Mama Mia!

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With Mothers' Day just around the corner on Sunday, May 8, the magazine Inside TV has released its list of the Top 10 TV Moms. The list contains the usual collection of the old and the new shows. I am convinced that these lists are usually put together to satisfy the current demographics of their preferred viewing audience. That age group is comprised of 14-25 year olds, those most likely to purchase the products appearing in the commercials. This group, with the most disposable income usually accounts for 60-70% of these lists. That leaves only 30-40% for the pre-14 set and the 25+ viewers.
~ Inside TV's Top 10 Moms follows with the name of the actress who portrayed her and the program:

1. Marge Simpson - Julie Kavner (voice over) - The Simsons
2. June Cleaver - Barbara Billingsley - Leave It To Beaver
3. Clair Huxtable - Phylicia Rashad - The Cosby Show
4. Olivia Walton - Michael Learned - The Waltons
5. Lorelei Gilmore - Lauren Graham - The Gilmore Girls
6. Marion Cunningham - Marion Ross - Happy Days
7. Caroline Ingalls - Karen Grassle - Little House On The Prairie
8. Carol Brady - Florence Henderson - The Brady Bunch
9. Elyse Keaton - Meredith Baxter - Family Ties
10. Bree Van de Kamp - Marcia Cross - Desperate Housewives

~ Except for syndicated reruns on TV Land, the under 25 group wouldn't have even been born yet when Leave It To Beaver aired. Many in the viewing audience wouldn't have been around or old enough to have watched The Waltons either. I can only surmise that The Gilmore Girls and especially Desperate Housewives only made the list to satisy the aforementioned demographics.

~ I would be curious to see where some other TV moms not on the list may have ranked. Perhaps coming in on the list numbers 11-20 we would find Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) of All In The Family. Wasn't Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) Bewitched a good mom to Tabitha? If they included cartoon moms, what's wrong with Wilma Flintstone and Jane Jetson? I suppose Rosanne didn't get many votes, eh?

~ Prognostication: For Fathers' Day who would be the Top 10 TV dads? Homer Simpson? Ward Cleaver? Cliff Huxtable? John Walton? Well, those were just suggested as candidates because of their significant others above. I would guess that Jim Anderson of Father Knows Best should get some consideration. How about a vote for Al Bundy of Married With Children ? Or Archie Bunker, Edith's hubby? If Wilma Flintstone is to be considered on the distaff list, then Yabba-Dabba-Doo, Fred gets a nod too. The same goes for poor George Jetson still stuck on that treadmill while Astro watches.

~ When the Dad list comes out, what can I title that blog? Papa Pia?

~No. 130