"Alcoholism, or alcohol use disorder, impacts millions of people around the world. TV series have portrayed the illness with various results. Unfortunately, alcohol use disorder is often not taken seriously or played as comedy. However, there are certain series that accurately showcase alcohol use disorder, both the consequences that the illness brings and the fact that there is so often hope for recovery with love and support.
Some series, like M*A*S*H, take a serious look at the realities of addiction in a single, character-focused storyline. Other series, like Shameless, had themes connected to alcohol use disorder woven throughout the entire series. The most effective storylines on TV that portray alcohol use disorder focus on the humanity of the person with the illness. These stories also show how the illness impacts the friends and family members of those with the illness and how important community support is in recovery."
-Justine Kraemer
