7 TV Shows that can change your opinion about marriage

There have been many TV shows that have been created to introspect the institution of marriage. That’s because marriage is a complex social arrangement that often has many layers and divides within it. Sometimes, the ideals of romantic love are not enough and sometimes, undying loyalty proves the effectiveness of life-long commitment. From shows like House of Cards that present a cynical view of marriage, to When Life Gives You Tangerines, that highlights a more hopeful perspective, here are 7 TV shows that can change one’s views about marriage.

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Catastrophe, The Affair, and other TV shows that can change your opinion about marriage

1. Scenes from a Marriage

Based on the 1973 Swedish miniseries of the same name by Ingmar Bergman, this drama series is developed, written, and directed by Hagai Levi. The show features Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain and was critically acclaimed by critics. The show is about a contemporary American couple, Jonathan and Mira, played by Isaac and Chastain, respectively. The show is a gritty and raw look at how marriage evolves with time and how the two people within the bond, change immensely. The show will force viewers to question the romantic ideal of marriage and explore its more challenging aspects. Jonathan and Mira’s marriage is dissected over the years and the show focuses on themes of love, infidelity, communication, and resentment. The show examines the notion that whether love alone is enough to make a marriage survive. While Jonathan and Mira present an outward façade of a happy and stable relationship, the show explores the raw realities of how the couple struggle to keep their relationship afloat behind the curtains. There are many high-strung and emotional moments in the series where the couple fight and make up with each other, which will force the viewers to view marriage in a new light. Isaac and Chastain deliver a spell-binding performance and it is one of those TV shows that offers a tender but realistic look at the complex institution of marriage.

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2. Catastrophe

Starring Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney, this British sitcom is also created and written by them. The show is a comedy drama that focusses on single people Sharon and Rob, played by Horgan and Delaney respectively. While Sharon is an Irish primary school teacher, who lives in London. Rob is an American advertising executive who is visiting London on a business trip. The two meet each other in a bar and have a six-day fling that is full of passion and excitement. However, Rob goes back to Boston and Sharon discovers that she is pregnant by him. This results in a lot of mayhem as Bob comes back to London and the two decide to give marriage a chance. However, marriage is a complex institution and everything is not simple as it looks. The show has four seasons and over the course of the series, the show has explored the ups and downs of marriage. It is one of those TV shows that is brutal, realistic, and includes characteristic British humor. While most show either showcase the downsides or the advantages of marriage, this show explores both. As Sharon and Rob enter into a hasty commitment, the show first details the struggles they have over long-term commitment, and then gradually shows how well the two are able to understand each other. The show has both emotional and hilarious moments, which will force the viewers to see a balanced view on marriage.

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3. House of Cards

Based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Michael Dobbs and an adaptation of the 1990 British series of the same name by Andrew Davies, this political thriller features Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, and others. The series was a critical and commercial hit and was one of the first TV shows to have been produced for Netflix. The series explores the turbulent life of Frank Underwood (Spacey), who is an ambitious politician. When he is passed over for appointment as the Secretary of State, he begins a complex and immoral plan to attain power as the President. While the show focuses on the political ambitions of Underwood and his ruthless and underhanded tactics to get to the top seat, the show also explores the complicated marriage he has with his equally ambitious wife, Claire Underwood (Wright). Even though politics plays a key role in the show, marriage is also an equally important theme. The show starts off by showing the viewers that the couple have a satisfying marriage, even though it is not traditional in any sense of the term. Frank constantly has flings with other women and Claire allows it to happen. Therefore, the show presents a brutal and unconventional picture of a marriage from the beginning. However, as the show progresses and Claire begins to harbor political dreams of her own, she and Frank get into multiple fights and discords and the precarious foundation of their marriage is brought to the fore. There is a lot of gender dynamics and power struggles explored through the turbulent and unconventional marriage of Frank and Claire. The show presents to the viewers, a complex portrait of marriage, that is often unable to contain within the neat confines of societal norms.

