Follow
Today is a very special day. It is the Father´s Day, and in order to honor them a little, let´s take a look back at the best dads of television. Let´s review the best fathers. And as usual, they are present dads, funny dads, and maybe a little grumpy. But they entertained us for years and years. So, without further ado, let´s take a look at the best dads in television.
Father´s Day Special: Best Dads of Television
1- Jack Arnold – The Wonder Years
Dan Lauria played the hands down best father on television ever.
He was a loving father, a bit grumpy, hard working and pushing his kids to be better. He had three kids in Kevin Arnold and his siblings. He portrayed the character with enough subtleties and silences and growls to make him the most believable and lovable dad in the history of television. The Wonder Years have been one of the best family comedies in the nineties, and we sure miss the whole show. (You can watch it on Netflix though). But the character we miss the most is Jack Arnold. The best father in the history of television.
2- Henry Spencer – Psych
Corbin Bernsen played this father for eight seasons. He developed the abilities of Shawn Spencer, the fake Psychic to the best. And even though he always complained about him, he nevertheless showed him unending love and help with any cases he and Burton Guster would have, as well as in any odd circumstance that he needed to get bailed out of.
Henry Spencer´s hawaiian shirts and caps were also a classic. Boy do we miss Psych over here!
If you want to know more about Henry Spencer you can also check out the infographic I did about him a while ago, or a bunch of other stuff about Psych and the great episodes we witnessed for eight seasons on USA.
3- Phil Dunphy – Modern Family
Phil Dunphy is perhaps one of the funniest characters on television, and let´s face it. We all would love this kind of father / accomplice at home. But the lack of balance with fatherly responsibilities is what puts both Henry Spencer and Jack Arnold ahead of him on this list. But this one is hilarious. Probably the character on these days in TV with the best quotes. Wanna proof? Look at the pic here.
You can also take a look at the Phil Dunphy Philsosophy for his daughter. And hats off to Ty Burrell for portraying him so hilarious.
4- Dr Heathcliff “Cliff” Huxtable – The Bill Cosby Show
He was the perfect everything on The Bill Cosby Show: perfect husband, perfect dad, perfect doctor, perfect neighbor. Lovable however you saw him. And those sweaters! Bill Cosby played Cliff Huxtable for several seasons and became one of the staples of dads on TV. Anyone remembers him and would name him top 5 on any TV Dads list ever. No doubt about it.
One of the biggest role models of the early nineties on television.
The rest of the list of my favorite continue like this…
5- Steven Keaton – Family Ties
Michael Gross played this hippie father on Family Ties, and he was probably the most shocking to watch in his afterwards career when he even played some villain roles. It was: Steven Keaton cannot do that!!! We all loved him and still remember him as Alex Keaton´s dad. No question about it. And we still love the eighties. A big part of the eighties was Family Ties.
6- Phillip Drummond – Diff´rent Strokes
He was a dad in a different times in television. He showed love to Arnold and Willis, two of the characters that we most remember from the late seventies and early eighties. Whatchoo Talkin´Bout Willis? Phillip Drummond, as portrayed by Conrad Bain was the father figure in the show, and was the one who guided the likes of those two kids, as well as his daughter Kimberly. Who wouldn´t remember this family. We all watched it!
Show lasted since 1978 until 1985, but we can still get some reruns. And you know you stop your zapping when it´s on, right?
7- Al Bundy – Married with Children
Probably the opposite to either Jack Arnold and / or Cliff Huxtable, but boy was Ed O´Neill´s Al Bundy hilarious! In Married With Children he was the man of the house, but he suffered it. He only wanted to sit in the couch and do nothing, but his kids and wife wouldn´t let him.
Al Bundy was a simple man, forever regretful of the turns his life has taken since the end of high school, when marriage and a broken leg prevented him from playing college football.
By any means would be considered a role model, but funny, oh yeah, that he was.
8- Red Forman – That 70´s Show
- 9- Homer Simpson – The Simpsons
- 10- Hal – Malcolm in the Middle
- 11- Richard Castle – Castle
- 12- Murray Goldberg – The Goldbergs
- 13- Jay Pritchett – Modern Family
- 14- Harry Morgan – Dexter
- 15- Willie Tanner – Alf
What are your thoughts? Who are your favorite dads on Television? And happy Father´s Day! Follow me on Twitter for more scoop and lists.