Touching Series That Will Make You Call Your Family Today
- 01. What "Touching Series" Means and Which Shows Fit This Description
- 02. Top 5 Touching Series the Internet Recommends
- 03. Emotional Impact Comparison of Top Touching Series
- 04. Why These Series Resonate with Values-Driven Audiences
- 05. How to Choose a Touching Series for Your Community
- 06. The Educational Power of Emotional Storytelling
What "Touching Series" Means and Which Shows Fit This Description
"Touching series" refers to emotionally powerful television shows that deeply move viewers through authentic storytelling about family, grief, resilience, and human connection. The phrase "the internet swears by but you haven't seen" describes highly recommended emotional dramas that have cultivated devoted online followings despite avoiding mainstream blockbuster status. The most frequently cited touching series include This Is Us (2016-2022), After Life (2019-2022), Anne with an E (2017-2019), and the 2024 K-drama When the Phone Rings.
Top 5 Touching Series the Internet Recommends
Based on aggregated viewer recommendations from Reddit, Netflix communities, and critic reviews, these five shows consistently appear as "most touching" recommendations that many people haven't yet discovered:
- This Is Us - NBC family drama following the Pearson family across three decades, called "the most touching series ever created" by viewers
- After Life - Ricky Gervais's dark comedy-drama about grief and finding kindness after loss, with Season 3 described as making viewers "well up"
- Anne with an E - Netflix/CBC reimagining of Anne of Green Gables tackling trauma, feminism, and social injustice with 8.6 IMDb rating
- When the Phone Rings - 2024 Korean romance-thriller about an arranged marriage transformed by kidnapping, releasing November 2024 on Netflix
- Touch - 2012-2013 drama about a widower who predicts events while raising his emotionally challenged son, rated 7.3 on IMDb
Emotional Impact Comparison of Top Touching Series
| Series | Year | IMDb Rating | Primary Emotion | Streaming Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This Is Us | 2016-2022 | 8.7 | Family love, grief | Hulu, Disney+ |
| After Life | 2019-2022 | 8.4 | Grief, compassion | Netflix |
| Anne with an E | 2017-2019 | 8.6 | Trauma, hope | Netflix |
| When the Phone Rings | 2024-2025 | 5.9 | Romance, suspense | Netflix |
| Touch | 2012-2013 | 7.3 | Parental love, mystery | Hulu |
Why These Series Resonate with Values-Driven Audiences
Touching series align powerfully with Catholic and Marist educational values because they center on human dignity, community responsibility, and spiritual resilience through suffering. This Is Us exemplifies the Marist principle of presence-showing how family members show up for each other across generations. After Life demonstrates Tony's transformation from despair to serving others, mirroring the Christian mission of finding meaning through service.
Anne with an E particularly resonates with educators because it addresses social justice, trauma-informed care, and the dignity of marginalized children-core concerns in Catholic school pedagogy. The series sparked classroom discussions about foster care systems and inclusive education across Latin American Catholic schools.
How to Choose a Touching Series for Your Community
- Identify your educational objective-whether teaching grief processing, family dynamics, or social justice
- Check age ratings-TV-PG (Anne with an E) suits younger audiences; TV-MA (After Life) requires mature viewers
- Consider cultural relevance-K-dramas like When the Phone Rings introduce cross-cultural perspectives
- Plan discussion questions-connect plot points to Marist values of presence, simplicity, and family
- Verify streaming availability-most touching series stream on Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+
The Educational Power of Emotional Storytelling
Touching series demonstrate how narrative empathy builds character formation-a cornerstone of Marist pedagogy. When viewers witness characters navigate grief (After Life), family complexity (This Is Us), or systemic injustice (Anne with an E), they develop emotional intelligence applicable to real community relationships.
For school leaders seeking holistic education aligned with Marist values, these series provide accessible entry points for discussing difficult topics with students, parents, and faculty. The internet's devotion to these shows reflects a universal hunger for stories that affirm human dignity and the transformative power of compassionate presence.
Expert answers to Touching Series That Will Make You Call Your Family Today queries
What makes a series "touching" according to viewers?
A touching series combines authentic character development with emotional stakes that mirror real human experiences-grief, forgiveness, familial love, and perseverance. NPR critic Eric Deggans described Amazon's "As We See It" as "an emotional, touching series that gives each character a compelling, empathetic storyline" about autism.
Which touching series is best for family viewing?
This Is Us carries a TV-14 rating and spans 6 seasons with 106 episodes, making it ideal for multi-generational viewing. Its non-linear storytelling shows how "tiny moments shape everything" across the Pearson family's timeline.
Are there touching series from Latin America?
Yes-emotional telenovelas and Latin American dramas represent a cultural phenomenon with values-based storytelling that resonates across Spanish-speaking communities. These series often emphasize family bonds and social responsibility aligned with Catholic social teaching.
How do touching series support educational mission?
School administrators use touching series as pedagogical tools for social-emotional learning. The 2022 NPR review noted that "As We See It" provides "an incisive and emotional look at autism" suitable for disability education curriculum. Marist educators leverage these shows to teach empathy, resilience, and community values.
