19 Dysfunctional TV Families We Secretly Wish We Were A Part Of
TV families always look so perfect at first glance, from their stylish (sometimes color-coordinated) clothing to their warm and cozy smiles. But being put-together as they might appear, we all know that these guys are far from the quintessential American family. They’re quirky, flawed, and sometimes outlandish. And of course, they’re not immune to things like intense sibling rivalries, awkward domestic disputes, or cringe-worthy parent-child talks about puberty. They’re pretty much a reflection of our own screwed up families, and that makes them all the more relatable.
We’ll admit that these families are not always portrayed realistically (kids getting to sneak out unnoticed all the time? Parents making up perfectly after every big fight? As if…). However, they constantly remind us that even the messiest, most dysfunctional families can overcome each other’s differences – as well as life’s biggest hurdles – to remain a tight family unit. And besides,, who wants to see the perfect family anyway? They’re so predictable, and they’re actually way overrated.
See which fictional TV families we seriously wish we were a part of:
THE TAYLORS FROM HOME IMPROVEMENT
The Taylors may have been far from perfect, but they accurately portrayed real families and managed to make the entire nation fall in love with them. It’s not hard to see why, though. Watching Tim and Jill’s endless bickering and the boys’ sibling rivalry was like watching the story of our own lives on TV.
The show’s star, Tim Allen, once said: “It’s just so real. When we hit hard when the writers hit a subject that Pat and I can make real, there’s a joke on the set: You’ll hear the whole crew–all of them are married – say: ‘Been there. Done that.'”
THE BRADYS FROM THE BRADY BUNCH
Blended families can get quite chaotic, and this show definitely succeeded at showing that. Carol’s three daughters and Mike’s three sons could not be more different, so of course, the new living arrangement and gender rivalries caused a lot of tension. But over time, these guys started to see themselves as one giant, quirky, and fun-loving family. How they all managed to do perfectly choreographed stunts at random times and sing like a professional band? We still don’t know. But it sure would be a lot of fun if we could join in!
THE JOHNSONS FROM BLACK-ISH
We’ve officially lost count of how many times we wished that Andre and Rainbow were our parents. Sure, they have their moments when they’re stubborn and selfish, and yes, their attempts to connect with the kids usually turn into the most awkward fails.
But in our eyes, they’re like the modern-day Cosbys: killing it at their careers while striving to set the best examples for their kids. What we love most, though, is that they’re unapologetically goofy when they’re together. We would totally look forward to family nights with them.
THE CONNERS FROM ROSEANNE
Yes, they were a struggling blue-collar family, but their humor and amazing dynamic far outweighed their status. They had to deal with a lot of hardships like poverty and domestic disputes, but at the end of the day, they always had each other. They also weren’t afraid to get silly or dish out a bit of sarcasm, so we get the feeling that we’d fit right in as their relative. Of course, we now see them on The Conners… just without controversial Roseanne Barr.
THE SOLOMONS FROM 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN
Four aliens posing as a human family to spy on other human beings sounds kind of terrifying when you think about it. But despite their weird, otherworldly habits, these guys actually did become a real family… One that was so convincing we often forgot they were extraterrestrials.
It was hilarious to see them all experience the ups and downs of being human, but these new challenges brought them even closer together. It would be so fascinating to be a part of their clan – just as long as we don’t get in trouble with their boss, the Big Giant Head.
THE TANNERS FROM FULL HOUSE
Just picture it… Growing up alongside the Tanner sisters, goofing off with Joey and Uncle Jesse, having those heartfelt one-on-ones with Danny while sad music plays in the background… It already sounds like the perfect world.
…Even despite the fact that Kimmy loved to pop in uninvited or that Jesse had a weird, unhealthy obsession with Elvis. It wasn’t always sunshine and roses in the Tanner household, but over the years we grew to love this family as if they were our own.
THE WINSLOWS FROM FAMILY MATTERS
This show is best known for its popular nerdy character, Steve Urkel. But we’re not quick to forget about the amazing dynamic between the Winslows. Carl, who considered himself the breadwinner of the household, was really cheap and hilariously overprotective of the kids. Meanwhile, his wife Harriette was more affectionate and understanding. They complemented each other so well, and while things weren’t always smooth, they handled their problems like a team. We feel we’d have fit right in as a part of this family.
THE MILLERS FROM STILL STANDING
Bill and Judy are the ultimate example of what happens when two popular high school kids grow up and have kids together. Even as parents they had the same mindset, and when they try to raise their kids to be honest and good people, their own childhood days totally contradicted those values.
Their kids were well aware of this, which made their attempts at disciplining them way more challenging. But if we ever got the chance to join in on the shameless pranks, the spying, and the hilarious parent-child talks, we’d totally be up for it.
THE HUXTABLES FROM THE COSBY SHOW
Well, what viewer didn’t want to be a Huxtable back then? They were the rich, fun-loving, goofy family that flawlessly lip-synced to a Ray Charles hit and performed the jitterbug across their living room floor. But also, the Huxtable parents were strict and they went out of their way to instill the right values into their kids. This, of course, didn’t stop Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa, or Rudy from getting into mischief or trying to pull one on their parents (although they rarely ever got away with anything).
