Family conflict is at the heart of the majority of TV shows. It’s a subject that is endlessly compelling, incredibly dynamic, and often relatable. We all have a family of some sort, and it’s not always sunshine and roses, so it is somewhat comforting to viewers who might find themselves in similar situations to see such dynamics represented on screen.
Thanksgiving can be a complicated holiday for many, so whether you’re looking to connect with your family some more, or you just want something to quietly pass the time, why not sit down this year and check out a good TV show? Some of the best shows about dysfunctional families explore complex dynamics within groups, and feature unforgettable scenes that stay with viewers long after the season is over. From Peaky Blinders to The Sopranos, these are the best dysfunctional family shows, ranked by dysfunctionality.
‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’ (2021 – 2022)
Creator: Valerie Armstrong
In this smart, inventive takedown of the traditional American sitcom, a wife decides she’s had enough of her husband, Kevin (Eric Petersen), stealing her life, and she’s going to do something permanent about it: she’s going to kill him. The show takes some twists and turns over the course of its short two-season run, but one thing that is consistent is the focus on the family dynamics we’ve come to know after decades of sitcom storytelling.
We’ve all had those moments where a family member is annoying us so much, that part of us wishes unfortunate things on them. Well, in Kevin Can F*** Himself, Allison (Annie Murphy) learns that’s easier said than done. Those looking for a dysfunctional family comedy series should check this Valerie Armstrong series out, as it provides a thoroughly entertaining storyline to keep audiences invested.
All in the Family’ (1971 – 1979)
Creator: Norman Lear
In the iconic series that captures the spirit of the ’70s, the Bunker family was composed of Archie (Carroll O’Connor), the conservative, bigoted patriarch, Edith (Jean Stapleton), his kind, soft-spoken wife, Gloria (Sally Struthers), their forward-thinking daughter, and Michael (Rob Reiner), her hippie boyfriend. Most episodes were composed mainly of Archie arguing with Michael and Sally about some hot topics of the day.
Created by TV legend Norman Lear, All in the Family is one of the most iconic and beloved sitcoms of all time (and one of the classic TV shows about families). Its dysfunctional family dynamic has been the basis for an entire generation of sitcoms that followed it, even if none could touch the original. Despite being a rare show that was very much a product of its time, it also feels modern in retrospect.
All in the Family
WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME
‘Bates Motel’ (2013 – 2017)
Creators: Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, Anthony Cipriano
In one of the darkest family drama TV shows, Norma (Vera Farmiga) and her teenage son Norman (Freddie Highmore) move to a small Oregon town and buy a motel for a fresh start after the death of Norman’s father. Once there, they both begin to make friends and piece together the pieces of a new life for themselves. However, it doesn’t take long before the bodies start piling up, and their dark relationship begins to take form.
Perhaps the most well-known, and most legendarily toxic familial relationship in all cinema, the mother/son duo of Norma and Norman Bates is one built on guilt, manipulation, and plenty of death. While in Alfred Hitchcock‘s iconic psychological thriller Psycho, we get hints of their history, the Bates Motel television show dives into it headfirst. Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano’s family drama series is undoubtedly checking, as it is meticulously crafted for those who enjoy the genre.
Creator: Seth MacFarlane
An iconic animated series that needs no introduction, Family Guy is a sitcom that parodies American culture. Created by Seth MacFarlane (who also voices several of the characters), the long-running animated show for adults revolves around the dysfunctional Griffins, made up of the dim-witted blue-collar worker Peter (MacFarlane), his stay-at-home wife Lois (Alex Borstein), their always-rejected daughter Meg (Mila Kunis), the bumbling Chris (Seth Green), and the talking dog and baby duo, Brian and Stewie (both voiced by MacFarlane).
A must-see animated series meant for adults, Family Guy embraces political incorrectness, striving to be as offensive as possible when mocking traditional American values, current events, and pop culture, and ultimately satirizing all these aspects in the meantime. The family members are, more often than not, hurting each other in the process of fulfilling their individual narcissistic desires. So much for the American dream.
