Favorite TV Families
We often view TV families as an ideal to live up to or even as an extension of our own families—and some families are definitely better than others. Here are some of TV’s favorite families and why we love them.
Growing Pains (The Seavers)
This 80s family sitcom was meant as a vehicle for Alan Thicke, a response to The Cosby Show (Cliff Huxtable was an OB/GYN working from a home office while Jason Seaver was a psychiatrist doing the same). The family aspect became secondary to the breakout star Kirk Cameron. Today, the show is mostly remembered as a launching pad for Leonardo DiCaprio who played an adopted son in the final season.
Growing Pains - Series Finale - the final last ending scene, Child of the 80s
Full House (The Tanners)
The premise was, of course, an extended family: a widower with three kids and his two single buddies moving in. That meant the two bachelors became uncle figures to the three girls, and much of the story focused on those interactions. Probably the show’s biggest legacy is the introduction of the Olsen twins and the start of their billion-dollar empire.
Full House - Cute / Funny Michelle Clips From Season 5 (Part 1), sendithere
Everybody Loves Raymond (The Barones)
This sitcom follows a familiar trope about a married man, his parents, and his wife dealing with her in-laws. The parents live across the street and much of the humor comes from their interference. Ray’s sad sack brother lives with their parents, so he’s always around too, but what makes this show different from other family shows is that the emphasis is on the adults, not the children.
Malcolm In The Middle (The Wilkersons)
This single-camera sitcom is perhaps best known as the big break for future Walter White, Bryan Cranston. The premise follows the genius-level son Malcolm as he deals with his difficulties in school while living with his very different brothers. The humor is more offbeat than your standard family sitcom.
My favorite scene from Malcolm in the Middle, PUCK
Fresh Off The Boat (The Huangs)
Challenging Asian stereotypes in sitcoms, this series follows the Huang family as they settle in the US. The humor comes from the contrasts between Asian and American cultures as the show explores the immigrant experience. The show also deals with generational gaps, something that hits hard for immigrant families as the younger ones have an easier time adapting to the new environment.
Back to the Beginning – Fresh Off The Boat, ABC
All In The Family (The Bunkers)
This classic 70s comedy is known for its approach to serious issues while depicting the life of a conservative working-class man facing a changing America. His daughter marries a liberal and much of the humor comes from those confrontations. What makes the show more than just a series of issues is the family dynamic and the fact that Archie Bunker, while bigoted and opinionated, is not a bad person and is in fact a sympathetic figure.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
Arrested Development (The Bluths)
When it comes to families, the Bluths are not a model you would want to follow. This groundbreaking single-camera sitcom is considered one of the greatest sitcoms ever, despite low ratings, as it presents the deeply flawed Bluths. The family is rich but in financial trouble and the family patriarch spends a great deal of time incarcerated because of his corruption, while the rest of the family struggles to keep the family business afloat.
The Family Meet BobLobLaw And Larry Middleman - Arrested Development, Arrested Development
Two And A Half Men (The Harpers)
Not a typical family show, this long-running series was meant as a vehicle for Charlie Sheen. He plays a hedonistic bachelor living in a Malibu beach house. His brother Alan, played by Jon Cryer, lives with him along with Alan’s young son. The family dynamic is further emphasized by the brothers’ mother making appearances.
Minicut: Adjusting to Life with Alan and Jake | Two and a Half Men, Two and a Half Men
Family Guy (The Griffins)
Let’s get this out of the way: Peter Griffin is not a good husband nor is he a good father. The reference-filled animated series follows the Griffin family and many of the situations are over-the-top (baby Stewie is a genius who, for example, builds time machines). A satire on American families, this show is definitely not for everyone.
Family Guy - Succession opening, Mr. Rupert
Married...With Children (The Bundys)
Like the Griffins of Family Guy and the Bluths of Arrested Development, the Bundys are a dysfunctional family. The humor of the series is broad and coarse with the father, Al Bundy, being mostly lazy and disinterested in his over-sexed wife. They have two children who embody the teenage stereotypes of the nerd (son Bud) and the promiscuous daughter (Kelly).
