Philo Celebrates Iconic TV Moms
Mother’s Day may have been May 11, but that doesn’t mean the celebration of the women we love has to end there.
That’s why, this May, we’re celebrating not only the mothers who actually gave us life but also those iconic TV moms who practically raised us—and continue to give us life to this day!
Whether it was their poignant advice, their grace under pressure, or simply their willingness to do whatever it took to save their families (we’re looking at you, Nancy Botwin), these women were always there for their kids, and for us, when we needed them.
So, this Mother’s Month, Philo is giving these 20 iconic TV moms their well-deserved flowers.
Most Iconic TV Moms on Philo:
Pro tip: Save the shows you love so that when episodes air, they’ll automatically be saved to your DVR. The best part? Saving lets you skip the ads!
Bonnie (Allison Janney) from Mom
Not everyone wants a mom who says it just like it is, but it definitely makes for great TV. We love a character who’s flawed but never gives up trying, and Bonnie gives us just that.
Gloria (Sofia Vergara) from Modern Family
Gloria’s heart of gold is pure comedy gold. Even if she doesn’t have the words to say what she wants to say, she always gets her point across.
Watch Modern Family on TLC with Philo.
Kate (Catherine Reitman) from Workin’ Moms
She’s smart, funny, and always knows exactly the wrong things to say at exactly the right time. But hey, she’s a multihyphenate who (sometimes) makes balancing motherhood and a career look easy.
Watch Workin’ Moms on HerSphere by Lionsgate (free channel) with Philo.
Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) from Gilmore Girls
Nobody can spout off a pop culture quip faster than single mom and innkeeper Lorelai Gilmore. When she’s not sipping empty cups of coffee from Luke’s with her daughter, Rory, she can be seen bantering with her own snarky mother, Emily, who deserves her own rightful place on this list.
Watch Gilmore Girls on Start TV (free channel) with Philo.
Harriette Winslow (Jo Marie Payton and Judyann Elder) from Family Matters
Family Matters wouldn’t exist without Harriet. It was her job on Perfect Strangers that landed the whole family a spinoff. So, for better or worse, we have Harriet to thank for bringing Steve Urkel into our living rooms.
Watch Family Matters on BET with Philo.
Thelma “Mama” Harper (Vicki Lawrence) from Mama’s Family
If you don’t have anything nice to say, you can sit right next to Mama. Based on a series of skits from the Carol Burnett Show, Vicki Lawrence took her wisecracking, sarcastic character all the way to prime time.
Watch Mama’s Family on Logo with Philo.
Mrs. Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae) from The Facts of Life
When the prestigious Eastland School for Young Women needed a housemother, there was only one woman for the job: Mrs. Garrett. Both caretaker and confidante, Mrs. Garrett made her way from Diff’rent Strokes to Facts of Life, making lasting impressions along the way.
Watch The Facts of Life on Logo with Philo.
Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) from Good Times
If it weren’t for Florida, we wouldn’t have Good Times. Period. Thanks to Esther Rolle’s popularity on the show Maude, Florida was given her own spinoff. After movin’ on up, Florida was able to quit her job and take care of the family in their de-luxe apartment in the sky.
Watch Good Times on Get TV with Philo.
Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) from The Golden Girls
Picture it… The Golden Girls without Sophia?! Now that’s a world I don’t want any part of. Lucky for us, we got 10 years of Estelle Getty as “MA!”, sharing stories of Sicily over cheesecake.
Watch The Golden Girls on CMT with Philo.
Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) from The Brady Bunch
Here’s the story … of a lovely lady, who was busy with three girls of her own. She was doing just fine. Then she got married and became a mother of 6 overnight! Sure, he had the help of Alice, but we’re still giving Carol a round of applause.
Watch The Brady Bunch on MeTV with Philo.
Lisa Landry Sims (Jackée Harry) from Sister, Sister
Lisa is just a single mom from Detroit when a chance encounter at a clothing store doubles her motherlode. Lucky for Tia and Tamera, Lisa had more than enough love to go around.
Watch Sister, Sister on Dabl with Philo.
Marie Barone (Doris Roberts) from Everybody Loves Raymond
Once a mother, always a mother… even if her sons are in their 40s, or even married. Regardless of what happens, just know that whatever Marie does, whatever you may think her intentions are, just know it was done out of love. So she says.
Watch Everybody Loves Raymond on IFC with Philo.
Peggy Bundy (Katey Segal) from Married… with Children
Nobody epitomized the term “housewife” better than Peg Bundy. Just don’t ask her to cook, or clean, or really do anything related to ”house” or “work”.
Watch Married… with Children on Logo with Philo.
Reba Hart (Reba McEntire) from Reba
The theme song says it all. (You’re singing it to yourself right now, aren’t you?) “…I’m a survivor!”
Watch Reba on UPtv with Philo.
Aunt Vivian (Janet Hubert and Daphne Maxwell Reid) from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
When Will’s own mom can’t deal with him anymore, there’s only one woman she can trust to do the job: Aunt Viv. Not only does she have her hands full with 3 kids and a husband of her own, but she takes on the role of adopted mother with pizazz and a few impressive dance moves.
Watch The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on Philo.
Rochelle (Tichina Arnold) from Everybody Hates Chris
Tichina Arnold was sitcom royalty when she joined the cast of Everybody Hates Chris. She brought her signature no-nonsense style to the character of Rochelle, and Chris Rock owes her a big thanks for raising him so well.
Watch Everybody Hates Chris on LOL! (free channel) with Philo.
Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller) from Power Book III: Raising Kanan
Who runs the world? Raq! Or at least she runs the streets of Southside Jamaica, Queens. As the boss, she’s always got a lot on her plate, there’s nobody else who can do what she does, and look as fierce as she does doing it.
Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan on STARZ (add-on) with Philo.
Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) from All in the Family
Edith may not have seemed like the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she had Archie’s number, and she knew when to stand up to him and when to speak up for those that Archie oftentimes put down.
Watch All in the Family on Philo.
Endora (Agnes Moorehead) from Bewitched
Imagine you raise this incredible witch of a daughter, and she falls for some boring mortal named Darwin! Endora came and when as she pleased, and that mortal should count himself lucky that she didn’t use her full capabilities on him—either of him!
Watch Bewitched on FETV with Philo.
Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) from Weeds
Well, you can’t say that her intentions weren’t good… in the beginning. We love a mother who loves an iced coffee, and Nancy is at the top of that list.
Watch Weeds on HerSphere by Lionsgate (free channel) with Philo.
Note: At the time of publication, all of the above titles were available on Philo. We’re constantly striving to bring you the best content for the best price, so, for that reason, some content offerings are subject to change based on network availability. Check out our What’s New post to see the top shows and movies coming soon to Philo.
