| Archetype | Core Conflict | Example | |-----------|---------------|---------| | | Who deserves power/property? Sibling rivalry, parental favoritism. | Succession , King Lear | | Prodigal Return | A estranged family member returns, disrupting the status quo. | The Corrections , August: Osage County | | Family Secret Revealed | Hidden adoption, affair, crime, or paternity explodes trust. | Little Fires Everywhere , Knives Out | | Generational Trauma Cycle | Parents pass down abuse, addiction, or emotional neglect. | Shameless , The Sopranos | | Marital Collapse | Divorce, infidelity, or estrangement as a family-splintering event. | Marriage Story , Kramer vs. Kramer | | Sibling Rivalry | Competition for love, resources, or recognition. | East of Eden , This Is Us | | Caregiver Reversal | Adult child becomes parent to aging or ill parent. | Still Alice , The Father |
