TV would be boring if all the families were squeaky clean and functional . This is why the majority of tv shows , whether they are comedy or play , are revolve around around dysfunctional families . Not only does this generate comedy and dispute , but audiences are more probable to identify ( although not solely ) as most families face problems . Although they argue , these families often pull together in times of hard knocks and manage for each other which make them scented and lovable despite the play . There are countless nonadaptive families on TV , and today we are look at a fistful of the best / most dysfunctional .
10. The Drapers - Mad Men
This is one fictional family that you do not envy in the slightest . The protagonist of the show , Don , is an swollen workaholic / alcoholic who , as it is revealed , has fabricated his total identity during the Korean War . The female parent , Betty , meanwhile , is depressed , emotionally wintry and struggles with being a parent and her hubby ’s constant unfaithfulness . The pair split after the truth about Don ’s past is revealed . Hardly the most stable menage surround , their eldest minor , Sally , is libidinous in public and has a agonistic family relationship with her mother . Their second child , Bobby , is just present on the show ( and roleplay by four different actors ) but is show to be overwrought by the divorce of his parent . Over the form of the show , Betty teach she is fraught with a third child , Eugene , who is bear in the third season and does n’t stand a chance , the hapless nipper .
9. The Fishers - Six Feet Under
The amount of heart - wrenching psychic trauma that the Fisher family goes through over the course ofSix Feet Underwould make any fellowship dysfunctional , but this household are at their most dysfunctional at the first . Instead , these traumas see them undertake enormous character arcs as they begin to face their problems follow the demise of the sire in the very first instalment . They own , work and live in a funeral abode which is the perfect background for dysfunction as they face death every single day . The female parent , Ruth , is a pent-up homemaker who never get a chance to be self-governing , and the eldest son , Nate , is a 30 - something with no guidance in liveliness and a fearfulness of dedication . The younger boy , David , begins the show a closet homosexual who is struggling to amount to condition with his sexuality , whilst the youngest , Claire , is an indifferent stripling and Hellenic torment artist .
8. The Wilkersons - Malcolm in the Middle
A brilliant show centered entirely on the disfunction of the family , Malcolm in the Middlemade you appreciate your own family a lot more . Although likeable and ( in a few ways ) relatable , this is a wild family and it can be expel just watching them . The titular character is the most normal , despite being a singular child genius . The eldest , Francis , was so badly behaved that he was transport to military school day . The second eldest , Reese , is a bully and has little common sense and the youthful ( Dewey ) is promising but the changeless dupe . The brothers all elicit hell and fight , which drives the hot - manoeuver mamma , Lois , up the rampart as she essay to keep thing together . The dad , Hal , is infantile and constantly on the sceptre of a crack-up , adding to the manic disorder and tension of the show . Despite their character flaw , they wish for each other deep down .
7. The Griffins - Family Guy
Very much the Simpson family dial up to 11 and with extra oath , the Griffin home fromFamily Guyis incredibly nonadaptive . Although the style of comedy in the two shows is very dissimilar , the fellowship basis is very close and this go to show how influentialThe Simpsonshas been . In addition to the lazy forefather , sheltered lady of the house , underperform son and disregard girl , the Griffins brilliantly also have an malign and sadistic baby and an intellectual talk hot dog who is a struggling writer and backbreaking toper . The family collide heavily and are often seen to hate each other ( Meg baring most of the brunt ) , but this is all a part of the dark humor on the show . Despite this , there are also sweeter minute where they are point to care for each other despite their dysfunctional moral force and the extreme flaws of a few of the character .
6. The Bluths - Arrested Development
In most cases , the dysfunctional families that we see on television do not have a huge amount of riches and this conduce to their problems . This is not true of the Bluths fromArrested Development , who are both incredibly wealthy and nonadaptive and lead extravagant modus vivendi . After his father ’s prison house sentencing , it is down to do - gooder Michael to hold this ever so strange family together . These wild , unpredictable and unusual characters make for some fantastic television , but the Bluths are also ( somewhat ) relatable and ( some ) inherited issues that many are familiar with are explored , as no household is everlasting . What adds to the blaze ofArrested Developmentis that there are three multiplication to focus on . There is the manipulative and hyper critical grandmother , the old brother who is a failed magician , the socially inept son , the spoilt babe and the ill-affected teen daughter , just to name a few .
