10 Chaotic, Dysfunctional Families On TV We Love To Watch Because Oh The Drama!
‘No family is perfect’ is a statement I’m sure all of us have heard more than once – either to cover up the f**k ups our own family has done or to justify something they’re about to do. Love them or hate them, but you can’t deny the fact that they are the ones that give you the foremost lesson on love. And honestly, if you ask me, nobody (except maybe books) understands and shows the complex, confusing interpersonal dynamics of a family better than our very own cinematic universe. For years now, movies and television shows have tried their best to capture the reality of what a dysfunctional family looks like behind closed doors. And some of them have successfully even shown them. Yep, as you might have guessed, I come bearing a list.
With International Family Day just around the corner, I searched through the depths of television shows – English and Hindi – and came back with a list of dysfunctional families that are so beautifully portrayed that they will either make you grateful for your family or will make you relate to it – hard (or maybe both).
Also Read: 8 Ways The Modern Indian Family Is Different From The Generations Before
Here’s a list of 10 television families that truly define the word ‘dysfunctional’:
1. Succession
The Roys from Succession is based on powerful media families. The family is full of backstabbers like Kendall, spiteful like Roman, menacing like Logan Roy, and needy like Connor. They’re constantly engaged in a war of words that gets ugly more often than not.
2. Mad Men
The Drapers from Mad Men paint a really bleak family picture. Don Draper’s alcohol problem, lasciviousness, and neglect of his family, of it, turn the other members into questionable human beings.
3. Shameless
The poor Gallagher family from Shameless never really stood a chance, did they? With their financial situation being a mess most of the time and the children trying to make ends meet by hook or by crook, there’s bound to be tiffs between them. And truly, the family never misses a chance to throw shade at each other.
Also Read: Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi Review: Seema Pahwa’s Directorial Debut Is A Perfect Film About Our Imperfect Families
4. Schitt’s Creek
Don’t let the oversized, picture-perfect Rose family portrait fool you – the paint strokes do well a job of masking the dysfunction that is lurking in the corners. Though living in the same house, they’re as far from each other as one can be – practically strangers. And the sad but relatable aspect is the fact that they’re that far from themselves.
5. Sarabhai vs. Sarabhai
The Sarabhais are the epitome of an Indian family. Where there are parents that are constantly criticising their kids for their work, looks, voice, and even the person they’ve chosen to marry. Despite this sad reality, the family adds comedy to the conflict that makes it a bit better.
6. Modern Family
The Dunphys, Pritchett-Delgados, and Pritchett-Tuckers they’re all gloriously dysfunctional in their own way. With their unusual methods of expressing love to each other to the overall chaotic energy going on among them, they’re as compelling as a family can be.
7. Khichdi
The Parekhs of Khichdi is as dysfunctional as a family can get. They along with their idiosyncrasies were all over the place. Having said that, there was some logic in their family dynamics that though hard to explain is something every person in an Indian family can understand.
Also Read: Navya Naveli Nanda Talks About The Responsibilities Families Put On Daughters While Sons Are Expected To Do Nothing, She Has A Point!
8. This is us
The Pearsons show us what it truly means to be a family. The show beautifully portrays how no family is perfect and that the individual growth of family members is important so that they can make real connections with other members. The show teaches that when it comes to family we all have to take the good with the bad and I guess that’s why the name – This is us – fits so perfectly.
9. Game Of Thrones
In the Westeros, there is not one family that is not dysfunctional – whether it is the Lannisters or the Starks. The families are constantly turning against each other and have some really twisted linked connections that really make it difficult to pinpoint one single family that is even remotely decent.
10. Mirzapur
The Tripathis from Mirzapur are far worse as a family than they are as gangsters. As a family, they have a sense of stillness and darkness that perfectly portrays the strained relationship that they share with each other.
This was my list of dysfunctional families. Tell me below which ones would you have added to your list.
