Top 10 Worst TV Husbands

There is a question that every wife has to ask her husband at some point during their marriage. Well, maybe just Annalise Keating... In this drama, her husband becomes a prime suspect in the murder case she’s trying when it’s revealed he was having an affair with the victim. His involvement becomes less deniable the more his secrets are revealed. What makes the relationship so compelling is that, through flash-forwards, we can see that Sam will end up murdered by the middle of the first season. Could his wife have had anything to do with it? Though it becomes clear through flashbacks that their relationship was once a happy one, Sam’s terrible choices are what set the series in motion and put him on this list.

Just because Peter isn’t necessarily malicious doesn’t mean that he isn’t a horrendous husband. Easily one of the most moronic characters on television, his well-intentioned but incredibly stupid antics are often the cause of strain on his family - particularly his wife, Lois, who usually inexplicably forgives him immediately after. In fact, he doesn’t seem to care or really even understand what’s happening around him, as he often injures, humiliates, or insults most of his family members. We’re not exactly sure what Seth MacFarlane was thinking when he named this show, but we wouldn’t call Peter much of an actual family guy.

Over the summer of 1980, viewers wondered who could have possibly shot this (arguable) antihero in one of the most iconic cliff-hangers of all time. The reason it was so compelling was because everybody in the cast was a suspect, and the culprit turned out to be a family member...and this wasn’t the only time he was shot by a someone in the family. The unscrupulous president of his Ewing Oil, he prioritizes his business dealings above all else, resulting in multiple failed marriages, scandals, and even a few deaths. He may be a terrible husband, but on screen, it was all soapy gold.

Olivia Pope and Mellie Grant are two determined female characters, so it can be at times disappointing to see them infatuated with the philandering leader of the free world. After several years of marriage, he begins an affair with his campaign manager, and doesn’t do much to hide it from his wife, who won’t leave him because of the PR disaster it would be for the White House. To his credit, he does show that he cares for both women, but his indecisiveness is one of the things that makes him such a bad husband. Then there’s the Amanda Tanner situation and his eventual alcoholism... Behind every great leader is, apparently, a very, very patient woman.

Many of the men on this list are adulterers, but none have likely cheated more than Tony. He’s also a mobster with no reservations about murdering others or committing actions that might place his family in danger. But hey, at least he does what he loves, right? Soprano has a penchant for being secretive about his job with Carmela, despite being more honest with his therapist, Dr. Melfi. Not to mention he is generally hot-tempered and can sometimes become violent as a result. His personality may make him a highly successful mob boss, but not necessarily a great husband... at least not in any traditional sense.

This bigoted husband is what made this series so revolutionary, especially when you considered the way the show portrayed and satirized certain extremist viewpoints. Archie Bunker’s probably the most likeable racist, homophobic sexist to be found on television, and his wife is likely the most patient woman...ever. There’s really nothing that won’t set Archie off, as he seems to live off of his irrational anger and general levels of annoyance with the world around him. His ridiculousness is truly at the heart of the sitcom, though, and his legacy of awfulness continues today, as he serves as the inspiration for television’s most potty-mouthed child. Could we have just found Cartman’s father?

What is it about political characters that seem to make them perfect for this list? This South Carolinian democrat will do whatever it takes to make it to a position of power. In fact, this is usually more important to Frank Underwood than his marriage. He cheated on his wife as part of an elaborate scheme to get ahead, and often belittles his wife’s role in his career. His plots are often successful, but at the cost of a constant huge strain on their relationship – though Claire is far from perfect herself. However, Frank did commit murder… and did you ever notice his initials?

Ed O’Neill may play a tough-but-caring patriarch on “Modern Family,” but his previous TV wife didn't get off so easy. After losing out on a football scholarship due to a broken leg, he became bitter and married Peggy – to whom he proposed while very drunk. His dark sense of humor and old-school mentality makes him stubborn and usually difficult to talk to, and he’s what we call today a ‘hater’. He even once created an anti-feminist group called “NO, MA’AM”. While his best friend, Jefferson, is also a horrendous husband, Al’s unpleasant disposition easily gives him the win... if you can call it that.

Being married to a meth cooker really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Though it’s undeniable that Walter White does what he does out of love for his family, it sends him on a downward spiral of crime and murder that turns him so cruel that his behaviour inevitably affects his family life. That’s not the end of his secrets, though; he also hides his cancer diagnosis for a brief period. Throughout the series, we see his family life tragically come tumbling down, despite the best of intentions. What’s worse, his brother-in-law is a DEA agent, which is bound to make family dinners an awkward experience for all involved.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honourable, or in this case, dishonorable mentions:

Frank Barone
“Everybody Loves Raymond” (1996-2005)

Dan Scott
“One Tree Hill” (2003-12)

Orson Hodge
“Desperate Housewives” (2004-12)

Lester Nygaard
“Fargo” (2014-)

Ralph Kramden
“The Honeymooners” (1955-56)

George Bluth, Sr.
“Arrested Development” (2003-06; 2013-)

Never marry a mad man, especially if the name you're taking isn't even his. Don’t be fooled by his good looks and charming demeanor - there are some dark truths just below the surface of our so-called Don Draper. This philandering ad man has few reservations about adultery or dishonesty, and throughout the series we see him destroy not just one, but two separate marriages. While Pete Campbell isn't much better, Don truly takes the cake with his lack of regard for the well-being of his wife – either of them- and his kids. Though he makes it clear that he feels bad about what he does... he does very little – if anything - to make things right either.

Do you agree with our list? Who’s your least favorite TV husband? For more family-friendly top tens published every day, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo