Top 10 most memorable television wives

                Kate Gosselin and husband Jon.

With the premiere of “Jon & Kate Plus Eight” just hours away, it’s safe to say that Kate Gosselin has made an impression on viewers at home.  Whether you hate her, or simply hate to love her, Kate is certainly memorable.

But what about other television wives?  They say that behind every great man is a great woman.  But what if the woman is determined to step out of the man's shadow?  On television, we have seen many marriages weather the storm--be it separation, unemployment, or just plain bad choices.  And most of the time, it's the husband who screws up.  Remember when Homer bought a gun?  When Al Bundy decided to hunt for gold?  The fact that Archie Bunker was a racist or that Peter Griffin fought chickens?  It's evident that an incredible wife will deal with lot foolishness.

Sometimes, though, it is the wives who carve out their niche on television; women who are more than just small screen spouses, but ones that genuinely become unforgettable television characters. 

Here is a countdown of the ten most memorable television wives.

10) Debra Barone on “Everybody Loves Raymond”:
Debra certainly wasn’t from the old generation of television wives.  While small screen wives in the 1950’s were pushovers, Debra refused to roll over.  Born with steel for a backbone, Debra was constantly speaking her mind to her husband Ray, and her extended family.  Always perturbed by her mother in law meddling into her marriage, Debra had no issues making this known to Ray’s mother, Marie.  And though Debra would certainly go off the deep end every now and then, it was nice to see a wife would had no issues calling her husband out when he was in the wrong. 

9) Carrie Heffernan on "The King of Queens":
Has a woman ever been more tough, hard-nosed, and downright intimidating than Carrie?  The beautiful woman with the thick New York accent, Carrie always kept her husband, Doug, in line.  If he veered off track, she let him know it.  Sometimes she would smack him.  Other times she would twist his nipples.  And when physical harm wouldn't do the trick, Carrie could always throw in a fat joke.  With a sharp tongue and a mean right hook, Carrie was certainly the King of the Heffernan household.

 8) Lois from “Malcolm in the Middle”:
Loud.  Wild.  Crazy.  Scary.  A loving mother to be sure, Lois was one tough nut to crack.  The dynamic between husband Hal and her children was pure dysfunction that hadn’t genuinely been seen since the Bundy clan.  Though her ways of parenting were always unique, there was little doubt that Lois cared about her husband and children.  And though Lois often embarrassed those around her—and was even referred to as “Lois Common Demoninater” by Hal’s snooty family, she always had her family’s back whenever a crisis occurred.

 7)  Louise Jefferson on "The Jeffersons":
In the 1950's, we saw television wives as docile, domesticated spouses. Twenty years later, Lousie "Weezie" Jefferson came onto the scene.  A stark contrast from her former neighbor and friend Edith Bunker, "Weezie" had no problem telling her cocky, husband George that he was acting like an idiot.. She was often blunt, and had no problem imposing her will on her husband if he got too far out of line.  In that sense, "Weezie" was similar to a domestic referee.  If George--constantly fighting the Napoleon complex--got too wild or offensive, it was "Weezie" who had to rein him in with a verbal smack down.

6) Peggy Bundy on "Married with Children":
A wife who doesn't want to cook, clean, work, or parent is usually not one that would be considered for a countdown list such as this.  But the character of Peggy is forever etched into television lore--for better or for worse.  Although she constantly harped on her husband's shortcomings, there was no doubt that Peggy loved Al Bundy.  Though she complained, whined, and sometimes even cried, "Peg" could always verbally spar with anyone while simultaneously eating bon-bon's and watching "Oprah."  When push came to shove, Peggy always had her husband's back--whether he welcomed it or not.

5)  Carmela Soprano on "The Sopranos":

Carmela has to be one of the most faithful, yet gloriously naiive wives ever to grace the small screen.  A sweet woman who longed for the perfect family and marriage, Carmela was smart--she knew what was going on.  Say what you will about her morals of living with a known Mafioso--especially one who is involved with dirty money, federal agents, adultery, therapy, and attempts on his life--Carmela decided to stick it out when she could've (should've?) left a long time ago.  She was loyal to both her children and husband and was determined to work through the many difficult times--like the scene below.

 4)  Edith Bunker on “All in the Family”:
Poor Edith didn’t really know any better.  That's not to say Edith was dumb--far from it.  She simply cared about her husband Archie to a fault, and while she didn’t share his racist views, she certainly put up with them.  Despite Archie’s xenophobia, curmudgeon-like rants, and his inability to share his favorite chair, Edith found many things to love about her husband.  Always willing to excuse her husband’s rudeness, Edith rarely confronted Archie like Lousie did George.  But Edith was loyal to the core, and had the ability to make subtle, indirect jabs at Archie’s ignorance.  Those were definitely the days.

 3)  Marge Simpson on "The Simpsons":
If Carmela is the most faithful wife in recent television history, then there's little doubt that Marge Simpson is the most supportive one.  Ever.  In fact, Marge has supported her husband through a sexual harassment lawsuit, beer smuggling, intentional obesity, and a job as a destructive monorail conductor--just to name a few.  She has suffered through her son's shoplifting and her daughter's mental breakdowns.  Through it all, she has remained calm, cool, collected, and very, very loyal.  With her cautious murmurs and soft-spoken voice of reason, Marge is the kind of spouse that every man hopes to call his own one day.

2)  Claire Huxtable on "The Cosby Show":
Intelligent and refined, Claire was unlike any wife seen on television.  She had genuine equity within her marriage due to her persona and successful career.  This was quite foreign on television, as the wife was often either put in her place (Edith Bunker), or the stay at home mom (Marge Simpson).  But Claire was different--she demanded respect.  Who could ever forget the scene featuring the lovable male chauvinist Elvin, who thought that a woman should wait on a man's every beck and call?  Claire quickly set him straight, intimidating the poor man and making him look foolish in the process (see video below).  Claire was a special kind of wife, one that is certainly present in society but rarely portrayed on television.

 1)  Lucy Ricardo on “I Love Lucy”:
Topping Lucy is like topping Michael Jordan—it theoretically can be done, but it’s going to take one hell of an effort.  What’s unique about Lucy Ricardo is that she wasn’t the co-star—she was THE star.  Always dying to be in her husband’s musical acts, Lucy devised countless plans in hopes of becoming famous.  Other times, it was Lucy’s wild antics in which she persuaded her friend Ethel to participate in—be it raising chickens in the country or dressing up like aliens in the city.  The best dynamic, though, was when both Lucy and husband Ricky would attempt to enact revenge on one another when each didn’t get their way.  Through it all, though, Lucy was a caring wife who thoroughly loved her husband.   And she made us laugh in the process.

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A similar article by Michael Langston Moore can also be read at Starpulse.com