THE BELCHERS FROM BOB’S BURGERS
Linda and Bob struggle to make ends meet, and yet, they always find a way to provide for their family. Their kids are also quite the group: Louise is practically sociopathic, Tina has extremely poor social skills, and Gene is obsessed with farts. They are the definition of dysfunctional. But even so, they stick together as a family and we see that they truly do care for one another. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
THE MATTHEWS FROM BOY MEETS WORLD
There are so many things to love about the Matthew family. Eric’s hilarious Mr. Feeny calls, Morgan’s sassy one-liners, the Matthew brothers’ tendency to thump each other on the forehead and say “wear a helmet”… And the list goes on.
But we definitely have to give some credit to the parents: Amy and Alan. Amy was by far the calmest and most understanding in the family, while Alan could be pretty tough and impulsive. However, they made the perfect match and they only wanted what’s best for their kids.
THE BAXTERS FROM THAT’S SO RAVEN
You’ve got a free-spirited psychic who goes out of her way to change visions, a younger, scheming brother who’s obsessed with money, and loving parents who sometimes try way too hard to be “cool” and “hip.”
As we’ve seen on the show, Raven’s abilities tend to lead to a ton of unnecessary chaos and drama, but there’s a lesson in every incident. And most importantly, the Baxters always have each other’s backs. We’d totally join this family in a heartbeat.
THE wilkersons IN MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE
If we had to rank the most realistic TV parents ever, then Hal and Lois would be way up there. Rather than the typical scenario where the father reigns as the patriarch, we’ve got a playful and immature dad who bends to the will of his overbearing wife. Lois is the one who keeps the entire family in line and disciplines the kids, but oftentimes this poses a problem because it only makes her kids see her as a “she-beast.” Oh, and don’t even get us started on the messed up relationship these parents have with their sons (shamelessly manipulating them, forgetting their birthdays, holding grudges, etc).
So yeah, these guys are the definition of a hot mess, but they love each other and they embrace what they are anyway. That right there is family goals in our book.
THE GILMORES FROM GILMORE GIRLS
Maybe it’s a stretch to go as far as labeling the Gilmores as dysfunctional. After all, Rory and Lorelai are so cute together and Rory has super-rich grandparents, so what could go wrong? Well, a lot of things actually. Lorelai became an embarrassment to her parents when she got pregnant at 16 and left, and of course, the entire family burdened Rory with the responsibility of having an extremely successful future… Yikes. But still, this doesn’t stop us from wanting to join the classic mother-daughter duo for junk food and frequent movie nights. Friday night dinners don’t even seem like they’d be so bad!
THE BRAVERMANS FROM PARENTHOOD
Well, you’re bound to have some dysfunction when a huge family is filled with people with drastically different personalities. They clash, they get into big fights, and of course, they make a lot of huge mistakes (like when Zeek nearly ruined his marriage by having an affair).
But at the same time, these guys own up to their actions and they’re always there for each other, no matter what. They’re unapologetically human and it only makes us love them even more.
THE DUNPHYS FROM MODERN FAMILY
We know for a fact that this wouldn’t be a walk in the park, but it would be so awesome to have Claire and Phil as parents! It’s the perfect balance between the responsible, perfectionist mom and the easygoing “cool dad” with endless nuggets of wisdom. Haley, Alex, and Luke would also make for interesting siblings because their personalities are so different. But if we’re being honest, we’d probably have the most fun hanging out with Phil. He’s just so lovable and laid-back!
THE PRITCHETTS FROM MODERN FAMILY
Let’s face it – Gloria would probably make us lose our minds with her loud voice and endless rants. But on the bright side, she’s feisty, bold, and so much fun to be around. Jay can be a bit strict and uptight, DeDe is aggressive whenever she’s around and sometimes mean for no reason, and Manny (aka our favorite), seems to be the only mature one with a level head… but his sophisticated tastes just might make him a tad unrelatable. They make a pretty odd family, but they’re still priceless. And even Jay knows it.
He once said: “When you’re young and dreaming of your family, you think of this perfect family; perfect wife, perfect kids. Look at me, I got this sorry bunch. But you know I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
THE BANKS FROM FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR
Can you imagine living in a huge mansion with this amazing, funky family? You’ve got Phil and Vivian, aka the cutest couple ever. And then there’s Carlton, the overachieving Tom Jones addict, Hilary, the fairest (and possibly shallowest) of them all, Ashley, the talented one with a slight rebellious streak, and Nicky, the adorable baby. But of course, the highlight of being in this family would be none other than the Fresh Prince himself. He may have had a rocky start when he first moved in with the family, but as for us, we’d have totally warmed up to his humor and street smarts right away.
THE CAMDENS FROM 7TH HEAVEN
Ahh, the Camdens. We grew so familiar with them that they started to feel like our family too. Heck, we practically watched all the kids grow up. But of course, they were far from perfect and they all had their fair share of struggles (including the parents). Lucy was overly dramatic, Ruthie was self-centered, Matt was a slacker who couldn’t hold a job… And there are just way too many things to list right now. But even with the drama, we could see that these guys had real love for one another. We wonder if the Camdens would be willing to make room for a new family member…
