Go TEAM! TV, book, and movie recs
May 21, 2023 3:16 PM Subscribe
I'm would love to watch more media that features people banding together and working better together than they would individually. Think large doses of human decency + competence kink? Genre doesn't matter to me, but nothing super dark.
Like... "Independence Day" because humanity v. aliens, book one of "The Box Car Children", or some specific episodes of "Ted Lasso" (others are too angsty). I'd also be happy with non-fiction, warm-hearted reality TV, you name it!
(For some reason X-men and most team super hero content that doesn't scratch the itch? Maybe the first Avengers movie but barely? I think it has to do with the warmth and decency part of the equation not being fully met.)
For some reason, these kinds of stories are all I want right now and I've exhausted my supply!
Like... "Independence Day" because humanity v. aliens, book one of "The Box Car Children", or some specific episodes of "Ted Lasso" (others are too angsty). I'd also be happy with non-fiction, warm-hearted reality TV, you name it!
(For some reason X-men and most team super hero content that doesn't scratch the itch? Maybe the first Avengers movie but barely? I think it has to do with the warmth and decency part of the equation not being fully met.)
For some reason, these kinds of stories are all I want right now and I've exhausted my supply!
Best answer: Star Trek: The Next Generation.
posted by kbanas at 3:23 PM on May 21, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by kbanas at 3:23 PM on May 21, 2023 [6 favorites]
Best answer: In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit.
These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground.
Today, still wanted by the government they survive as soldiers of fortune.
If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them...
maybe you can hire The A-Team.
posted by underclocked at 5:28 PM on May 21, 2023 [5 favorites]
These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground.
Today, still wanted by the government they survive as soldiers of fortune.
If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them...
maybe you can hire The A-Team.
posted by underclocked at 5:28 PM on May 21, 2023 [5 favorites]
I'm not sure if the warmth and decency part is fully met - I might argue yes if you stick with it to the end, though only you can make that call - but I submit the 1973 film The Sting.
posted by sigmagalator at 5:41 PM on May 21, 2023
posted by sigmagalator at 5:41 PM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: The Fast and the Furious franchise.
posted by Mitheral at 5:47 PM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Mitheral at 5:47 PM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: “The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet” by Becky Chambers
posted by Kriesa at 5:48 PM on May 21, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Kriesa at 5:48 PM on May 21, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Leverage.
Our Flag Means Death.
posted by humbug at 6:22 PM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Our Flag Means Death.
posted by humbug at 6:22 PM on May 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Cradle Will Rock
Waiting For Guffman
The Blues Brothers
posted by brookeb at 6:48 PM on May 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Waiting For Guffman
The Blues Brothers
posted by brookeb at 6:48 PM on May 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Hustle (British TV Show)
Leverage
Burn Notice
The Martian
ReGenesis
Seal Team
posted by willnot at 9:30 PM on May 21, 2023
Leverage
Burn Notice
The Martian
ReGenesis
Seal Team
posted by willnot at 9:30 PM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: Twister
The Martian
and if you like misfit sports stories, Little Giants
posted by TimHare at 10:15 PM on May 21, 2023
The Martian
and if you like misfit sports stories, Little Giants
posted by TimHare at 10:15 PM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: I like the same kind of stories and for me the show that really hit that spot was Time Team, a long-running British nonfiction show where a team of archeologists descend on a spot in the UK for a three-day dig. The participants are all warm-hearted, extremely skilled researchers doing what they love. It ran for 20 years (and has been resurrected as a Patreon-sponsored thing), so there are tons of episodes, many free on YouTube. It was my pandemic comfort food.
posted by Tsuga at 10:41 PM on May 21, 2023
posted by Tsuga at 10:41 PM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Legend of Korra
The Expanse
Our Flag Means Death
She-Ra
Steven Universe
Hilda
Doom Patrol (well, incompetence kink might apply more here, but there's a lot of growing to be decent humans to each other)
There's also just an enormous amount of anime and manga that all fall into this category...like so much.
