What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedKes
Film · 1970
If you loved Kes, start with The Paper Chase (James Bridges, 1978) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Kes across media.
If Kes resonated with you, it is because you value stories that find profound emotional meaning within isolated, working-class environments.
Books on the same thread
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee · Book · 1970
Explores: Racial Injustice, Childhood Innocence, Moral Courage.
Like Kes, this narrative centers on a young boy navigating a harsh social landscape where moral courage and mentorship provide a rare, vital sanctuary against systemic adult indifference.
The Catcher in the Rye
J. D. Salinger · Book · 1951
Shares a thread with Kes: Coming-of-Age.
You will recognize the profound adolescent isolation found in Kes within Holden’s internal struggle, as both stories capture the raw, unfiltered experience of a young person feeling completely alienated.
Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro · Book · 2005
Explores: Mortality, Fate vs. Free Will, Memory and Nostalgia.
The stark, isolated English setting and the focus on the limitations placed upon young lives mirror the emotional constraints Billy Casper faces in his daily existence in Kes.
To Kill a Mockingbird 40th
Harper Lee · Book · 1999
Explores: racial injustice, loss of innocence, moral integrity.
Much like the guidance Billy receives from his teacher in Kes, this story highlights the necessity of moral integrity when a child is confronted by a rigid, uncaring society.
Series on the same thread
The Paper Chase
James Bridges · Series · 1978
Shares a thread with Kes: Mentorship.
The intense student-teacher relationship and the pressure of institutional expectations in this drama echo the rigid classroom dynamics that define the struggle of the protagonist in Kes.
All Creatures Great and Small
Bill Sellars · Series · 1978
Shares a thread with Kes: Coming-of-age.
This series captures the authentic Yorkshire atmosphere seen in Kes, grounding its narrative in the specific, humble realities of rural professional life and the quiet comfort of animal companionship.
Adolescence
Stephen Graham · Series · 2025
Explores: Childhood Trauma, False Accusation, Small Town Secrets.
If the weight of childhood trauma and family dysfunction in Kes moved you, this mystery offers a similarly grounded examination of how small-town secrets shape a young person's life.
Ted Lasso
Jason Sudeikis · Series · 2020
Explores: Optimism, Underdog Story, Cultural Clash.
While lighter in tone, this show shares the underdog spirit of Kes, focusing on how a positive, unconventional mentorship can transform the outlook of those in a skeptical environment.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
The focus on rural community life and the serialized, realistic portrayal of relationships provides a similar sense of place and social observation to that found in Kes.
THE ADAM BUXTON PODCAST
ADAM BUXTON · Podcast
Explores: east anglia, family life, dog ownership.
This podcast shares the grounded, observant British sensibility of Kes, using the simple act of walking with a dog to bridge the gap between humor and serious introspection.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Kes a movie about a boy and his pet?
Yes, Kes is a 1970 film that follows Billy Casper, a 15-year-old boy from Yorkshire who finds purpose in his difficult life by taming and training a kestrel falcon he names Kes.
Does Billy Casper have support while training Kes?
Billy Casper receives encouragement from his English teacher and his fellow students while he trains his pet kestrel, Kes. This support helps him find a positive purpose despite the bullying and indifference he faces at school and home.
Why is Billy Casper struggling in the movie Kes?
In Kes, Billy Casper struggles because he is bullied at school and faces abuse and neglect at home from his indifferent mother and older brother. These challenges create an unhappy existence that he eventually escapes by focusing on his pet kestrel.
What is the main focus of the story in Kes?
The story of Kes centers on a working-class teenager named Billy Casper who discovers a sense of meaning by training a kestrel falcon. The film explores how this relationship provides him with a vital outlet amidst a challenging and hostile environment.