The Mothers of All Moms: How the Matriarch has evolved on TV over the years - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 05-12-2008, 01:43 AM

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They've been reinvented many times on the small screen from primped, bob-haired homebodies to martini-swilling fashionista urbanites.

But despite all of the changes in lifestyle and etiquette, they have one thing in common: they're moms. In honour of Mother's Day, we look at the evolution of TV moms from past to present

In her day, June Cleaver, played by Barbara Billingsley on Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963) was the mom everyone wanted. She did her housecleaning in high heels and pearls and when the kids came home from school, she'd be in the kitchen chopping vegetables or icing a cake. Never a hair out of place from her perfect blond bob, she always looked at-the-ready to attend a church gathering or host a community social function. But the question remains: Had she ever seen the sun?

Other "Perfect" Moms: Marion Cunningham "Mrs. C" (Marion Ross), the chirpy homemaker on Happy Days; Morticia Addams (Carolyn Jones) on The Addams Family -- although she had a Gothic-like appearance, she was an attentive, caring mother and (possibly like June Cleaver) never saw the sun.

The liberated mom

Carol Brady on the iconic comedy The Brady Bunch (1969-1974) was a mother with a past. Played by Florence Henderson with a wide smile and a sunny disposition, she was married to widowed architect Mike Brady, stepmom to his three sons, and the mother of three daughters from a previous marriage. Was she divorced? Widowed? A shag-haired Virgin Mary? The show's creators never told. Carol Brady loved dangly earrings, singing in church and always had needlepoint projects on the go. While a predictable stay-at-home, PTA-involved mom, she also had an air of mystery about her.

Other Liberated Moms: Lucille Bluth (Jessica Walter), the matriarch of the Bluth family on Arrested Development managed to liberate herself from all ethics; Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) on Good Times was her family's decision-maker -- making sure they had good times living in a Chicago housing project.

The Supermom

How did she do it? Clair Huxtable, played by Phylicia Rashad on The Cosby Show (1984-1992), worked as a full-time lawyer, looked after five children, maintained a lovely home, enjoyed quality time with her doctor husband Cliff and kept her sanity in check. The tough, warm-hearted working mom embodied the "I'll do it all" attitude with elegance, charm and wit. She also managed to welcome various new children and grandparents who turned up on the show in later years.

Other Supermoms: Elyse Keaton (Meredith Baxter) on Family Ties, the architect with three kids would look at blueprints while making dinner; Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr) on Roseanne, the sometime cashier/bartender/waitress/secretary was a full-time mother of three.

The functional mom in a dysfunctional family

She's yellow with bug eyes, a beehive of blue hair and a smoker's voice. The patient wife of Homer Simpson and mother of three, Marge Simpson manages to keep her family together (barely), but she also manages to have interesting, often surreal adventures. Through the history of the Simpsons (1989-present), Marge -- voiced by Julie Kavner -- has served as a police officer, taken therapy for road rage, shown tendencies toward gambling addiction and has bailed her husband out of various foreign prisons.

Other Functional Moms: Lois Griffin in Family Guy, a mother of three with a bumbling, blue-collar, Homeresque husband; Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal) in Married . . . With Children kept it functional by creating more chaos in stiletto heels and a high red bouffant hairdo.

The yummy mummy

She looks like she could be her daughter's sister, knows more about pop culture than cooking and is a self-proclaimed caffeine addict -- it's safe to say Lorelai Gilmore adopted a different approach to parenting than June Cleaver. A single, witty, free-spirited mom who runs her own business, Lorelai -- played by Lauren Graham on Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) -- is a friend and mom to her daughter, as they reflect each other's dating angst.

Other Yummy Mummys: Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), the cocktail-consuming, urban lawyer on Sex and the City; Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker), the widowed, self-sufficient, drug-dealing mom on Weeds.

05-12-2008, 01:43 AM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,472	The Mothers of All Moms: How the Matriarch has evolved on TV over the years Link They've been reinvented many times on the small screen from primped, bob-haired homebodies to martini-swilling fashionista urbanites. But despite all of the changes in lifestyle and etiquette, they have one thing in common: they're moms. In honour of Mother's Day, we look at the evolution of TV moms from past to present In her day, June Cleaver, played by Barbara Billingsley on Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963) was the mom everyone wanted. She did her housecleaning in high heels and pearls and when the kids came home from school, she'd be in the kitchen chopping vegetables or icing a cake. Never a hair out of place from her perfect blond bob, she always looked at-the-ready to attend a church gathering or host a community social function. But the question remains: Had she ever seen the sun? Other "Perfect" Moms: Marion Cunningham "Mrs. C" (Marion Ross), the chirpy homemaker on Happy Days; Morticia Addams (Carolyn Jones) on The Addams Family -- although she had a Gothic-like appearance, she was an attentive, caring mother and (possibly like June Cleaver) never saw the sun. The liberated mom Carol Brady on the iconic comedy The Brady Bunch (1969-1974) was a mother with a past. Played by Florence Henderson with a wide smile and a sunny disposition, she was married to widowed architect Mike Brady, stepmom to his three sons, and the mother of three daughters from a previous marriage. Was she divorced? Widowed? A shag-haired Virgin Mary? The show's creators never told. Carol Brady loved dangly earrings, singing in church and always had needlepoint projects on the go. While a predictable stay-at-home, PTA-involved mom, she also had an air of mystery about her. Other Liberated Moms: Lucille Bluth (Jessica Walter), the matriarch of the Bluth family on Arrested Development managed to liberate herself from all ethics; Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) on Good Times was her family's decision-maker -- making sure they had good times living in a Chicago housing project. The Supermom How did she do it? Clair Huxtable, played by Phylicia Rashad on The Cosby Show (1984-1992), worked as a full-time lawyer, looked after five children, maintained a lovely home, enjoyed quality time with her doctor husband Cliff and kept her sanity in check. The tough, warm-hearted working mom embodied the "I'll do it all" attitude with elegance, charm and wit. She also managed to welcome various new children and grandparents who turned up on the show in later years. Other Supermoms: Elyse Keaton (Meredith Baxter) on Family Ties, the architect with three kids would look at blueprints while making dinner; Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr) on Roseanne, the sometime cashier/bartender/waitress/secretary was a full-time mother of three. The functional mom in a dysfunctional family She's yellow with bug eyes, a beehive of blue hair and a smoker's voice. The patient wife of Homer Simpson and mother of three, Marge Simpson manages to keep her family together (barely), but she also manages to have interesting, often surreal adventures. Through the history of the Simpsons (1989-present), Marge -- voiced by Julie Kavner -- has served as a police officer, taken therapy for road rage, shown tendencies toward gambling addiction and has bailed her husband out of various foreign prisons. Other Functional Moms: Lois Griffin in Family Guy, a mother of three with a bumbling, blue-collar, Homeresque husband; Peggy Bundy (Katey Sagal) in Married . . . With Children kept it functional by creating more chaos in stiletto heels and a high red bouffant hairdo. The yummy mummy She looks like she could be her daughter's sister, knows more about pop culture than cooking and is a self-proclaimed caffeine addict -- it's safe to say Lorelai Gilmore adopted a different approach to parenting than June Cleaver. A single, witty, free-spirited mom who runs her own business, Lorelai -- played by Lauren Graham on Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) -- is a friend and mom to her daughter, as they reflect each other's dating angst. Other Yummy Mummys: Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), the cocktail-consuming, urban lawyer on Sex and the City; Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker), the widowed, self-sufficient, drug-dealing mom on Weeds.
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