Who doesn’t love an uplifting and thought-provoking show?
We think of the time spent passively in front of our laptops as though it were a complete waste. The truth is that movies and shows can tell stories that help us reflect on what we want out of life.
These shows will evoke a lot of emotions in you. They may even inspire you to be kinder and more mindful. Most importantly, they will illustrate the importance of going about life with a sense of humour, adventure, and creativity.
Mom
On the surface, this is a sitcom centred around a group of women who are in recovery from addiction. Dig deeper and you’ll find the characters’ struggles are not dissimilar from the challenges we all face. Daily, we all fight against temptation, face the worst parts of ourselves, and work to mend relationships with our loved ones.
It’s rare to find a show that brings such a light touch to difficult stories. Allison Janney and Anna Faris are brilliant as a comedic duo. The rest of the cast is equally good at eliciting big laughs and a sense of camaraderie with the audience.
Notably, Mom reveals an important and often forgotten truth — the idea that a solid, supportive community can get us through the hardest of times.
This Is Us
This is Us is a family drama that spans several decades. It moves back and forth over time to reveal the backstories of its very lovable characters. The web of stories it slowly pieces together is relatable, beautiful, and almost guaranteed to make you cry — the background music is epic and poignant.
A very good-looking cast, stellar acting, and powerful dialogue make this a show you will want to re-watch. Spoiler alert: if loss, and in particular the loss of a parent, is triggering, you might want to avoid this one.
Anne With An E
Anne is a story about a brave orphan who brings light, warmth, and joy to the siblings (as well as the entire community) who adopt her. If you need to be reminded of the invigorating innocence of youth, the value of friendship, and the importance of having fun, this is the show to watch.
Set in the late 1800s, part of the beauty of Anne is that it skillfully depicts a period long before screens and devices took over. This was a time filled with good books, long strolls, and relaxed chats with loved ones under trees dappled by the winter sun. If you miss those, a hefty dose of Anne will feel like a bowl of warm chicken soup.
New Amsterdam
The hardest of professions can also be the most rewarding. In New Amsterdam, a dynamic and idealistic new medical director attempts to transform New York’s first public hospital into a welcoming, diverse, and thriving centre of healing.
As the show unfolds, we are reminded that doctors are simply humans facing their struggles and that many patients possess strength, courage, and resilience that is too often overlooked.
Observing other people attempt to overcome challenges you may have never considered will help you feel grateful for the blessings in your own life. It may even reignite the spark we all carry deep within us that nudges us to make a positive difference to others, however small this may be.
TV, like any other art form, can help us get out of our heads and empathize with people who are completely different from us, the likes of whom we may never otherwise encounter.
The next time you’re flipping through shows, consider that whatever you choose to watch has the power to help you grow into the person you want to become.
