Television can play a big role in our lives and upbringing. Watching our favorite shows is often how we unwind after a long day and how we pass the time while relaxing or decompressing. These stories help shape our perspectives of the world, but they can also skew the reality of experiences like having cancer.
Dr. Maurie Markman at City of Hope mentions shows like Grey’s Anatomy, ER, and Love Story as he dissects a recent review that examined 100 English-language films with cancer storylines from 2010-2020. For those who don’t have family or personal experience with cancer, what’s on screen may be the only reference to the illness.
If you’re looking for shows that offer a more realistic view of cancer, explore the options below.
[SPOILER ALERT: some plot items revealed in the following text]
1) A Million Little Things
A Million Little Things is about a group of Boston-based friends who exemplify that friendship isn’t one big thing; it’s a million little things. In this emotional drama, one of the main characters is a male breast cancer survivor. The show explores his fears of recurrence, the physical and emotional toll of cancer, and the influence of the disease and his survivorship on his relationships.
2) Firefly Lane
This Netflix series is based on the novel written by Kristen Hannah. Centered on lifelong friends Tully and Kate, Firefly Lane dives into one friend’s breast cancer diagnosis in later seasons and highlights the importance of support and unconditional love during difficult times.
3) The Summer I Turned Pretty
Based on author Jenny Han’s trilogy, The Summer I Turned Pretty is a coming-of-age series about a teenage girl navigating a summer love triangle. A key subplot follows a mother who is diagnosed with breast cancer and wrestles with how to break the news to the family, highlighting the emotional challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. Clinical trials and treatment decisions are also discussed.
4) 90210
In this reboot of the classic series, a character finds out she’s a carrier of a gene mutation (BRCA), which significantly increases her risk of breast cancer. The show explores some of the difficult decisions she has to make surrounding fertility and preventative treatments.
5) Sex and the City
If you’re familiar with this iconic show, you may already know the character who receives a breast cancer diagnosis in later seasons. The series showcases her diagnosis with a mix of realism and humor while addressing the challenges of chemotherapy, hair loss, hot flashes, and other treatment-related side effects. One viewer of the show who has breast cancer says “I can see myself watching it.”
6) Alexa and Katie
Alexa and Katie is a Netflix sitcom that follows Alexa, a high school student undergoing treatment for leukemia. The show balances the seriousness of cancer with lighthearted moments, emphasizing Alexa’s determination to live a normal teenage life while going through treatment, and the support of her best friend, Katie.
If you’re looking for movies that honestly capture a cancer diagnosis, see our list here.
If there is another show you’d like to see us highlight in the upcoming months, send us an email to feedback@outcomes4me.com.
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