FOX Broadcasting Company, Wikimedia Commons
The Jeffersons (The Jeffersons)
A spin-off of All in the Family, the Jeffersons were the Bunkers’ neighbors and George Jefferson was just as stubborn, opinionated, and bigoted as Archie Bunker. A Black family, they were better off than the Bunkers and as George’s laundromat business takes off, they move out of Queens, New York to Manhattan, into a luxury apartment. George’s own prejudices become a focus of the comedy, especially with their interracial neighbors, Helen and Tom Willis, whose daughter marries the Jeffersons’ son.
CBS Television Network, Wikimedia Commons
Young Sheldon (The Coopers)
Sheldon Cooper is a genius child and much of this show contrasts Sheldon’s intelligence with his very average Texan family. His family loves Sheldon and they do their best, even if they don’t really understand him. The show is also notable for its presentation of a neurodiverse child.
Young Sheldon Family Intro, thecomputerdude24 TV & Movie Clips
Friends (The Gellers)
Not really a family show, Friends centers around six friends living in New York in the 1990s. Two in the group are brother and sister Ross and Monica, so the family dynamic involves the sibling relationship; the Gellers are close but they have conflicts and typical rivalries. What the show managed to do was introduce the idea of the chosen family, friends being as close as blood relatives, and adult siblings remaining close.
The Ones Where Monica & Ross Fight | Friends, Friends
Schitt's Creek (The Roses)
The Roses start as a dysfunctional family, a rich family that loses all their money and has to settle in a small town. As the series progresses, the selfish and narcissistic family is allowed to grow without fundamentally changing who they are. This internationally successful Canadian series (in 2020 the show swept the Emmy Awards winning Outstanding Comedy Series, both Lead Actor and Lead Actress in a comedy series, both Supporting Actor and Actress in a comedy series, plus directing and writing awards) was able to find the right balance between comedy and heart.
Top 10 Best Rose Family Moments on Schitt's Creek, MsMojo
The Goldbergs (The Goldbergs)
This long-running sitcom is told from the point of view of the youngest child in the Goldberg family. Their life is chronicled by Adam with a video camera and the show is narrated by the adult Adam as he recounts his family’s story. The show takes us through Adam’s adolescent years in the 1980s.
Happy Days (The Cunninghams)
Classic 1970s sitcom Happy Days was a nostalgic series taking place in the late 1950s and into the early 1960s. Although the series shifted focus to the breakout character the Fonz, and by the end of its long run moved into stories far removed from its premise, in the first few seasons the show was a family sitcom about the Cunninghams. Taking place in the past set the tone for the show, focusing on gentle humor.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
The Simpsons (The Simpsons)
This one keeps going: 36 seasons (starting in 1989) centered on the Simpson family. This classic animated series follows Homer and his family, and although Homer is presented as deeply flawed, the truth is, he’s a pretty good dad and husband. Not much more can be said about such an iconic series which at heart remains a show about a family.
The Simpsons Opening Credits and Theme Song, Steven
Modern Family (The Dunphys)
The Dunphy family is the center of this comedy. The series was a huge hit, mostly for its mix of comedy with relatable situations. The show covers many typical family situations, but the sharp writing and strong performances make the show standout in the crowded family series field.
Modern Family : Best of Alex Dunphy. S6|E01, MOVIE CLIPS
The Addams Family (The Addamses)
If we remove all the peculiarities, the Addams remain a strong, loving family. Of course, that loving family is also deeply strange, darkly comic, gothic, and supernatural. That contrast is what makes the series—based on a comic and expanded into films and the newest series, Wednesday—enduring.
The Addams Family 1964 - 1966 Opening and Closing Theme, TeeVees Greatest
Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (The Banks)
A vehicle for hip hop star Fresh Prince (now better known as Will Smith), the show follows the lives of the rich Banks family in the titular Los Angeles neighborhood, who take in the troubled relative Will from Philadelphia. The premise is a typical fish out of water trope and it contrasts Will’s wisecracking and streetwise humor with his conservative Uncle Phil.
