What Makes Family Drama So Addictive in Stories. - Vered Neta

Some notable examples of family dramas that feature complex family relationships and storylines include:

In the pantheon of storytelling, from ancient Greek tragedies to modern prestige television, there is one constant, volatile, and eternally fascinating engine of conflict: the family. We often hear the cliché "blood is thicker than water," but the full, original phrase—"The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb"—suggests a far more interesting tension. Family drama storylines thrive on this tension: the push-pull between inherent loyalty and individual desire, between inherited trauma and the will to break free.

Here is the most hopeful thing about family drama storylines: They almost always end with someone choosing differently. In the finale of Schitt’s Creek , the Roses stop performing for each other and start seeing each other. In Parenthood , the Bravermans learn that love isn’t fixing the problem, it’s sitting in the waiting room.