Not-Netflix Natter Episode 1- What happened to family stories?

Calm reflections on children’s stories, television, and why quiet storytelling still matters.

During the holidays, I tried to find something new to watch with my grandchildren.

Not something noisy.

Not something designed to hold attention by sheer volume.

Just a story with warmth, imagination, and care.

I didn’t find it.

What I found instead was a familiar loop: recycled Christmas films, pale imitations of once-loved formats, and old stories resurfaced as if novelty now lies in re-packaging alone. Princes appear where they’re not needed. Stories follow paths so predictable you can step away and return without missing anything.

This isn’t about taste. It’s about intention.

Streaming platforms clearly have the budgets. The production values are there. But much family content now feels thin in spirit — as though imagination has been replaced by efficiency. Children notice this. They may not articulate it, but they feel when a story has been made with care and when it has been assembled by formula.

When characters exist only to serve a genre rather than explore an idea, children don’t become restless — they become disengaged.

Families are paying for multiple platforms, often at once. Subscription fatigue is real. It’s reasonable to ask what we are paying for when “new” increasingly means recycled, revived, or reworked from decades past.

In the UK, there is an additional responsibility. Public broadcasting exists to nurture new storytelling alongside cherished archives. Repeats have their place. But when they dominate, something has slipped — especially when imagination gives way to formula.

This is not an argument against tradition or festive comfort. A single Christmas prince can be charming. A classic film can be grounding.

But repetition should not replace imagination.

What families need is not more content, but better intention.

Stories written for children, not at them.

Programmes that allow quiet moments.

Characters who feel specific, not interchangeable.

Creativity that respects young minds.

Children don’t need endless choice.

They need thoughtful choice.

Not-Netflix Natters is not critique for its own sake. It is a gentle advocacy for children — and for families who still believe stories matter.