10 TV Characters That Didn't Deserve The Hate

If you grew up watching Malcolm in the Middle as a kid, you likely detested the family's perennially angry, ultra-strict mother Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), who is framed as being a joyless foil to the kids and their father Hal (Bryan Cranston).

This is perhaps best embodied by the infamous Family Guy skit where Hal is shown beating Lois to death in order to "free" the kids and himself. Despite the comedic intent, it reflects a very real attitude among viewers that Lois is a void of rage who wishes to suck up every last scrap of possible fun.

In reality, Lois is a brutally overworked woman who simply doesn't get the support she needs from her husband while dealing with a troupe of especially unruly sons.

Lois is just the first of several mothers and wives on this list who were demonised by the fanbase for daring to call the "heroic," typically male characters out on their bulls**t.

Revisiting the series today as an adult, it's clear that Lois loves her family and devotes so much of her time and energy to caring for them, no matter how rarely they seem to appreciate it.

If she's too controlling of Malcolm's (Frankie Muniz) life in particular, it's only in reaction to the abject chaos that's unfolding around her.