posted by yueliang at 11:05 PM on May 21, 2023
Legend of Korra
The Expanse
Our Flag Means Death
She-Ra
Steven Universe
Hilda
Doom Patrol (well, incompetence kink might apply more here, but there's a lot of growing to be decent humans to each other)
There's also just an enormous amount of anime and manga that all fall into this category...like so much.
posted by yueliang at 11:05 PM on May 21, 2023
Best answer: Abbott Elementary
Kim's Convenience
Derry Girls
posted by wicked_sassy at 4:52 AM on May 22, 2023
Kim's Convenience
Derry Girls
posted by wicked_sassy at 4:52 AM on May 22, 2023
Best answer: Ragtag band of misfits is a common trope in Kdrama. Here's a nice writeup from 2017 with some recommendations.
posted by guessthis at 5:11 AM on May 22, 2023
posted by guessthis at 5:11 AM on May 22, 2023
Best answer: The Simon snow trilogy by Rainbow Rowell
The Orville (TV show)
posted by CleverClover at 7:13 AM on May 22, 2023
The Orville (TV show)
posted by CleverClover at 7:13 AM on May 22, 2023
Best answer: If continually crossing the fine line between competence and incompetence is okay: Only Murders in the Building
YA books: A Deadly Education, In Other Lands
Kdrama: Misaeng, My Mister (but in both you have to get past an initial bunch of extremely non-cooperative episodes before the human decency and cooperation take over)
Chinese drama: The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty (cooperation keeps ramping up throughout)
posted by trig at 10:35 AM on May 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
YA books: A Deadly Education, In Other Lands
Kdrama: Misaeng, My Mister (but in both you have to get past an initial bunch of extremely non-cooperative episodes before the human decency and cooperation take over)
Chinese drama: The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty (cooperation keeps ramping up throughout)
posted by trig at 10:35 AM on May 22, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: TV:
Chuck
Bones
Psych
Good Omens
Movies
The Heat w, Sandra Bullock
The Italian Job
posted by Enid Lareg at 10:41 AM on May 22, 2023
Chuck
Bones
Psych
Good Omens
Movies
The Heat w, Sandra Bullock
The Italian Job
posted by Enid Lareg at 10:41 AM on May 22, 2023
Best answer: Some other of the Star Trek series come to mind, specifically Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Prodigy. Also, Galaxy Quest.
posted by gudrun at 11:37 AM on May 22, 2023
posted by gudrun at 11:37 AM on May 22, 2023
Best answer: *Ctrl+F "Brooklyn 99"*
Brooklyn 99. Everyone is nice to one another and a diverse team works together to get shit done. Plus, funny.
posted by altolinguistic at 1:44 PM on May 22, 2023 [4 favorites]
Brooklyn 99. Everyone is nice to one another and a diverse team works together to get shit done. Plus, funny.
posted by altolinguistic at 1:44 PM on May 22, 2023 [4 favorites]
Came back to add some more all-time favorite classic recommendations:
Nirvana in Fire is my favorite C-drama for a solid 52 1-hour episodes of competence kink (also one of my favorite TV series of all time, just splendid)
Monster, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood/Fullmetal Alchemist (first TV series), Neon Genesis Evangelion, Yu Yu Hakusho, Death Note, Hunter x Hunter, Naruto, Fruits Basket, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sailor Moon (original series is my preferred), Jojo's Bizarre Adventure...most of the all-time great anime are all competence kink. It's harder to find ones that don't fulfill competence kink.
posted by yueliang at 7:35 PM on May 30, 2023
Nirvana in Fire is my favorite C-drama for a solid 52 1-hour episodes of competence kink (also one of my favorite TV series of all time, just splendid)
Monster, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood/Fullmetal Alchemist (first TV series), Neon Genesis Evangelion, Yu Yu Hakusho, Death Note, Hunter x Hunter, Naruto, Fruits Basket, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sailor Moon (original series is my preferred), Jojo's Bizarre Adventure...most of the all-time great anime are all competence kink. It's harder to find ones that don't fulfill competence kink.
posted by yueliang at 7:35 PM on May 30, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kbanas at 3:22 PM on May 21, 2023 [6 favorites]