Since the birth of the family series, TV moms have occupied a unique place in our collective memory. And the fact is, they have actually become more than just “characters” to us! As Mother’s Day approaches and in honor of the holiday, we’ve put together a captivating selection of some of the most iconic moms of the small screen.
The mothers we’ve chosen range from funny to stony, tender to ruthless, traditional to daring. Most importantly, these on-screen moms prove that motherhood can be a success without having to be perfect.
If you still don’t know which way to celebrate Mother’s Day, we invite you to have a family marathon and enjoy some of the best TV moms who have graced our screens in recent decades and moved us with their roles.
So, in no particular order, here’s our guide to the great favorites:
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996): Vivian Banks
Created by Andy Borowitz and Susan Borowitz and starring Will Smith, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air quickly became a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s. This American sitcom featured an upper-class African-American family dealing with an unexpected addition to their household.
On Mother’s Day many people fondly remember Vivian Banks (Janet Hubert-Whitten/ Daphne Maxwell Reid), the matriarch of the Banks family. And the fact is, when young Will moves in with his aunt and uncle in the wealthy Los Angeles suburb of Bel-Air, Vivian treats him like one of her own and always encourages him to achieve his dreams.
Vivian Banks is a caring, wise and compassionate mother who tolerates no nonsense and encourages her children and nephew Will to be the best version of themselves. “Aunt Viv” has it all straight: She has no qualms about confronting her loved ones when they are wrong, but, she never lets anyone walk all over them.
All of us fans of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air have, intentionally or not, learned a lesson or two from this beautiful and competent TV mom.
Gilmore Girls (2000- 2007): Lorelai Gilmore
Gilmore Girls first aired in 2000 on The WB and The CW and, more than 20 years later, the series’ popularity hasn’t waned one bit. Rather, Lorelai Gilmore and Rory have taken up permanent residence in pop culture.
This dramatic comedy follows Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) as a young, single mother, reflecting how she and her teenage daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), navigate relationships and life in the small town of Stars Hallow. Specifically, Gilmore Girls focuses on the dynamic of Lorelai and Rory as a mother-daughter duo very close in age.
Lorelai Gilmore is far from a perfect mom, but she certainly did a good job raising Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other through their own life changes, daily challenges, and romantic entanglements. Truth be told, the “us against the world” duo has a good friend bond that would make anyone envious.
At the time, Gilmore Girls was a big win because it showed us a mother-daughter relationship that had been explored very little on television, but mostly it was a big win because it gave us a mother who was more than a “mother”, she was herself, defined by her own convictions, rather than by the expectations of others.
That ’70s Show (1998- 2006): Kitty Forman
Created by Marcos Brazill, Bonnie Turner and Terry Turner, That ’70s Show first aired on Fox in August 1998 and concluded in May 2006, after airing its eighth season. The series clearly understood life in the 1970s: its fashion, its music and its day-to-day life.
In That ’70s Show we meet one of the sitcom’s most beloved mothers, the iconic and lovable Kitty Forman (Debra Jo Rupp). She first appeared on That ’70s Show and now appears in the sequel series, That ’90s Show, which focuses on Kitty and Red’s granddaughter, the naive Leia.
Kitty is perhaps one of the most recognizable mothers in our selection. Not only was she the best antidote to her bitter husband, war veteran Red Forman, but she was also immensely kind and generous to all the unruly teenagers who frequented their home. Remarkably, the part-time nurse was well ahead of her time and always made sure her children had a stable and blissful home.
Malcolm in the Middle (2000-2006): Lois Wilkerson
The Fox sitcom Malcolm in The Middle became an instant classic when it debuted in 2000. The series was famous for portraying a lower middle-class family as they struggled to get by.
One of Malcolm in the Middle’s biggest draws, undeniably, is its domineering and strict matriarch, Lois Wilkerson (Jane Kaczmarek). Over the course of seven seasons, Lois runs her household with an iron fist, and copes with discipline and parenting, mounting bills, and managing a growing family.
Lois may be strident, proud, stubborn, shameless, and even manipulative. But, above all else, Lois is fiercely loving to her own. Despite her flaws, there is never any doubt that Lois loves her family unconditionally, and woe betide anyone who doesn’t have benevolent intentions toward them.
The Good Bad Mother (2023): Young-soon
Starring advantaged actors Ra Mi-ran and Lee Do-hyun, The Good Bad Mother is a 2023 South Korean TV series that addresses the vicissitudes and subtleties that can be experienced in the household with the arrival of a child.
Veteran actress Ra Mi-ran plays the series’ main matriarch, Young-soon is a demanding woman and single mother to her son, Choi Kang-ho (Lee Do-hyun). Although Young-soon loves Choi Kang-ho more than her own life, she soon becomes an overbearing, domineering, and, at times, extremely possessive mother.
As in any mother-son relationship, Young-soon and Choi Kang-ho don’t get along all the time, but there is no doubt that there is a hidden love in all their interactions. In The Good Bad Mother, Young-soon leaves us with important lessons about family pressures, self-discovery, reconciliation and second chances.
Married… with Children (1987 – 1997): Peggy Bundy
It’s been more than 35 years since Married… with Children introduced audiences to the wacky Bundy brood. Thanks to sharp writing and a fearless cast of actors, Married… with Children became one of the longest-running sitcoms on the FOX television network.
When the series first debuted on April 5, 1987, it offered something entirely different to the genre: The story was never about a comforting home, nor was it about an overly kind family. Married… with Children tossed aside the traditional American family sitcom formula and went for irreverence.
For example, instead of the typical loving, tender and approachable mother, the show introduced the one and only, Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal), a woman who openly despises caring for her children, her husband and her home.
Selfish, hooked on trash TV and compulsive shopping, Peggy is not a model mother, nor a character to idolize. Nonetheless, the public fell deeply in love with her sass, her foolishness and her dangerous authenticity. Unlike other mothers, she was always aware that, beyond her maternal role, she was a person in her own right.
No one may want to have a mother like Peggy Bundy in real life, but you have to admit that Peggy is an incredibly fun character to watch on screen.
The Simpsons (1989 – on air): Marge Simpson
This Mother’s Day selection would be incomplete without the beloved and respected Marge Simpson, from The Simpsons cartoons. As of today, Marge has been raising her children on television for more than three decades, which would be enough time to drive anyone crazy.
As we recall, the animated sitcom follows the daily life of the Simpsons and the shenanigans surrounding the family in the iconic Springfield setting.
Homer’s wife and the mother of Lisa, Bart and Maggie, Marge gives absolutely everything for her family; whether it’s supporting Lisa’s upright character, dancing with Bart to cheer him up, or taking care of Maggie, the eternal baby. In one way or another, the matriarch of the blue hive always manages to maintain harmony in the household when things get tough.
Warm, loyal and resolute, Marge is always there for her family.
Mother’s Day around the world!
We know that, unlike Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas, the exact date of Mother’s Day can vary greatly around the world.
Whether it’s in March, May or another month, it’s always a good time to honor the mother figures in our lives and applaud mothers on their special day.
Now, it’s time to hit play on the shows in our guide to the best TV moms!