The Character From CBS' Mom That Truly Divided The Fanbase

The CBS series "Mom," as the title implies, has always been about family. Mom Christy (Anna Faris) is the daughter of Bonnie (Allison Janey) and the two have an estranged relationship. Both women are in recovery for alcohol and substance use. Christy is also mom to two kids, Roscoe (Blake Garrett Rosenthal) and Violet (Sadie Calvano). 

Given Christy and Bonnie's troubled pasts, it was important to the creators that past be the operative word. "I really thought audiences would not be able to get behind a bad mom on network TV," co-creator Gemma Baker told Variety. "We agreed her trouble needed to be in the rearview mirror and the children had to [be] safe, in order for it to be funny." While Christy's kids had major plotlines in the series' first four seasons, they both vanished by Season 5. Roscoe moved in with his father while Violet had a child at 17 with her high school boyfriend. Neither child has any more contact with Christy, and fans sometimes wonder why. The answer is simple: "As the show progressed, it just turned out to be about this group of women and their struggles to stay in recovery," said executive producer Nick Bakay.

Of the many "Mom" characters to come and go, there's one who has the fanbase talking — and not in the best way.

Some fans are glad Christy's kids disappeared, especially Violet. Though her arc ended in Season 4, Violet returns in Season 6 Episode 8, "Jell-O Shots and the Truth about Santa," as Christy discovers a new podcast about a woman complaining about her horrible mom. Problem is, Christy is the horrible mom, and Violet is the complainer.

"[I] have never disliked a character as much as I dislike Violet right now," u/VisibleCoat995 said on Reddit. "I can understand having an outlet for your traumas ... [But] this episode also showed me that Violet is as narcissistic and detached from reality as she ever was." Many fans agree, despite some conflicted feelings, as u/dragonsrawesomesauce expressed: While Violet can process her ordeal however she sees fit, even cutting ties with her mother, she should also recognize that Christy is a different, better person now. Especially considering "Violet doesn't want to see Bonnie's faults," and Bonnie made Christy the mother she was. Another fan of the show, u/happylilsmartcoat, said, "It bothers me that she [Violet] is on a high horse with her mother while being a despicable human being unable to take responsibility for anything."

It has always been important to the "Mom" creators that the show balances comedy with realism. "From the very beginning we've tried to make this show about recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction, and to do that without ever acknowledging the harsh reality of it seemed to be a cheat," cocreator Chuck Lorre told The Hollywood Reporter. Disowning a parent is certainly a realistic consequence to addiction. But as one Redditor said, "If you don't believe people can change, your life is going to suck. You'll only see the bad in people."

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).