This article contains references to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and a variety of other things, in addition to references to trauma, sexual assault, and suicide.
Summary
TV shows are increasingly exploring mental health, highlighting real struggles and interactions with conditions.
Series like BoJack Horseman and Normal People provide raw portrayals of dark mental health themes.
Shows like Ted Lasso and Euphoria delve into complex emotions, struggles, and growth, offering honest insights.
While mental health is something that has experiences with or around, TV shows have only started seriously exploring mental health in recent years. Mental health is immensely important, and an element of people’s well-being that needs to be constantly maintained and explored. The conversations around mental health, and how it impacts peoples’ daily lives have continued to grow in prominence in recent years, but there are still a lot of elements of mental health that aren’t commonly seen in popular media.
However, the tides are changing around this, with many more TV shows attempting to take a serious look at mental health conditions and the ways they manifest in individuals. Perhaps even more importantly though, TV shows are helping to highlight how others interact with people who have these conditions, and the things which can be helpful, or hurtful. These shows provide incredible insights into the lives and struggles experienced by many, and how these conditions can impact in different ways.
10 Baby Reindeer
As is often the case, these shows that opt to take a closer look behind the scenes of mental health can stir up controversy and wider conversations. One of the most explosive and controversial shows recently released is Baby Reindeer. The series explores the impact of abuse and trauma on mental health, and the unhealthy behaviors and habits it can lead to. The show is written, directed, and stars as the man at the heart of the story, and is based on his lived experiences. Richard Gadd, who plays the autobiographical character of Donny finds himself the victim of a stalker.
While the series clearly represents his stalker as being a person who goes to extremes, and crosses lines in dangerous and intimidating ways, Gadd also makes an effort to reveal his part in perpetuating the stalking. A few years prior, Gadd had been the victim of sexual assault, which turned his life upside down in several ways, and severely altered his perceptions of who he was. As a result, the stalking and adoration he received from Martha became a lifeline that he clung to try and find himself.
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9 Atypical
Atypical had a very different journey in its attempt to explore the story and life of a young man living with autism. In the first season of the show, criticisms of the lack of autistic people involved in the cast and crew indicated the show had failed in its efforts to accurately represent the people it was about. However, the series learned from its mistakes, and the second and third seasons made much more significant efforts to include actors and writers who were on the autism spectrum to improve its accuracy.
This commitment paid off, and as the show progressed, it became far more representative and accurate in its storytelling. Exploring a coming of age story of a young man who has autism, and his relationships as he seeks to become more independent. Especially in later seasons, the exploration of how parents have fears and concerns for their children’s well-being, and the interactions that take place between them are poignant.
8 Normal People
Normal People is one of the most moving and compelling miniseries to ever come out of Ireland. The series stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones in a coming of age drama as the pair go through their final years of high school, before moving on to study in college on the opposite side of the country. The series explores mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression, as the stars grow and experience new parts of life.
The representation of these elements as part of the normal running order of individuals’ daily lives, and the numerous ways that it can impact them is incredible. Nothing is glorified or hyperbolized, but instead, it offers a true and sincere reflection of some of the most common conditions experienced by people today. Whether or not people have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety on a clinical level, many people experience these feelings throughout their lives, and Normal People does an outstanding job of showing what that looks like.
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7 BoJack Horseman
While BoJack Horseman is presented as an animated comedy show, the series actually delivers a surprising amount of depth and exploration of real mental health issues. The series revolves around a former sitcom star, who is also a horse, and his struggles to shed the trauma and struggles of his past. The show explores depression, PTSD, addiction, and themes of suicide.
Throughout the show, there is a remarkable amount of exploration and reflection on these challenging themes, paired with a look at how they impact the lives of the individuals suffering, and those that are around them. The show is not shy about digging deep into serious topics, and it does a tremendous job highlighting real issues with an imaginary cartoon figure. Throughout the lengthy run of six seasons, BoJack Horseman presents one of the most raw and honest portrayals of the dark side of mental health, and how people can still change in the face of it.
6 Sex Education
Sex Education is another series from Netflix, which approaches mental health in an open and inclusive way that chooses to explore more than just negatives about mental health. Otis, played by Asa Butterfield, is the son of a sex therapist, who is extremely shy and insular. This is in contrast to his mother, who is at times, too open and honest, and puts Otis in awkward situations on a regular basis.
However, the series sees Otis grow in confidence as he embraces challenges and overcomes his fears. The show is an honest and emotional look at how mental health changes, with highs and lows, particularly for young people who are still exploring their identities and interests. The series is not shy about approaching any topic, which gives it a strong foundation to dig into deeper topics and still feel honest and charming.
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5 Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso is one of the best shows which highlights the duality and apparent dissonance between individuals’ mental health and their outward emotions. Ted is a happy-go-lucky football coach who is hired by a British football club to coach a struggling team. At first, the differences between the incredibly positive and outspoken Ted and his new colleagues is a gaping divide that seems too large to cross, but the show peels back the layers to reveal that everyone is struggling under the surface.
Ted may seem like someone who has nothing to worry about, and enjoys life to the fullest, but he is also going through a difficult divorce with a wife who has fallen out of love with him, and his young son on the other side of the world while he works abroad. Ted also has panic attacks due to his suppressing darker moments from his own childhood. The series does an incredible job of opening up these topics and showing how Ted sharing his burdens with a therapist and close friends can help to improve his mental health, rather than pushing his feelings down.
4 Black-ish
The show black-ish is an insightful and creative look at the life of a wealthy Black family who have moved into an upper-class neighborhood where their neighbors are predominantly white. The show explores how the family attempts to hold on and stay true to their culture, while their environment has undergone such a drastic change. However, the show also explores some of the more challenging parts of reconciling and overcoming cultural stereotypes that can be harmful or damaging.
According to Blavity, the show does an incredible job of exploring the real lived experience of Black families and a prejudice towards therapy that can be a common element of the culture. In addition, the show provides an honest and emotional look at mental health around self-identity, self-acceptance, and specific challenges like therapy and post-partum depression (via Variety). This all combines to create something that feels authentic and sincere.
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3 Moon Knight
While the MCU is not typically the place to look for realism and authenticity, Moon Knight stands out for its depiction of a serious and underrepresented mental health condition. DID, or dissociative identity disorder, is a health condition which can occur as a result of significant trauma or abuse in someone’s formative years. While the MCU puts a supernatural twist on things and Marc Spector’s alters have powers, it does present some things in an accurate way.
The extent that DID can separate and segment someone’s mind, with different alters having entire histories, lives and personalities that are completely different from each other is accurate. In addition, the trauma which led to Marc developing the condition makes sense, and the personalities that formed took on different roles to protect the individual person. There were also some moments where Marc learned to interact with and communicate with his alters, which is another aspect of the condition, and there are tendencies to lose time, and experience confusion when an alter resurfaces.
2 Euphoria
Euphoria is an intense teen drama which deals with some of the most mature and challenging subjects on TV, despite the youthful setting. The show centers on a young girl named Rue Bennett, played by Zendaya, who has been dealing with drug addiction and the many issues that come from it and its aftermath. While Zendaya stars, the show also features an outstanding ensemble cast which have gone on to become major celebrities in their own right, working on various large projects, such as Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney, and Hunter Schafer.
The show is extreme at times in its approach and delivery of the subjects, but this also serves to drive home the story elements that are the most important and poignant throughout. Subjects like suicide, addiction, and generally mental health issues are pivotal to the series. It is also aided by the many different perspectives it offers on these topics through the eyes of the ensemble cast.
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1 This Is Us
This Is Us is an incredible story of love and loss, revolving around the tragic death of a young father, and exploring two separate, but parallel timelines. The show delivers beautiful stories and episodes that expose the love of a family, as it spans decades, and works through life-altering changes. While the multiple settings also help highlight how issues are always present, the things that endure over and above them are the love and kindness in a family.
The show also offers an insight into one of the characters who struggles with chronic anxiety. The show does a great job of highlighting the highs and lows that each of these individuals experience, as well as the commonalities between them despite their diverse and diverging lives. It also presents a powerful look at what having a strong support system in place, or the lack of a support system can do for the individuals who have these conditions.
