Crazy TV Moms: 10 Fictional Moms Who Likely Didn’t Receive Cards & Gifts For Mother's Day [PHOTOS]
Most mothers are likely to find their kids doing whatever they can to celebrate them on Mother's Day-- but a certain selection of fictional moms were never likely the ones getting showered with gifts and love every year.
Some of TV's best moms were also the worst when it came to showing their children unconditional love and support, while others were absolutely unfit parents in general. Some even proved to be truly insane, dealing with mental disorders, emotional instability, unhealthy attachments to their kids, or murderous tendencies. As a result, they aren't the ones who were likely celebrated with warm thoughts each year on the day solely devoted to mothers.
Here are 10 of quite possibly the craziest TV moms in history--and here's hoping their real-life counterparts are very few.
Livia Soprano , The Sopranos (Portrayed by Nancy Marchand)
Considering she once tried to have her son, Tony (James Gandolfini) killed because he put her in a nursing home, she isn't likely to be touted as mother of the year. Add to that attempt on her son's life the fact that she never stopped complaining, was constantly depressed, and generally made everyone around her miserable too, she was one of TV's most certifiably crazy moms.
Cersei Lannister, Game of Thrones (Portrayed by Lena Headey)
Though she claims to want to protect her children, Cersei nearly poisoned her son Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) because she thought the Lannister armies had lost King's Landing and the Iron Throne to Stannis Baratheon. Add to the fact that if her children knew they were actually the product of their mother's incestuous relationship with their uncle they likely wouldn't be thrilled, you've got a mother who is definitely not getting present on Mother's Day.
Lois, Malcolm in the Middle (Portrayed By Jane Kaczmarek)
Though she was loyal and went to all lengths to keep her five boys safe, she was definitely strict to a point where she had to be just a little crazy. At times, raising kids was treated like a major battle in a never-ending war, and if her sons ever felt like they were the enemy, she wasn't doing enough to ensure them she loved them.
Betty Draper, Mad Men (Portrayed by January Jones)
Forced to deal with her husband's countless infidelities has made Betty a bit bitter over the years, especially to her son, Bobby. She's also been somewhat abusive to her daughter, Sally as well, by locking her in a closet. And when it comes to some of the day-to-day responsibilities of being a mother, she's been seriously disinterested, telling her kids to just watch TV and leave her alone. A mother who seems to never want to spend time with her children isn't going to inspire a whole lot of warm feelings.
Norma Bates, Bates Motel (Portrayed by Vera Farmiga)
Everyone knows what will happen in the future because of how she parents Norman (Freddie Highmore). Their deeply twisted relationship leads to murder--enough said. She's obviously a horrible mother.
Victoria Grayson, Revenge (Portrayed by Madeline Stowe)
Her tendency to take whatever actions necessary to get what she wants (be it murder, framing someone for a crime they didn't commit, etc) doesn't make it seem as if though she has set the best examples for her children in the future. Mothers are usually supposed to be role models--and she's a bad one.
Joy Turner, My Name Is Earl (Portrayed by Jamie Pressly)
She's also not the best role model for her kids, considering she's pretty rude, manipulative and selfish--and has serious problems when it comes to taking five-finger discounts and controlling her rage.
Marie Barone, Everybody Loves Raymond (Portrayed By Doris Roberts)
Marie was the epitome of bad mothers. Not only was she overbearing and far too involved in her adult son's lives, she constantly insulted her daughter-in-law, even in front of her grandkids. She also seemed to play favorites with her kids--openly favoring Ray (Ray Romano) over Robert (Brad Garrett). That alone didn't make Robert's occasional loathing of his brother really all that surprising.
Ellis Grey, Grey's Anatomy (Portrayed by Kate Burton)
Though in the end she proved to have a redeeming moment by, in a way, giving up her own life so her daughter Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) could still live hers (with a perfectly timed heart failure so a "dead" Mer could be convinced to go back to be with her still living loved ones), Ellis was never a good mom before then. She was hostile to her daughter and always made her feel like she was never good enough to carry on her legacy--which is pretty cold. She basically tried to steamroll all of Meredith's determination to fulfill her dreams.
Jackie Taylor, Beverly Hills 90210 (Portrayed by Ann Gillespie)
Though she later became a better mother to Kelly (Jennie Garth) and proved to be supportive, Jackie had a lot of times where she was about the last person her daughter could count on. Her initial struggles with drugs and alcohol led to major humiliation for Kelly, and her later-on comments about looks and body type led to Kelly's experimenting with diet pills, unhealthily encouraging her younger daughter Erin into dieting at a young age, and making Kelly extremely self-conscious about scars she developed after being trapped in a house fire.