What To Watch
9 Movies and Series That Prove the Best Family Is the One You Choose
These found families will remain friends ’til the end.
By Caitlin Busch
Aug. 28, 2026
9 Found Family Movies and Series That Prove the Best Family Is the One You Choose - Netflix Tudum
Family comes in many forms. Yes, there’s the one you’re born with: your parents, your siblings, your second cousin you see once a year at your great-aunt’s birthday party. And then there’s your chosen family — the reliable people who come into your life at just the right moment, the loyal co-workers who help you through the toughest days, and the fast friends who’ve been at your side for decades. No matter how or when your closest confidants come into your life, you know you can count on them through thick and thin.
In the movies and series below, found families connect under a wide variety of (sometimes extenuating) circumstances. There are groups that are trying to save the world and others that are just trying to stay alive. Some were once mortal enemies before forming their unbreakable ties. And then there are the friends who took one look at each other and felt that instant soul bond. No matter what kind of chosen family you vibe with, you can find it streaming on Netflix.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Welcome to Team Avatar. Season 2 of Avatar: The Last Airbender introduces Toph Beifong (Miyako), who brings her signature wit and strength to Aang (Gordon Cormier), Katara (Kiawentiio), and Sokka’s (Ian Ousley) vital mission. The fearsome foursome set out to help Avatar Aang master all four elements — water, earth, fire, and air — so he can stop the evil Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) from taking over the world. But their quest grows more dangerous at every turn, and their burgeoning familial bonds are tested with each new challenge, including being pursued by the relentless Fire Nation siblings Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) and Princess Azula (Elizabeth Yu).
The Fast and the Furious
It’s all about family. And cars — really fast cars. When The Fast and the Furious premiered in 2001, stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster found themselves at the starting line of a franchise that would encompass nearly a dozen increasingly gonzo live-action films, an animated series, and so much more. The first movie follows Walker’s Brian O’Conner, an undercover Los Angeles police officer who infiltrates a close-knit street racing crew led by the formidable Dominic Toretto (Diesel). As Brian attempts to uncover whether the group is responsible for a recent string of hijackings, he develops a complicated, life-altering relationship with the extended Toretto family.
The Four Seasons
Based on the 1981 film of the same name by writer-director Alan Alda, dramedy series The Four Seasons follows three couples — Nick and Anne (Steve Carell and Kerri Kenney-Silver), Kate and Jack (Tina Fey and Will Forte), and Danny and Claude (Colman Domingo and Marco Calvani) — as they vacation together through each season of the year. When their longtime friend group undergoes a major shift, they’re all forced to take a closer look at their relationships and the bonds that define them. It turns out your family can consist of your partner, your best friends, and even your ex-husband’s baby mama.
Mom
Single mom Christy Plunkett (Anna Faris) is on the up and up, so she isn’t exactly enthused when she reunites with her chaotic estranged mother, Bonnie (Allison Janney), in this heartfelt eight-season sitcom. But, much to both of their surprise, their reunion is the best thing that ever happened to them. That’s in large part thanks to their shared Alcoholics Anonymous group. The women they befriend at their meetings — including the reliably steadfast Marjorie (Mimi Kennedy), the unexpectedly generous Jill (Jaime Pressly), and the charmingly odd Wendy (Beth Hall) — become their chosen family and show them that this rough world is also capable of true kindness.
Orange Is the New Black
None of the women who are incarcerated at Litchfield Penitentiary in creator Jenji Kohan’s Emmy-winning dramedy series expected to find real connections. But over the course of seven seasons, the hilarious, sincere, and complex characters at the heart of Orange Is the New Black form the kinds of bonds that can only be defined by one word: family. The series kicks off when Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) is sentenced to 15 months in prison for a crime she committed 10 years prior. Piper is introduced to a new world full of raucous and charming women, all of whom have their own meaningful relationships — both romantic and familial.
Outer Banks
Craving the kind of classic adventure with your closest pals that will bond you for life? Join the Pogues on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This group of working-class kids teams up to help their bud John B (Chase Stokes) find his missing dad. Along the way, they discover that a legendary treasure is linked to his disappearance. You know, standard high school stuff. Come for the high-speed chases and adrenaline-packed action, but stay for the tried-and-true friendships. The fifth and final season rounds out their big adventure. It’s just as heavy on the family vibes — and turns the danger up to 11.
Sex Education
Growing up is hard work, but it’s a bit easier knowing your (chosen) brother has your back. This four-season coming-of-age comedy follows a slate of sexually curious teens. Otis (Asa Butterfield), whose mother, Jean (Gillian Anderson), is a sex therapist, joins up with his crush, Maeve (Emma Mackey), to start a makeshift sex clinic for their classmates. Meanwhile, Otis’s best friend, Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), explores romantic relationships while navigating bullies at school and a religious family at home. Otis and Eric’s tender friendship serves as the series’ beating heart, and the pair weather high school’s many storms together — even if they’re sometimes the ones who initiate the drama.
The Walking Dead
Surviving the zombie apocalypse requires vigilance, grit, sick crossbow skills — and a chosen family filled to the brim with fellow survivors. When Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) wakes up from a coma in an abandoned hospital in Georgia, he discovers the world has been overrun by the undead. Over the course of 11 seasons, this horror juggernaut, based on the graphic novels by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard, finds Rick uniting with a group of disparate souls — including Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Michonne (Danai Gurira), Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun), Carol Peletier (Melissa McBride), and Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan). They remind each other there’s something worth fighting for.
Wine Country
Despite Rebecca (Rachel Dratch) insisting she wants a low-key celebration for her 50th birthday, her friend Abby (Amy Poehler) plans an epic weekend getaway in California’s Napa Valley. The guest list is comprised of longtime friends and chosen family — they all met while working at a classic pizza joint back in the day. The gang includes Naomi (Maya Rudolph), Catherine (Ana Gasteyer), Val (Paula Pell), and Jenny (Emily Spivey). Abby becomes obsessed with forcing everyone to adhere to a strict schedule, but her friends are grappling with their own issues in this comedy about the importance of friendship and the beauty of growing older together.
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