Not all mothers are created equal.
We love to celebrate the nurturing, supportive, and selfless moms on the small screen, but for every Jane Villanueva there’s a Cersei Lannister.
Skip the Mother’s Day cards for this group of the most selfish, manipulative and overbearing TV moms we love to hate.
Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Cold and power-hungry are just two of the best ways to describe Cersei. She also gave birth to the worst child ever, Joffrey. Although she tries to paint herself as a mom who would do anything for her kids, when it comes right down to it, she’s always looking out for number one.
Diana Dubois (Empire)
It’s hard to believe that the same woman who played one of the most beloved TV moms in history is also behind the cruel and conniving Diana Dubois. Phylicia Rashad plays her Empire character to perfection, blowing up the already strained ties holding the Lyon family together.
Penelope Blossom (Riverdale)
If her obsession with keeping up appearances at all costs wasn’t enough to put Penelope Blossom on the list of Riverdale’s worst moms, sending her daughter to conversion therapy definitely cemented her spot.
Camila Vargas (Queen of the South)
While we’ve seen Camila’s nurturing side — with her daughter, Isabela, and her protege, Teresa — when it comes right down to it, she’s a ruthless drug lord. If any of her crew steps out of line, she is the first one to remind them that she is not to be disrespected.
Betty Draper (Mad Men)
Beneath that beautiful, fabulously dressed exterior is a heart of pure ice with questionable mothering skills. Locking Sally in a closet and psychologically abusing her son for trading the sandwich she made him for candy are just some of the reasons why Mad Men fans loved to hate Betty Draper.
Darla (Queen Sugar)
Viewers did not warm up to Darla, an addict and former sex worker who was once caught entertaining a john with her infant son in the room. The one difference with this mother is that she acknowledges her flaws and is trying to improve so she can be a good mother.
Elizabeth Jennings (The Americans)
We’ve seen moms lead double lives on TV before, but none have been so jarring as Keri Russel’s portrayal of Elizabeth Jennings. This is a woman who got married to a fellow spy and had kids as part of her KGB cover, so it’s no wonder that we’re constantly asking if she’s capable of loving anything or anyone more than her homeland.
Renata Klein (Big Little Lies)
Renata has high-powered career in Silicon Valley and can’t be around for every little moment of her daughter’s school life, but that’s not what had viewers cringing. It’s how myopic she is when it comes to her kid, refusing to believe that little Amabella could be lying about who hurt her, and then bullying the accused kid and his mom.
Valerie Meyers (Casual)
Val is not a bad mom. Without a doubt, she loves her daughter, but the frustration lies in her constant string of missteps in navigating her life post-divorce. We’re cheering for her despite it all, which sets her apart from many of the other mothers on this list.
Livia Soprano (The Sopranos)
Livia was a force to be reckoned with. She’d hide behind her old age and frailty while attempting to order a hit on her son. A mother who was constantly lamenting that her kids didn’t love her, she was manipulative and emotionally abusive, and a large part of what drove Tony to seek the help of Dr. Melfi.
Leslie Dean (Marvel’s Runaways)
Leslie is the head of the new-agey Church of Gibborim, and while she preaches light and love, she’s also the head of PRIDE, a charity organization that’s a front for ritual sacrifices to restore a mysterious benefactor. While she tends to target runaways that wouldn’t be missed, not even her own child is safe from fulfilling Lesle’s agenda.
Roseanne Conner (Roseanne)
Roseanne has never been known as a warm, supportive, shining example of motherhood. In the recent reboot of the series, we see that she’s still up to her bullying ways and it’s now extended to her grandchildren as well as her kids.
Hermione Lodge (Riverdale)
While we should be celebrating Hermione’s strength, confidence and business savvy, we can’t get past how she manipulates everyone around her — including her daughter, Veronica. She’s not afraid of lying or throwing the people closest to her under the bus to get what she wants.
Janine “Smurf” Cody (Animal Kingdom)
Smurf is the matriarch of a Southern California crime family, and has a rather complicated relationship with her kids. When her estranged daughter dies and her grandson comes to live with her, it’s only a matter of time before she’s plotting to initiate him into her unlawful ways.
Lucille Bluth (Arrested Development)
Lucille’s kids may not like her, but she has them under her thumb. She uses a lies and guilt trips to keep them in her control, and even goes as far as adopting a fifth child to make her youngest son jealous.
Carolyn Preston (Timeless)
Some parents dream of their children following in their footsteps and taking over the family business. When your business is undoing significant events throughout history to fulfill a heinous legacy, it’s no wonder that Lucy doesn’t want to be anything like Carolyn.
Karen Street (S.W.A.T.)
When we first meet Karen, she comes across as a devoted mother to her son despite the fact that she’s serving time for killing her abusive husband. It’s her asking Jim to help her out in a way that could end his S.W.A.T. career that send her into bad mom territory.
Malory Archer (Archer)
Malory is known for her abilities as a spy and a business owner, but not for her maternal instincts. She does show a softer side when it comes to her granddaughter, but her son’s life has been filled with constant criticism, abandonment, disturbing oversharing and TMI.
Elizabeth Keen (The Blacklist)
Liz has always toed the line between her career in law enforcement and being a fugitive. Perhaps it’s the dark impulses inherited from daddy dearest that really defines her inner struggle. Adding motherhood to the mix complicates it further.
Norma Bates (Bates Motel)
You could say that Norma Bates is a mother who would protect her family at any cost. Refusing to acknowledge Norman’s mental illness, covering up his crimes, and a borderline incestuous relationship are just some of the reasons why she won’t be crowned “Mother of the Year.”
Gemma Teller Morrow (Sons of Anarchy)
Gemma pulled the strings of SAMCRO until her son was king, even if it was a role that he didn’t want. She was a master manipulator, a liar, and a cold-blooded killer willing to take a BBQ fork to anyone who stood in her way.
Julie Cooper (The O.C.)
Melinda Clarke played the villainous Julie Cooper to perfection. As The O.C.’s reigning queen of mean, she slept with her teen daughter’s boyfriend, shipped her kids to boarding school when they got in the way, and wasn’t capable of loving anyone.
Kris Jenner (Keeping Up with the Kardashians)
Although this is a list of fictional TV moms, Kris Jenner belongs here. Her claim to fame is making the Kardashians a household name by exploiting her kids. Her every calculated move feels more like something out of the most outrageous, trashy fiction and nothing like reality.
