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Telly addicts

Who do you think are the worst parents on tv?

80 replies

MrStarkIDontFeelSoGood · 22/06/2018 02:03

The question came to me because I am watching The Americans Season 5 and I think Philip and Elizabeth are just dreadful parents to Paige and Henry

In the early series it was just deceit and neglect but as time goes on they just narrow focus on Paige and damage her and basically don't seem to care about Henry at all, when they find out he is gifted, Elizabeth is borderline sneery about it because it doesn't fit with their "Henry is a bit of a waster" narrative

I also hate Adam Braverman on Parenthood, though several scenes regarding his autistic son are very well acted, he is consistently a massive wanker to eldest child Haddie, to his siblings and his wife and is in general an arsehole.

He will often disregard Max's boundaries, behaviour management strategies and schedule if it doesn't suit him and what he needs regardless of how it impacts Max, whilst at the same time throwing massive hissy fits at anyone he thinks hasn't made adequate adjustment for Max regardless of whether this is accurate or fair. He gives me the absolute rage even though it's a great show and fictional Blush

The Gellar parents treatment of Monica though played for laughs is really not funny at all

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Clawdy · 28/06/2018 08:17

Think Dave in the Royle Family was supposed to be quite a good dad, but Denise wins the Worst Mum award! Remember her missing the kids' school concert because she was waiting to see the result of someone 's DNA test on Jeremy Kyle? Grin

Taytotots · 28/06/2018 08:30

As MrStark says the Grey's anatomy lot seem to just dump their kids in the miraculous 24/7 daycare for weeks at a time.

Maisy mouse's parents (and her friend's) Where are they? What is a preschooler doing living in a house by herself?

Lucille and George on arrested development (and the functional parenting carries on with Tobias and Lindsay).

WhyDoesItAlways · 28/06/2018 09:40

Norman prices mum. Doesn't matter that he nearly kills other people on a regular basis as long as he is ok.

Mitch and cam in modern family. Far too self involved to bother with lily.

SomeBritishLadNamedKarisque1 · 28/06/2018 10:34

I actually Homer is a bad dad
He strangles his own child all the time.

BootyO · 28/06/2018 10:48

Walter white!! Says he does everything for his family but he puts their lives in danger constantly etc. I felt for Skyler so much though pleased she had a few kick-ass moments later in the show. Walt Jr was a brat and Walt let him blame his “bitch mom” for everything even though Walter is the evil one.

My favourite parents are the Weirs from Freaks and Geeks. Amazing actors - funny, relatable, poignant.

MrStarkIDontFeelSoGood · 28/06/2018 11:19

It annoys me how the Breaking Bad fandom made Skyler this Lady Macbeth type when she was in the end, his victim

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JenBarber · 28/06/2018 11:33

Jaime and Cersei aren't too bad as parents.I

They do love and protect their children.

Nothisispatrick · 28/06/2018 12:06

JenBarber

Urm, I won't spoil it for you.

JenBarber · 28/06/2018 12:08

Yes, I know they're siblings. And I know it turns to shit.

But Cersei loved her children. So did Jaime. They were far better parents than Lorelai or Edina...

Tiptopj · 28/06/2018 12:17

Bree van de camp on desperate housewives. Told her son he would go to hell for being gay, forced him to go a behavour camp instead of trying to parent him, abandoned him on the side of the road, got engaged to her husband's murderer, sent her daughter away when she got pregnant at 16 then later took the baby off her and presented it was her own and when things get difficult she just drinks herself unconscious. And this is only season 3 😂

TwoBlueShoes · 28/06/2018 12:20

You'd be hard pushed to find a worse parent than Stannis in GoT.

Nothisispatrick · 28/06/2018 12:22

They loved them but they're all dead. So didn't do the best job on protecting them.

TwoBlueShoes · 28/06/2018 12:23

Also, on GoT, Cersei loved and protected her children as best she could. I think Jaime was fairly indifferent towards them. Kat was pretty shitty to have just left Rickon and Bran like that. He was only three, but I appreciate she was in a bad place.

Loonoon · 28/06/2018 12:32

Royals generally, in fiction, in history and nowadays, seem to be pretty shit parents who put power and duty ahead of their DCs. I am sure there are exceptions to the rule but that’s my general impression.

wagil · 28/06/2018 12:50

Noddy's parents. Where were they? Rupert's were quite nice though.

All parent's in Enid Blyton's books were a bit hands off.

wagil · 28/06/2018 12:52

Sorry, forgot it was TV.

wagil · 28/06/2018 12:52

Sorry, forgot it was TV.

Urbanbeetler · 28/06/2018 12:53

Sarah Crewe in A Little Princess ( OK, a book, but It has been televised).

Her dad fails to tell any adult where his daughter is while he is away in dangerous lands, so when he does, she is effectively abandoned. Shit parenting.

Clawdy · 28/06/2018 12:54

Remember the parents in Swallows and Amazons? "Better drowned than duffers!" Made the Blyton parents seem quite protective! Grin

jemmysmum · 28/06/2018 13:14

Not sure whether it was just fictional TV parents but was just watching teen mom 2 and just had to say jenelle and David. Poor kids, doing what kids do on holiday _(running around all excited) and they end up getting taken home because of it! Absolutely no patience whatsoever, only interested in each other. Feel so sorry for Jace every time I see him. SadSame every bloody episode, moans cos she wants him back then when she gets him just cannot be arsed with him. Sorry if this was supposed to be lighthearted BTW.

gower4 · 29/06/2018 22:12

Can't believe nobody's mentioned Dr Foster + husband!

PodgeBod · 30/06/2018 10:21

The parents in Boss Baby are pretty bad, especially the series! Yeah, just let the 6 year old ride around town all day with the baby, what could go wrong? And Stacey and Jimbo's parents are even worse, where do they think their kids are?

Middleoftheroad · 01/07/2018 09:45

Noah Solloway off The Affair will not be winning my father of the year prize either.

MrStarkIDontFeelSoGood · 01/07/2018 16:46

Yes middle! For the Jacuzzi incident alone!

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dingdongdigeridoo · 04/07/2018 21:21

I agree Urbanbeetler. In the movie version, Sarah’s dad goes off to WWI, yet doesn’t put anything in place for Sarah in case he doesn’t make it. It’s a shit movie since they change the ending too, it turns out her dad has amnesia and ends up coming back.

Lots of bad parenting in that novel. Including 4 year olds being send to boarding school! Victorians were harsh.