Finding the perfect series to watch with the family can be a hassle—some series are too mature for younger viewers, while others are too childish for grown-up audiences. Striking the balance between fun and appropriate is no easy feat. Luckily,there are plenty of series that harmonize engaging storytelling, sharp humor, and meaningful themesin a manner that’s appealing to audiences of all ages. Whether viewers are seeking thrilling series with action-packed scenes, or sidesplitting comedies, there’s something for everyone.
Series likeThe Mandaloriandeliver action-packed suspense, while also featuring meaningful themes of honor and responsibility in a way that’s appealing to both adults and young children, while lighter comedies likeModern Familydepict hilarious and relatable family dynamics. Whether viewers are searching for epic thrillers or lighthearted sitcoms, this list includes the best series to enjoy with the family.
10’Modern Family' (2009–2020)
Created by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd
This popular sitcom shot in a mockumentary style, follows three interconnected families as they navigate the hilarious dynamics of parenting and contrasting cultures. Claire (Julie Bowen) and Phil (Ty Burrell) are two loving parents who try to develop and maintain an honest relationship with their three complicated kids. Claire’s dad, Jay (Ed O’Neill), is married to Gloria (Sofía Vergara), a young Latina woman whom many mistake for his daughter. At the same time, Jay’s son and his partner are trying to raise their adopted daughter, a little Asian girl. Together, the three families capture modern American family life from a variety of perspectives.
Modern Familyis an excellent series to watch with the family because it deploys sharp humor to address a broad range of familial topics in a way that appeals to people of all ages. There are gay, straight, and multicultural couples in the series who deal with real day-to-day challenges such as parenting and maintaining a healthy relationship in ways that are equal parts funny, human, and emotionally moving. Whether you enjoyBurrell’s optimistic portrayal of Phil, orJesse Tyler Ferguson’s role as the neurotic but lovable Mitchell Pritchett, there are plenty of memorable performances from this ensemble cast.Modern Familyis a feel-good series that promotes love, compassion, and acceptance, making it a fun and positive series to watch with loved ones.
Modern Family
9’The Mandalorian' (2019–)
Created by Jon Favreau
Pedro Pascalplays Din Djarin, a lone Mandalorian bounty hunter inaStar Warsstorythat takes place five years after the events ofReturn of the Jediand the fall of the Galactic Empire. When Din is hired by a remnant force of the Empire to retrieve Grogu, a force-sensitive child of the same species as Yoda, he chooses to defy orders and instead goes on a journey to reunite the child with its people. Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito), leader of a remnant of the Empire, attempts to hunt Din and Grogu down.
The Mandalorianis a visually stunning masterpiece with plenty of heart, and itoffers something for both the older and newer fans of theStar Warsfranchise. With his impeccable writing and passion for the franchise, showrunner Jon Favreau does a stupendous job of honoring theStar Warslegacy. The series features strong moral themes of honor and responsibility (making it especially suitable for younger audiences) and characters who are easy to root for. Pascal’s performance as one of the most badassStar Warscharacters is top-notch, and Grogu is easily one of the cutest and most memorable characters in recent television history. With its positive themes and stunning visuals,The Mandalorianis an excellent series to watch for people of all ages.
The Mandalorian
8’Avatar: The Last Airbender' (2005–2008)
Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko
Avatar: The Last Airbendertakes place in a world divided into four nations––the Fire Nation, the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, and the Air Nomads. These nations are constituted of “benders” who have the unique ability to manipulate their representative element. When the Fire Nation attempts to take over the others, only one person has the ability to stop them––Aang, the last Airbender, a boy with the capacity to master all the elements. When Aang is suddenly awakened from a long-dormant state, it’s up to him and his friends to save the world from the Fire Nation.
