Best family ensemble series to stream right now

By Megan Riedlinger 8:24am PDT, Jun 8, 2020

Looking for a family-centered series to get lost in? Whether you're in the mood for drama or comedy, Wonderwall.com has you covered. We've rounded up some of the best ensemble series to stream while staying safe at home. First up? One of our personal favorites — "Parenthood"! This 2010 NBC show told the story of a complicated family, the Bravermans. The series, which was set in Northern California, followed three generations of this tight-knit crew. Craig T. Nelson starred as patriarch Zeek Braverman and Peter Krause, Lauren Graham and Dax Shepard played his adult children who'd since created their own families. Over six seasons, viewers fell in love with the Braverman crew, and now you can stream every episode on Hulu and find out why. Keep reading for more great shows about family units…

We're still mourning the loss of one of our favorite ensemble family comedies! "Modern Family" came to an end in April 2020 after 11 amazing, laugh-filled seasons. The show's wild success on ABC was largely due in part to the fantastic ensemble cast that made up the extended Pritchett family, who lived in Los Angeles. Patriarch Jay Pritchett was played by Ed O'Neill and his much younger second wife, Gloria Delgado, was brought to life by Sofia Vergara. Julie Bowen and Jesse Tyler Ferguson starred as Jay's grown children who led families of their own. If you're looking for some light fun and plenty of misadventures, this show is the perfect binge-watch. You can stream it on Hulu or the ABC app.

HBO's latest family-centered ensemble drama hit the small screen in 2018 and gained a serious following. "Succession" gives viewers a peek into the lives of the filthy rich Roy family, which owns Waystar Royco, as they try to determine which family member will follow in patriarch Logan Roy's (played by Brian Cox) footsteps. Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Jeremy Strong play the children who are all vying for power on this critically acclaimed drama that took home two Golden Globes in 2020. Catch up on the first two seasons on Hulu or HBO's streaming services.

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ABC's "Black-ish" has been making audiences laugh since 2014. The sitcom centers around a family led by a doctor mom (Golden Globe winner Tracee Ellis Ross) and an ad exec dad (Anthony Anderson) as they struggle to establish a cultural identity for their four kids (Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown and Marsai Martin) who are growing up in suburban Los Angeles. Bring on the laughs and stream this one on Hulu or the ABC app.

The primetime soap opera "Dallas" captivated viewers in the late '70s and '80s. When it finally wrapped in 1991, it could claim its place as one of the longest running dramas in American TV history. The series followed Texas's rich and dramatic Ewing family, whose members were played by an ensemble cast that included Larry Hagman, Barbara Bel Geddes, Jim Davis, Patrick Duffy and Victoria Principal and more. If you want to finally devour this classic, stream away on Amazon Prime Video.

Cult favorite "Gilmore Girls" originally ran from 2000 and 2007. The sweet show centers around a small family unit — Lorelai and Rory Gilmore (played perfectly by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel), a mother and daughter with a pretty small age gap thanks to Lorelai's teen pregnancy — that also includes Lorelai's well-intentioned but often out-of-touch parents, Emily and Richard (played by Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann). Aside from being about familial relations and a tight-knit mother-daughter push-and-pull at its core, the show was also filled with laughs thanks to the quick-witted characters. To the delight of fans, the show got a four-part reboot on Netflix in 2016, "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life," which caught up with the characters nearly a decade later. Fall in love with the Gilmores anytime on Netflix.

"Big Love" — a tale of a fundamentalist Mormon family in Utah that practiced polygamy — debuted in 2006 on HBO. The controversial series was filled with some serious talent in the acting department, with Bill Paxton starring alongside TV wives Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin. It ran for five seasons and picked up plenty of Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Awards and nominations during its run. If you're looking for some drama focused on a polarizing family, you can stream it on Hulu or HBO's apps.

There are four seasons of our next pick — "Transparent," a series from Amazon Studios that revolved around family matriarch Maura, played by Jeffrey Tambor, who shares her journey as a trans woman. Her children round out the ensemble cast and are played by Amy Landecker, Jay Duplass and Gaby Hoffman. Stream this Golden Globe- and Primetime Emmy-winning series on Amazon Prime Video.

HBO's "Six Feet Under" tackled a family with not-so-normal jobs: The Fishers ran a funeral home in Los Angeles. The series starred Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Freddy Rodriguez, Mathew St. Patrick and Rachel Griffiths, whose portrayals earned the show numerous awards including nine Primetime Emmys, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and three Golden Globes. Watch this addictive series tonight on Hulu or HBO's apps.

In 2006, audiences met the Walker family on "Brothers and Sisters." The popular ABC series, which ran for five seasons, featured an ensemble cast that included Sally Field, Rachel Griffiths, Calista Flockhart, Balthazar Getty, Matthew Rhys and Dave Annable. The good news is that you can check out the escapades of this dysfunctional family anytime on Hulu or the ABC app.

A relative newcomer on the list, "This Is Us," hit NBC in 2016. The show not only follows a close-knit family but time travels back and forth. You'll see the Pearsons from their origins to the birth of the "big three" to all of the children throughout their life — from childhood to the teen years to their time as young adults and mature adults. It features a talented cast of characters: Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore play the parents, and Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz and Justin Hartley bring their adult triplets to life. Catch up on this popular series on Hulu, Sling TV or the NBC app.

From 2010 until 2015, "Downton Abbey" was a pop culture staple. The historical drama centered around the ups and downs of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 1900s. Packed with a talented ensemble cast that included Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Dan Stevens, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Brendan Coyle, Joanne Froggatt, Rob James-Collier, Allen Leech, Jessica Brown Findley and more, the show was beloved by both critics and fans. If you want to time travel and check out the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning drama, stream it on Amazon Prime Video or the PBS app today.

"Shameless," which launched in America on Showtime in 2011 (a British version aired first), features an ensemble cast headed by William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum. The U.S. show follows Frank Gallagher, a single dad and alcoholic with six kids who struggles to make ends meet. The series was renewed for its 11th and final season in 2020. Before that airs, you can get all caught up via Netflix or Showtime.

From 2013 to 2018, "The Fosters" celebrated a different type of family. The Freeform teen drama centered around an interracial lesbian couple in San Diego who are raising foster children, adopted children and a biological son. Teri Polo, Sherri Saum and Jake T. Austin star amongst an ensemble cast on the series, which also included Noah Centineo from 2015 to 2018. Not only was this one a hit with critics — it also earned two GLAAD Media Awards for its work portraying LGBT issues. Fun fact: Jennifer Lopez was an executive producer on this progressive show!

Fox's "Party of Five" started airing in 1994 to rave reviews. It featured a stellar ensemble cast — Scott Wolf, Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell and Lacey Chabert played the four eldest Salinger siblings — that showed viewers how a much a family can struggle when they lose both their parents and are forced to take on major responsibilities for which they might not be ready. The show, which ran for six seasons, also spawned a short-lived drama series starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, "Time of Your Life." If you're interested in catching up on this classic, episodes are available for digital purchase on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Google Play and Vudu.

For those who didn't stay tuned to this HBO phenomenon, now's your chance to finish it. "Game of Thrones" told the tale of powerful noble families as they fought for power, revenge, good or salvation. It premiered back in 2011 and was a smash hit all the way up until its controversy-sparking 2019 finale. Among the amazing cast members that became household names after portraying characters in this fantasy drama series? Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Peter Dinklage, Lena Heady, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams… to name just a few. Get caught up by streaming this hit on Hulu and HBO's apps.