5 Best Sitcom Grandmas Of All Time, Ranked

A staple archetype in many beloved family sitcoms is the grandmother, and while they are usually not the protagonists, they frequently steal the show. Why wouldn't they? Our love and adoration for our grandmas make us gravitate toward that character, and the mere existence of these characters usually creates an immediate emotional connection. 

While some of the most popular grandmas might fit the doting and wise category, such as Anna Huxtable in "The Cosby Show," the grandma archetype certainly is not limited to just sage advice and unconditional love. There's the bitter grandma who's a walking fuse or the one who always has a quip ready, just to name a few. The variety of different types of grandmas, and the actresses who give such memorable performances in this list, are certainly worth celebrating too. 

A prime example of a family member who exudes malice and hatred for her kin, Ida Welker subverts the kind grandma trope by going to the opposite extreme in "Malcolm in the Middle." Introduced in Season 2, Episode 15, "The Grandparents," the character was portrayed by Cloris Leachman, who won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for the role. 

What makes Ida Welker one of the best sitcom grandmas is the sheer chaos she brings every time she comes into the house. She showed no affection, gave no advice, and provided no comfort. She referred to Francis's wife, Piama, as a maid, piled on household stress onto the pregnant Lois, and was abusive to Lois' son, Francis. While the show gave her a moment of heroism in "Ida Loses a Leg," when she saves Dewey from an oncoming truck, this didn't undo her sins. 

Fortunately, for fans who could not stand the character, Ida Welker only appeared in 11 episodes. While it may seem paradoxical to consider her one of the best sitcom grandmas after listing all her negative traits, it is precisely her personality that makes her such an uncomfortable force of nature to watch.

"Black-ish" explores family in the context of African American culture and all its nuances, and Jenifer Lewis' Ruby Johnson is a critical part of that. Making her first appearance in Season 1, Episode 8, "Oedipal Triangle," she went from a guest character to a regular in Season 3. The mother of Andre Johnson (Anthony Anderson), wife of Pops (Laurence Fishburne), and mother-in-law to Rainbow Johnson (Tracee Ellis Ross), her story concluded in the series finale, "Homegoing," when she and Pops went on a cross-country adventure.

Her individual characteristics make her a fan favorite, but it is her role in the overall thematic cohesion of the story that makes her unforgettable. Her tug-of-war with Rainbow was one of the series' iconic relationships, as it provided entertaining yet subtly tragic comedic relief. She always had a sarcastic remark in her back pocket for anyone, even her beloved son. Beyond this, she, together with Pops, represents an older Black family in a house where three generations coexist, or at least try to — this depiction of blackness was key to the show's universal appeal. 

Estelle Winslow of "Family Matters" was simply a bundle of joy and the epitome of the kind of grandma we all love. Played by Rosetta LeNoire, she first appeared in the "Family Matters" series pilot, "The Mama Who Came to Dinner." She remained a recurring presence until Season 9, Episode 11, "Deck the Malls." Known more commonly as Mother Winslow, she is Carl Winslow's (Reginald VelJohnson) mother and Eddie Winslow's (Darius McCrary) grandmother.

Her kindness extends to everyone in the house. If you are a Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) fan, as many "Family Matters" viewers are — something that puzzles Urkel (Jaleel White) himself – you will especially love Mother Winslow because she was the only one who embraced his quirkiness without judgment. Whereas Steve ticks off the other family members, Estelle treats him as one of her own. Her kindness is certainly her defining characteristic, but what really sells Estelle as more than a conventional loving grandma is that she has a lot going for her. Her stories, experiences, and hobbies (which surprisingly extend to pop culture) give her another layer of appeal and depth that reminds viewers she is more than the matriarch; she is also her own character.

First appearing in "The Family" sketches on "The Carol Burnett Show," Thelma "Mama" Harper (Vicki Lawrence)  was the protagonist of all six seasons of "Mama's Family," until the series conclusion, "Bye Bye Baby," when a new granddaughter was welcomed into the family. Ken Berry plays the gullible son, Vint Harper; Naomi Oates Harper (Dorothy Lyman) is Vint's wife, and Beverly Archer (Iola Boylen) serves as the neighbor.

Mama is a household dictator, and the show's comedy relies on her constant bickering and arguments with the other members. And while this was her persona in the beginning, she transformed into more than a one-dimensional tyrant, thanks to Lawrence understanding the character needed more: "You can't expect people to come home once a week, pop a beer, and watch this woman scream at everybody for half an hour," she said in an interview with The Boston Globe. She became a genuinely lovable but flawed character who, despite her bickering, still loved her family. She was a fiercely protective matriarch in an "only I can berate my family" sort of way. We love her not in spite of her harsh side, but because she is portrayed as a human being with her own challenges, or, as Lawrence concisely put it, "basically a lonely old lady."

Connie "Meemaw" Tucker, played by Annie Potts, serves as the Ying to Sheldon's Yang in "Young Sheldon." She first appeared in Season 1, Episode 1, "Pilot," and remained a regular character from the second season until the series end. She is Mary Cooper's mother and the grandmother of Sheldon, Missy, and Georgie. Her last appearance on "Young Sheldon" was in the two-part finale, "Funeral" and "Memoir," a series that Potts took issue with. Potts reprised her role as Meemaw on "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage."

Sheldon's hyperintelligence often leads to adults either being intimidated or trying to ignore him. Meemaw, on the other hand, not only embraces his intelligence but also helps him make up for what his logic-based worldview doesn't let him see. Take, for example, Season 1, Episode 3: "Poker, Faith, and Eggs," where she teaches Sheldon human nature and how appearances can't be judged at face value through a poker game. 

While her relationship with Sheldon is one of the series' highlights, she functions impressively as a character without him. She eschews everything that the archetypal grandma: Meemaw's dating, defiance of traditional authority, and gambling lifestyle makes her possibly the coolest grandmother TV has to offer. And while her peculiarities win us over, the show also demonstrates the character's complexity by acknowledging the effects they had on her daughter, Mary, and their challenging, albeit loving, relationship.