This is the first part in an ongoing series putting a name to the recent, and not-so-recent trend of the “positive vibes only” television series – Wholesome TV. Nearly every show in this genre is in multitudes of “Wholesome Shows to Watch Now” listicles and it is the perfect descriptor for what these shows are all about.
Lighthearted, fun-for-the-whole-family stories are far from new in television. Early classics like The Andy Griffith Show and Leave it to Beaver and later sitcoms like Full House and Family Matters filled the demand for shows that center family and community in a positive, often nostalgic light. Even when characters were experiencing conflict the stakes were always low, or at the least viewers could count on the characters being able to overcome any unpleasantness.
But, as sitcoms inundated television sets, more pessimistic, cynical sitcoms arose to counteract that “feel good” formula American audiences knew by rote. Seinfeld flipped the genre on its head early on, with later sitcoms like The Office and The League settling into this niche.
Following this trajectory, could anything as sincere and easygoing as shows like Andy Griffith exist in today’s world? And how much more are we willing to push the limits of human disgust past a show like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, a personal favorite of mine? Can a middleground be reached between two such disparate forces? Lucky for us, however, that missing link was found and now permeates all of American comedy TV, and even a handful of reality TV shows: Wholesome Television.
The start of Wholesome TV as a genre can be traced to 2009, shortly after the Housing crisis, with the first seasons of Parks and Recreation, Modern Family, Community, and Glee all airing that year. It’s also the year that solidifies a tonal shift in The Office to include more heartfelt comedy along with the cringe.
The genre continued to develop through shows like New Girl and Schitt’s Creek, with the latter going on to win nine Emmys. This genre even impacted reality TV, or at least the way American audiences consume it now with the knock-out hit Great British Baking Show and the addition of Japan’s Terrace House on Netflix contrasting shows like The Real World.
So how can we define this new genre of “Wholesome TV?” By wholesome, I don’t mean “family friendly” or children’s TV, but rather the feelings while watching: a sticky sweet emotional catharsis that makes you feel oh so connected to the people and world around you. Each episode is a wave of relief, even when the plot follows otherwise emotionally heavy, sometimes traumatic events.
Every story ends optimistically: the characters’ compassionate actions are almost always successful, reaffirming the genre’s premise that humanity is innately good and that people genuinely want to be kind. The plot of an episode exists only as a way to see characters’ kindness in action. While the situations they find themselves in can be humorous on their own, we’re hoping to see how they react and, more than anything, how they grow. Characters in Wholesome TV change. Never enough to be unrecognizable, that would ruin the jokes, but enough for our attachments to deepen as we learn the unique aspects of their fundamental human goodness. Characters that appear to be entirely unalike learn to love themselves through each other. It’s why found family is the most consistently used trope for this genre.
This brings us to the final necessity of the genre: making the ordinary extraordinary. Anything big or small can be used to open the character’s eyes to the importance of connecting with others on a genuine level. A miniature horse, an underappreciated clown alter ego, and a beginner’s Spanish class assignment; all simple things that take on a greater role than situation comedy to become forays into their respective characters’ lives and psyches as a way to develop them further, not just for the jokes. Oftentimes shows of this genre will pick even less dramatic subjects to elevate, which we’ll discuss further in the second part of this series.
Unsurprisingly, the pandemic has led to a surge in demand for positive, touchy-feely media. Their format didn’t require undivided attention to enjoy, but now audiences can give them all the attention in the world. The mass revisiting of Wholesome TV’s earlier entries, such as Parks and Rec and New Girl, with fresh eyes has contributed to the growing popularity of more recent shows. Now we can see how the genre has adapted with audience expectations over the years and finally begun breaking its own mold. In part two, we’ll dive into how three shows airing in 2022 play into the continuing development of Wholesome TV.
Rex Dayley is a lover of horror, comedy, and being perpetually horny-on-main. He’s not afraid to dive into the nitty-gritty of any film, and perhaps not afraid enough to share his grotesque and carnal joy at watching Willem Dafoe on a leash in The Lighthouse. Follow her on Twitter and Letterboxd for a front row seat at the debauchery.