Melinda Finster

**Melinda Finster** (September 13, 1957 - July 12, 1990) was Chas Finster's first wife and the biological mother of Chuckie Finster until her death. She was voiced by actress Kim Cattrall in the episode *Mother's Day*.

## Biography

In the show's first two seasons, Chuckie's mom was sometimes mentioned, but was never seen, and later implied to no longer be around. After the series' revival, Chuckie's mom, named Melinda, was finally given more detail as she was shown onscreen in flashbacks in the episode *Mother's Day*. In that episode, it was explained the Melinda passed away of a sudden, terminal illness shortly after her son was born.

Melinda was an expert gardener, planting most of what grew in the Finster's yard. She was also very creative with squash. Little was known about her personality but it is assumed that she was a loving, supportive, and patient woman and that she loved both Chas and Chuckie dearly. When Chuckie shows Chas her pictures, everyone suddenly goes quiet.

The love Chuckie had for her was to the point that she gave him courage when he needed it, such as when he saw a butterfly. She assured him it was alright and he smiled, welcoming the butterfly. When she soon fell ill and was sent to the hospital, she began keeping a journal that she wrote in often. The last thing she wrote, most likely just before she died, was a poem for Chuckie.

Throughout *Mother's Day*, Chuckie is searching for a mother, but is unsuccessful. Finally, Chas talks with Didi, who tells Chas that he should talk with Chuckie about Melinda, and Chas finally tells Chuckie and suggests he tell Chuckie the truth. This would later pave a way for Klasky and Csupo to create a plot device in *Rugrats in Paris: The Movie*, where Chuckie finally finds a new mother in the form of his stepmother, Kira (Chuckie also gains a new sibling in the form of Kira's daughter, Kimi).

## Trivia

* When Chuckie presents her photo to Chas, all the adults go quiet, implying that in life Melinda knew Stu, Didi, Howard, Betty, Drew, Charlotte, and even Minka, Tommy and Dil's maternal grandmother.
* It is also possible Melinda could have been around for Angelica to get a glimpse of her. However, this has never been stated.
* In the episode *Real or Robots?*, Stu says "your mom and dad will come pick you up in the morning" to Chuckie. At this point, the writers had not yet decided the fate of Chuckie's mom.
* It is possible Melinda had no living or close relatives, as Chas has never mentioned his wife's relatives to visit or contact.
	+ In The First Cut, Chuckie is absent for most of the episode and is said to be visiting his grandparents - never saying if it is Chas's parents or Melinda's. It is most likely his paternal grandparents though, as they are the only ones ever mentioned or seen.
* She was mentioned in the *All Grown Up!* episode *Super Hero Worship*.
	+ Even though Dil didn't talk throughout the series of *Rugrats*, he knows that Chuckie lost his mom because in *Super Hero Worship*, as he says to Tommy that Chuckie knows what it's like to lose someone.
		- It is unknown how Dil knows Chuckie's mom died, though he could have found out later on.
		- Melinda was also seen in a Christmas video that Chuckie and Tommy where watching in the All Grown up! episode The Finster Who Stole Christmas (Episode).
* In an interview with the creators, they admitted they were not sure what Melinda's fate would be. They mentioned divorce or death, which Nickelodeon said both topics were too sensitive for children. However, when the show was revived with new writers, they decided on having her die from an unknown illness.
* More about her is told in the crossover Poor Rhonda where Rhonda stays at the Finster house instead of Arnold's like in her series's canon where she ends up hiding in the closet and finds Melinda's things and Chuckie tells Rhonda about his mother.