Shows I Should Be Watching That Build Perspective
Shows You Should Be Watching: A Values-Driven Guide for Marist Families
You should watch Bluey, Abbott Elementary, Ted Lasso, Sesame Street, and The Good Place-series that teach resilience, educational equity, empathy, early learning, and moral philosophy aligned with Marist values. Conversely, you should avoid Squid Game, Paradise PD, The Boys, CoComelon, and Caillou due to extreme violence, explicit content, overstimulation, or problematic behavioral modeling.
Top 5 Educational Shows Aligned with Marist Values
These programs demonstrate holistic education principles central to Marist pedagogy, blending intellectual rigor with spiritual and social formation for Latin American communities.
- Bluey (ABC Kids/Disney+) - Research analyzing 150 episodes found 73 convey resilience messages, with 98.6% showcasing "I Have" support networks, 86.3% demonstrating "I Can" coping skills, and 72.6% reflecting "I Am" internal strengths. The show models emotional regulation, family bonding, and problem-solving-core competencies in Marist social awareness goals.
- Abbott Elementary (ABC) - This mockumentary celebrates underfunded public school teachers in Philadelphia, echoing Marist commitment to educational equity and service to marginalized communities. NYU education professors recommend it for teacher training, as it authentically portrays pedagogy, collaboration, and advocacy.
- Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) - The "Lasso Effect" describes Ted's ripple impact of kindness, vulnerability, and inclusive leadership, teaching 12 social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies per CASEL frameworks. Educators extract three core lessons: everyone deserves attention, turn "me" into "us," and doing right is never wrong.
- Sesame Street (PBS/HBO) - A meta-analysis of 24 studies across 15 countries with 10,000+ children confirmed significant positive effects on literacy, numeracy, science, health, and pro-social reasoning. Children in economically disadvantaged areas showed 3 percentage points greater grade-appropriate advancement, reducing falling-behind likelihood by 14%.
- The Good Place (NBC/Netflix) - NBC's sitcom teaches moral philosophy concepts including Thomas Aquinas's doctrine of double effect, utilitarianism, and Kantian ethics. Colleges screen episodes to jump-start ethical discussions, proving sitcoms can accurately teach philosophy.
| Show | Platform | Key Marist Value | Educational Outcome | Audience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluey | Disney+ | Community building | Resilience, emotional regulation | Families, ages 3+ |
| Abbott Elementary | ABC/Hulu | Social awareness | Education equity, pedagogy | Educators, teens+ |
| Ted Lasso | Apple TV+ | Personal growth | SEL, inclusive leadership | All ages, teens+ |
| Sesame Street | PBS/HBO | Intellectual values | Literacy, numeracy, health | Preschool, ages 2-5 |
| The Good Place | Netflix | Faith in God | Moral philosophy, ethics | Teens+, adults |
Shows to Avoid Altogether: Content Warnings for Families
Parents must guard sacred mental space by filtering content that contradicts Catholic values or harms child development. These shows pose documented risks:
- Squid Game (TV-MA) - Intense bloody violence, systematic torture, sexual violence threats, and sadistic death games. Child Mind Institute recommends late adolescence only (16+), even with parental co-viewing.
- Paradise PD (TV-MA) - Extreme offensive jokes, graphic sexual scenes, constant drug references, and vulgarity entirely inappropriate for viewers under 18.
- The Boys (TV-MA) - Grotesque sex, drugs, violence, profane language, and corruption that parents describe as "super vulgar".
- CoComelon - Designed for high stimulation causing shortened attention spans and emotional regulation challenges.
- Caillou - Portrays a 4-year-old who throws constant tantrums without consequences, modeling undesirable behavioral patterns.
Practical Implementation for School Leaders & Parents
School administrators should integrate media literacy into Marist curriculum, teaching students to evaluate content through values-driven lenses. Parents can set Netflix Viewing Restrictions via Profile & Parental Controls, creating age-appropriate profiles while maintaining unrestricted adult access.
For Catholic families seeking faith-aligned content, PureFlix offers Christian movies like "God's Not Dead" and "The Chosen," while the Marcam YouTube channel teaches Catholic faith basics through animated videos on Creed, Commandments, and Sacraments.
"Educational TV works best when it leads to conversation, not silence. Watch together, ask one question after each episode, let kids explain what they learned, and follow up with real-world activities."
This approach transforms screen time into holistic formation, aligning entertainment with Marist pedagogy's mission to develop mind, heart, and spirit across Brazil and Latin America.
Helpful tips and tricks for Shows I Should Be Watching That Build Perspective
What makes a show educational for Marist families?
A show is educational when it teaches measurable competencies aligned with Sacred Heart Goals: active faith in God, respect for intellectual values, social awareness impelling to action, community building as Christian value, and personal growth in wise freedom. Bluey teaches resilience through family modeling; Abbott Elementary showcases pedagogical advocacy; Ted Lasso demonstrates inclusive leadership.
How do I evaluate shows before my family watches?
Use Spira-Bauer's 5-Minute Vibe Check: watch content beforehand, analyze character dynamics and conflict resolution, assess language/violence/tone, trust instincts if something seems off, and make viewing educational through co-viewing discussions. Also consult Common Sense Media for age-specific reviews highlighting violence, language, and concerns.
Is co-viewing really necessary for educational benefit?
Yes. The American Academy of Pediatrics urges families to co-view high-quality shows, chatting about characters, asking "why?", and weaving lessons into everyday life. Research shows coviewing Bluey enhances resilience learning, with parents modeling emotional regulation alongside children.
What shows teach moral philosophy like Catholic education?
The Good Place teaches Thomas Aquinas's doctrine of double effect, utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and Kantian categorical imperative. Colleges screen episodes for philosophy classes, proving sitcoms accurately teach complex ethics. For Catholic-specific content, FORMED offers thousands of Catholic movies, shows, and catechism programs.
Are streaming ratings reliable in 2026?
No. A "PG" rating in 2026 doesn't distinguish masterpieces from mind-numbing "brain rot". Focus on active vs. passive consumption: check pacing (camera jumps every 1.5 seconds = high-stress), volume (constant yelling), commercialism (ads with play breaks), social features (stranger chat), and dopamine effects (screen zombie behavior).