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4. When Life Gives You Tangerines

Starring IU, Park Bo-gum, and others, this South Korean slice-of-life drama series is written by Lim San-choon and directed by Kim Won-seok. The show was a domestic and international hit and presents a highly emotional look at the challenges of life. The show focuses on Ae-sun and Gwan-sik. While Ae-sun is a poor girl who wants to become a poet, Gwan-sik is a young man who comes from a fish-selling community and loves Ae-sun. The show takes place over several decades and constantly shifts back and forth to showcase the different periods in Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s life. The series is extremely poignant and a tear-jerker as it follows the undying love and loyalty that Gwan-sik has for Ae-sun. It is one of those TV shows that will make viewers fall in love with the idea of love again. From Gwan-sik rescuing Ae-sun from societal shame, to Ae-sun sacrificing her passion for poetry to raise a family, the show showcases a realistic side of life, where people have to often compromise and let go of their dreams to live life practically. However, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik still finds joy in the small moments. As the couple’s children grow-up, the series also explores generational gaps and the immense love that Ae-sun and Gwan-sik have for their children. Hand-in-hand, the couple happily sacrifice their dreams and even their house for the achievement of their daughter. The show is soul-stirring and presents an image of marriage and love that is full of love and loyalty but must also contend with the harsh realities of life.

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5. The Americans

Created by Joe Weisberg and starring Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, and others, this period spy drama aired for six seasons and gained widespread critical and commercial acclaim. The show is during the Cold War and focuses on Elizabeth (Russell) and Philip (Rhys), who are two Soviet KGB intelligence officers. The duo poses as the perfect American couple and live in Washington DC. The series focuses on how the couple balance their spying duties with the challenges of marriage and their American-born children. While the show is a spy drama, marriage plays and important role in the show. The series was noted for its writing and performances and for exploring other themes like identity and parenthood. The marriage between Elizabeth and Philip is full of ups and downs and it is one of those TV shows that explores important concepts like deception, trust, and intimacy in a marriage. The show not only explores the roles Elizabeth and Philip are playing for the world, but also the role the two play in the institution of marriage. An important theme in the show is the focus on how external pressures can test internal bonds. Through the happy and complex moments of Elizabeth and Philip’s marriage, the show will prompt the viewers to explore the various facets of relationships.

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6. The Affair

Starring Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney, and others, this drama series is created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi. The show ran for five seasons and focuses on the tangled and complex relationship between Noah, Helen, and Alison. While Noah is satisfyingly married to Helen and has four children, he resents the dependance on his wealthy father-in-law. On the other hand, Alison is a local waitress who is struggling to save her marriage to Cole after the death of her four-year-old son. When Alison and Noah meet at the diner where Alison works, the two complex individuals begin an extramarital affair. The series is critically acclaimed and is noted for its realism. The show offers a complex picture of marriage and meditates on themes of infidelity, love, and betrayal. Each episode is separated into two parts, with each part being told from the point-of-view of a specific character. As Alison and Noah narrate their affair, their differing perspective presents a new picture of the circumstances every time. The show therefore invites the viewers to explore for themselves the line between truth and falsehood. It is one of those shows that reveals how two people can have entirely different emotional realities while being in the same relationship. The series explores the bitter reality of broken marriages and how infidelity can often creep inside.

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7. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Rachel Brosnahan, this period comedy drama aired for five seasons and received widespread appreciation for its themes and writing. The show is set in the 1950s and early 1960s and focuses on the life of Miriam “Midge” Maisel, played by Brosnahan, who is a New York housewife. However, her life turns upside down when her husband, Joel, who is an amateur comic, abruptly leaves her and ends their marriage after facing setback in his stand comedy career. This creates a train of events in Midge’s life, who accidently finds her passion for standup comedy, instead. Even though she finds out her talent amidst the breaking up of her marriage, she soon dins out that she has her own identity and life outside of the institution of marriage. The series is set in a time where women had little choice than to be housewives and Mrs. Maisel’s character showcases women empowerment. The series is still relatable for many women who are still bound by the confines of a marriage and have their own identity stripped away from them. The show looks at marriage from an outside perspective where patriarchal social norms turn a commitment between two individuals into a burden for only one of them—women. The series highlights that women have a role and identity apart from being a wife. It is one of those TV shows that redefines what success, equal love, and independence means post-marriage.