I think he's right...in most cases those women, though idealized in various ways, are 'real" in some ways too. I think if MSCL had stayed on, her mom could have had a shot at that...their mom-daughter stuff was pretty right-on, because the show didn't take a side, you know? Like in some teen shows, because we see through Angela's eyes, Angela would be right all the time. Or in some parent shows, Angela would be a gum-smacking "Whatever." PITA that we'd always see Mom "trying so hard" all the time with. But in real life, even good parents care about things for the wrong reasons(that fashion thing). And good teens get snitty and pull away for no reason they understand. My mom's like Joyce crossed with Lois in "Malcolm" And, wrod, on the BTVS sex-depicting.

I'm kind of curious about the 'worst moms' list, and whether 'worst' means 'worst parent', or 'most unrealistic'.

I'm trying to remember who was on the list, and what he used for parameters. I think he defined them as Best and Worst Parent to have had for your own.

I do know that he had Archie and Edith Bunker for worst dad and mom of the 1970s (Archie was abusive, Edith was supporting of his abuse), Danny Thomas's character as worst dad of the 1960s, and Ray Romano's character as the worst dad of the 2000s. Oh, and Dan Connor (John Goodman) was the best dad of the 1990s.

Ray Romano's character as the worst dad of the 2000s.

This makes me happy.

Dan Connor (John Goodman) was the best dad of the 1990s.

Heh. And this makes me happy.

Tucker pointed out that Dan Connor always knew the names of his kids' friends--in his opinion (and mine), a sign of a fantastic parent.

Oh, and his choice for worst mom ever? Carol Brady, of The Brady Bunch.

a sign of a fantastic parent.

Hah. It's a really good day for me when I never once call my son by either my husband's name or the cat's.

I'm not saying it's something I would do myself--I'd be more likely to be like my mom (and grandma) and run through the list of all my kids before getting to the right one. My poor grandma had 24 grandchildren, many of whom seem to have been born in batches (3 or 4 kids of the same gender in the same year or two), so it was a lot worse for her!

Carol Brady, of The Brady Bunch.

Why, pray tell? I don't remember her as being particularly good, but not particularly bad, either.

But I'd put Roseanne Connor in the running for worst. The regular insults, not good for self-worth.

Tucker has issues with the Brady Bunch, overall. I'd have to take a look at the book again to remember what they were, but he devoted a whole column, instead of just one paragraph in the Worst Moms column, to the Bradys.