Not all grandparents are created equal, especially on TV.
Where some grandparents offer words of wisdom and sage advice, others are there to tell it like it is and deliver the tough love.
Then there are those who share their love with their own special brand of sass.
Whether these folks are the perfect grandparents we never had or just amusingly dysfunctional, these Grams and Gramps all have one thing in common…
They all love their grandkids and are unendingly entertaining!
So let's take a look at the 15 TV grandparents we wish we had!
1. Martha Rodgers - Castle
Who wouldn't want Martha Rodgers as their grandmother, or “Gram” as Alexis called her. She was fun and vivacious, yet loving and loyal. Martha was always ready with helpful, usually unsolicited advice (whether it was always the best advice was another story). She was also there with a big hug, a shopping spree (using her son's credit card), and a good party. Who doesn't love that?
2. Zeb and Esther Walton - The Waltons
The Waltons were unlike most TV families. They were poor and rural, and had live-in grandparents that everyone loved. Zeb and Ester passed on their wisdom and advice to all of the Walton children, and best of all, every member of the family appreciated their efforts. If we all could be so lucky to experience such love, dedication, and acceptance in real life.
3. Frank Reagan - Blue Bloods
Frank Reagan is a great father and the well respected NYPD Police Commissioner but he's also something else...an amazing grandfather. Frank is always there for his grandkids, whether it's offering sage advice to Nicky or keeping Danny's boys in line at the dinner table. The Reagan grandchildren are incredibly lucky to have such a smart and understanding grandpop.
4. Jay Pritchett - Modern Family
Yes, Jay may have a gruff exterior, and he's all about the tough love, but he's also an amazing grandfather. Family means everything to Jay, perhaps even more as he gets older. And whether they're driving him crazy or not, he's always there for all his grandkids.
5. The Dowager Countess Violet Crawley - Downton Abbey
“It’s the job of grandmothers to interfere.” We suppose it's hard to argue with that. The Dowager Countess delivered some of the most humours one-liners of any grandparent on TV. Her quips were so good that they even have their own mock Twitter account. It's easy to see where Lady Mary got her clever wit and sharpe tongue. It was from her grandmother, obviously!
6. Prince Charming and Snow White - Once Upon a Time
Who else has actual fairy tale characters as their grandparents? Royal parents, no less? No one. Henry's life is never dull, mostly because his mom is the missing daughter of the most famous romantic couple from Enchanted Forest. Better yet, Henry gets sword fighting lessons from a real life prince and gets to be a true believer in actual fairy tales.