What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedOrdinary People
Robert Redford · Film · 1980
If you loved Ordinary People, start with Normal People (2020) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Ordinary People across media.
What hooked you in Ordinary People was the way it forces you to confront the suffocating, unspoken tensions lurking within a fractured family.
Books on the same thread
The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath · Book · 1972
Explores: Mental Illness, Depression, Suicide.
Like the internal struggle Conrad faces in Ordinary People, this novel captures the crushing weight of a mental breakdown and the isolating nature of family expectations and emotional distance.
Ghost Story
Peter Straub · Book · 1979
Shares a thread with Ordinary People: Guilt.
This story mirrors the haunting sense of guilt that permeates Ordinary People, showing how past tragedies continue to erode the foundations of the present long after the initial event.
Norwegian Wood (ノルウェイの森)
Haruki Murakami · Book · 1987
Shares a thread with Ordinary People: Grief.
If the grief in Ordinary People resonated with you, this novel provides a similar meditation on loss and mental health, highlighting how tragedy irrevocably alters the trajectory of young lives.
Sophie's Choice
William Styron · Book · 1980
Shares a thread with Ordinary People: Guilt.
The heavy burden of memory and guilt found in Ordinary People is central here, as this narrative digs into the unbearable secrets that define and ultimately destroy a person's life.
Series on the same thread
Normal People
Series · 2020
Explores: First Love, Social Class Differences, Miscommunication.
While Ordinary People focuses on a family unit, this series captures the same raw, painful miscommunication and emotional intimacy that you saw in the complex relationships of the Jarrett family.
The O.C.
Josh Schwartz · Series · 2003
Explores: Class Differences, Privilege, Identity.
This show explores the friction of an outsider entering a privileged suburban environment, much like the way the domestic facade in Ordinary People hides deep-seated identity and class conflicts.
This Is Us
Dan Fogelman · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Ordinary People: Family Drama.
Much like the intergenerational trauma examined in Ordinary People, this series weaves together the complex stories of a family struggling to reconcile their past with their present-day emotional needs.
Brothers and Sisters
Jon Robin Baitz · Series · 2006
Shares a thread with Ordinary People: Family Drama.
This drama mirrors the domestic tension of Ordinary People by focusing on a close-knit family forced to confront their internal secrets and the lingering impact of grief and loss.
Podcasts on the same thread
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Podcast
Explores: relationships, marriage, family dynamics.
If the therapy scenes in Ordinary People were what drew you in, this podcast offers a similarly profound look at the raw, intimate realities of family dynamics and conflict resolution.
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
Team Coco & Earwolf · Podcast · 2026
Explores: parasocial relationships, professional intimacy, self-deprecating humor.
While tonally different from the heavy drama of Ordinary People, this show examines the same underlying human need for genuine connection and the difficulty of navigating authentic relationships in life.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Ordinary People about the aftermath of a family tragedy?
Yes, Ordinary People focuses on the Jarrett family following the death of one of their sons. The narrative explores how Conrad, Beth, and Calvin struggle to navigate their grief and strained relationships after the loss of their other son.
Does Conrad receive professional help in Ordinary People?
In Ordinary People, Conrad undergoes therapy to address his intense grief and misplaced guilt. His journey toward recovery is a central component of the film after his suicide attempt highlights the depth of his emotional distress.
How does Beth treat Conrad in Ordinary People?
In Ordinary People, Beth struggles to be supportive of Conrad. The film depicts her difficulty connecting with him, as she had historically preferred his brother, which creates significant tension within the family unit as they attempt to cope with their shared loss.
What is Calvin's role in Ordinary People?
Calvin acts as the mediator in Ordinary People. He is positioned between his wife, Beth, and their son, Conrad, as he attempts to manage their conflicting emotional states and hold the family together during their period of profound mourning.