Shows Like Shrinking, Ted Lasso, and The Bear Are Changing The Conversation Around Men's Mental Health
- Karishma Gupta
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
For a long time, men's mental health was something television rarely talked about honestly. Male characters could survive shootouts, save the day, and carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, but they rarely admitted they were struggling. Anxiety, grief, depression, and burnout were often pushed into the background, if they appeared at all.
The reality is very different.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, around 6 million men experience depression every year in the United States. Yet many never seek professional support. Mental health stigma continues to be a major barrier, especially among men who have grown up with the belief that asking for help is a sign of weakness.
The consequences can be devastating. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that nearly 80% of suicide deaths in the United States involve men, a reminder that emotional struggles often remain hidden until they reach a crisis point. That is why the growing number of television shows exploring men's mental health feels so significant.
Series like Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and The Bear aren't trying to lecture audiences about therapy or mental illness. Instead, they tell deeply human stories about men dealing with grief, anxiety, loneliness, pressure, and emotional vulnerability. In doing so, they are helping shift a conversation that for decades was either ignored or treated as uncomfortable.
Ted Lasso Made Vulnerability Feel Normal
When Ted Lasso premiered, most viewers expected a light-hearted sports comedy. What they didn't expect was one of television's most thoughtful portrayals of male emotional health.
Ted spends much of the series presenting himself as relentlessly positive. He's supportive, optimistic, and always ready with an encouraging word. But beneath that cheerful personality lies a man dealing with panic attacks, childhood trauma, and unresolved grief surrounding his father's death. One of the show's most important decisions was treating therapy as something normal rather than something shameful. Through Ted's sessions with Dr. Sharon, viewers watch a character slowly learn that positivity alone cannot solve every emotional wound.
What made the story resonate was its authenticity. Many viewers shared online that Ted's journey encouraged them to think differently about therapy and even seek professional help themselves. Rather than portraying vulnerability as weakness, Ted Lasso suggests that acknowledging pain may be one of the strongest things a person can do.
Shrinking Shows That Healing Is Messy
If Ted Lasso helped normalize therapy, Shrinking pushed the conversation even further.
The series follows Jimmy, a therapist struggling to cope with the death of his wife while trying to help his patients navigate their own emotional challenges. Unlike many television dramas, Shrinking doesn't present healing as a neat, predictable process.
Jimmy makes mistakes. His colleagues make mistakes. The people around him often take steps backward before moving forward again. That approach reflects the show's origins. Creator Bill Lawrence has spoken about wanting to explore grief and emotional recovery in a post-pandemic world, where many people were still processing loss and major life changes.
One reason the series resonates is that it reminds viewers that therapists are human too. They may spend their days helping others, but they also carry fears, regrets, and personal struggles of their own. Not everyone agrees with how therapy is portrayed in the show. Mental health professionals have criticized some of the ethical boundaries crossed by its characters. Still, even critics acknowledge that the series has helped bring conversations about therapy into the mainstream.
The Bear Captures Anxiety Better Than Most Shows
While Ted Lasso and Shrinking openly discuss emotions, The Bear takes a different approach. It makes viewers feel them.
The series follows talented chef Carmy Berzatto as he attempts to run a struggling restaurant while dealing with grief, perfectionism, and overwhelming pressure. Instead of explaining anxiety through dialogue, the show recreates it through its filmmaking. The loud kitchen environment, constant interruptions, impossible expectations, and relentless pace mirror the experience of living with chronic stress.
Creator Christopher Storer has spoken about drawing from his own experiences with anxiety while developing the show, and that personal connection is visible throughout the series. Many viewers have described feeling genuine stress while watching episodes of The Bear, particularly during some of its most chaotic moments. That reaction is exactly what makes the show so effective. It doesn't simply tell audiences what anxiety looks like. It shows them what it feels like.
Why These Shows Matter
Together, these series represent a noticeable shift in how masculinity is portrayed on television.
Traditional TV Men | Modern TV Men |
Hide emotional struggles | Talk about emotional struggles |
Avoid asking for help | Seek support when needed |
Always appear strong | Admit vulnerability |
Handle problems alone | Rely on community and relationships |
This shift isn't happening by accident. A recent UCLA study found that younger viewers increasingly want male characters who are emotionally open and realistic rather than defined by outdated tough-guy stereotypes.
That's exactly what makes Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and The Bear so important. They don't present perfect men. They present complicated men trying to navigate grief, anxiety, pressure, and healing. And for many viewers, that's far more relatable than any superhero ever could.
As television continues to evolve, audiences are embracing stories that feel more authentic and emotionally honest. For more insights into modern television trends and storytelling, explore other features on The ScreenLight.
