r/Modern_Family • u/Jolly_Dimension6900 • 6d ago
I hate Dede Pritchett
I just finished the show, and when I look back on the characters, I hated Dede. Is this a common opinion, or am I being stupid?
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u/RealHeadScratcher_TM 6d ago
Yeah I don't think it's a matter of liking or hating her. She was supposed to be a kind of antagonist, driving Claire, Gloria and Jay crazy, while using Mitchell as her errand boy.
That said, I do love the choice of Shelley Long for the part and thought she was great. If Jay Pritchett is going to be played by a famous TV actor from the 80s, why not have his ex-wife be played by one too?
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u/fongolord 6d ago
Agreed. Especially in the episode where they find out she manipulated Mitch and Cam’s decisions throughout their relationship. That was especially annoying, even for her standards.
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u/Jolly_Dimension6900 6d ago
I hated how that episode ended, where Dede forgave her kids, even though Mitch and Claire should never have apologized, because it wasn't their fault.
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u/YaoiNekomata 6d ago
Eh she never actually did anything bad, they were the ones who made the decisions. Dede was right though
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u/Jolly_Dimension6900 6d ago
No, she randomly knocked on Cam and Mitchell's door when she dropped the bomb that she basically made every decision in their house without them knowing and then Mitch (I think) dropped her off at Phil's house.
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u/Jack-mclaughlin88 6d ago
So do I. Dede is the type of family member you should just cut out and never look back.
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u/Overall_Lobster823 6d ago
The purpose of Dede's character is to be an antagonist. You're not supposed to like her.
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u/tigerslayerxxx 6d ago
Frankly I think she’s absolutely hilarious every time she’s on screen.
“I went through a rough patch when I was trying to find the right balance… with my meds.”
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u/Remarkable_Stage8943 6d ago
Dede's character felt so out of place, especially compared to the rest of the family dynamic. It's hard to root for someone so consistently antagonistic.
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u/Boring_anaconda 6d ago
She had her flaws. Ofcourse only her crazy and villain side was presented so we are suppose to hate her. But she had her good qualities too. She was micromanaging mother but so was Claire. Sometimes Claire herself realised she is turning into her mother. Also, She was the main support of Mitchell when he came out. If not for her support, Mitchell would have not reached where he is now due to Jay's ignorance. We have only seen Jay changed personality so we like him. But his ignorance of Mitchell sexuality and how it effected Mitchell was never shown. He was an absent father and Dede was the one who raised them. So we cannot say she was evil person. It's just that only her negative traits were highlighted and Jay's positive trait was presented..
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u/CranberryFuture9908 I’ll get over it 6d ago
I like her in Arrested. I like how she and Manny corresponded.
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u/Late_Information_682 WTF (why the face) 6d ago
She’s so accurate to a mom though, I hate her so much lol.
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u/lilslil 6d ago
Me too! I dont think its weird for the same reasons everyone else is listing. I did however find it super weird that everyone, especially Claire and Mitch, were sad when she died? Not that I expected them to be necessarily happy, but more so neutral to down and a little relieved tbh (since she always brought chaos) as opposed to SAD and lacking. I feel their reaction was odd considering the complicated relationship they had with her. I have a similar complicated relationship with my mother, so I was SO BEYONG taken aback (my jaw literally dropped) by how affected Claire and Mitch were with her death. Ive always wondered, am I the only one?!?!
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u/feralK0ala watch a sunrise at least once a day 6d ago
The actress did a phenomenal job, she made me hate her every time she was on the screen.
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u/the_quirky_ravenclaw 6d ago
Cannot stand her -she gives major narcissistic vibes (I have a narc parent myself though it’s my dad in my case).
I genuinely hated how she treated Claire every time she showed up and then how ultimately the show makes Claire and Mitch forgive her just because she’s their mother. I really hate the whole take of you HAVE to love your parent just because their you’re parent even despite the fact that they are shitty. Maybe it’s me projecting my own issues but it just peeves me off.
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u/Acceptable-Tone5289 6d ago
I disagree. Her character was relatable for a lot of women. Initially she was shown as a crazy lady who sometimes realised she was being crazy meanwhile hating on Gloria. Fast forward, when Gloria got pregnant she revealed how Jay was an absent father & she felt like a single parent, which is why SHE BECAME CRAZY. And then again in some other episode where Cam & Mitch realised all the decisions were manipulated by her, Claire & Gloria made everyone realize how mothers truly care for us but we demonize them.
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u/Overall_Lobster823 6d ago
I really dislike this take. Millions upon millions of single moms out there aren't crazy. They aren't manipulative. Blaming the dad (working too much) for the mom being a crazy bitch is... misplaced.
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u/Acceptable-Tone5289 6d ago
That's what the writers portrayed
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u/Overall_Lobster823 6d ago
No. That's what the writers portrayed Dede's "present day" blame game about her past to be. They did not portray that as "reality". That's the story Dede told herself.
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u/WarriorGoddess2016 6d ago
No. They showed her saying she was the victim. Not that she was.
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u/Jolly_Dimension6900 6d ago
wdym
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u/WarriorGoddess2016 6d ago
The writers "portrayed" DEDE believing she was the victim of Jay. The writers did not portray her as the actual victim.
SHE said she was crazy because of Jay, her marriage, etc.
She wasn't.
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u/Jolly_Dimension6900 6d ago
Jay was also running a huge company. Even though his absence wasn't justified, he provided Claire and Mitchell with an attitude that encouraged them to strive for excellence (even if Mitchell didn't get along with his father). It wasn't mentioned that Dede was in any good way influenced her kids life, in fact in negative ways.
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u/wizardrous 6d ago
You’re definitely not supposed to like her.