25 of the best family feuds on TV

Cheryl and Penelope Blossom — Riverdale

I love a mean mom. It makes for endless storylines and the well for melodrama is endless when it comes to mothers and daughters. When both mother and daughter are possible sociopaths, then it gets even juicier. Cheryl and Penelope Blossom maybe working at opposing ends of an agenda, but they are far more alike that either of them would like to admit.

Both Cheryl’s parents are cold and withholding, and this has instilled a seething resentment underneath Cheryl’s red-lipped smile and perfectly situated outfits. This resentment bubbles right below the surface, so every interaction with her mother is fraught with subtext about how much she secretly hates her, but also wants her approval. Nothing will enflame a daughter’s anger more quickly than her mother’s rejection.

Penelope, on the other hand, hasn’t had an actual emotion in her life, probably. Now that she’s on her own, she’s floundering to figure out how to exist in the world, and her only sense of control is over how she can make her daughter act. The more Penelope tries to control Cheryl, the more explosive their relationship becomes.

Cheryl looks more like the boss of the Blossom clan, and this power struggle is at the root of the feud between her and her mother. Even though Cheryl desperately wants her mother’s love, she won’t be put in a corner. In battle between these two women, my money will always be on Cheryl Blossom.