5 favorite TV moms

May 8, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, here’s a look at some extraordinary women — the moms of five of our favorite TV moms.

• Pat Spence (Marsha Mason) on “The Middle,” mother of Frankie Heck (Patricia Heaton): Has appeared in the show’s 2010 Mother’s Day and Christmas episodes (on that occasion, she and her husband stayed with the Hecks for 12 days, overindulging the children).

• Beverly Harris (Estelle Parsons) on “Roseanne,” mother of Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr) and Jackie Harris (Laurie Metcalf): A recurring character who was best-known for being a world-class nag toward her daughters.

• Lois Whelan (Katherine Helmond) on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” mother of Debra Barone (Patricia Heaton): Sweet, but easily insulted character who appeared in 14 episodes.

• Carrie Hanks (Ethel Ayler) on “The Cosby Show,” mother of Clair Huxtable (Phylicia Rashad): Appeared in six episodes and was known for dispensing such sage advice as “the older you are when you have kids, the older you’ll be if they end up having to come back and live at home.”

• Jacqueline Bouvier on “The Simpsons,” mother of Marge Simpson: Also blue-haired, also beehived and also voiced by Julie Kavner.

“THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE” (8 p.m., NBC): “The Celebrity Apprentice” expands to three hours tonight, leaving even more time for hot-headed housewife, NeNe Leakes, to throw down with Star Jones.

“The Amazing Race: UNFINISHED BUSINESS” (8 P.M., CBS): And down the stretch they come. “The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business” produces a winner tonight, meaning that, yes, one duo will actually finish their business.

“Brothers & sisters” (10:01 P.M., ABC): As Sarah and Luc (Rachel Griffiths, Gilles Marini) get ready for their wedding day, fans can only hope that tonight’s season finale won’t be the series finale.