Avatar: The Last Airbenderis one of the most masterfully written series in animated history. The series places immense importance on the role of the community and empathy while also providing excellent role models. Uncle Iroh is often cited by audiences as one of the most positive role models for young boys, and his nephew Zucco has one of the most fascinating character arcs in television history. He goes from being a malicious antagonist to a sympathetic ally.Few series are capable of presenting such a fascinating trajectory without deploying sensitive or mature content, butAvatar: The Last Airbendermanages to do this with incredible ease. With its profound depth and likable characters,Avatar: The Last Airbenderisan essential animated seriesanyone can appreciate.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
7’A Man on the Inside' (2024–)
Created by Michael Shur
One ofNetflix’s most recent series,A Man on the Insidetells the story of Charles Nieuwendyk (Ted Danson), a widower who takes a job as an investigative assistant to a private detective, Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada), who’s looking into the theft of a ruby necklace at a retirement community. Charles poses as the newest member of the retirement community—“a man on the inside”—in an attempt to gather intel and catch the alleged thief.
This series is guaranteed to make viewers cry. Ted Danson (who is pretty much great at everything all the time), gives audiences one of his best performances yet as the incredibly sympathetic and totally likable Charles, who finds an unexpected sense of community among the other retired folks while working on his clandestine operation. This is a series that’s phenomenal to watch with the family (especially grandparents) becauseit encourages audiences to rethink their relationship with their elders. The majority of the cast consists of older actors who give incredibly heartfelt (and often hilarious) performances. Few if any series feature such an ensemble, and it’s profoundly refreshing to tune into a series that does so.
A Man on the Inside
6’Stranger Things' (2016–2025)
Created by Matt and Ross Duffer
The Duffer Brothers' hit sci-fi mystery seriesStranger Thingsfollows a group of kids in the quiet town of Hawkins, Indiana who uncover a top-secret government experiment that opens a portal to a parallel universe called The Upside Down. After their friend goes missing, the kids search for answers. Along the way, they meet a mysterious girl with psychic abilities and battle it with various monsters as the barrier dividing their world from the Upside Down grows thinner and thinner.
Stranger Thingsis one of thegreatest sci-fi series of the 21st century, and itperfectly blends action and horror with humor, heart, and nostalgia in a way that’s universally appealing to viewers of all ages. Kids and adults will find characters like Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb Mclaughlin) relatable and lovable, while Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper’s (David Harbour) romance will appeal to more mature viewers. The series also features haunting and memorable monsters that make the show perfect for viewers who appreciate the horror genre.Stranger Things’coming-of-age storytelling hearkens back to 80s film and television in a way that mature audiences will appreciate, while young audiences will find the material more immediately relatable.
Stranger Things
5’The Simpsons' (1989–)
Created by Matt Groening
The Simpsons—one of the longest-running television series in history—follows the lives of the eponymous family who live in the town of Springfield. The father, Homer, is a bumbling nuclear plant employee who (despite being rather dim) is incredibly affable and does everything he can to take care of his family. His loving wife Marge is the down-to-earth matriarch who keeps things together. Their kids include Lisa, an overachieving daughter, Bart, a rambunctious, troublemaking son, and their enigmatic baby, Maggie.
The Simpsonsis a wholesome sitcom that’s managed to appeal to audiences of all ages for nearly 40 years. WhileThe Simpsonsoccasionally tackles sensitive subjects, it always does so in a way that’s never too abrasive or challenging to audiences, making it an easy series for viewers of all ages and maturity levels to engage with.The Simpsonsfeatures a variety of hilarious and relatable characters, and its tone is consistently light, making it a fun series to watch with the whole family. WhileThe Simpsonsis perhaps better known among modern audiences for its predictions, its expansive catalog offers something for audiences of all ages.
The Simpsons
4’Ted Lasso' (2020–2023)
Created by Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, and Bill Lawrence
Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is an American football coach whose life is drastically changed when he’s suddenly hired to manage a London soccer team—a sport he has zero experience with. While he initially has challenges managing the struggling English team, Lasso’s enduring optimism, caring heart, and unwavering support win him the love of the players and community, showing that success in this game is more than just winning.
