# Biggest TV husband-wife discrepancies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 12, 2005, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700 "2005-08-12T06:54:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/21 "2005-08-12T15:48:00Z")
In movies, there will never be a more mismatched couple than Roger and Jessica Rabbit. Back to TV: Drew Carey and every one of his girlfriends. Ethel and Fred Mertz (he was old enough to be her father, and not exactly as prime a catch as Gary Cooper or Humphrey Bogart.) Andy Sipowicz and – again – just about every one. Barney Fife and Thelma Lou. Of course, there wasn’t a lot to choose from in Mayberry. From Home Improvement, Al and Ilene, the orthodontist he dated. Waaaay out of his league. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/22 "2005-08-12T15:48:18Z")
Darren (either one) and Samantha of Bewitched. A smart witch and a fumbling _muggle?_ ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/23 "2005-08-12T15:48:40Z")
Revisiting the age discrepancy, Holling & Shelly from **Northern Exposure** were (from the actor’s ages) 35 years apart. Cute couple, but still quite unusual for the TV landscape (as far as long-term relationships go). ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/24 "2005-08-12T15:50:37Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > In movies, there will never be a more mismatched couple than Roger and Jessica Rabbit. Well, at least Roger was devoted to her. He may not have had the looks, but he did bring the love. Most sitcom husbands in this category are arseholes. > [@](#): > > Drew Carey and every one of his girlfriends. Lookswise, absolutely. I think George Costanza and every one of his girlfriends is a better example, though. He’s a pig as well as ugly. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/25 "2005-08-12T15:52:03Z")
> [@gouda](#): > > The _The King of Queens_ couple. She is soooo out of his league! Actually when she started packing on the (pregnancy) lbs, and he lost a few the roles sort of reversed. He’s not a bad looking guy at all so long as he’s not 100 lbs overweight. She does _not_ carry excess weight well - at all. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/26 "2005-08-12T15:55:12Z")
On **Northern Exposure** , though, the age difference really was supposed to be accentuated, and made the relationship something much more interresting. Besides, Holling might have been old, but he was one _hell_ of a guy, according to all the stories that got passed around on the show. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/27 "2005-08-12T15:58:59Z")
> [@ArrMatey!](#): > > On **Northern Exposure** , though, the age difference really was supposed to be accentuated, and made the relationship something much more interresting. Besides, Holling might have been old, but he was one _hell_ of a guy, according to all the stories that got passed around on the show. Certainly more fitting than Shelly Tambo and Maurice Minnefield! ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/28 "2005-08-12T16:01:10Z")
Larry David’s wife, Cheryl, on _Curb Your Enthusiasm_. It is not that she is so hot, but he is such a tool that no-one would stay with him! ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/29 "2005-08-12T16:06:06Z")
I loved Holland and Shelly together. This thread has me trying to think of a reversed situation now, with a hot guy and a frumpy wife, and I’ll be damned if I can think of a single one… ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/30 "2005-08-12T16:07:10Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > From Home Improvement, Al and Ilene, the orthodontist he dated. Waaaay out of his league. They’re both homely and have extremely vanilla personalities. I thought they were a perfect match. She was the female version of him. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/31 "2005-08-12T16:10:03Z")
Herman and Lilly Munster. Talk about a mixed marriage! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/32 "2005-08-12T16:18:02Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Andy Sipowicz and – again – just about every one. I dunno, I bought him with Sylvia. (Sylvia? The DA played by Sharon Lawrence.) The blonde he ended up with after I stopped watching the show, though – I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/33 "2005-08-12T16:23:04Z")
I haven’t noticed any cases of the husband way too hot for the wife…just like you never see 50-something females boinking 20-something men, etc. in the movies, but you sure see a lot of the reverse. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/34 "2005-08-12T16:53:04Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > I think George Costanza and every one of his girlfriends is a better example, though. He’s a pig as well as ugly. I was going to say Jerry, but you’re right. George is better. > [@Amp](#): > > _Everybody Loves Raymond_. I can’t beleive she, or for that matter any woman, would marry that pompous ass. That’s the one I was coming in to say. Plus, that mother-in-law drives me into a coughing-up-blood rage whenever she’s on screen. She deserves every Emmy she’s ever won. > [@Ethilrist](#): > > _Blondie._ Mmmmmmm, Penny Singleton… ---
**Author:** ![TurdFerguson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9a140/32.png) [@TurdFerguson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TurdFerguson)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/35 "2005-08-12T17:02:00Z")
Tobias and Lindsay of _Arrested Development_ Lindsay is a shallow materialistic rich girl and sometimes an activist poseur who gets by on her looks. Tobias is just a clueless dork. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/36 "2005-08-12T17:08:39Z")
You know the whole slob/hottie thing used to bother me… Then I went to a wedding this weekend of some old high school friends. All the gorgeous girls there had the dumpiest average looking husbands. All pudgy and plain looking. I was surprised. So Courtney Thorne Smith and Jim Belushi? Not so far off from reality. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/37 "2005-08-12T17:37:05Z")
> [@ArrMatey!](#): > > On **Northern Exposure** , though, the age difference really was supposed to be accentuated, and made the relationship something much more interresting. Besides, Holling might have been old, but he was one _hell_ of a guy, according to all the stories that got passed around on the show. I happen to have watched the first few episodes just last weekend–Shelly was supposed to be eighteen years old, and Holling in his sixties. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/38 "2005-08-12T17:48:38Z")
> [@belladonna](#): > > This thread has me trying to think of a reversed situation now, with a hot guy and a frumpy wife, and I’ll be damned if I can think of a single one… Remington Steele. Major league Pierce Brosnan and the cute but strictly Single-A Stephanie Zimbalist. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/39 "2005-08-12T17:55:46Z")
> [@An Arky](#): > > I haven’t noticed any cases of the husband way too hot for the wife…just like you never see 50-something females boinking 20-something men, etc. in the movies, but you sure see a lot of the reverse. Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson… ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700/40 "2005-08-12T18:00:01Z")
Another one from the movies: Clint Eastwood and Carol Channing in [The First Travelling Saleslady](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049212/combined). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-tv-husband-wife-discrepancies/316700.md?page=3)