We all know that the nuclear family is, for the most part, totally outdated. Sure, some families still consist of a mom, a dad, two kids, a dog, and a white picket fence, blah, blah, blah. If you exclusively watch Nick at Nite, you might think those are the only types of families represented on TV, but you’d be wrong. Television series featuring atypical families have become much more popular — Parenthood and The Fosters for example — and we’re pumped because a white picket fence can only be so interesting. In fact, some of our favorite families on TV are a little less than normal, and they’re more hilarious because of it.
ABC
Trophy Wife
Two ex-wives, a handful of kids, and a new wife that’s closer in age to the kids than her husband — yeah, that’s a bit unusual. The Harrisons are a loving bunch who might have their differences sometimes, but that’s to be expected from a housewife, a surgeon, a lawyer, and a hippie (which sounds like the intro to a bad joke.)
New Girl
Although not technically a family, Jess, Nick, Winston, Schmidt, and now Coach are close enough that they represent a different kind of family: the friend-family. They’re those people who know you better than your cousins or your grandparents; they’re just as important as blood relatives.
Modern Family
The Pritchetts, the Dunphys, and the Delgado-Pritchetts can be credited with making the atypical family a hilarious TV trend. What’s not to love about this bunch? They’re a little off the wall, but they represent a realistic extended family situation. Plus Modern Family is one of the best comedies on TV right now, so they must be doing something right.
