With Mother’s Day around the corner, it’s time to not only celebrate our real-life moms, but to also celebrate those moms we loved on our TV screens growing up in the ‘90s. Whether they were teaching life lessons, or being harried by their TV husbands, these moms were indispensable – their shows wouldn’t be the same without them. So let’s get down to it and take a look at 10 of the most memorable ‘90s sitcom moms!
What about the dads, you ask? Check out our other post: The 10 Most Memorable ’90s Sitcom Dads
Jill Taylor - Home Improvement
Played by Patricia Richardson, Jill Taylor was the foil to the more flamboyant Tim on Home Improvement. Where he might be coming up with some hair-brained scheme to give something more power, she was there to bring some common sense. Can you imagine the chaos that would’ve ensued in the Taylor household if not for Jill?
Amy Matthews - Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World was all about a young boy growing up and slowly becoming a man. And a vital part to any kid’s upbringing is their mom. Cory Matthews’ mom Amy, played by Betsy Randle, may not be one of the flashiest moms on this list, but she was always there with words of wisdom – not only for her kids, but also sometimes for her husband as well.
Vivian Banks - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
By far the fanciest mom on this list, Vivian Banks of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was played by both Janet Hubert in the earlier seasons and Daphne Maxwell Reid in the later seasons. Aunt Viv always had an air of sophistication about her, but it never held her back from being a great mom to not only her own children, but also to her nephew Will.
Roseanne Conner - Roseanne
While it could be argued that Roseanne isn’t necessarily the greatest mom in the world, she is certainly one of the most memorable. While many of the moms on this list are put together and the epitome of everything you might think a typical suburban mom should be, Roseanne was way more realistic, showcasing the working class family in a way that hadn’t been done before.
Harriette Winslow - Family Matters
On Family Matters, Harriette Winslow, played by Jo Marie Peyton for all but the final season, was the matriarch always ready to hand out some sass and some discipline along with her love. If you had a mom like Harriette, you were in good hands.
Peggy Bundy - Married… with Children
If you wanted a mom with sass for days who loved to wear animal-print spandex, then the ‘90s sitcom mom for you had to be Peggy Bundy on Married… with Children, as played by the brilliant Katey Sagal. Though she and Al often spat, and her motherly advice isn’t always on point, you can’t deny that she knows who she is and she’s fine with it, which in itself is a great “life lesson.”
Carol Foster Lambert - Step by Step
Leading a large family filled with children and step-children is no easy task, but Carol Foster Lambert, played by Suzanne Somers, did it with seeming ease on Step by Step. A modern day Carol Brady (hey, did they name her Carol on purpose as an homage?), the show was all about how a blended family could make it work.
Lisa Landry - Sister, Sister
Young, hip, and fashion-forward, Lisa Landry was an exciting and fun mom on Sister, Sister. Portrayed by Jackee Harry, Lisa was a working mom who was not only strong and successful, but also kinda sexy in a way that a lot of sitcom moms weren’t at the time.
Debra Barone - Everybody Loves Raymond
Overworked and underappreciated, Debra Barone, played by Patricia Heaton, was about as typical of a mom as you could get on Everybody Loves Raymond. Despite often being annoyed by having her in-laws living so close by, Debra always showed patience and kept a sense of humor at the ready.
Estelle Costanza - Seinfeld
While all the other moms on this list are regulars on their series, Estelle Costanza, played by Estelle Harris, was “just” a recurring guest star on Seinfeld. Because obviously she was more than just a guest star – she was one of the most memorable parts of the show, period, thanks in no small part to her, uh, distinctive voice. When Estelle was on an episode of Seinfeld, you knew it was going to be extra funny.
Who is your favorite ‘90s sitcom mom? Let us know in the comments!
- Jackee Harry originally did not want to take on the role of Lisa Landry in Sister, Sister, because she thought she was too young and hip to be playing a mother on TV. But, her sister eventually convinced her to do it, and she is now glad that she did.
- Patricia Heaton has said that the best part of working on Everybody Loves Raymond is that she felt the show so closely mirrored her own life that she didn’t have to do any research.
- Katey Sagal has said that one of the best things about portraying Peggy Bundy was that she looked nothing like her, so at the end of the day, she could take off all of the “Peggy” and live her normal life without being recognized, unlike her co-star Ed O’Neill.
- Did you know that part of the reason why Home Improvement ended with season eight was because Patricia Richardson didn’t want to continue on anymore? Apparently the network suggested killing off Jill to keep the show going, but Tim Allen refused.
- Ever wondered why Janet Hubert didn’t continue on as Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air after season three? It was apparently due to receiving a bad contract renewal offer and not getting any negotiation when she wouldn’t accept it – not that she was difficult to work with as was spread around afterward.
- Jackee Harry originally did not want to take on the role of Lisa Landry in Sister, Sister, because she thought she was too young and hip to be playing a mother on TV. But, her sister eventually convinced her to do it, and she is now glad that she did.
- Patricia Heaton has said that the best part of working on Everybody Loves Raymond is that she felt the show so closely mirrored her own life that she didn’t have to do any research.
- Katey Sagal has said that one of the best things about portraying Peggy Bundy was that she looked nothing like her, so at the end of the day, she could take off all of the “Peggy” and live her normal life without being recognized, unlike her co-star Ed O’Neill.
- Did you know that part of the reason why Home Improvement ended with season eight was because Patricia Richardson didn’t want to continue on anymore? Apparently the network suggested killing off Jill to keep the show going, but Tim Allen refused.
- Ever wondered why Janet Hubert didn’t continue on as Aunt Viv on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air after season three? It was apparently due to receiving a bad contract renewal offer and not getting any negotiation when she wouldn’t accept it – not that she was difficult to work with as was spread around afterward.
