After I became the oldest in my family at 24, the pull towards older people was gravitational | Nadine J Cohen

At first, it happened subconsciously, but in time it became a more conscious act ... but no need to lock up your grandparents

In the American sitcom New Girl, on a park bench in Los Angeles, twentysomething shambles Nick Miller (Jake Johnson) befriends an old man named Tran (Ralph Ahn), who helps him work through a conundrum without uttering a word.

Tran pops up throughout the show's seven seasons, his soothing, silent counsel helping Nick navigate adult life. It's worth watching the entire, criminally underrated series just for this beautiful, untypical friendship.