Donald Trump Wants To Buy The Banks Family Home | The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, Comedy Central UK
Bob's Burgers (The Belchers)
Another animated family series, the Belchers are a typical cartoon family. Animated shows allow writers more freedom to be absurd and that’s what this show excels at. Centered on the family business, this one is somewhat more wholesome than the older Family Guy.
Bobs Burgers - Intro, BobsBurgersVideos
The Nanny (The Sheffields)
This 90s sitcom is remembered mostly for Fran Drescher in the title role. As a family sitcom, it centers around a wealthy widower and his children who hire a live-in nanny. The comedy plays off Drescher’s over-the-top New York accent and personality with the staider head of the Sheffield family.
Fran Meets the Sheffields | The Nanny, Throwback TV Clips
The Andy Griffith Show (The Taylors)
This classic show from the 1960s was different from many shows of its time, focusing more on gentle humor than wacky situations. Considered one of the best family shows of all time, the focus is on widowed sheriff Andy Taylor and his son Opie. More comedy is provided by Don Knotts as Deputy Fife as well as the assorted quirky townspeople.
Andy Griffith S1E8 Opie explains himself, magicmaeve
Gilmore Girls (The Gilmores)
This acclaimed show is noted for its sharp dialogue, spoken quickly by the lead mother and daughter characters. Lorelai is a single mother (she leaves home as a pregnant 16-year-old) raising her young teen daughter in a quirky New England town. Lorelai becomes involved once again with her patrician parents and the family dynamic contrasts the independent single mother with her aloof but still caring parents.
An Hour of Friday Night Dinners | Gilmore Girls, Gilmore Girls
The Proud Family (The Prouds)
This ongoing animated series from Disney tells the story of a 14-year-old girl and her family. Aimed at tweens and teens (and their parents), this show centers on Penny Proud, her adolescent struggles, and her desire to make her parents happy.
The Proud Family Theme Song | Disney Channel, Disney Channel
Fuller House (The Tanners)
This reboot of the original Full House brings together most of the original cast (with the notable exception of the Olsen twins). The series focuses on the Tanners’ oldest daughter, DJ, and her own kids after her husband dies. The emphasis is on the younger characters of the original series, but Bob Saget, John Stamos, and Dave Coulier have recurring roles.
Farewell Season: Fuller House | Official Trailer | Netflix, Netflix
Family Matters (The Winslows)
This is a classic example of a show that started as one thing and then became something else entirely. Originally about a middle-class African American family in Chicago, annoying neighbor Steve Urkel became a breakout star. From there, the show was mainly about Urkle and his frankly irritating catchphrase “Did I do that?”
Family Matters - We Are A Family (The Rappin' Winslows), Jack Michaels
The Wonder Years (The Arnolds)
This late-1980s comedy-drama was set in the late 60s and centers around Kevin Arnold growing up during those turbulent times. Narrated by an adult Kevin, this nostalgic series dealt with many of the serious issues of the time, such as the conflict in Vietnam and its impact on regular Americans, racism, and the hippy movement, all while Kevin is struggling to get through his adolescence.
The Wonder Years Dinner Table Discussions Compilation, Russo
Everybody Hates Chris (The Rocks)
This 1990s single-camera sitcom takes place in the early 80s and is a fictionalized version of comedian Chris Rock’s family life in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. Chris struggles with being overshadowed by his brother, his tough parents, and his annoying sister while dealing with bullies in the neighborhood and at school.
Everybody Hates Chris - Leaving Home, CBS
Little House On The Prairie (The Ingalls)
This homespun drama is based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder about growing up in the US Midwest in the late 19th century. The series is known for its wholesome approach to frontier family life, depicting the often harsh life of the Ingalls family.
Little House on the Prairie Season 1 Episode 0 Little House on the Prairie S1, E0, Winds Of War
Party Of Five (The Salingers)
A 1990s drama, Party of Five was a different sort of family show. Five siblings find themselves alone after the sudden death of their parents. The show is about their struggles as the eldest sibling takes on the parental role (he’s old enough to be the guardian) while they all deal with their grief and the reality of growing up without parents.
