The 10 Best Dads in TV History

What makes a good dad? Is it his paternal wisdom? His fatherly devotion? His weird little hobbies? Some dadly combination of the three? While the exact ratio of smart to loving to strange isn’t exactly clear, any father worth his salt knows that to be a truly great dad, you need to devote your time to giving advice, hugging your kids, and tinkering around in the garage. While real-life dads don’t always get the memo, these TV fathers are the perfect role models for parents and children alike. Post-apocalyptic protectors, trad goth millionaires, and suburban guys just trying to get by, no two dads on this list are quite the same. But if you look past their superficial differences, it’s clear that within each of these men (and dogs) beats the fervent heart of a devoted father. These are the 10 best dads in TV history.

Gomez Addams

Gomez Addams is all green flags, in shades so dark and gothic that they almost look black. The patriach of the creepy, kooky, and mysteriously spooky Addams Family, Gomez is an eccentric millionaire who loves his wife and children just as much as he loves crashing model trains. Gomez has all the greatest dad qualities. He’s hopelessly devoted to his spouse, Morticia. He’s head over heels for his kids. And he’s a kind and generous man to all. And while his family-man qualities give him an edge over the fatherly competition, it’s his fervent devotion to fun that really blows other TV dads out of the water. The patron saint of random hobbies, Gomez Addams enjoys sword-fighting, knife-throwing, juggling, rooftop golfing, chess playing, ballroom dancing, and the aforementioned mini-locomotive destruction. But above all else, his favorite pastime is kissing up the arm of his beloved Morticia. She’s really into it too.

Bandit Heeler

While real-life canine fathers leave much to be desired when raising puppies, Bluey‘s Bandit Heeler puts all other dog dads to shame. Unlike real-world dogs, this animated pooch is heavily involved in his children’s lives, sharing parental responsibilities with his dog-wife, Chilli. Bandit does everything a good father should: he reads his kids bedtime stories, he plays imagination games with them, and he cracks more than his fair share of dad jokes. He’s also one of the only dogs on TV with a job. And not just any run-of-the-mill 9-to-5; Bandit is an archaeologist. This dog has a doctorate. Wish that your Golden Retriever would get off the couch and make something of himself? Show him an episode of Bluey. After seeing Bandit’s exemplary parenting skills, your dog will want to get his act together.

Uncle Phil

Uncle Phil isn’t Will’s actual dad, but by the end of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, he proved that there’s no one more deserving of the title. Despite his no-nonsense attitude, Phillip Banks is one of the warmest, most emotionally generous dads in TV history. When Will was sent away from West Philadelphia after getting in “one little fight,” Uncle Phil and his wife Vivian didn’t hesitate to take their delinquent nephew in. And while Uncle Phil often criticizes Will for his nonchalant attitude towards life, it stems from his desire to push Will to succeed in the world. After all, like Will, Uncle Phil spent his teenage years on the mean streets, and wants to serve as a role model for a young man growing up without a father of his own. And when Will’s dad finally shows up for an episode, only to abandon his son once again, it’s Uncle Phil who stays by Will’s side. That’s a real father right there.

Homer Simpson

While he’s arguably TV’s most iconic father, Homer Simpson isn’t always the best. After all, repeatedly strangling your 10-year-old son as a form of discipline isn’t exactly the most constructive parenting method. Despite Homer’s frequent fatherly failures, he consistently proves himself to be one of the most stable and loving characters in the town of Springfield. Sure, Ned Flanders might seem like a better-behaved dad on the surface, but while Ned constantly tries to fashion his kids in his own hyper-religious image, Homer celebrates his children for who they are, and not for who they strive to be. And despite being lazy, ignorant, hot-tempered, and gluttonous, he absolutely adores his wife, Marge. While not g the greatest husband, Homer continually tries to show his devotion to Marge in his own clumsy way. Being a great dad isn’t about being the best; it’s about always trying to be better. Lord knows, Homer tries.

