December 7, 2011

Which Kid TV Characters Will Grow Up to Be Which Adult TV Characters?

By Margaret Lyons

The kid characters of today won’t be on TV forever, so we might never see little Sally Draper all grown up, or any of the children on Parenthood become their adult selves. And yet it seems we don’t need to, because most of the kids on shows right now already have adulthood dopplegängers, grown-ups who share some of their quirks and seem to be their ghosts of Christmases future. So who are you gonna be when you grow up, Sally Draper? Oh, we already know …

Constance shares a brutal parenting style with Sally's icy mother Betty (who herself obsesses over being like her own mother), but Sally's deeply damaged parents' acrimonious divorce could leave her with Contance's crazy — like, seriously, so crazy — obsession with family togetherness, even in the most warped and awful ways. If only her parents would keep her in therapy.

Constance shares a brutal parenting style with Sally's icy mother Betty (who herself obsesses over being like her own mother), but Sally's deeply damaged parents' acrimonious divorce could leave her with Contance's crazy — like, seriously, so crazy — obsession with family togetherness, even in the most warped and awful ways. If only her parents would keep her in therapy.

Smart, precocious, and a sore, sore loser, Sydney Graham has all the makings of a nascent Adderall Annie. She's part of a devoted familial unit, yet somehow always seems to get special attention.

Smart, precocious, and a sore, sore loser, Sydney Graham has all the makings of a nascent Adderall Annie. She's part of a devoted familial unit, yet somehow always seems to get special attention.

Sue’s the dorky outcast even in her family, but she’s indomitable: No matter how much rejection she faces, her perkiness and determination never seem to wane. So too with Jess, a square peg who refuses to bend to conventions and manages to overcome whatever obstacle with a combination of love, support from the people around her, and an astonishing yet charming obliviousness to social mores.

Sue’s the dorky outcast even in her family, but she’s indomitable: No matter how much rejection she faces, her perkiness and determination never seem to wane. So too with Jess, a square peg who refuses to bend to conventions and manages to overcome whatever obstacle with a combination of love, support from the people around her, and an astonishing yet charming obliviousness to social mores.

Grace and Pam are usually a little too nice to say no and often find themselves in peacemaker roles, often hiding their own passions (religion and viral videos for Grace, art and romantic love for Pam) until they just burst. They’re not pushovers, but they do seem much sweeter than the people around them.

Grace and Pam are usually a little too nice to say no and often find themselves in peacemaker roles, often hiding their own passions (religion and viral videos for Grace, art and romantic love for Pam) until they just burst. They’re not pushovers, but they do seem much sweeter than the people around them.

You ever discover you’re the bridge between the regular world and the fairy-tale universe? Henry has. And so has Nick. Apparently, it makes you kind of broody.

You ever discover you’re the bridge between the regular world and the fairy-tale universe? Henry has. And so has Nick. Apparently, it makes you kind of broody.

Gothy bangs, spunky attitudes, an ability to tune out bullshit — Becca and Abby are definitely cut from the same cloth (though Becca seems more music-oriented, while Abby’s more science-focused. Interests change over our lives!). More important, Becca is actually the undercover best character on her show — not unlike Abby, the fan favorite in her franchise, too.

Gothy bangs, spunky attitudes, an ability to tune out bullshit — Becca and Abby are definitely cut from the same cloth (though Becca seems more music-oriented, while Abby’s more science-focused. Interests change over our lives!). More important, Becca is actually the undercover best character on her show — not unlike Abby, the fan favorite in her franchise, too.

Equal parts doofy and sage, both Luke and Marshall share a devotion to their fathers, a soft spot for silly schemes, and each has a best friend who’s super romantic. Luke may not seem like he has the brainpower to be a lawyer, but sometimes Marshall doesn’t seem like he does, either.

Equal parts doofy and sage, both Luke and Marshall share a devotion to their fathers, a soft spot for silly schemes, and each has a best friend who’s super romantic. Luke may not seem like he has the brainpower to be a lawyer, but sometimes Marshall doesn’t seem like he does, either.

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