Early television was dominated by "idealized" mothers like ( Leave It to Beaver ) and Harriet Nelson ( The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ), who were characterized by their unwavering poise and spotless kitchens. These depictions often mirrored a societal expectation of "intensive motherhood"—the idea that a woman’s primary, all-consuming role should be child-centered and self-sacrificing.

In recent years, the industry has leaned into the "mother behaving badly" or "mothers in crisis" tropes, which provide a more raw (if sometimes extreme) look at the pressures of parenting:

( Roseanne ): A brash, hardworking matriarch dealing with real-world financial struggles.

The Evolution of Motherhood in Media: Beyond the "Perfect" Matriarch