Pop Culture Princess

Pop Culture Princess
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Friday, May 12, 2017

Misunderstood moms have their moment for Mother's Day

 Mother's Day weekend tends to bring out the sentimental in folks, particularly in TV and film, and rightful so, considering all any mother or mother figure does for their loved ones.

 Of course, there are those maternal types who are less than ideal and those ladies are widely represented in the pop culture realm as well. However, a few of those love-to-hate moms are not as bad as you think. Granted, some will never be truly redeemable(Cersei, Norman Bates' mom, the Queen of Daxam on Supergirl right now), others are honestly misunderstood.

Yes, they can be overbearing and critical and make many mistakes in trying to steer their offspring towards what she thinks is the right path for them to take. However, every once in a while, their true intentions shine though and showcase their well meaning selves. With that in mind, here are a handful of moms whose wrath can be useful when focused on the proper target:

 MARIE THROWS DOWN: On Everybody Loves Raymond, Marie Barone was the classic helicopter mother, hovering about nearly aspect of her boy Ray's life.

Not even his marriage to Debra and setting up his own family made her pause in her tracks for an instant(especially she and husband Frank lived right across the street from them). Marie's constant presence often made her clashes with Debra even that more intense than the usual mother-in-law/daughter-in-law debates.

However, every now and then, Marie took Debra's side on things, even against her beloved Raymond. One time in particular had her slap her darling boy for insisting that Debra keep her PMS to herself:


EMILY READS THE RIOT ACT: One of the most formidable mothers in TV history, Emily Gilmore and her battles with both her daughter and granddaughter on Gilmore Girls have been epic occasions indeed.

Emily's need for control and rigid standards often made her hard to deal with at times and since she was the source of sharp wit for Lorelai and Rory, verbal bouts with Emily were not something to hastily enter into there.

Yet, one of Emily's best weapons was the element of surprise, which she also used to protect her girls as well. Upon realizing the full extent that the Huntzberger family disrespected Rory, Emily did not hesitate to confront mother Shira right then and there at a charity function, mounting a direct assault with all of the full Gilmore forces at the tip of her tongue:



MRS. BENNET IS NO JOKE:  When it comes to the matriarch of the Bennet clan from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the lines are clearly drawn among the fans. Many see her less than subtle attempts to get her numerous daughters married to rich men and flair for the dramatic to be understandingly off-putting.

Yet, Mrs. Bennet does have her defenders, who insist that she is at least looking out for the best interest of her girls due to the nature of the inheritance laws of that day,which would have impoverished any still single female of the household upon their father's demise.

With that in mind, the series Lost in Austen shows the steel in Mrs. Bennet's velvet gloves as she puts unexpected guest Amanda Price on notice regarding getting involved with her daughter's potential romance:



CHARLOTTE CLEANS OFF THE PORCH: In the story The Help,  one of the least positive female relationships was between Skeeter and her mother Charlotte.

Not only did they have extremely opposite viewpoints about life and how to treat others, Charlotte's resentment of how her daughter felt more connected to their maid Constantine was a factor in severing that bond most cruelly.

Perhaps Charlotte's illness made her see that Skeeter was in need of more support than she was able to give, which is why when the awful Hilly Holbrook came over to threaten her girl, her motherly instincts rose to the occasion:



 So, whether your mom reminds you of Marie, Emily or even one of the tough talking grand dames of Mike & Molly, do keep in mind that they do mean well if they don't display that motherly concern in the standard sweetheart style.

After all, there is something to be said about a take-charge woman, who should be allowed to have the same flaws as any dad in these situations and as much latitude for error in that regard.

Happy Mother's Day to all moms, aunts and grandmothers and to all of the mother types in our lives who do their level best for their families. Sure, they don't use a spoonful of sugar when dishing out advice but when you need serious back-up, they're the ones you want to call:


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