Every year, the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley curates a list of television series that reflect key aspects of human well-being. In 2026, the list highlights ten shows that exemplify kindness, empathy, integrity, and resilience. Source: greatergood.berkeley.edu.
The Aging-as-a-Virtue Award: The Boroughs
Netflix’s The Boroughs features a lead cast all over the age of 70. The series follows Sam Cooper, played by Alfred Molina, as he moves into a senior living community in New Mexico after his wife’s death.
Sam is initially reluctant. He faces age-related skepticism and self-doubt. Yet, strange events unfold in the community, suggesting it is not ordinary.
The show centers on a mystery that ties into broader societal fears about aging. It draws on researcher Margie Lachman’s concept of ‘crystallized intelligence’—the accumulation of life experience, memory, and practical know-how.
Sam and his neighbors work together to solve the mystery. Their efforts reflect how lived experience can be as powerful as physical strength or superhuman abilities.
The Purpose Award: Death by Lightning
Set in 1881, Death by Lightning tells the story of Charles Guiteau, who attempts to assassinate President James Garfield. The series explores the roots of purpose and what makes a life meaningful.
Garfield, portrayed by Michael Shannon, enters politics reluctantly. He aims to nominate someone else, not to win. He finds purpose in fighting corruption and supporting education.
Guiteau, played by Matthew Macfadyen, is charming and desperate. He believes his campaign secured Garfield’s victory. He expects a government position to confirm his worth.
His pursuit of recognition ends in tragedy. The series contrasts two paths to meaning: one rooted in service, the other in entitlement.
Garfield’s vice president, Chester A. Arthur (Nick Offerman), becomes an unexpected source of hope. He is a product of the political machine, yet grows into a more compassionate figure as office pressures mount.
The Empathy Award: Envidiosa
The Argentinian series Envidiosa follows Vicky, a woman in her late 30s, after she ends her long-term relationship. She begins to search for self-identity.
At first, she seeks a new partner to replace her ex. But she is driven by envy—compulsive comparisons with other women sabotage her ability to connect.
Her therapy sessions reveal her self-centeredness. In one scene, she rants about a friend’s milestone without asking how that friend feels.
Over four seasons, Vicky learns to unlearn self-centeredness. Her empathy grows through discomfort and vulnerability.
The show invites viewers to reflect: How can we truly empathize with others’ joys and struggles?
The Zest-for-Life Award: The Hawk
In The Hawk, Will Ferrell plays Lonnie ‘The Hawk’ Hawkins, a washed-up golfer who returns to the PGA tour. He faces his son, Lance, in a competitive match.
The series is a screwball comedy filled with humor and irreverence. Lonnie chats up the golf ball before each swing and devours Buffalo Wild Wings.
He teaches his son: ‘Son, never play golf angry.’ For Lonnie, golf is about fun—doing something for joy, not for victory.
He remains devoted to his estranged wife, Stacy (Molly Shannon). In one episode, he crashes her son’s engagement party and tries to flee with his caddy.
Stacy throws a cake at them and shouts expletives. Lonnie responds with enthusiasm: ‘You gotta love the passion! That is one hot tamale!’
The Bridging Differences Award: Heated Rivalry
Heated Rivalry follows two lovers, Shane and Ilya, in a competitive, homophobic hockey culture.
At first, they exchange physical intimacy but not emotional depth. Over six episodes, they learn to connect across cultural, linguistic, and personal gaps.
Shane invites Ilya to speak about family dynamics in Russian—without understanding a word. He listens without judgment, becoming a witness to Ilya’s emotions.
Ilya, in turn, supports Shane through panic without dwelling on fear. He encourages Shane to enjoy non-traditional pleasures.
The show illustrates how relationships grow when differences are met with care, not avoidance. A similar dynamic unfolds in another couple.
Next season of Heated Rivalry is expected on HBO Max and Crave in Spring 2027.
The Integrity Award: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
This HBO prequel to Game of Thrones focuses on Duncan, a young ‘hedge knight’ played by Peter Claffey.
Unlike the original series, this show does not center on power struggles. Duncan is naive and childlike, seeking a place to belong.
He joins a jousting tournament with a squire named Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). The first episodes are humorous and charming.
As the story progresses, Duncan faces powerful figures in Westeros. Violence is portrayed with emotional weight and tragic consequence.
The series ends with Duncan discovering what matters most to him. He chooses integrity over comfort, even in isolation.
The show is praised for its moral clarity and emotional authenticity. The ending is not revealed here, but the journey is one of self-discovery and courage.
The Redemption Award: Lucky
Lucky stars Anya Taylor-Joy as a woman raised by a con-artist father. She is trained in deception and lives a life of crime.
When she meets her husband, Cary—the son of a mob leader—she begins to question her path. They plan one final con as an exit from their lives.
The plan fails. Lucky must now reconcile her marriage and protect her life and her father’s legacy.
She uses her intelligence to outwit rivals. In doing so, she discovers her own virtue. She realizes she does not need to live up to her father’s sins.
She chooses a new life—one of self-determination and personal freedom.
The Belonging Award: Murderbot
Based on Martha Wells’ science fiction novellas, Murderbot follows a genderless robot with free will.
It avoids deactivation by hiding its consciousness. It consumes human entertainment, including a Star-Trek-like show called Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.
It is not interested in becoming human. It simply wants to be itself.
It is hired to protect a group of polyamorous hippie scientists from a corporate regime. These humans live outside capitalist values.
They begin to see Murderbot not as a machine, but as a being with depth. Over time, they learn to appreciate its uniqueness.
But by the end of the first season, Murderbot still feels like it does not belong. The second season is expected in 2027.
The Difficult-Human-Appreciation Award: Pluribus
Pluribus is set in a world where an alien virus turns all humans into a unified, empathetic hive mind.
Carol is sharp, snarky, and self-critical.
At a bookstore event, she says: ‘That depends. Are you a big fan of mindless crap?’
She resists kindness and connection. Her traits become both a blessing and a curse.
The world wants to be kind to her, but she refuses to accept it. This leads her to fight back.
The show argues that total empathy and togetherness may be self-destructive. Humanity needs people like Carol—those with boundaries and resistance.
The Deep Listening Award: Shrinking
Shrinking centers on Jimmy, a widowed therapist who helps patients with anxiety, PTSD, and OCD.
His own life is in turmoil after his wife is killed in a car accident.
He struggles to listen deeply to others. He often talks more than he listens.
Yet, the show emphasizes ‘deep listening’—being present, open, and empathic. Characters say ‘I hear you’ repeatedly.
Therapy takes place in unusual settings: a boxing ring, a park, a dinner table. These scenes show how connection happens outside formal spaces.
The series is not about perfection. It shows how people grow through struggle and vulnerability.
It reflects the importance of emotional presence in healing and relationships.
Each show in this list offers a different lens on human behavior. Together, they reflect the complexity and depth of human experience.
These series do not offer easy answers. They show how empathy, integrity, and resilience emerge through real-life challenges.
They invite viewers to reflect on their own values and relationships.
For those seeking stories that mirror the best of humanity, these shows provide powerful, grounded examples.
For more on how fiction shapes our understanding of well-being, see why midlife might actually be awesome.
For insights on overcoming disconnection, visit how curiosity can help us overcome disconnection.
For a deeper look at how social dynamics shape relationships, explore the Oneida Community.
For updates on social media and public opinion, check protests across Europe over cost of living.
For insights on how technology shapes human interaction, see cybersecurity firms in the Netherlands rise sharply amid rising threats.
For a discussion on content moderation, see France calls for social media content moderation.
Sources & further reading
Featured image: original publisher image. Via original publisher. Image source
