Over the years, we have had many iconic TV husbands, but how many of them truly deserve that title? Rewatching many of these shows reveals just how terrible these men were to their spouses.
From lies and manipulations to ignorance and betrayals, here are the top 10 worst TV husbands of all time.
10. Ross Geller in ‘Friends’
Ross Geller’s three failed marriages might have been a running joke, but behind it all, he really is a terrible husband. His disrespect for his ex-wife Carol’s relationship tells a lot about his personality. On top of it, he literally says someone else’s name at the altar.
The fact that he lies to Rachel about their annulment to avoid another failed marriage and consistently refuses to take responsibility for the consequences of his action really shows why he failed to become even a decent husband in all three of his marriages.
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9. Tom Scavo in ‘Desperate Housewives’
Let’s be honest, ‘Desperate Housewives’ is hardly the show where you can look for great husbands, but Tom Scavo is the worst case of a man-child. Beneath his charming exterior is a deeply immature man who does nothing but make Lynette’s life harder.
She is the one who sacrifices everything so Tom can go around chasing his selfish dreams. And when it comes to the consequences of his actions, he leaves it for Lynette to clean up after him.
8. Phil Dunphy in ‘Modern Family’
Phil Dunphy can be one of ‘Modern Family’s most lovable characters, but he was never a good husband. He is the goofy, fun-loving dad while Claire is the one who carried all of the family’s responsibilities.
His inappropriate crush on his mother-in-law is just the worst. For Claire, it was essentially four kids that she had to take care of the entire time.
7. Randall Pearson in ‘This Is Us’
Randall and Beth’s marriage is just painful to watch. He repeatedly puts his own ambitions and emotional needs ahead of anything that Beth needs. She is always expected to support him.
But when it comes to her share of the support, Beth gets nothing but more family responsibilities in return. He is emotionally absent in every crisis, and their marriage just felt tragically one-sided.
6. Jim Halpert in ‘The Office’
Rewatching ‘The Office’ today makes Jim Halpert so much harder to defend. He is barely a decent husband. Somehow, all his questionable behaviors get overlooked as quirky or charming.
But in reality, he is selfish and immature, with some very serious red flags. The show might have tried to brush it under the carpet, but we know that Pam deserved a far better husband.
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5. Dre Johnson in ‘Black-ish’
Dre Johnson might have been a loving father and an adequate, reliable provider, but he was the most horrible person to Bow. The entire run of the show, we can’t help but cringe at just how immature he is.
Meanwhile, Bow has to handle all the emotional and practical responsibilities of their marriage all on her own. She needed someone to truly support her, but Dre was never the partner she deserved.
4. Don Draper in ‘Mad Men’
Though he nailed the effortlessly charming husband on the surface, beneath it all he is a deeply troubled man. He destroys two marriages all because of his constant infidelity, dishonesty, and emotional detachment.
Don shows no regard for the women he marries or the effect his behaviors can have on his children. Worst of all, he refuses to take any responsibility to make things right.
3. Tony Soprano in ‘The Sopranos’
Didn’t it seem like Tony Soprano married only to cheat on his wife and sleep with other women? His adultery is impossible to defend, but then there is his violent mobster life, which constantly puts his family in danger.
Tony is hot-tempered and manipulative, never hesitating to use violence to get what he wants, no matter how it affects his family. Whatever affection he had for them, we just don’t get to see any of it.
2. Walter White in ‘Breaking Bad’
Being married to a meth manufacturer is, of course, not an ideal situation. But it is Walter White’s transformation that is so hard to watch. He convinced himself he was doing everything for his family.
But his choices just consume him and fundamentally change him, leaving his family to bear the brunt of everything alone. It was his lies, manipulations, and ruthlessness that ultimately destroyed the very relationships he was trying so hard to protect.
1. Owen Hunt in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’
Owen Hunt’s marriage to Cristina Yang was simply horrible. He refuses to respect his partner or any of her choices. Despite knowing Cristina never wanted children, he pressures her.
And when she chooses abortion, he cruelly blames her for the loss. Then, of course, he cheats on her, taking their toxic relationship to a new level, where Owen is never dealing with the consequences of his actions, and Cristina is always forced to do it all by herself.
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