Pure misery is exhausting. The best complex families have one character who is slightly outside the gravity well. They are the audience surrogate who is horrified, amused, or accidentally complicit. This character relieves pressure while also holding up the funhouse mirror to the rest of the clan.
Step-families provide rich ground for drama because the loyalty lines are blurred. Incest Taboo 21 Lindsey Allen Fa
This is the heartbreaking storyline of aging parents and the resentment/care cycle. Pure misery is exhausting