Eric Taylor

“Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.” Was there ever a more motivating piece of paternal wisdom? Eric Taylor spends his time on Friday Night Lights being more than just a dad to his children, but a father figure to his entire community. A beloved high school football coach, Eric Taylor consistently earns the respect and devotion of his team because of his unwavering support of them. And while he pushes his players to be the best, he breaks away from the overaching football-or-nothing culture by prioritizing their well-being over winning. He’s an authority figure both on and off the field, but he always tries to let his children and his players choose their own paths in life instead of commanding them to follow his orders. By showing up for his family, friends, and community through thick and thin, he leads by example. Elite dad behavior.

Joel Miller

After a fungal apocalypse deprived him of his flesh-and-blood daughter, Joel Miller thought that his dad days were over. While The Last of Us seems like a survival horror series on the surface, it’s actually a post-apocalyptic daddy/daughter bonding experience in disguise. Joel initially sees Ellie as an annoyingly talkative package he’s been assigned to smuggle, but their countless near-death experiences cause them to form an intimate bond. Joel lets his father flag fly in the climax of the series when he murders a group of revolutionaries who would kill Ellie to find a cure. Sure, he might have doomed the world in the process, but what father wouldn’t slaughter mercenary hordes to protect his kid? It’s Dad Behavior 101, and Joel passed the test with flying, blood-red colors.

Nigel Thornberry

Tim Curry has played exactly one morally good character in his life: Nigel Thornberry — a dad so wholesome, he single-handedly makes up for all the mad scientists and murder butlers. The Wild Thornberries may technically be about Eliza, but her father and his massive shnozz consistently steal the show. With all the charm of real-life all-time great dad Steve Irwin, Nigel instills a love of nature into his family. And while he might be oblivious to danger and his daughter Debbie’s sarcasm alike, he understands that fatherhood is all about showing the beauty of the world to your children. And speaking of children, he adopted Donny (a feral kid he found in the woods) without hesitation, and even tried to box a literal Yeti to protect his daughter. If that’s not Father of the Year behavior, I don’t know what is.

Sheriff Hassan Shabazz

One of TV’s most underrated dads, Sheriff Hassan Shabazz is a light in the darkness of Midnight Mass. A practicing Muslim in an isolated Catholic community, Sheriff Hassan frequently endures racism from the people he’s duty-bound to protect. Despite this discrimination, he remains devoted to Crockett Island and his son Ali. When a vampire comes to town, does he abandon a community that ostracizes him to save his own flesh and blood? Hell no. Even when all the bloodsuckers of Crockett Island turn against him, he fights to the bitter end to save the few people who remain unbitten. He’s no superhuman father protected by plot armor, but a real hero who lives by that ultimate piece of dad advice: never back down without a fight.

Professor Utonium

All Professor Utonium wanted in life was to be a dad. Rather than getting married and having children like a regular person, The PowerPuff Girls‘ intro shows Utonium became a father through the wonders of science. And while he could have created three normal little girls in his lab, he went above and beyond and gave his daughters superpowers. Some dads are controlling of their daughters, but Professor Utonium engineered kids that he literally couldn’t control: young women with agency to make their own decisions. Utonium earns the PowerPuff Girls’ love not through authority, but through his devotion. He’s a single father who cooks, cleans, works, and still has time to devote to three kids. No wonder his daughters love him; he’s a true contender for Father of the Year.

Rick Grimes

While Joel Miller might be pop culture’s hottest new post-apocalyptic dad, Rick Grimes is the zombie-killing blueprint. Once a cop with a moral compass, Rick Grimes chucks that compass out the window to ruthlessly protect those he loves. Any citizen under his Ricktatorship knows that his authority is not to be questioned, and in exchange for unwavering loyalty, they gain a bloodthirsty protector whose policy is shoot first and ask questions never. Rick may be Carl’s flesh-and-blood dad, but he’s a father figure to every single person in his group. After all, what better way to prove you love someone than by consistently showing your willingness to kill for them? Rick proves it, alright, with every fresh corpse he puts in the ground.

(featured image: Fox)

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