25 of the best family feuds on TV

Tony and Carmela Soprano — The Sopranos

Many people have characterized the relationship between Tony and Carmela Soprano as far more insidious than a feud. Some critics called it abusive at worst, and toxic at best. Either way, it was clear that they loved each other, but as the series wore on, and Tony became harder to live with, Carmela’s patience with him dwindled.

As Tony’s business spiraled from mildly illegal to dangerously criminal, it became clear to Carmela that she had to protect her own best interests. As a traditional and close-minded Italian husband, Tony didn’t like all the personal growth he saw in Carmela, and he felt threatened the more independent she became.

As she tried to hedge against impending federal prosecution and the clear and present danger from rival families, Carmela became jumpy about the mafia life, and she and Tony argued constantly. Things became even more serious in their feud when she began to steal and hide money. Tony wanted her shut up and perform like a good little mafia wife, but Carmela wouldn’t be hushed.

Despite the feud that made them both miserable, they stayed together. They could always put their own crap away long enough to come together to protect themselves and their two children. This didn’t stop audiences from wishing a piano would fall on Tony’s head, but at the end of the series, they were still a family.