TV Shows That Make Me Feel Hopeful

There are so many shows out there, but not all of them leave you feeling great about the state of the world. Here are two shows that have made me feel good about the world, and I hope they give you that same sense of hope.

The Newsroom

This show aired before COVID on HBO and was set in New York City at a national nightly news broadcasting network. It’s about the show’s news anchor, Will McAvoy, going viral negatively after telling a group of college students that America is not the best country in the world. He is then given a new executive producer for his show, his ex-girlfriend, Mac. Will is understandably upset about then being forced to work together, especially since their relationship didn’t end on the best of terms (which the audience will come to learn about after a few episodes). Will, Mac, and the rest of Will & Mac’s team are constantly yelling at each other, running around to get the latest scoop on a story, and putting out fires caused by the team. But at the end of each episode when Will goes on the air and tells the world the breaking news story of the day (which are always actual events like the death of Osama Bin Laden) there is a feeling of relief and joy that this chaotic setting can pull itself together and make the world right again - at least until the next episode. And usually there is at least one character - whether it’s Will or Mac or one of their underlings - who says something so profound and inspiring it’ll make you want to do something with your life.

The Newsroom | Max

Trying

This Apple TV+ series looks at the struggles of an English couple as they try to conceive a baby naturally, with IVF or similar practices, and then finally decide to try adoption. (SIDE NOTE: The word - try - will come up a lot.) The couple, Nikki & Jason, deal with the ups and downs of all of the processes of trying to have a baby and trying to adopt a baby. When they finally decide to adopt, they are forced to deal with the bureaucracy of it all. For example, they meet a little girl named Princess, whom Nikki immediately falls in love with, but they then find out she has a little brother and it will be unlikely that if the couple should be able to adopt or even foster Princess, they won’t be able to take her little brother. So the kids would be separated indefinitely. Spoiler Alert: They do get to take both kids home, but there is a constant threat over their heads that any day now the system could separate the siblings, especially because Jason isn’t working and the mini-family lives in a small apartment. But regardless of all the terrible things that these people are going through for whatever reason, when they get little victories like a social worker helping them in a small way or the couple’s family and friends coming together to help them out of a jam, there is a sense of hope and happiness that these people can get through anything and they will get through this. It’s a show that makes you feel like you can do anything, and even if there is a stupid rule that gets in the way of you doing something (because there will always be a stupid rule), you just need to keep pushing forward.

Trying | Apple TV+

Are there any shows or movies that give you hope for the world? Please let me know in the comments section and/or share on Tele-Tunnel Vision’s Instagram: @tele_tunnel_vision!

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