--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you want to see a mother and son…" description: "\"Do you want to see a mother and son antagonistically attack each other every single episode for five years? I don't think so.\" — Jeffrey Donovan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/jeffrey-donovan-20607_five-years_do-you-want-to-see-a-mother-and-son-anta_1529959.jpg" --- # Do you want to see a mother and son antagonistically… ![“Do you want to see a mother and son antagonistically attack each other every single episode for five years? I don't think so.” quote by Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/jeffrey-donovan-20607_five-years_do-you-want-to-see-a-mother-and-son-anta_1529959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/jeffrey-donovan-20607_five-years_do-you-want-to-see-a-mother-and-son-anta_1529959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/jeffrey-donovan-20607_five-years_do-you-want-to-see-a-mother-and-son-anta_1529959.jpg) > “Do you want to see a mother and son antagonistically attack each other every single episode for five years? I don't think so.” [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He questions the endless conflict between a mother and son on a long‑running show. **In simple terms:** He doubts the value of perpetual familial drama. Key Takeaway Seek fresh storytelling. Themes media criticism family dynamics entertainment Mood skeptical analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - scriptwriting - showrunners - audience expectations Key Concepts narrative fatigue character development Questions to Reflect On - Why do audiences stay with long‑running conflicts? - How can writers evolve characters responsibly? A Different Perspective May ignore the show's artistic intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Mother and son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-and-son/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes in TV, it can get really stale, especially if you're doing these 23-episode years. It's a lot of work, and to put your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dean-morgan/sometimes-in-tv-it-can-get-really-stale-especially-if-you-re-doing/) [Jeffrey Dean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dean-morgan/) > [When I played Leonardo DiCaprio's mother, they liked that Leo had very hooded eyes and a rounded nose with a ball. They said, They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-barkin/when-i-played-leonardo-dicaprio-s-mother-they-liked-that-leo-had-very/) [Ellen Barkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-barkin/) > [“Though this child came in with nothing but excess baby fat, chemical brain waves, and mother and son bodily toxins on his legs, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-scheier/though-this-child-came-in-with-nothing-but-excess-baby-fat-chemical/) David Scheier > [No delusion is greater than the notion that method and industry can make up for lack of mother-wit, either in science or in practical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/no-delusion-is-greater-than-the-notion-that-method-and-industry-can/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [There is an enduring tenderness in the love of a mother to a son that trancends all other affections of the heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/there-is-an-enduring-tenderness-in-the-love-of-a-mother-to-a-son-that/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Happy is the son whose faith in his mother remains unchallenged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/happy-is-the-son-whose-faith-in-his-mother-remains-unchallenged/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Mothers are inscrutable beings to their sons, always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mothers-are-inscrutable-beings-to-their-sons-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Everything’s fine.” “Except that Cecily’s pregnant,” Matt Holden offered, grinning at Tate’s exasperated glare and Leta’s shocked gasp. “What do you mean, Cecily’s pregnant?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-palmer/everything-s-fine-except-that-cecily-s-pregnant-matt-holden-offered/) [Diana Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-palmer/) > [More than mother and son, they were accomplices in solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/more-than-mother-and-son-they-were-accomplices-in-solitude/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“My daughter and two sons are the flowers in my heart and garden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-monnar/my-daughter-and-two-sons-are-the-flowers-in-my-heart-and-garden/) [Ana Monnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-monnar/) > [Not until all babies are born from glass jars will the combat cease between mother and son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/not-until-all-babies-are-born-from-glass-jars-will-the-combat-cease/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [It's not easy for a mother and son to sing a duet. You can't just sing about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/it-s-not-easy-for-a-mother-and-son-to-sing-a-duet-you-can-t-just-sing/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [I find, by close observation, that the mothers are the levers which move in education. The men talk about it . . . but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-harper/i-find-by-close-observation-that-the-mothers-are-the-levers-which/) [Frances Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-harper/) > [Richer than I you can never be, I had a mother who read to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/strickland-gillilan/richer-than-i-you-can-never-be-i-had-a-mother-who-read-to-me/) Strickland Gillilan > [Remember that every son had a mother whose beloved son he was, and every woman had a mother whose beloved son she wasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/remember-that-every-son-had-a-mother-whose-beloved-son-he-was-and/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) ## More by Jeffrey Donovan > [I don't think an actor's job is to be recognized. I think an actor's job is to facilitate the writing in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/i-don-t-think-an-actor-s-job-is-to-be-recognized-i-think-an-actor-s/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [If someone grabbed me, I'd probably be able to choke them out in about eight seconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/if-someone-grabbed-me-i-d-probably-be-able-to-choke-them-out-in-about/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [When you're dealing with espionage and covert affairs, sometimes the secret is more exciting than the knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/when-you-re-dealing-with-espionage-and-covert-affairs-sometimes-the/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [Believe it or not, I don't own a TV. Crazy huh? I'm not a big movie-goer either. I just feel like I'm watching work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/believe-it-or-not-i-don-t-own-a-tv-crazy-huh-i-m-not-a-big-movie-goer/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [I'm very shy in real life; I can't really hit on girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/i-m-very-shy-in-real-life-i-can-t-really-hit-on-girls/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [Guns make you stupidbetter to fight your wars with duct tape. Duct tape makes you smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/guns-make-you-stupidbetter-to-fight-your-wars-with-duct-tape-duct/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [Believe it or not, I don't own a TV. Crazy huh?