These suggestions are pretty mainstream and probably reflect my age demographic:
- Bob’s Burgers - This might be a bit debated but it’s still going, and I find this show to be such a refreshingly non-dysfunctional take on a family cartoon sitcom. Rather than an incompetent idiot or antagonist, the Gen-x Bob takes the role of the set-upon dad who occasionally gets a bee in his bonnet in a very relatable way. His relationship with his son, Gene, is beautifully honest and direct.
- husband-and-wife team action comedies - You may have noticed a recent, small genre of these, including Shotgun Wedding, Murder Mystery 1&2. They’re not great action movies and they’re very formulaic. But they depict couples who actually respect eachother (or come to do so) working as a team, without gender politics being a thing.
- Star Trek Picard (seasons 1 and 3) - after Discovery, I was ready to give up on the whole franchise. Season 3 particularly gives us old and new male characters with depth and heart. I particularly like it when a male character is introduced as if he will be a one-dimensional stereotype, but then we get to relate to his point of view.
These are slightly older, but I can’t go past the Lord of the Rings trilogy (positive, wise, strong male characters to balance the negative), Disney’s Onward (surprisingly sincere story about two brothers), and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (depicts the handover from one era’s masculinity to another with grace and honesty).
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