a good deal, but that just makes it more satisfying when they do pop up imo.
I'd be surprised if you haven't seen it already, but Lilo and Stitch has a ton of this. Less parent/child and more inter-sibling, but still very effective and very sweet. One of my favorite animated movies of all time for this and a ton of other reasons.
There's also the anime Ponyo; a story about a strange aquatic creature that makes friends with a young boy and his family. The visuals on this one are gorgeous to the nth degree. Such a good watch!
Adding a couple anti-picks (the opposite of what you're asking for) cause they're on my mind and I have the time lol
anti-pick #1
Berserk. No true family bonding, but the mc connects deeply with his mercenary group in a similar way. It's nice for a time, but ultimately does not end well. The manga is the best version by far, but the 90s anime team did a great job with what little budget they had. If you choose to watch the anime just know that it only follows the first major arc, and its ending will leave you wanting more. Edit: the author also died before finishing the manga. There are plans for his support staff and understudy to finish it using his original notes, but I haven't checked in on that in some time now.
anti-pick #2
Lovesick. Specifically the prequel; Dollparts. A girl hates and is hated by her family while learning about hyper violence online and sex via irl context clues, basically. Not for the weak of heart and somehow figures out how to take a grim premise and just keep on making it darker and darker as things go on. The threat of SA is heavily implied and a regular presence, so maybe steer clear if you know you can't sit with that. While I'm sure it's a hard sell, it's also very effective at being what it intends to be and explores some topics that really need talking about, but often aren't because of how almost universally uncomfortable they are to address. Fascinating and disturbing read. If you're not sure it's for you, that means it's probably not for you.
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:
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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?
Sid the Science Kid
Addams family (Movies)
Malcolm in the Middle(dysfunctional, but deep down concern)
The Mummy (movies)
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.
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.
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
- 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.
Netflix's Lost in Space.
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
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?
The Paddington movies are absolutely delightful.
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.
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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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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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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/
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.
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?
Parenthood is good stuff.
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!!!!)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Anime: Bleach has a good family dynamic. It’s probably not cry worthy but is good
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