5 Great TV moms

May 12, 2012 7:28 PM

Why settle for one great mom when, as any TV viewer knows, you can adopt a series of them?

Here's five of the best, from the demure 1950s version to the freewheeling 21st-century incarnation. These fictional mamas may have set the bar high for generations of real ones, but they did something in return: kept families entertained so they'd give mom a break, if only until the next commercial. No Mother's Day card is necessary, but let's give each of these TV moms a big hug for her holiday. --AP