Dysfunctional families we can’t get enough of
Television can be a great way to escape the drama of your own life – especially when the onscreen antics make your own problems seem tame in comparison. We have a special place in our hearts for these families that make our ours seem downright normal.
1. The Bluths – Arrested Development
Perhaps the most absurdly dysfunctional family on this list, the Bluth family are that special, classless breed of “new money” other rich people seem to so despise. But, if you’ve ever watched this delicious comedy, you’ll know that this just makes the Bluths the most entertaining family on television. Through all the alcohol-fuelled arguments and ridiculous squabbles about who should get more money, middle child Michael tries to hold everything together for his own son, George Michael. If you haven’t joined the Bluths in their crazy world, it’s about time you paid them a visit.
2. The Sopranos – The Sopranos
Dysfunction is par for the course when dad’s a mob boss who has people killed as easily as another patriarch might have his assistant deliver anniversary flowers to his wife.
3. The Simpsons – The Simpsons
No television family is more recognisable than the yellow-hued Simpson clan. Every member of the family has a laundry list of quirks, pet peeves, and baggage that they bring to each episode, making for endlessly watchable wacky adventures on the streets of Springfield.
4. The Lannisters – Game of Thrones
Incest, patricide, murder, rape. Those wacky Lannisters – always getting up to something on Game of Thrones. Their ruthless acts have seen them become one of the most hated families on television (hi, Cersei), but it’s when they come together that the show sings. Their numbers may have dwindled since the first season, but you should never count the Lannisters out.
5. The Walkers – Brothers and Sisters
When dad’s death reveals a decades-long affair, there’s bound to be some dysfunction emerging. When it turns out that mum knew about it all along, well, you’ve got television perfection. Watching the grown Walker family pulled back together after tragedy was a treat, as was watching them overcome their various jealousies, petty grudges, and childhood roles they never really outgrew. Through it all, though, the Walkers loved fiercely, which made for a sweet, heart-warming show that made viewers feel better about families in general.
Did we forget a dysfunctional family? Which one would you have included on this list?