# The most kind-hearted movies and TV shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 12, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908 "2012-06-12T13:47:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/1 "2012-06-12T13:47:43Z")
I have seen very few shows and movies with a warm center of genuine kindness. But I’m happy to the point of joyfulness whenever I do, so, naturally, I’m looking for recommendations of your favorite shows or movies (or books) where the characters may be stupid, profane, dishonest, or immoral, but they treat each other kindly. I’m looking for examples that are **not sappy** (I do realize that perceptions of sap differ). _Bored to Death_ is the perfect example of this. When Richard Antrem finds out that George is sleeping with his wife, he pushes him around a little bit but then asks him to go for a drink. Jonathan’s feud with Lewis Green is certainly fueled by hate, but it’s there maybe to balance out all the sweetness happening everywhere else on the show. Kind of like how everyone treats Jerry like shit on _Parks and Rec_ (another excellent example). A few more examples: [ul] [li]The Extra Man - another Jonathan Ames creation[/li][li]The Cosby Show - sometimes sappy, I’ll admit[/li][li]Tom McCarthy’s movies: _The Station Agent_, _The Visitor_, and _Win Win_[/li][/ul] Please share! ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/2 "2012-06-12T13:52:56Z")
I think \*Raising Hope \*fits your criteria. The Chance family argues a lot, yes, but you get the sense that they genuinely care about each other through it all. Also, for a film example, _The 40-year-old Virgin_. It may be a raunchy sex comedy on the surface, but everybody is truly trying to help Andy in their own way, and the end result is a very sweet and touching relationship. ---
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/3 "2012-06-12T14:10:56Z")
I agree with _40 Year-Old-Virgin_, for sure. I love that movie. From the same sort of genre, I’d also add _I Love You, Man_. I’ll have to check out _Raising Hope_. Thanks, **Wheelz**! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/4 "2012-06-12T14:32:48Z")
I came in here to say _Raising Hope,_ too. I’d also say How I Met Your Mother. They are always messing with one another, but sometimes those are the best friendships. The show’s ethos, particularly its notion of love, seems to be fundamentally sweet and innocent. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/5 "2012-06-12T14:46:26Z")
Bonanza. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/6 "2012-06-12T14:56:48Z")
I agree with HIMYM (though there is a little sap from time to time). I’ll add Modern Family. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/7 "2012-06-12T14:59:02Z")
[Lars and the Real Girl](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805564/). When a disturbed young man develops an imagined relationship with a realistic sex doll, his entire town conspires to help him, instead of ridiculing him or dismissing him as a pervert. It’s a bit bizarre, but it’s a heartwarming movie. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/8 "2012-06-12T15:00:41Z")
_Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure_. They’re just a couple of morons trying to make it in a crazy world, pass history, and not get sent to military school. Bill & Ted ultimately triumph because they really try to be nice to everyone, and hurt no one. And their philosophy, “Be Excellent to One Another” ends up changing the world for the better. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/9 "2012-06-12T16:40:28Z")
When my wife and I first got together, we didn’t have a lot of money, we had bad jobs and we lived in the ghetto, and we were pregnant. My wife was a CPS teacher across the street and would come home and watch 7th Heaven every day. She really liked how everyone was just so nice to each other. I didn’t like it that much myself, but I could certainly appreciate what she needed there. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/10 "2012-06-12T17:00:06Z")
A British show called “Jam & Jerusalem”. Centered around a group of women in a small village. Everyone is ultimately caring towards each other even if they don’t particularly like each other. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/11 "2012-06-12T17:05:26Z")
The _Anne of Green Gables_ TV movie series. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/12 "2012-06-12T17:13:03Z")
I haven’t seen the televised versions of the _No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency_, but if they are anything like the books, they should fit into this category. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/13 "2012-06-12T17:23:40Z")
I want to third, or fourth, Raising Hope. Such a sweet show. You should really check it out. I re-watch episodes when I’m feeling down. It’s on netflix. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/14 "2012-06-12T17:37:56Z")
_Pushing Daisies_, though it was arguably sappy. The not-particularly-well-regarded-around-here _Leverage_, also–the team is basically a family. There are squabbles and sniping, but at the end of the day, everyone cares about everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/15 "2012-06-12T17:43:08Z")
_Northern Exposure_ is a great sweet quirky series from the 80s that would fit your bill (warning - frequently bizarre. Personally, I liked that :)) ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/16 "2012-06-12T17:55:49Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > The _Anne of Green Gables_ TV movie series. I don’t know if I entirely agree with you. While yes the sappiness and uplifting are there, I would say that there is some bullying and mean characters- there are clearly people we don’t like. Most of them are redeemed, but this is definitely a story of a girl growing up under unusual circumstances and trying her best and succeeding rather than a straight happy story. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/17 "2012-06-12T18:07:58Z")
I don’t know if you’re into anime or not, but three series spring to mind; “Kanon”, “Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day” and “Clannad” are about as sweet and heart-warming as anythings I’ve ever seen. The movie “Once” (2006) might also fit the bill. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/18 "2012-06-12T18:09:08Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > [Lars and the Real Girl](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805564/). When a disturbed young man develops an imagined relationship with a realistic sex doll, his entire town conspires to help him, instead of ridiculing him or dismissing him as a pervert. It’s a bit bizarre, but it’s a heartwarming movie. That’s exactly the one I came in here to post - I just made my fiance watch it! It’s the sweetest most heartwarming movie that’s ever made me cry. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/19 "2012-06-12T19:41:31Z")
_Little House on the Prarie_ ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908/20 "2012-06-12T19:51:03Z")
**My Neighbor Totoro**. It has such a low level of conflict that I’ve heard people argue that there’s no plot. Can’t agree, but there are no villians and it’s just full of wonders. +1 on **Station Agent** and **Lars ATRG**. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-kind-hearted-movies-and-tv-shows/624908.md?page=2)