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/believe-it-or-not-i-don-t-own-a-tv-crazy-huh/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [There was no theater program or anything where I'm from. So junior year in high school I started the theater program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/there-was-no-theater-program-or-anything-where-i-m-from-so-junior/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [As much as they'll let me I do my own stunts and I do all my own fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/as-much-as-they-ll-let-me-i-do-my-own-stunts-and-i-do-all-my-own/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [We had to make ends meet. My parents were divorced, so my father wasn't really in my life. We grew up like most kids,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/we-had-to-make-ends-meet-my-parents-were-divorced-so-my-father-wasn-t/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [There's not much out there that people are fighting for that leaves them with nothing but honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/there-s-not-much-out-there-that-people-are-fighting-for-that-leaves/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [The most fun I've had on 'Burn Notice,' I think it would have to be working with China Chow and Lucy Lawless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/the-most-fun-i-ve-had-on-burn-notice-i-think-it-would-have-to-be/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [It's very, very technical, what we do in film. While all of the lights are there and all of the crew members and directors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/it-s-very-very-technical-what-we-do-in-film-while-all-of-the-lights/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [I have a green thumb. I really like to get into the shrubs, the bushes, and really cultivate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/i-have-a-green-thumb-i-really-like-to-get-into-the-shrubs-the-bushes/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) > [What would surprise a lot of people about me... I'm a gardener! I have a green thumb. I really like to get into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-donovan/what-would-surprise-a-lot-of-people-about-me-i-m-a-gardener-i-have-a/) [Jeffrey Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) [Explore all 30 Jeffrey Donovan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-donovan/) ## More Five years quotes > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/) Yoram Wind > [“A clear look back on the Cold War's battlegrounds, along with a sense of relief that the world survived forty-five years of confrontation, evokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-clear-look-back-on-the-cold-war-s-battlegrounds-along-with-a-sense/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Something had been confirmed: I was worth giving a shit about; I was getting to be a successful sick person. Sick is when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/something-had-been-confirmed-i-was-worth-giving-a-shit-about-i-was/) [Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/) > [“His Army Ranger unit had always been ready for an ambush. Five years in special ops had made him suspicious of most. On that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-perini/his-army-ranger-unit-had-always-been-ready-for-an-ambush-five-years/) [Robin Perini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-perini/) > [“I looked at him, tipping down the coarse wine like a man who expects to put up with worse. I felt I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/i-looked-at-him-tipping-down-the-coarse-wine-like-a-man-who-expects/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [I was sober for five years a long time ago and was just bored out of my tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/i-was-sober-for-five-years-a-long-time-ago-and-was-just-bored-out-of/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [“Whatand why were never questions for me. How was the only question. When I look back now, I realize that I never thought about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhguru/whatand-why-were-never-questions-for-me-how-was-the-only-question/) [Sadhguru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhguru/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“most professionals progress until they reach an “acceptable” level, and then they plateau. Software engineers, for instance, usually stop progressing somewhere around five years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-grenny/most-professionals-progress-until-they-reach-an-acceptable-level-and/) [Joseph Grenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-grenny/) > [In five years of my previous tenure, the treasury was never shut for one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amarinder-singh/in-five-years-of-my-previous-tenure-the-treasury-was-never-shut-for/) [Amarinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amarinder-singh/) > [We have been playing every summer on clay since I was five years old, so it is an easy surface for us in Belgium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/we-have-been-playing-every-summer-on-clay-since-i-was-five-years-old/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [I'm an immigrant, a legal immigrant to the United States. I only became a citizen five years ago. Every day, for seven months, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-gorka/i-m-an-immigrant-a-legal-immigrant-to-the-united-states-i-only-became/) [Sebastian Gorka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-gorka/) > [“Why did I write it down? In order to remember, of course, but exactly what was it I wanted to remember? How much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/why-did-i-write-it-down-in-order-to-remember-of-course-but-exactly/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Wrestling introduced me to the idea that my body has a purpose besides trying to look five years younger for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-gilpin/wrestling-introduced-me-to-the-idea-that-my-body-has-a-purpose/) [Betty Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-gilpin/) > [“I have entered the New Yorker's Cartoon Caption Contest almost weekly virtually since it began and have never even been a finalist. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mankoff/i-have-entered-the-new-yorker-s-cartoon-caption-contest-almost-weekly/) Bob Mankoff Browse all 2,724 Five years quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do you want to see a mother and son antagonistically attack each other every single episode for five years? 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