One of the things I love about Netflix and being part of the #StreamTeam is that it’s always changing and evolving and I love hearing about all the new shows and movies they have each month. With Netflix Originals, there are often brand new shows you’ll only see on Netflix Streaming.
Much like Netflix Streaming changes and evolves, so do families. This month, Netflix introduced the brand new Grace & Frankie, a Netflix Original show about Grace and Frankie, frenimies whose husbands suddenly announce they are leaving them – for each other. For Grace and Frankie, their (soon-to-be-ex) husbands, and their kids and grandkids, “family” doesn’t mean exactly what it used to. They all struggle with the changes in their lives and relationships. What happens when the family “friend” you never liked much is the only person who knows what you’re going through? Or when your father’s business partner is suddenly your new stepdad & family friends are now step-siblings? These are just some of the things Grace and Frankie and their children face.
Grace and Frankie stars Lily Tomlin and Sam Waterson as Frankie and Sol, and Jane Fonda and Martin Sheen as Grace and Martin, and I know what you’re thinking – how can you go wrong with this amazing cast? You can’t. It’s hilarious, and sometimes kinda sad.
Bonus: one of my favorite actors, Ethan Embry (who you may remember as Rusty Griswold, aka Nick Papageorgio, from National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation, Preston from Can’t Hardly Wait, or Mark from my favorite movie Empire Records), plays one of Frankie and Sol’s sons. I’ve recommended Grace and Frankie to everyone – friends, my brother and sister-in-law, my parents and in-laws – and they’ve all loved it.
Netflix Streaming has lots of shows and movies that highlight different types of families. Even if you or your children come from a “traditional” type of family, these shows are great for discussing what family means, and how families can look very different. My kids are huge fans of the Spy Kids movies, and it was a great opportunity for us to discuss how some of their friends have step-parents and half-siblings.
For the youngest kids:
1. Lily’s Driftwood Bay
2. The Tigger Movie
3. Guess How Much I Love You: S1E5 Big Like You
4. Angelina Ballerina: Superstar Sisters
For older kids:
1. Crash & Bernstein
2. Life with Boys
3. Spy Kids
4. Russell Madness
And for teens or adults:
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1. Raising Hope
2. The Fosters 3. Gilmore Girls 4. Life Unexpected |
Speaking of families, Netflix has added some great new family-friendly shows and movies within the last couple months. Gather the family (however you define it!) for a family movie night:
1. All Hail King Julien (new episodes 4/3)
2. Littlest Pet Shop: Season 3 (4/21)
3. Lalaloopsy: Festival of Sugary Sweets (5/2)
4. Puss in Boots (new episodes 5/8)
5. H20 Mermaid Adventures (5/22)
6. Richie Rich: Season 2 (5/22)
7. Mako Mermaids: Season 3 (5/29)
What tv or movie family do you relate to most?
