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The AfterEllen.com Huddle: Our Favorite TV Families

Who is your favorite TV family of all time? There are so many iconic gaggles, from the Brady Bunch to the Bravermans, we thought it would be fun to ask for your all-time, number one, wish-I-were-a-cousin fictional fam.

Lucy Hallowell: Matt Saracen and Grandma Saracen from Friday Night Lights.

Kim Hoffman: Jim, Cindy, Brandon and Brenda Walsh from Beverly Hills 90210. Jim & Cindy try to provide the wholesome Midwest life for their kids, now that they’re living in Beverly Hills. Brandon and Brenda share many scoops of ice cream over traumatic events like Brandon’s drunk driving and Brenda almost getting pregnant-which leads us to Dylan McKay, certainly not a member of the family, but a regular at Casa Walsh. There may even still be bourbon in the stucco on the wall where he smashed one of Jim’s liquor bottles, taunting him to, “Take a hit! Take a hit, Jim!” But I digress. In the bathroom where Brenda and Brandon share their time, the twins are in constant competition, occasional yet subtle flirting, and heartfelt support of each other-the AP English Boy Scout and the Fiery Scorpio. Brandon’s a good kid because he works at the Peach Pit and can’t tell a lie. “This is the ’90s!” Brenda says to her mom, pressing her for more money, more clothes, begging Jim to let her see Dylan even though they ran off to Mexico without his permission (!!!!) Cindy might suspect her husband has a crush on his secretary Dottie, but what she’s great at the most is wearing original Mom Jeans, she’s great with a melon baller, and she’d not even suspect that her kids are trading eggs to get into raves or hiring escorts to come dance in her living room.

Bridget McManus: I’m going with the makeshift family of orphan girls from Rags to Riches. The show only lasted two seasons but who can’t related when wealthy widowed businessman adopts a group of singing and dancing daughters (including Tisha Campbell) to live with him at his mansion?

Grace Chu: The Huangs from Fresh off the Boat. Fairly new, but the one I relate to the most. The Simpsons come in a close second. Lisa Simpson for prez!

Ali Davis: Did I mention a family other than the Bluths? I’ve made a huge mistake.

Chelsea Steiner: Since I’m still not over the finale of Parks and Rec, I would absolutely want to join the Gergich family. Jerry may be terrible at his job, but he’s a devoted husband and dad. I mean, pancake breakfasts, parties, and reunions with matching T-shirts? Sign me up!

Erica Feliciano: The Connor family on Roseanne. I never get tired of that show. Well, the earlier seasons I love. The show went downhill when they replaced the Becky character.

Elaine Atwell: Bette and Tina Portard forever. The world’s most hands-off parents, aware of their child’s whereabouts roughly 8% of the time.

Miranda Meyer: The Belchers! They’re all so supportive and accepting of one another’s weirdnesses.

Valerie Anne: OF ALL TIME?! That’s not fair. I’m cheating and giving you more than one answer. While I love too-perfect families like the Tanners, I tend to gravitate towards hand-picked families like Punky Brewster’s, the Friends crew, or Buffy‘s Scooby gang. But the Gallaghers on Shameless are pretty high on this list. They put the “fun” in dysfunctional and the “fuck u” in fucked up but they love each other so much. Unsurprisingly, another of my favorite families falls somewhere between biological and hand-picked, and it’s the Orphan Black clones. They might not have grown up together, but they’re sestras, and they’re stronger together.

Dana Piccoli: Even though I was raised with a great dad, I have always gravitated to television families with a single mom at the helm. Joyce and Buffy Summers (fine, and Dawn) had such a great mother/daughter dynamic. Also, Ashley and Hanna Marin from Pretty Little Liars. Ashley would and has done everything under the sun to protect her child, and likewise for Hanna. Here are two families that love and support each others endeavors, whether that is saving the world a lot, or drinking wine while avoiding prison time.

Trish Bendix: I’m looking for two witchy aunts and a talking cat. Let me in, Sabrina!

Who is your favorite related clan?

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