The glorious return of the unhinged TV mother.

In the pantheon of television tropes, the chaotic, slightly deranged mother figure has always occupied a special place in our hearts. But lately, it seems these gloriously unhinged matriarchs aren't just stealing scenes — they're commandeering entire shows with their mesmerising brand of maternal mayhem.

Leading this resurgence is none other than the internet's current obsession, Parker Posey's Victoria in The White Lotus season 3, a character so spectacularly unhinged she makes previous seasons' wealthy eccentrics look positively well-adjusted. Victoria — with her perfectionist neuroses and passive-aggressive daggers disguised as pleasantries — represents the pinnacle of privileged maternal chaos.

Watch the trailer for White Lotus season 3. Article continues after video. 

Whether she's interrogating resort staff about thread counts or pretending not to judge her fellow guests while simultaneously eviscerating them with her gaze, Victoria is a masterclass in controlled combustion.

What makes Victoria so deliciously watchable is probably the fact that she's equal parts sympathetic and sociopathic — a wild combination. She's obviously terrible, but there's something in her perpetual dissatisfaction that feels uncomfortably relatable, because maybe none of us are meant to be uncomfortable at any age.

The Queen of chaos. Image: HBO. 

This renaissance of chaotic maternal energy isn't limited to Victoria. Consider the evidence. Catherine O'Hara's Moira in Schitt's Creek, with her wall of wigs and vocabulary that would make a thesaurus blush, redefined what it means to be an eccentric mother.

Her unique pronunciation of "bébé" alone deserves its own Emmy. Moira's particular brand of chaos involves treating her children as accessories to her main character energy while simultaneously delivering life advice so bizarre it occasionally circles back to profound.

Moira Rose is an icon. Image: Netflix. 

Then there's Deborah Vance in Hacks. Jean Smart's comedy legend Deborah isn't just unhinged — she's removed the hinges, gold-plated them, and turned them into statement earrings. Her chaotic energy manifests in cutting one-liners and a work ethic that borders on pathological. As a mother, she's the definition of complicated — loving her daughter through a haze of competition, resentment, and genuine admiration.

She's tough, but we love her. Image: MAX. 

Even in the world of regency romance, we can't seem to escape the chaos of motherhood. Bridgerton's Queen Charlotte and Lady Featherington offer a two-for-one special in maternal chaos. Queen Charlotte rules the ton with mercurial mood swings that determine social success or ruin. With her cutting (and honestly, hilarious) remarks and imperial judgments, we're all as scared of her as we are obsessed with her.

The Queen herself. Image: Netflix. 

Meanwhile, Lady Featherington's schemes to marry off her daughters are so desperate you have to applaud her. There's something magnificently iconic about her unyielding determination — she's a mother who refuses to let society's limitations dictate her daughters' futures. Armed with an enviable collection of feathered headpieces and gowns in every shade of citrus imaginable, she storms through ballrooms with her outrageous schemes (ranging from inappropriate to spectacularly unhinged) and an absolute refusal to accept defeat. She's shameless, she's ambitious, and she's certainly chaotic.

The woman with the biggest schemes. Image: Netflix.

Moving from period drama to modern-day mayhem, Georgia Miller from Ginny and Georgia brings a younger, more dangerous energy to the unhinged mum category. Her chaos isn't just emotional, it's occasionally criminal — she'll commit fraud, arson, or worse to protect her children. Georgia represents the millennial version of maternal chaos: Instagram-worthy birthday parties hiding a dark past. She's feisty, fiercely protective, and has an iconic Southern accent that makes her character all the more memorable.

She's unhinged and dangerous. Image: Netflix.

And last but not least, how could we ever forget Pamela Jones from Bridget Jones's Diary — the OG of middle-class maternal madness. Her midlife crisis, subsequent reinvention as a television personality and her constant meddling in Bridget's love life while wearing outfits that could blind satellites. Not to mention, her famous phone calls and, at times, highly inappropriate commentary, represent the perfect storm of loving intrusiveness.

Pam Jones is the classic, boundary-less mother. Image: Universal Pictures

She's the prototype for today's unhinged TV mothers — loving, infuriating, and completely oblivious to boundaries. Just when you think she couldn't possibly embarrass Bridget further, she manages to exceed all expectations.

These women share common traits that make them irresistible viewing: they're unapologetic, larger than life, and refuse to be confined by conventional notions of motherhood. They're messy in a world that expects maternal perfection, selfish in a role defined by sacrifice, and often painfully honest in a society that prefers its mothers filtered and photoshopped.

So here's to the glorious return of the unhinged TV mum — may her lipstick be bright, her one-liners cutting, and her chaos absolutely magnificent. In a world demanding maternal perfection, these women remind us that sometimes the most authentic form of love comes wrapped in designer neuroses and delivered with impeccable comic timing.

After all, normal is just a setting on the washing machine, darling.

Feature Image: Netflix / HBO.