The Salingers Confront Bailey About His DRINKING Problem | Party of Five, Channel 4
Heartland (The Flemings)
This Canadian family drama has, so far, been on for a remarkable 18 seasons and it’s still going. It takes place in the foothills of the Rockies and centers around a family horse ranch. Based on a series of middle school books, this multi-generational drama mines much the same wholesome fare as Little House on the Prairie, albeit set in contemporary times.
Heartland Season 14 Opening Credits, TVShowPilot
Dinosaurs (The Sinclairs)
After the success of The Simpsons, there was a rush of animated series in American television in the early 1990s. Although it didn’t last long, this show was able to chart its own course and examine family dynamics, but in the form of an anthropomorphic dinosaur family. The show remains a cult favorite.
Original Theme Song | Dinosaurs | Disney+, Disney Plus
The Flintstones (The Flintstones)
The Flintstones was the first primetime animated series starting in 1960 and although intended for adults, the show resonated with kids both first run and especially in reruns. Set in a prehistoric world that resembles our own but with “stone age” appliances, cars, and houses, this was never meant to be anything resembling actual early human life. It was a sitcom that happened to take place in the Stone Age and has remained a classic.
The Flintstones 1960 - 1966 Opening and Closing Theme (With Snippet), TeeVees Greatest
Roseanne (The Conners)
Roseanne was centered around the standup comedy of Roseanne Barr, but it was specifically a comedy about a working-class family. What made the show different from other shows of its time was the emphasis on reality, the struggles, and the situations of the Conners. Probably the most blue-collar comedy since All in the Family, Roseanne managed to tackle serious topics without being maudlin or trite.
Roseanne and Jackie Argue - Roseanne, ABC
Family Ties (The Keatons)
This series was meant to contrast liberal former hippy parents with their 1980s children, the oldest of which, Alex, was deeply conservative. A reaction to the Ronald Reagan presidency and the aging boomer demographic, breakout star Michael J Fox quickly became the focus of the show.
Family Ties - Sin Against Capitalism, CBS
Beverly Hills, 90210 (The Walshes)
This 1990s teen drama was initially meant to be a show about a family. The Walsh family relocates from Minneapolis to Beverly Hills, with all the adjustments that are required. Soon, the series focused more on the various friends and schoolmates of the Walsh siblings, fraternal twins Brandon and Brenda, becoming a popular sensation and leading to several spin-offs and a sequel/reboot series.
The Walshes Know Dylan's Broke!, Beverly Hills 90210
Frasier (The Cranes)
A spin-off of Cheers and meant as a showcase for Kelsey Grammer, Frasier was also a family comedy. Psychiatrist Frasier Crane moves back to his hometown of Seattle to become a radio host. Circumstances force Frasier to take in his father, an ex-cop injured in the line of duty and now requiring home care. Frasier’s brother Niles is also part of this dynamic which contrasts the father’s working-class attitude with the Crane brothers’ educated, erudite, and fussy personas.
Frasier - 3 Cranes, No Waiting, Next Best Thing
The Brady Bunch (The Bradys)
This is a classic late-1960s, early 70s sitcom that was produced as something different than other sitcoms of the time. A blended family comes together and although much of the humor is conventional, the Brady parents were part of a new breed of parenting at that time (they even shared a bed rather than sleeping in twin beds as in older shows). Celebrated for its kitsch factor, this one tends to be high on the nostalgia meter for kids of the late 1960s and 1970s—but few know that behind the scenes, one star spent years holding onto a secret so explosive, it had the power to yank The Brady Bunch off the air.
The mom of the bunch, Florence Henderson, became close with her on-screen husband, Robert Reed—so close that Reed told her his biggest secret: He preferred the company of men. At the time, a gay leading man would have been controversial, so for years, Henderson kept Reed's secret and did her best to keep him safe. The two remained close friends until Reed's tragic death in 1992.
Meet the Bradys in the Opening Scene of The Brady Bunch Pilot!, The Brady Bunch
You May Also Like:
Drama That Happened Off-Camera On Iconic TV Shows
25 Side Characters People Loved More Than The Leads
