We grew up with them, respected them and learned valuable lessons from them that were generally accompanied by cheesy, soft rock music. They are our second moms; the ones on television. Some television moms you wished were your own. When June Cleaver cleaned up the Beav's room, we wished she were cleaning up ours. When Claire Huxtable defended daughter Sandra in court, we wished we had a lawyer mom during our whole "jail" phase.
Then, of course, there are the TV moms that make you cringe to watch. They are awful, mean people, abusing their fictional children at every chance they get. There are those television matriarchs that prompt you to pick up the phone to call your own mom just to say, "Thank you! I love you! Please don't ever try and poison me!"
With Mother's Day around the corner, Art Attack examines some of the worst moms in television.
Livia Soprano - The Sopranos
What a horrible mother this woman was! When Tony suggested she be put into a home because she could no longer care for herself, she tried to have him wacked by his own uncle. Tony Soprano spent the entirety of the show's 8 years crying to a shrink about his mommy-issues.
Peggy Bundy - Married With Children
Peggy Bundy wasn't necessarily a nasty mother, just a neglectful one. She was much more concerned with Oprah and Bon Bons than her daughter's chastity or her son's... well, really anything about her son.
Here's a quintessential Peg Bundy quote: Marcy: Peggy, I need to ask you something. Have you ever done something that you didn't remember the next day? Peggy: Well, having the kids. Marcy: No, I mean have you ever done something that you really regretted? Peggy: Having the kids.
Felice Martin - Beverly Hills, 90210
Donna Martin's mom made her miserable for years. She was a holier-than-though, racist, anti-Semitic, preachy hypocrite. The woman made her daughter live in celibate, Catholic guilt while she went around cheating on her spouse. Felice Martin seemed to hate any and every guy Donna dated, so much as to unsuccessfully pay Donna's beau du jour to get out of the picture, TWICE! But probably the worst thing Donna's mom ever did was let her walk around in some of those outfits.
Morticia Addams - The Addam's Family