You’ve been there. It’s hard to watch TV parents embarrass their children and not think back on your own embarrassing moments. Many shows present an idealized view of parenthood, with happy mothers who are devoted to their children and supportive fathers. However, there are shows that shatter this fantasy. These shows are incredible for bringing us some of the most horribly unlikable and problematic characters ever to screen.
These parents plant toxic seeds where there should be love and care. Parents who use manipulation, schemes and neglect to parent their children treat them as props for their own dysfunctional plays. Emotions and feelings are superficial and disappear in a blink of an eye.
These TV parents serve a purpose, even though they are disturbing. The pain and suffering they cause their children makes us realize that light can be found in the darkness. We can relate to the pain of a dysfunctional household and hope for the best. These shows serve as a warning, an example of the harm that can be done by ignoring and avoiding love. In a small way, these shows may even inspire better parenting.
For us, the thought of family struggles makes us ache for better outcomes. The worst parents are revealing the truth about their role in shaping children’s lives through the uneasy laughter and rebellion. We are horrified, but we can’t help but be fascinated by the train wreck. We want to see more. Although these parents are terrible, they are certainly unforgettable.
10 Frank Gallagher – Shameless
On paper Frank Gallagher The patriarch of the Gallagher Family. He is the self-destructive, saddest type of parent. Frank is a parent to six children, yet he shows no responsibility, is a neglectful person, and fails to improve. It is Shameless’s Fiona’s eldest child, Fiona has to act more like an adult.
Frank’s attempts to improve and do well are often misguided due to cycles of relapses and violence. This drags the entire family into hell. One instance that stands out is when Frank convinced his own son that he had cancer in order to benefit from a charitable cause. Over and over again, he compromises and risks his children’s safety, future, health, and mental well-being.
9 Julie Cooper – The O.C.
Along with being caught up in the craziest and most rebellious teenage behavior, The O.C. The game was fair because the bad parents were mixed in. Mother of Marissa Cooper and Kaitlin, Julie Cooper She seemed to be designed to annoy. Her foolishness, jealousy and subtle narcissism made her the center-of-attention.
She wasn’t cruel, no. She cared deeply for her daughters and saw their growth in later seasons. By then, however, the damage was already done. Julie’s selfish stupidity causes endless trouble for her daughters and embarrasses them at every turn. Julie was never able to really connect with Marissa. From flings that were too stubborn and dramatic arguments with her ex-husband Julie couldn’t ever truly connect with Marissa. This led her to becoming a struggling teenager who shoplifted. Marissa is on a path that will eventually make her look like her mother.
8 Aaron Echolls – Veronica Mars
It doesn’t get much worse than toxic parenting Aaron Echolls. In Veronica MarsAaron Echolls, the father of Logan Echolls. Aaron, a selfish and heartless father who has no feelings, ruins the lives of those around him. Logan was never his real father. He did not consider himself a father to Logan.
Although, he does get involved in his son’s girlfriend’s life. Lily’s disdain for him and his distrust of her makes him play around with her, and he eventually kills her. Even Aaron found it brutal. As Logan’s father, he shamed utterly, exploiting their relationship rather than nurturing it. He was never a comfort to Logan, and he did nothing but destroy everything.
7 John Winchester – Supernatural
John Winchester, the hunter-turned-absentee father of SupernaturalThis is the perfect illustration of what an ideal parent would not be. John spent his time training to be the best hunter in history, not raising San and Dean. John also deprived his sons of their normal lives and taught them how to hunt vampires.
He basically disappeared after making his boys collateral damage for his grief at losing his wife. He uprooted their lives, put them in dangerous situations, and then he lost his mind. We see him in Season 1, and then he’s pretty much absent up until Season 9. And although John returns, he offers crude affection and is dubious of his sons’ feelings, coming off as a stranger more than a father. His obsession with revenge gave the show a haunting glow.
