Madea may be one of the most recognizable comedic characters, but since her introduction, she has tackled deep issues in her community.

A Madea Homecoming premiered on Netflix on February 25th, 2022. On the surface, Madea may seem like a disaster character, wreaking havoc on every scene with her wacky one-liners, but a closer look at her movies finds a focus on family values, accountability, and forgiveness. While a piece in The Guardian outlines how her character leans onto harmful stereotypes, it’s important to note that there are only a few places where characters like this are allowed to exist and hold multiple dimensions to their personalities.

Madea movies are feel-good movies. There is always some romance, comedy, and a happy ending. Despite being known for its laughs, there are always plenty of serious moments that force viewers to reflect on larger society. The reason this franchise is so popular is because it has all the makings of a fun movie experience. Not every family has a Madea character, but it’s not far-fetched to believe that they might be better off with one.

Madea’s Family Reunion (2006)

This movie, which features a 12-year-old Keke Palmer as Madea’s foster child and laureate Maya Angelou as a wedding officiate, is both funny and heartwarming.  Madea’s Family Reunion is about a fraught mother-daughter relationship that reflects the societal pressures women face to be both independent and marriage material.

Madea continues her role as the ever-supportive mother figure that will do anything for family when she takes Vanessa into her home and encourages her not to settle for her mother’s skewed and selfish philosophy on life. Madea is known for her wild antics, but it’s important to remember that usually her actions are somewhat justified. She saves her malice for the abusers that try to come between her and her family and always encourages the women in her life to stand up for themselves.

Diary Of A Mad Black Woman (2005)

In Tyler Perry’s debut film, Madea wasn’t at the center of the story. Her granddaughter, Helen, is married to a successful but physically abusive husband, Charles, and she seeks Madea’s help at her most desperate hour. Yes, Madea breaks into Charles’ home and destroys his property, but she also gives her granddaughter a home and all the emotional support she needs to gain her confidence.

This movie isn’t about an angry woman seeking revenge on her cheating husband, it’s about the path to becoming an empowered woman after dealing with trauma. Madea never disparages her granddaughter for her predicament as an unemployed and abandoned housewife. She reminds Helen of what she rightfully deserves all while being unafraid to confront her wrong-doer face to face. This introduction to Madea as a fiercely loyal, albeit eccentric, matriarch is what solidifies her as one of the most popular characters of all time.

Meet The Browns (2008)

In another story about seeking out family in a time of need, Brenda, played by Angela Bassett, meets Madea when she decides to attend the funeral of her estranged father. As a hardworking and sympathetic single mother, she may seem like a tired trope, but rather than befalling tragedy after tragedy, this story once again focuses on the healing power of family and healthy love, not to mention it features multiple legendary black actors.

Madea makes a short cameo in this one, but her elaborate arrest sequence reminds us that accepting family usually means excepting their quirks. This story keeps up with the previous films’ themes of toxic relationship dynamics. This may be one of the only films that doesn’t feature a righteous speech from her character, but Madea’s role here is the same as usual – to bring her family together.

Madea Goes To Jail (2009)

Despite its title, this is not a typical prison genre film. Like the previous films, this story is not about Madea but a lawyer loosely connected to her case. The protagonist, Josh Hardaway struggles to support his old friend, who is facing imprisonment for illegal sex work, and balance his relationship with his fiance, who is prosecuting her in the case.

Madea Goes To Jail centers on themes of elitism and respectability. While Madea does spend a portion of the movie with typical inmate parody characters, Joshua is dealing with the implications of class mobility and what it means to escape trauma. This story challenges the idea of some that adversity is a choice and reminds viewers of exactly how unique circumstances of those who find themselves in it with the law.

I Can Do Bad All By Myself (2009)

This film features Madea as she attempts to unite three parentless children with their estranged Aunt. The protagonist, played by Taraji P. Henson, is forced by Madea to face her responsibilities and begin to take accountability for the children that are dropped into her life after her grandmother disappears.

Like the previous films mentioned, themes of sexual assault aren’t shied away from. Madea’s movies often center on the struggles of underprivileged women, and this film reveals how the cycle of abuse makes it increasingly difficult to raise the next generation of children in a healthy environment. Like all of Madea’s movies, the movie ends on the strength of family values and forgiveness.

Madea Big Happy Family (2011)

Playing on Madea’s running emphasis on family togetherness, this film focuses on a reunion and how to deal with a loved one’s sudden illness. There’s no playbook for dealing with an oncoming death, and this movie points out the petty discrepancies that get in the way of simply being there for each other.

Since this is a movie about a big family, there are many issues tackled in the film. From co-parenting to hostile home environments, the people in Madea’s family have to let go of secrets and make peace with the wrongs they’ve endured. While Madea’s movies are never afraid to tackle the worst parts of humanity, they always do so with a positive solution.

Madea’s Witness Protection (2012)

This film is about a family that is forced into witness protection due to their involvement in a money-laundering scheme and the lessons they are forced to learn when they are relocated to Madea’s home. Known as one of Tyler Perry’s more diverse films, Madea’s Witness Protection deals with the dynamics of a white family joining Madea’s universe.

As usual, Madea’s character is there to emphasize the importance of family, self-acceptance, and perseverance.  The surrealism of Madea’s world can even be compared to the off the rails depictions of black life in Atlanta. The Needleman family lost everything before meeting Madea, but with her help, they are able to understand the excesses and casualties of capitalism and even scheme to do the right thing with her help.

A Madea Family Funeral (2019)

After two Halloween-themed movies, Madea is back to the task of bringing families together through difficult circumstances. In A Madea Family Funeral, Madea is in charge of planning a loved one’s send-off amidst a cheating scandal and the audience watches as she once again leads those around her on their emotional journeys. In this film, Madea leans into the absurdity.

Over time, the Madea character became the main focal point of Tyler Perry’s works since his original play I Can Do Bad All By Myself. In this one, the more emotional storylines were largely replaced with hilarious Madea scenes viewers come to expect from the breakout character.  A Madea Family Funeral continues Perry’s themes of family, secrets, and overcoming dysfunctional circumstances.

Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016)

This film takes a stab at the campy horror trope and actually executes it well. This story centers on two young women who go to a college party that gets increasingly dangerous. It’s also about an overprotective father who struggles with how to discipline his kids without pushing them away.

Fear can bring a family together, and Madea never fails to protect the people she loves from harm. The horror genre can be surprisingly political, especially when set on a college campus. While it does feature the expected jump scares, it also centers discussions on generational differences in supernatural beliefs and child-rearing.

A Madea Homecoming (2022)

This film centers around a college graduation and features one of the franchise’s only LGBTQ+ characters. In the first Madea movie since the 2020 protests highlighting police brutality, Tyler Perry directly addresses the impact. In typical fashion, no one in Madea’s family shies away from debate.

Rather than vaguely addressing issues in the black community, Homecoming is outspoken in addressing the current political climate. Tyler tackles new subjects for him, like having to come out as gay to family members and the need for genuine protection for all communities. Madea’s tough exterior is always balanced with her ability to forgive and love fiercely, and this story is no different.