Updated December 2024.
Stanford alums have myriad interests and expertise, but just about every one of us likes a good challenge. So we’ve got a goal for you: to watch as many Cardinal-tinged TV shows and movies as you can.
Titles are TV series unless noted as a film (*).
TV series
24, Robert Cochran, ’71, JD ’74, co-creator.
All or Nothing: Philadelphia Eagles, season 5, Zach Ertz, ’13, himself.
Boy Meets World, Ben Savage, ’04, “Cory Matthews.”
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Andre Braugher, ’84, “Captain Ray Holt.”
Cherish the Day, Sylvia L. Jones, ’93, writer and executive story editor.
Dear White People, Yvette Lee Bowser, ’87, executive producer. (Also check out Living Single; Black-ish.)
First Wives Club, Tracy Oliver, ’07, creator and executive producer (also check out Girls Trip*); Ryan Michelle Bathe, ’98, “Ari.”
Friends from College, Fred Savage, ’98, “Max.” (Also check out The Wonder Years.)
Fuller House, Lex Passaris, ’79, associate director.
Gentefied, Linda Yvette Chavez, ’04, executive producer.
Gotham, David Mazouz, ’23, “Bruce Wayne/the Dark Knight.”
Hard Knocks: Cleveland Browns, Devon Cajuste, ’15, himself.
Insecure, Issa Rae, ’07, creator, writer and “Issa Dee.” (Also see films below.)
Luke Cage, Cheo Coker, ’94, creator, producer and writer. (Also check out Ray Donovan.)
Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak, Sheri Fink, PhD ’98, MD ’99, executive producer.
Narcos: Mexico, Doug Miro, ’94, creator.
Never Have I Ever, John McEnroe, ’81, himself/narrator.
Silicon Valley, Carrie Kemper, ’06, writer and producer. (Also check out Beef.)
Superstore, Gabe Miller, ’93, MA ’94, and Jonathan Green, ’95, writers and executive producers.
The Good Doctor, Nicholas Gonzalez, ’98, “Dr. Neil Melendez.”
The Handmaid’s Tale, Kira Snyder, ’92, co-executive producer. (Also check out The 100.)
This Is Us, Sterling K. Brown, ’98, “Randall Pearson.” (Also see films below.)
Westworld, Lisa Joy, ’99, co-creator, executive producer and writer.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Andrew Leeds, ’00, “David.”
Films
A Little Women's Christmas, Dione Sheehan, ’21, writer and producer.
American Fiction, Sterling K. Brown, ’98, “Cliff Ellison”; Issa Rae, ’07, “Sintara Golden.” (Also check out Barbie and Little.)
Incredibles 2, Nicole Grindle, MA ’87, producer.
King in the Wilderness, Trey Ellis, ’84, executive producer.
Labyrinth, Jennifer Connelly, ’96, “Sarah.” (Also check out The Rocketeer.)
The Creative Brain, adjunct professor of psychiatry David Eagleman, creator and writer.
The Half of It, Alice Wu, ’90, MS ’92, writer and director.
The Marvels, Elissa Karasik, ’12, writer. (Also check out Lessons in Chemistry.)
The Social Dilemma, Jeff Orlowski, ’06, director; Tristan Harris, ’06, Jeff Seibert, ’08, Bailey Richardson, ’09, Alex Roetter, ’00, MS ’05, Tim Kendall, ’99, MBA ’06, Justin Rosenstein, ’05, Anna Lembke, MD ’95, Mary Fetter, ’23, and Stanford Internet Observatory research manager Renée DiResta as themselves.
Make a game of it. Try to watch everything from one of these prolific alums.
Titles are TV shows unless noted as films (*).
Ron Bass, ’63, screenwriter, Rain Man* and others.
David Brown, ’36, and Richard Zanuck, ’56, producers, Cocoon* and others.
Roger Corman, ’47, director, Little Shop of Horrors* (1960) and others.
Ted Danson, ’70, actor, The Good Place and others.
Edith Head, MA 1920, costume designer, Roman Holiday* and others.
Elizabeth Hunter, ’87, screenwriter and producer, Jumping the Broom* and others.
Gale Anne Hurd, ’77, executive producer, The Walking Dead and others.
Jonathan King, ’86, executive producer, Finding Forrester* and others.
Alexander Payne, ’83, director, The Holdovers* and others.
Rick Porras, ’88, producer, Lord of the Rings* trilogy and others.
Jay Roach, ’79, producer and director, Bombshell* and others.
Sigourney Weaver, ’72, actor, Avatar* and others.