6 Mr. Maclay – Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The Maclays are a very conservative and traditional family. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and it was only natural that they’d inflict it upon their kids. Mr. MaclayThe patriarch was so detached that his daughter could have been left alone. As Tara’s father, he was controlling, manipulative, and downright deceitful. He told her she was a half-demon and prohibited her from living an independent life.
Maclay made the most of this constant threat of danger and death. He was not concerned about the lost time and instead focused on his misogynistic dreams, which he idealized. While it is revealed later in the show that Tara, who is also the love interest of Willow Rosenberg, is part witch and has been practicing magic for years, Mr. Maclay’s self-absorption deprives her of the comfort and guidance that should come from a parent.
5 Ted and Karen Wheeler – Stranger Things
It is well-known that parents can be ignorant, but they are not as blind as Ted and Karen Wheeler. Your kids are going around chasing monsters, traveling back and forth from the Upside Down, and having near-death experiences, and you’ve got no clue whatsoever? Stranger Things has all the props in creativity and terror-building, but it’s also the epitome of ignorant and detached parents.
Ted and Karen aren’t as bad as they’re devoid of parental awareness. They only ask Mike and Nancy to obey, but do not nurture them. They are unaware and uninvolved in their children’s lives, blind to every threat that has entered their door and loomed over Hawkins. The kids’ experiences have been met by rebukes instead of support. Their lack of concern is so prominent it’s annoying.
4 Dan Scott – One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill’s Dan Scott He is one of most vile types of parents. He is vindictive, manipulative, and a murderer. As father to Nathan and Lucas, he’s never really acknowledged their presence or their role in his life; they have only existed as pawns in his ceaseless quest for power.
Dan measured love and care against one another. His contempt extends more toward Lucas, so much so that he even kills the only father figure in Lucas’ life. Dan has used his fatherhood as a weapon time and time again to manipulate, abuse and control Ethan. Dan is a man who sees his family as an end in itself, not merely a means. He uses his fatherhood to manipulate and abuse Ethan.
3 Cal Jacobs – Euphoria
In one word, Cal Jacobs It can be called predatory. Euphoria The show is intense as it tackles a lot of sensitive issues that surround teenagers. But when it comes to Nate Jacobs’ father, the web of abuse he’s woven around his son continues to spiral tighter, and Cal’s villain-like behaviors are undeniable.
He steadily tries to control Nate, his life, and the people he spends his time with, and plays with his head to the point where Nate’s perspective around women, masculinity, and physical intimacy gets warped. Cal has always craved power, and his family hasn’t really meant anything to him. The show does dive into his backstory, but either way, it does not excuse his actions because the scars he’s left on his children aren’t ones that heal.
2 Hiram and Hermione Lodge – Riverdale
Riverdale It is filled with mysterious murders and gang wars. There are also complex relationships. But perhaps the most disturbing part is Veronica Lodge’s parents. Hiram and Hermione Lodge They are a new breed of parents that is threatening. The parents are corrupt, calculated and hide their evil intentions under a veneer of poshness. The couple will do anything to move up the social scale, even if this means harming their daughter.
Hiram, Hermione and their gang of swindlers use cheap tricks to feed their desire for power and wealth. They don’t think about Veronica when they are doing their dirty work. What those smiling faces are saying is not clear to us.
1 Bart Bass – Gossip Girl
The worst thing that a parent can do is to make their son go mad or self-loathing in order to eliminate some bad guys from the business. Gossip Girl It is a show that thrives off its manipulative and power-hungry character. But the Bass Empire does it better than anyone else. Bart BassBartholomew Bass is a short form of the name. He seems to enjoy destroying lives around him. Chuck Bass in particular.
Bart treats his family like a form of entertainment, and he punishes them and controls their behavior with great pleasure. He doesn’t care about Chuck’s happiness, his dignity, or his psychological well-being. He sabotages his relationship and destroys it for his own enjoyment. Tough love is good love, yes, but Bart doesn’t even get close.
