Starring Dylan O’Brien and James Sweeney, Twinless is a dark comedy that walks a tightrope between grief and humor. After losing his twin, Roman (O’Brien) has to live life for the first time without his twin. The entire film follows Roman’s journey through grief, including a friend he meets at a support group for twinless twins, Dennis (Sweeney). The story does have a twist that makes it a bit more complicated, but at its core, it’s about grief. And thankfully, there are plenty of devastatingly beautiful shows that also explore grief and how to deal with it.
Whether it’s losing a family member or a friend, these projects offer a unique journey of self-discovery and understanding of how someone’s death has far-reaching consequences. Thanks to these shows, many viewers can come to terms with their own losses.
7
‘Teen Wolf’ (2011 – 2017)
Okay, okay, Teen Wolf is on here, not really because of the topic of grief. To be fair, O’Brein’s character Stiles does deal with the loss of his mother, but that happened before the show began, and it’s not touched on too many times in the series. Based on the 1985 film starring Michael J. Fox, this MTV series is a supernatural adaptation that draws heavily on cultural mythologies, including Norse and Japanese deities. Teen Wolf is O’Brien’s breakthrough role, which led to his further mainstream success in The Maze Runner franchise.
O’Brien plays the “teen wolf,” Scott’s (Tyler Posey) best friend and sidekick. By many fans of the series, Stiles was considered a fan favorite and was beloved for his wit and physical comedy. The show was continued in a film in 2023, but O’Brien did not return for the project. Many fans have been outspoken about missing the character, but O’Brien seems to have moved on to more major projects like Twinless.
A musical about a young woman who magically gets the power of hearing people’s innermost thoughts through musical performances? Yep, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist has actors singing songs about their frustrations or happiness, but only in Zoey’s (Jane Levy) mind.
But what does this have to do with grief? While Zoey is going through the process of understanding her newfound abilities, her father (Peter Gallagher) is suffering from progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), which is a degenerative disease. He can’t speak or move, essentially, which means he can’t communicate with his family. This is where the superpower comes in: it turns out to give Zoey the ability to communicate with her father. He may not be able to speak normally, but he does break into song, which allows Zoey to share some cherished moments with him.
5
‘Shrinking’ (2023 – Present)
The genius minds of Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, and Brett Goldstein came together to create Apple TV+’s Shrinking. Returning for season three in January 2026, the dramedy is equally hilarious and moving. Segel plays Jimmy, a widower who spirals and completely forgets he has a life and a teenage daughter to take care of. Instead, he boozes around and hooks up with strangers, leaving his daughter to fend for herself. Eventually, he snaps out of it, and the series begins with Jimmy having to repair the relationships he damaged during the spiral.
Jimmy is also a therapist and has decided to treat his patients in unorthodox ways. The cherry on top is that his mentor/boss and his coworker are played by the two fabulous actors, Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams. Shrinking undeniably packs a punch, and each episode brings humor to complicated situations.
4
‘Severance’ (2022 – Present)
Apple TV+’s Severance centers around a group of office colleagues, though it unfolds in ways you might not initially expect. Adam Scott stars as Mark, a man who opted for the severance procedure two years after the tragic death of his wife in an accident. This severance procedure involves individuals separating their work personas from their personal lives. In essence, it creates two distinct identities: one for the workplace and one for the outside world, with no knowledge of crossing between the two.
Each character has their own motivations for undergoing this process, but Mark’s choice stems from a desire to escape the deep sadness of losing his spouse for eight hours each day. The drama forces users to confront the dangers of trying to disconnect from reality and ignore their emotions. The dangers are extremely clear, and viewers have to question how they handle the negative emotions these characters have gone to extremes to avoid.
3
‘Six Feet Under’ (2001 – 2005)
Six Feet Under, a standout series best known for its incredible exploration of grief, originally aired on HBO but saw a revival in popularity in 2023 after being added to Netflix. The show tells the story of the Fisher family, who run a funeral home after the patriarch’s death. In the wake of his passing, his two sons, Nate (played by Peter Krause) and David (played by Michael C. Hall), take the reins of the business alongside their mother and sister, as well as various co-workers and partners.
Over its five-season run, this dramedy delves deeply into the complexities of grief, showcasing its different impacts on each character as they navigate their personal losses while helping clients confronted with death. Lauded by critics, Six Feet Under is often considered one of the greatest television series of all time, celebrated for its profound storytelling and one of the most memorable series finales.
2
‘Never Have I Ever’ (2020 – 2023)
Mindy Kaling is no joke when it comes to creating hit after hit after hit. Before making HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls and Netflix’s Running Point, she created Never Have I Ever for Netflix as well. The comedy followed Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), a high schooler whose father passed away at her high school recital. The trauma of the death caused her such severe psychological trauma that she was temporarily paralyzed. At the beginning of the series, she finally regains mobility and is determined to let go of the past.
Kaling doesn’t just move on from this premise; instead, she grounds the entire series in a journey of self-discovery and coming to terms with the loss of her father. Thanks to frequent sessions with her therapist, we get to watch Devi better understand herself and her trauma. The series ran for four seasons, and in addition to seeing the typical love triangles and hilarious sidekicks we see in most high school comedies, we also got Devi’s maturation from emotionally avoidant to emotionally strong.
1
‘Big Boys’ (2022 – 2025)
British comedies have always been masterclasses in making light of situations that are incredibly dark and heavy. Jack Rooke’s series, Big Boys, is no different. Based on Rooke’s life, it follows a fictionalized version of him, played by Dylan Llewellyn from Derry Girls, heading off to university not long after his father’s passing. Moreover, Jack is closeted and is still in the depths of dealing with his grief.
Thankfully, in comes Danny (Jon Pointing), his older, extroverted, and “bro-y” roommate, who befriends Jack and forces him outside his comfort zone. In typical British fashion, each season is extremely short, with six episodes, and there are only three seasons. The series is an incredibly easy binge, but it also carries a punch. The heavy topics of grief and depression run throughout the series, making for a beautiful story of friendship and chosen family.
- Release Date
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2022 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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Channel 4
- Directors
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Jim Archer