‘Yellowstone’ (2018 – )
Creators: Taylor Sheridan, John Linson
In a way, Yellowstone is like Succession on a ranch, but with more killing and more horses. The Dutton family has owned the Yellowstone ranch in Montana for generations, several of which are being explored in Yellowstone‘s Paramount+ prequel shows, and the current patriarch, John (Kevin Costner), is willing to do whatever he has to do to keep it, in the hopes of passing it along to one of his children. Yellowstone is a show about legacy and the lessons we can learn from America’s long, complicated history.
Taylor Sheridan peaked withYellowstone, one of the most popular television shows — and certainly one of the best out there tackling complicated familial matters. Sure, a lot of people watch it for the neo-Western aesthetic and storytelling (which perfectly meditates on the clash of traditional and modern challenges in the West). However, just as many folks watch the Taylor Sheridan and John Linso series for the intense and dynamic family relationships at its core.
‘Peaky Blinders’ (2013 – 2022)
Creator: Steven Knight
Kicking off at the start of 1919, Peaky Blinders is one of the United Kingdom’s most treasured crime shows. The acclaimed crime series centers on the Shelby family, led by Cillian Murphy‘s Tommy Shelby, as they navigate their business while being a street gang. It also explores Shelby’s psyche and own personal struggles in a compelling way that keeps audiences intrigued.
When it comes to dysfunctional family TV shows, the visually striking Stephen Knight crime show provides audiences with one of the most compelling and complex portrayals, with some members even turning their backs on each other. However, part of what makes the gritty series so appealing is, funnily enough, the family bonds and connection, which endure strongly despite everything.
‘The Umbrella Academy’ (2019 – 2024)
Creator: Steven Blackman
Steven Blackman and Jeremy Slater‘s The Umbrella Academy is an action-adventure comedy that centers on a family of superhuman siblings, played by EmmyRaver-Lampman, TomHopper, RobertSheehan, ElliotPage, AidanGallagher, DavidCastañeda, JustinH. Min, who are brought together by the death of their father and must join forces to stop an apocalyptic threat.
One of the most chaotic fictional households of the bunch is certainly the dysfunctional superfamily Hargreeves. While the series may feature some of the most epic soundtracks and incredible visuals on top of its amazing blend of comedy, action, fantasy, and suspense, it certainly wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for the memorable characters it features. No doubt, this amazing Netflix show is worth viewers’ attention.
‘House of the Dragon’ (2022 – )
Creators: George R. R. Martin, Ryan Condal
Game of Thrones proved that in Westeros, you can’t trust anyone, especially when the Iron Throne is up for grabs. The prequel series House of the Dragon doubles down on this theme but emphasizes the distrust among those you should be able to trust the most: your family. House of the Dragon takes all the tension and conflict we know and love in Westeros and focuses on a smaller group of characters.
At this time in Westeros’ history, the Targaryen family is in power, and they are willing to do anything to keep it. So, when the question of succession arises, two factions form, each determined to wage a civil war for the Iron Throne. This Game of Thrones prequel is not only the perfect pick for those who are into the universe but also for family drama enjoyers who are intrigued by dysfunctional family dynamics. A new season of this highly anticipated series is coming in 2024.
‘Mad Men’ (2007 – 2015)
Creator: Matthew Weiner
Mad Men is a show about very complicated people in a deceptively complicated world. On the outside, the world of 1960s New York City is bright, colorful, and full of hope. But inside the homes of its residents is conflict and tension and change. The Drapers are no exception.
Its suave and toxic TV leading man, Don Draper (Jon Hamm) is a character who leads multiple lives, and keeps them separate. As an ad executive, he thinks he’s capable of selling lies without a false note, but unfortunately for him, he’s not as good as he thinks he is. The drama of Don’s personal and professional lives converge in ways that are unmatched to this day. If you want potent, genuine family drama, you don’t need to look any further than Mad Men.
‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ (2023)
Creator: Mike Flanagan
The Fall of the House of Usher is Mike Flanagan‘s newest addition to his plethora of remarkable horror movies and TV shows. The incredible series, regarded as one of his best in the format so far, is based on one of Edgar Allen Poe‘s short stories. It tells the story of a corrupt CEO (Bruce Greenwood) who is forced to face his past when his children start to mysteriously die in brutal ways.
Everyone who has seen Flanagan’s show knows that the Ushers being on such a list requires little to no explanation; the wealthy but complicated family is very much compared to Succession‘s central household, and understandably so. All are flawed and mostly unlikable characters that viewers can’t help but root for at times, making The Fall of the House of Usher an essential dysfunctional family series.