Ted Lassoillustrates the importance of companionship, optimism, and communityin a manner that’s profoundly moving. Sudeikis' charismatic portrayal of Lasso is sure to win audiences of all ages over, and it’s fun to watch the contrast between his character’s personality and those of the English players. Throughout the series, audiences see how Lasso wins everyone over through admirable qualities such as kindness and positivity—setting a wonderful example for younger audiences. Ted Lasso’s wholesome, family-friendly tone and brilliant blend of humor and well-developed characters prove thatthe sitcom genre is alive and well, and make it an excellent series to kick back and enjoy with the family.
3’Schitt’s Creek' (2015–2020)
Created by Dan and Eugene Levy
After becoming the victims of fraud, Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) and the rest of his affluent family find themselves suddenly destitute with the exception of one asset—a town they bought years earlier as a joke called Schitt’s Creek. Accustomed to a lavish life of endless comfort, Johnny and his family now have to adjust to their newfound life of abject poverty. Upon arriving at Schitt’s Creek and facing the hardships, the Rose family learns to forge genuine connections with one another and finally learn what it means to truly be a family.
Schitt’sCreekremains a hilarious show to watch because of the dynamic performances of its ensemble cast.Dan LevyandAnnie Murphydo an immaculate job of portraying bickering siblings, whileCatherine O' Harasteals every scene she’s in as the histrionic Moira Rose, whose character is likely to remind audiences of O’Hara’s performance as Lydia Deetz (another hilariously out-of-touch rich person). While the ensemble cast delivers silly performances for the whole family to enjoy, the series is not lacking in depth or heart.Schitt’s Creekmaintains a feel-good tone that encouragesthemes of acceptance, inclusion, and the importance of family, in a manner that never comes at the cost of its humor. Viewers who watch as a family will enjoy laughing at the characters as much as they empathize with them.
Schitt’s Creek
2’Parks and Recreation' (2009–2015)
Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur
This classic workplace comedy shot in a mockumentary style starsAmy Poehleras Leslie Knope, a bureaucrat for the Parks and Recreation department in an Indiana town as she struggles to turn an abandoned construction site into a community park. Leslie faces a hurdle at every corner as she juggles other bumbling bureaucrats, government red tape, problematic neighbors, and much more in her quest to bring her community park to fruition.Parks and Recreationfeatures an ensemble cast that includesRashida Jones,Aubrey Plaza,Nick Offerman, andAdam Scott.
Parks and Recreationremains one of the funniest series in recent memory due to its stellar cast and brilliant writing. Fans ofModern FamilyandThe Officewill appreciate its mockumentary style as well as its witty humor. While Poehler does an incredible job as the lead of the series due to her unparalleled comedic talent, the supporting cast also does an outstanding job of delivering some of the funniest performances in television history.Plaza’s breakout performance as the deadpan April LudgateandChris Prattas the oafish Andy Dwyer deliver exceptional performances.With its lighthearted tone and inspiring life lessons,Parks and Recreationis a perfect series to watch with the family, as audiences of all ages can appreciate it.
Parks and Recreation
1’Arrested Development' (2003–2019)
Created by Mitchell Hurwitz
After the patriarch of the family is sent to prison for committing a white-collar crime, it’s up to Jason (Jason Bateman)—the only reasonable person in the room—to hold things together for the dysfunctional Bluth family. Jason’s attempts at holding things together are encumbered by his sarcastic alcoholic mother, his narcissistic sister, and his failed magician brother.Arrested Developmentis a satirical television series shot in a mockumentary style featuring an ensemble cast that includesWill Arnett,Jessica Walters,Tony Hale, andMichael Cera.
One ofthe best sitcoms of the 2000s,Arrested Developmentis an excellent series to watch with the family because it features a colorful ensemble of hilarious characters of all ages. Most notably, Cera got one of his earliest roles as the awkward George Michael who struggles with romantic feelings for his cousin, Mae “Maeby” Fünke (Alia Shawkat). While theseries is revered for its witty humor and running jokes, it does include some suggestive humor and innuendos which may be better suited for slightly more mature audiences. But families that are comfortable with slightly more mature comedy will find the series profoundly gratifying to watch given the outlandish antics of the Bluth family.
