That's A Bad Mother

As a salute to Mother's Day, the New York Post has listed TV's worst moms.  An interesting question, actually.  Most mothers on TV are loving and caring, but the real question is would you want them to raise you.  For instance, what about Lily Munster, or Morticia Addams--eccentric, to be sure, but are they great moms or horrible ones?  And would you really want to be brought up by someone as wacky as Lucy Ricardo?  Or what about Carol Brady, who has only one bathroom for six kides?

Anyway, here's the list, with my comments:

1.  Livia Soprano, The Sopranos

Good choice.  Even before she tried to kill her son, she was a joyless woman who screwed up her family and kids.  Even though actress Nancy Marchand died early in the run of the show, her character haunted the series till the end.

2.  Nancy Botwin, Weeds

She has her flaws, certainly--not just selling pot, but not thinking things through--but she ferociously loves her kids, will do anything to protect them, and shows them a pretty exciting time.  I'm not sure she should be on this list at all.

3.  Shirley Partridge, The Partridge Family

This is because she uses her kids to make money.  Even as a gag this is silly.  Just ask the Cowsills about their mom.

4.  Helena Cassadine, General Hospital

Never watched it.

5.  Betty Draper, Mad Men

Excellent choice.  The ultimate ice goddess.  She never grew up herself, so simply doesn't know how to handle children. (Not that Don helped much.)

6.  Estelle Costanza, Seinfeld

She and husband Frank both did a number on George.  All that screaming.  Though did George turn out that way because of them, or did they become like that because of George? (As for the screaming, she's certainly no worse than Mrs. Wolowitz on Big Bang Theory.)

7.  Jackie Peyton, Nurse Jackie

Okay, she's a junkie, and lies about it.  She also sleeps around.  But other than that, she's a great mom.  She deeply cares about her kids and with her training knows how to help them when they're hurt.

8.  Lucille Bluth, Arrested Development

She's certainly cold, but the whole family (except for Michael) isn't much to brag about--just putting up with them is a lot to ask.  And Buster seems to like her, so how bad can she be?

9.  Lynette Scavo, Desperate Housewives

I know it was a gigantic hit, but I never really watched it.

10.  Peg Bundy, Married With Children

She doesn't cook or clean or really do anything but watch TV and eat bonbons, but at least she doesn't nag her kids.  The only one she really rides is Al.  Not so bad, seems to me.