‘Arrested Development’ (2003 – 2019)
Creator: Mitchell Hurwitz
We’ve all had times when we feel like we’re the only person holding our wacky family together – the comedy of Arrested Development comes from exactly that. The show follows the Bluths, a family too rich for their own good. When the patriarch George Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) gets arrested, the smartest member of the family, Michael (Jason Bateman), has to try and hold their empire together amid criminal investigations.
There’s something lovable about how the selfish Bluths in Arrested Development just constantly make the worst possible choices at every turn. When they’re not making regrettable business decisions, the various Bluths are bickering and arguing with each other about mundane topics. They are a truly dysfunctional family, but there’s something sweet about how, no matter how hard they may try, they all need each other.
‘Shameless’ (2011 – 2021)
Creator: Paul Abbott
If you think your family is embarrassing, we recommend watching a couple of episodes of Shameless. The Gallagher family is a lot of things: dysfunctional, feisty, and incredibly loyal. Whether they’re helping each other through their problems or causing them, each of the Gallaghers proves that blood is thicker than water.
The patriarch Gallagher, Frank (William H. Macy), lives with alcoholism and has very few inhibitions to keep him from doing whatever he wants. His daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum) is left to take a parental role in the family and looks after her five siblings while still maintaining her own life. There’s honestly something really sweet about this trashy Chicago family, so much so, you actually may wish you could be more like these memorable Shameless characters. Shameless is truly the blueprint for a dysfunctional family series.
‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ (2005 – )
Creator: Rob McElhenney
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia holds the distinction of being the longest-running live-action sitcom of all time, with fans always clamoring to see more of “The Gang’s” antics. The gang is made up of the dysfunctional family, Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito), Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Dennis Reynolds’ (Glenn Howerton) legal father, and Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day) and Ronald “Mac” McDonald (Rob McElhenney), who may as well be direct relatives by the way they match each other’s wackiness.
Together, the rowdy group runs a seedy bar called Paddy’s Pub, but are mostly coming up with wild projects and ideas to pass their time. From putting on a gut-busting play for a surprise proposal from Charlie to the Waitress to buying a “P. Diddy-style shrimping vessel” to get a taste of high life, the gang has no shortage of zany (and often politically incorrect) ideas and activities on the popular show. With a found-family type of narrative, the It’s Always Sunny squad is nothing short of malfunctioning.
Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia
‘Succession’ (2018 – 2023)
Creator: Jesse Armstrong
Inspired by real-life Rupert Murdoch, Succession revolves around Max’s famous dysfunctional family led by Logan Roy (Brian Cox), a corporate magnate and the head of a multimedia empire. When it seems like his time at Waystar Royco may be coming to an end, his children all vie for his attention, and to be named his successor.
The Roy children are all different kinds of detestable and their clashing personalities end up creating one of the most riveting TV shows about family problems. Kendall (Jeremy Strong) is power hungry, Roman (Kieran Culkin) is morally imbalanced, Shiv (Sarah Snook) is very identity conscious, and Connor (Alan Ruck) is the special kind of rich weirdo who thinks he should run for President. Succession‘s portrayal of the tumultuous lives of the Roy family is nothing short of modern Shakespeare. With plenty of unforgettable and fan-favorite characters, the Jesse Armstrong show elevates the power struggles and interpersonal conflicts to the level of high art, with a flawed family at its center.
‘The Sopranos’ (1999 – 2007)
Creator: David Chase
Generally considered the greatest TV show of all time, The Sopranos is an incredible family drama, following Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as he tries to balance his personal family life with his professional life of organized crime. Part of what makes the show so fascinating is how the rest of the Soprano family (one of the most famous dysfunctional TV families) struggle to come to terms with the actions of their patriarch. On the one hand, it provides them with all the luxuries they could ask for, on the other, they are complicit in heinous criminal acts.
We all have tested the boundaries of how far we are willing to go for our family. Sure, not everyone’s father is a mob boss, but the art of The Sopranos is how it transcends the constraints of the crime genre and becomes something so much more. In addition to the incredible acting performances, David Chase‘s compelling show is undoubtedly entertaining and elevated by its three-dimensional characters.
