The 14 Best Grandmothers In TV History

Never forget the legacy of TV grandmothers, whose quirky personalities (and ice-cold zingers) could make or break the success of an American sitcom.

Think about it: Would Lorelai and Rory Gilmore's relationship have evolved without the chilly contrast of grandmother Emily on "Gilmore Girls?" Would Tony Miceli and Angela Bower have fallen in love on "Who's the Boss?" without Mona Robinson's constant prodding? And who else kept order like Grandma Esther on “The Waltons?"

Some of these grandmothers were introduced in television shows decades ago, but they were unapologetic about chasing love, independence and happiness — all while keeping the family unit solid.

Scroll for our favorite grandmothers in television history.

1. Endora of “Bewitched” (1964)

Meet the original shade queen. Agnes Moorhead's portrayal of Endora, who scorned her witch daughter Samantha's marriage to ad man Darrin Stephen, gave mother-in-laws a bad name. Turning Darrin into a werewolf, cursing him with labor pains and meddling in their marriage is how Endora best caused trouble.

2. Esther Walton of “The Waltons” (1972)

Uncompromising, church-loving matriarch Esther Walton, played by Ellen Corby, might be television's most traditional grandmother. In the show, which depicted the Virginia family through the 1930s and 1940s, Esther cooked, cleaned and kept family drama to a minimum.

3. Betty Johnson of "Punky Brewster" (1984)

Nurse Betty Johnson (played by Susie Garrett) is the grandmother and full-time caretaker of Punky Brewster's best friend Cherie. When Betty wasn't trolling Punky's foster dad Henry for being cheap and boring, she went tough love on the girls, helping them through adolescent growing pains.

4. Mona Robinson of "Who's the Boss?" (1984)

Before Blanche Devereaux, there was Mona Robinson, the sexpot granny on "Who's the Boss?" Katherine Helmond added necessary spice to her buttoned-up Connecticut family (daughter Angela Bower, grandson Jonathan and housekeeper Tony Miceli and his daughter Samantha). When Mona wasn't scheming to get Angela and Tony together, she was (very) busy with her own love life.

5. Sophia Petrillo of “The Golden Girls” (1985)

Sophia Petrillo (played by Estelle Getty) proved that humor keeps you young. As the wise and mischievous matriarch, Sophia kept her roommates — daughter Dorothy Zbornak and friends Blanche Devereaux and Rose Nylund — in line. When she wasn't slinging sarcasm ("You’re old, you sag, get over it") and dodging Dorothy's empty threats of life in a nursing home (“Shady Pines, Ma!”), Sophia was the OG storyteller. Sorry, Rose.

6. Marie Barone of “Everybody Loves Raymond” (1996)

Doris Roberts' character Marie Barone on “Everyone Loves Raymond" was condescending, passive-aggressive and selfish. "This woman could be a harridan," the late Roberts once said, according to Variety. "She really is more than meddlesome." Even when criticizing her daughter-in-law Debra's cooking, appearance, home or parenting, Marie managed to delight. In her own way, of course.

7. Emily Gilmore of "The Gilmore Girls" (2000)

Emily Gilmore of “The Gilmore Girls” (Kelly Bishop) showed that hot and cold mother-daughter relationships can poison even the closest bonds. Socialite Emily's critical treatment of daughter Lorelai sometimes put granddaughter Rory in a tough spot, especially when Rory argued with her mom and turned to Emily for refuge.

8. Kris Jenner of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" (2007)

Be honest: Is anyone busier than Kris Jenner? The grandmother of 12 plays "momager" to her six children's star-studded careers and runs her own empire. However, being a grandmother, she once said, "is my greatest joy in life" and she makes quality time count with each grandchild, shopping or chilling by the pool.

9. Violet Crawley of “Downton Abbey” (2011)

Will the real OG influencer please stand up? No one embodied British high society like Violet Crawley (Dame Maggie Smith), the opinionated and secretive Dowager Countess of Grantham on "Downton Abbey." Quotes like, "I do think a woman’s place is eventually in the home, but I see no harm in her having some fun before she gets there" and "I am a woman, Mary. I can be as contrary as I choose" make Crawley one intimidating granny.

10. Ruby of “Black-ish” (2014)

Ruby, the grandmother on "Black-ish" (played by Jenifer Lewis) knew just about everything, which didn't always endear her to her family. Yet Ruby's heart was usually in the right place. "Ruby loves her grand-babies, that’s what really grounds Ruby Johnson on ‘Black-ish,'" Lewis told Salon about her character. "It’s a great environment, I’m happy there. I love my character, she gets to do so much: con-artist, shoot somebody, blow up a boat, lie to the kids. She’s very coo-coo, y’all."

11 & 12. Grace and Frankie of "Grace and Frankie" (2015)

Why have one iconic grandmother when you can have two? Grace Hanson (Jane Fonda) and Frankie Bergstein (Lily Tomlin) of "Grace and Frankie" weren't friends until their husbands fell in love with each other. The ladies are nothing alike — Grace is glamorous and Frankie is a bit out-there — but once they healed from the betrayal, they confronted their golden years with forgiveness and hilarity.

13. Jenny Huang of "Fresh Off the Boat" (2015)

Grandma Jenny Huang, played by Lucille Soong on "Fresh Off The Boat," has a quiet nature but when she expresses herself, often in Mandarin and translated in English subtitles, she's pure personality. Whether she's giving her grandson Eddie advice on how to resolve conflict on the basketball court — "Biggie and Tupac started out as friends and look what happened" — or chewing out the mailman for not delivering her coupons, this Garfield-loving grandma is one of a kind.

14. Lia Maivia of “Young Rock” (2021)

On "Young Rock," based on the childhood of actor and former wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Ana Tuisila plays Lia Maivia, the real-life grandmother of Johnson. Maivia wasn't your typical granny — she was the first female wrestling promoter and, said Johnson, a "badass." The actor, whose father and grandfather were also professional wrestlers, explained on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," that Maivia didn't know always know that wrestling was choreographed. So ahead of her husband's first match, "She freaks out, she jumps in the ring, takes her clogs off and starts beating (the opponent's) ass in the ring."

Iconic grandma behavior!

This article was originally published on TODAY.com