Lots of television shows center around families. That being said, there are tons of sons, both young and old, to go around. Bart Simpson might be the most classic and well-known mischievous son on the small screen, but there are many others that might give him a run for his money.
From dramas to comedies, it’s time to celebrate and condemn the most lovable—and most naughty—sons that have gained the popularity of fans despite the fact that their television parents might not be so thrilled about them in the same way.
Jake Harper (Two And A Half Men)
On Two and a Half Men, Jake Harper (Angus T. Jones) is always up to something, and it’s either letting pigeons in his room or ruining the entire floor of his grandmother’s house with water. He keeps his uncle Charlie and his dad on the lookout.
He’s not really purposefully bad, but this sporadic and less-than-intelligent kid has a way of making trouble. In his teen years, it’s definitely a bit more targeted mischief.
Eric Forman (That 70s Show)
As far as television sons go, Eric (Topher Grace) is definitely not the worst. Still, his father, Red, might disagree. He smokes weed in the basement with his friends and occasionally does dumb things like climb a water tower or sneak out. The problem with Eric is that he’s very, very bad at being mischievous. He does his best, but Kitty and Red are always on his tail. On That 70s Show, Eric is usually in trouble.
Buster Bluth (Arrested Development)
Buster (Tony Hale) isn’t exactly purposefully mischievous, but he’s always doing something that has his parents on their toes and the audience cringing in shock.
Arrested Development is full of bizarre and quirky plots, and that includes Buster’s weird habits, let alone faking a seizure or getting arrested for murder. It escalates fast, and Buster is one son that’s a tough guy to get.
Joffrey Baratheon (Game Of Thrones)
While lovers of Game of Thrones might not call Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) a ‘fan-favorite,' he’s still one of the most popular characters on the show. Frankly, he’s definitely up there in everyone’s books when it comes to villains.
If one son on this list was giving his parents trouble, it’s Joffrey, and it comes in the form of power and sadism and murder. He’s a handful, to say the least.
Luke Dunphy (Modern Family)
Modern Family is full of some pretty lovable and quirky characters, and Luke (Nolan Gould) is no exception. He’s known for shooting his sisters with toy guns and thinking his dad was a gold digger.
Of course, he’s a child, but he’s definitely the wild and mischievous type that keeps everyone in the family on their toes. He has his moments, both good and bad.
Lip Gallagher (Shameless)
This drama has many characters for fans to keep tabs on, and the tabs for Lip (Jeremy Allen White) are basically about his business-schemes and his high school life. He’s intelligent, but he also uses it for a bit of trouble.
From car thefts to drinking to forging SAT scores, he proves he’s got quite the brain, but he’s also definitely up to no good most of the time. Still, fans love to watch him do it on Shameless.
Louis Stevens (Even Stevens)
It’s only fair for one Disney show to get a shoutout, and there’s no better mischievous character than Louis (Shia LaBeouf). He’s selfish and lazy, but he’s also got a knack for making trouble. He likes to pull pranks and hates doing regular things. He’s that annoying brother and son that is always being gross and obnoxious, and fans will never forget this character from Even Stevens.
Stewie Griffin (Family Guy)
There’s nothing weirder than Stewie Griffin (Seth MacFarlane), a fully functioning toddler, who helps to make Family Guy what it is. He's incredibly intelligent—and, for some reason, has a British accent, but he’s also totally rude and crafty.
He holds grudges, he manipulates, and he even engages in theft and forgery. It’s pretty outrageous, but this angry little one is certainly the definition of mischief.
Will (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)
Will (Will Smith) is actually the nephew of the Banks family. Still, he certainly deserves some recognition for his mischievous behavior. Whether it’s sneaking out, talking back, or teaching Ashley how to rap, he gives Uncle Phil, one of the most iconic televisions ‘dads’ ever, a hard time.
Will does what Will wants, and that doesn’t matter if he’s breaking rules or doing bad in school or hanging out with his friends when he’s not supposed to. His mischief is basically the premise of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Bart Simpson (The Simpsons)
There’s no mischievous and hilarious son more iconic than Bart Simpson (Nancy Cartwright) from The Simpsons. His entire existence is basically to antagonize his father, who he ever-so-politely calls “Homer."
He’s always making trouble at school and at home, and there’s a reason the intro always has a scene of him writing lines on a chalkboard. He’s always up to something, and every mischievous son should look up to Bart.