Ah family: can’t live with them, can’t live without them. If you aren’t getting together with family this Family Day, you will likely be spending some quality time with Netflix (who is basically another family member at this point). In honour of the holiday, we’ve put together a list of 6 shows/movies you can stream featuring familial relationships that may either warm your heart or make your own family seem a little less dysfunctional.
1. Schitt’s Creek
In this hilarious Canadian sitcom (created by real-life father and son, Eugene and Dan Levy), a wealthy couple and their two spoiled children suddenly find themselves completely broke. Forced to leave their pampered lives behind, the dysfunctional clan moves to a small town called Schitt’s Creek where they need to come together as a family to survive.
Available for Streaming: Seasons 1-3
2. This is Us
Get the tissues ready, because this show will seriously tug at your heartstrings. Using flashbacks and fast-forward scenes, This Is Us follows the journey of the three Pearson children and the parents who raised them. What’s great about this series is that it acknowledges the truth of what family life entails; a lot of sweet memory-making, combined with moments that could later become therapy-inducing.
Available for Streaming: Season 1
3. Gilmore Girls
One of the wittiest, binge-worthy shows ever, Gilmore Girls focuses on the relationship between a single mother and her daughter in a small Connecticut town. Although Lorelai and Rory have the close BFF/ mother-daughter bond we all strive for, it’s not so perfect that it feels unrealistic. The series also showcases Lorelei’s relationship with her own parents, which can pretty much be summed up in one word: dysfunctional.
Available for Streaming: Seasons 1-7 & “A Year in the Life” 4-Episode Revival
4. The Crown
Thanks to its original series The Crown, Netflix has given us a way to further indulge our obsession with the royal family. Focusing on the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the show demonstrates how the pressures and responsibilities that come along with being queen have affected her relationships with family members. For example, in season one Elizabeth is forced to forbid her sister Margaret from marrying the love of her life. And you thought your family had #drama?
Available for Streaming: Seasons 1 & 2
5. Fuller House
Who defines family relationship goals better than the Tanner clan? In the reboot of the 80’s/90’s classic, D.J. Tanner-Fuller, now a widow and single mom to three boys, finds herself living back in her childhood home alongside sister Stephanie and longtime pal Kimmy Gibbler. Much like its predecessor, Fuller House is full of sweet “awe” moments that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Available for Streaming: Seasons 1-3
6. The Godfather
No film stresses the importance of family more than The Godfather, which tells the story of a mafia crime family operating out of New York. If there’s one lesson you can take away from the cinematic masterpiece, it’s that blood is thicker than water and you should never betray family (or you may get whacked!) Lucky for us, Netflix has the full Godfather trilogy available for an epic binge this Family Day.
Available for Streaming: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II & The Godfather Part III
Did we miss any good family-centric shows or movies on Netflix? Share them with us in the comment section!
Featured image: Instagram/ @nbcthisisus
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