5. The Lannisters - Game of Thrones
Boy oh boy , this certain is one depraved and dysfunctional category . Jerry Springer would have a field day with this one ! First and foremost is the very disturbing incestuous relationship between duplicate brother and sis Jaime and Cersai , which has resulted in three outlawed fry — one of whom is the disgusted and sadistic Joffrey . There is then Cersei and Jamie ’s blood brother , Tyrion , who is an intelligent nanus with a drinking problem . The sire of the three is Tywin , who is an wickedness , calculating and ruthless man who is embarrassed by his baby ( particularly Tyrion ) . What does n’t serve is that this flakey and dysfunctional family also has a grand amount of power and rule the Seven Kingdoms . Whilst Tyrion is likeable ( and in some esteem so is Jamie , who undertakes a character arc ) , the eternal rest are despicable , tearing and brutal but always seem to get their way .
4. The Sopranos - The Sopranos
One of the key expression of this fantastic show is that Tony Soprano ’s New Jersey mob family is amazingly functional , but his actual fellowship life at plate is the definition of disfunction . This likely all stems from the fact that the father is a murderous mobster with a whole host of issue , while his wife tries desperately to produce N but is often ignored . His boy is a spoilt holy terror with behavioural problems , whilst his daughter is an wild teen who ostentate her wealth . His nephew is a woman beater with a drug problem . He also has a hateful mother , an overbearing sister and an impulsive uncle who adjudicate to kill him . When this is all combined with the drama that unfolds both at domicile and in his line of work , it is no admiration that Tony is prone to panic attacks and seeks therapy from the get - go .
3. The Bunkers - All in the Family
The SimpsonsandMarried … with Childrenmay have popularized the dysfunctional family , but the itinerary was paved by Archie Bunker and his family inAll in the Family . Archie is a bigoted workings - class sire who is the king of political incorrectness , and this was groundbreaking during the ’ 70s where sealed take had not been explore or depicted in such a manner . His married woman , Edith , is sweet and also shown to be wise , but she is also naïve and often bow to her husband who calls her a “ dingbat . ” Their daughter , Gloria , is dear natured and develop into a women’s rightist who is married to Michael , a hippy who Archie calls “ meathead . ” Gloria often has to mediate arguments between Michael and Archie , who represent the clash between the Greatest Generation and the Baby Boomers . Despite his bigoted view , both the family and interview love Archie and he is a hugely influential television character .
2. The Bundys - Married with Children
The disconsolate collar and dysfunctional Bundy family help to instal Fox among the Big Three TV meshing , going to show that audiences much prefer to watch troubled family line . The show is centered on father Al , a once - promise football game thespian call on to a down - on - his - destiny shoe salesman who believes he is doom to fail because of the “ Bundy curse . ” He resent his family , which includes his lazy and ego - indulgent wife ( Peggy ) , his promiscuous and slow girl ( Kelly ) and socially inept son ( Bud ) , named after his favorite beer . Married … with Childrentook family dysfunction to the next level , which was not without controversy , as a cleaning woman led a boycott against the show in 1989 after Al was present ogle a nude charwoman . This actually boosted ratings and the Parents Television Council would later deem it the least family favorable show in the mid-’90s — a badge of honor for nonadaptive families .
1. The Simpsons - The Simpsons
Okay , they are not as dysfunctional as a family likeThe Sopranos , but the disfunction of the Simpson ’s inspired countless show that followed . The Simpsons aid popularize the dysfunctional family , as Matt Groening realized that hearing revel a family that face problems and are not squeaky clean-living since they would be able to key with them more . President George Bushonce statedthat he want American families “ a good deal more like the Waltons and a passel less like the Simpsons , ” which goes to show that they are the authoritative dysfunctional family . They have a indolent Church Father , a sheltered mother , a poor behaved underachieving son and an ignored daughter , which is the perfect recipe for comedy . They are all lovable fictional character , and deeply down they make out each other which gives the show a sweetness which you do not find with your bland and squeaky unclouded family line .