In the next decade, nearly one in five American citizens will be a senior citizen. The older generation is a big part of everyone's identity. They remind audiences of what society used to be, and how it has changed - either for better or worse. They also remind audiences of the future, in particular, what type of future society wants to see, whether it model that of the older generations, or it reject it.
Despite making up a big part of the world population, representations of older people on TV often suffer drastically, because they play upon tired tropes and conventions that are, in turn, built on ageist beliefs. Despite this, TV sometimes succeeds in producing great representations of old age on television.
10 The Golden Girls (The Golden Girls)
When Dorothy and Rose are searching for aliens in the night sky, Dorothy claims that she has a good life. Then she remembers that she is a divorced substitute teacher who can't even afford her own place to live, and she begs the aliens to take her away. Rose, in another episode, would admit that it is not fair how they spend their entire lives working and paying into the system only to spend their later years struggling to pay their rent or keep food on the table.
The Golden Girls is brutally honest about how older people in society struggle financially in a system that likes to forget people as soon as they age.
9 Arthur Spooner (The King Of Queens)
Arthur from King of Queens is a cranky, stubborn man who is forced to live in the basement of his daughter's house after he accidentally burnt his own house down. Arthur acts like a child, defying Carrie's instructions, although they are always for his benefit. During his working years, Arthur struggled to provide for himself financially, so he ended up with nothing as an elderly man. He relies on his wife and son-in-law for financial assistance.
Arthur's vivacity, however, makes up for his shortcomings. He has lived a very interesting life and continues to do so in his old age. For Arthur, his later years hold as much adventure as his younger ones. Arthur is also really smart, although he uses his intelligence to manipulate people into giving him things or doing things for him.
8 Abe Simpson (The Simpsons)
Despised by his family and ignored by them, Abe Simpson often resorts to lies and pretense to get his family to pay the slightest bit of attention to him. When Homer was starting his family and needed a down payment on his four-bedroom home, Abe was the one who gave Homer his life savings as a gift. A few days after the house was bought, Homer sent Abe to an old folk's home, and rarely visited him afterward, despite promising the contrary.
The Simpson family treat Abe with complete disrespect. Nonetheless, Abe is shown to be a resilient man who does not give up his search for meaning in life, despite how his family treats him.
7 Pierce Hawthorne (Community)
Pierce Hawthorne from Community is a racist, ignorant, arrogant, xenophobic old man who hangs out with a bunch of people much younger than him at Greendale Community College. At first, Pierce cannot understand that society has changed and evolved its views on identity politics. Later, he finds that he cannot accept this change, because it makes him feel fundamentally "wrong." But slowly and painfully, Pierce starts to listen and understand the other side and he begins to learn that his selfish attitude towards life cost him his wives and family.
Although he does not change significantly, Pierce still changes for the better. He embodies progress despite his age, proving that ignorance and arrogance are not inherent characteristics of old age.
6 Edith Cranwinkle (Bob's Burgers)
Edith from Bob's Burgers is the loud-mouthed, obnoxious arts and crafts store owner on Wonder Wharf. She, along with her husband, Harold, hate Bob with a passion and terrorize him consistently. The Edith-Harold-Bob feud began after Bob dismissed Edith's request to take down some naked paintings of animal butts on the walls of his restaurant. Since then, Judith has accused Bob of being a filthy, disgusting man, and Bob has tolerated her hatred.
But under her cankerous exterior, Edith has a code. She is a lover of art and gives Bob a lesson in painting for the love of art. Edith is also proud of her naked body, declaring that it is the natural human form and nothing for anyone to ever be ashamed of.
5 Mrs. Dubcek (3rd Rock From The Sun)
Mrs. Dubcek is the free-spirited landlord of the Solomon's who lives downstairs underneath the attic. Mrs. Dubcek is very promiscuous, a reputation that has followed her all over town. In fact, Mrs. Dubcek promotes her reputation, as she is fond of telling stories about her sexual conquests and sexual past.
In her free time, she likes to write her number on men's bathroom walls to advertise a good time. What Mrs. Dubcek lacks in subtlety, she makes up for with her joie de vivre and her love of animal print, feathers and fur.
4 Martin Crane (Frasier)
Martin Crane from Frasier served as a cop for many years and was forced to retire after a bullet caused him permanent leg damage. Martin is a sophisticated and suave man who is able to make friends with most people. Handsome too, Martin is never short on dates, especially with his ability to charm women.
Martin loves life and he loves his dog, Eddie, too. Despite his sons' success and education, Martin is frequently portrayed as the smartest and the most well-adjusted member of the Crane family. He is the head of the family who gives good advice and learns to show his sons how much he cares about them.
3 Grace Hanson & Frankie Bergstein (Grace And Frankie)
Grace and Frankie are two divorcees who learn to fall in love with life again after losing their marriages. The two former enemies became best friends through circumstances and prove to audiences that you can find your soulmate even in old age.
When the duo find out that their ex-husbands and children see them as nothing but frail old women with nothing else to give in life, they prove their family wrong by starting a business that quickly turns very successful. The two live very full lives even in their 70s, proving that life does not end until it ends.
2 Stanley Hudson (The Office)
Stanley Hudson is the everyday man who hates his job and is only in it for the money. Stanley does not pay attention at work and does the bare minimum, beginning his day by wishing it was 5:00 pm so that he can go home. Office meetings are a pointless waste of time for Stanley, and he spends his time doing crossword puzzles instead.
Stanley is one of the oldest members at Dunder Mifflin and he has put a lot of years into the company and is impatiently waiting for retirement when he will be free from the rat race forever. Stanley is a realistic - if depressing - look at what happens to audiences during their working years, and what awaits them when it is finally over.
1 Malory Archer (Archer)
Malory Archer from Archer defies every negative stereotype of old age possible, barring one. She is self-sufficient, independent, strong, healthy, and completely mentally capable. Unfortunately for her employees, she is quite cranky. Malory is financially independent because she owns her own business - although she made most of her profit by making very immoral and, many times illegal, decisions.
Malory discredits the stereotype of the weak, older person who needs to be cared for financially, mentally, or emotionally. In fact, Malory enjoys a very healthy sex life and has been caught up in many sex tape controversies, all in the space of a few years.
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