New American Primetime TV Show Feature : Characters With Strong Extended Families

Without Contrast, You Cannot See

American society is all about individualism.
This is a natural product of the famous American pioneering spirit, and the pilgrims who escaped Europe and European values to create a new sort of society based on independence and the idea that any man could become wealthy and a person of status irrespective of family and noble blood.

American television reflects these values. American characters are always independent, isolated, with strong ties to friends, but much weaker ties to family.

It would be fascinating and provide excellent contrast to include characters on popular American Primetime tv shows who actually had strong ties to their extended family.

The Nuclear Family

Mom. Dad. Children. That's it.

For so many American and Canadian families, the reality of family life is this very small group of people.

Naturally the strain is too much and these families are often pushed to the breaking point when stressful situations arise.

Contrast this reality, with families who have large, closely knit, extended families.

It's a whole other world.
Wouldn't it make for fascinating and illuminating television to see typical American Primetime tv characters interact with characters who have strong, present extended families.

Latin, Indian, Arab Cultures

These 3 Ethnic groups are particularly renown for having very strong extended families, and for being very warm and affectionate people.

Every Primetime Show Has 1 or 2 Characters From Extended Family-Based Cultures

Would it not be interesting to see characters on shows like Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, How I Met Your Mother, Desperate Housewives, Gossip Girl, House, even the more intense shows like CSI or NCIS, contrasted with complex yet somehow more grounded characters with strong extended families?

When an overwhelming situation arises, and typical American characters turn to friends first, parents second, siblings third, and alcohol throughout, these unique Older Culture Characters turn to their whole families : parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, even more distant relatives.

These O.C Characters get together with large parts of their family for family lunches, dinners, outings at cafes, family soccer matches, family meals at the family's restaurant, and generally they lean on each other and find the support they need from the strength of a large group of people who feel connected to each other, who feel the irresistible strength of family.

A Beautiful Moment

I think many of these American Primetime shows could have many beautiful moments when strong, independent, and oh so isolated American characters and their small Nuclear Families find themselves accepted into the warmth, security and love of the Extended Families of one of the show's O.C Characters.

The angry, resentful, rebellious America, who wanted to get away from the old ways, with all the admittedly bad societal elements like classism and inflexibility, finds itself reconciled with the good parts of the old ways : the strength and warmth of the large family.

Is It Good? Is It Bad?

It is all just humanity growing up and maturing into a species which has moved past its angry adolescence and into the strength, love, and confidence of "mature" adulthood.