We always look up to our fathers as our heroes.
On Father’s Day, let’s give credit to our fathers through these fictional dads on TV who showed what it means to be a father (although some showed what a father should not be).
Here, we have listed 52 fictional dads who gave their life for their children, became evil because of their love for their kids, and of course, the coolest dads ever!
1. Marlin the Clownfish (Finding Nemo)
He may be overprotective of his son, Nemo, but Marlin, a paranoid pessimist is always worried that Nemo can’t do things by himself. But, when Nemo was taken, his determination to bring him back is way beyond measure.
2. Don Draper (Mad Men)
Can a bad man become a good father? Someone who lies, who is unfaithful, had a temper and inexplicable moods? But charms everyone? Possibly… I’m just distracted by the smouldering looks…
3. Peter Griffin (Family Guy)
Peter Griffin is, let’s just say uniques. But he deeply loves his wife, Lois, and their three children including another one after a mix up at a sperm bank.
4. Daniel (Love Actually)
Every stepson would love to have Daniel as their stepfather. In the movie, Love Actually, Daniel is an ideal stepfather as he supports his stepson, Sam, every step of the way.
5. Clark Griswold (National Lampoon)
Clark is a great family man who takes his family on vacations that just sometimes go haywire… and then the adventure begins. After all, it’s all about the journey. Or so I keep being told.
6. Carlise Cullen (Twilight)
Adoptive dad Carlisle, from the Twilight series, shows his knowledge, experience and love for humanity is deep and that led his family to do the right thing — enjoy a non-human diet.
7. Daniel Hillard a.k.a Mrs Doubtfire (Mrs Doubtfire)
Daniel Hillard may have gone a tad overboard just to get joint custody of his kids, but his creativity and becoming a cross-dressing nanny, makes him a great dad. Even cooler I think.
8. Jay Pritchett (Modern Family)
Jay Pritchett is tough and strict, being a war veteran, but he is a decent man who loves and cares about the welfare of his family. Despite being perpetually grumpy.
9. Cameron & Mitchell (Modern Family)
This is one gay couple you would want as parents. Cameron and Mitchell raise an adopted Vietnamese baby and indeed they are the best fathers one can have.
10. Phil Dunphy (Modern Family)
Cool dad Phil Dunphy is a typical modern dad who is updated with the latest gadgets and technology. He may be childlike and clumsy, but he is a devoted family man. Phil uses a parenting method called “peerenting” which involves talking to his three kids like a peer but acting like a parent. Sure…
11. Walter White (Breaking Bad)
Chemistry teacher turned meth kingpin is breaking bad as he becomes dark and villainous as the series progresses. All he wanted to do is make some money to leave to his family after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. But it goes a bit sideways…
12. Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird)
As a father, Atticus Finch has earned the respect he deserved while defending Tim Robinson in the courtroom. He also embodies the morality he preaches to his kids, Scout and Jem — and this makes him a hero dad to both of them.
13. Al Bundy (Married… with Children)
He is sexist, selfish and a pessimist, who says he cannot stand his family. But he does love and care for his family to the point of intentionally sacrificing his chance at happiness and success for them.
14. Eddard Stark (Game of Thrones)
Eddard Stark, better known as Ned Stark, is a man of principle and honour, who is patient, intelligent and noble. He protects his family and his people, even if the situations endangered him.
15. Tywin Lannister (Game of Thrones)
Tywin Lannister may be intelligent, but his manipulative attitude even for his family, has left him cold especially when it comes to his son, Tyrion who was born a dwarf. Yet, he insists that all he does is for the sake of his family.
16. Tony Soprano (The Sopranos)
Portrayed as a loving father, Tony Soprano does all he can to make sure his children have all the luxuries in life, hoping they will lead a life away from crime which he endured. However, sometimes, his behaviour alienates him from his children as he tries to conceal his criminal life from them.
17. Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)
He may get angry easily, be silly, selfish and lazy, but Homer Simpson is a loving father and husband despite being oblivious to his family’s feelings sometimes. It affects him when he has let someone he loves down and in the end, will do anything for them.
18. Ned Flanders (The Simpsons)
Ned Flanders is the Simpsons’ family’s religious and good-natured next-door neighbour and regularly offers his assistance to them.
19. Red Foreman (That 70’s Show)
Red Foreman is seen as a rigid, no-nonsense father who favours his daughter over his son and has difficulty in expressing his love to his son.
20. Peter, Michael and Jack (Three Men and a Baby)
These three bachelors attempt to adapt to their lives as they are forced to take care of a baby left by one of the men’s girlfriend. Aah classic…
21. Buck Russell (Uncle Buck)
Buck Russell is an unemployed slob who enjoys drinking and smoking but is faced with the challenge of babysitting his brother’s rebellious teenage daughter and her younger brother and sister.
22. Tim Taylor (Home Improvement)
Tim Taylor is the host of his own television program, Tool Time, which teaches audiences about home improvement. He is witty and caring but his crazy ideas often get the better of him. However, he helps his neighbour Wilson, who he sees as a father figure, with his problems by talking about philosophers and historical figures.
23. Harold Bishop (Neighbours)
Harold Bishop is considered as “indecisive, considerate, stuffy and reserved”. He was left to care for his two teenage children after his wife’s death.
24. Danny Tanner (Full House)
A typical “uncool” and “not-hip” dad, Danny Tanner sees himself as the coolest dad ever which his daughters do not agree. Yet, he is protective of his daughters — and that makes him the greatest dad.
25. Phillip Drummond (Diff’rent Strokes)
Millionaire Phillip Drummond is a friendly widower from Manhattan in New York and has a daughter. He adopted the children of their late African American housekeeper from Harlem and there, the family’s misadventures begin.
26. Dan Conner (Roseanne)
Dan Conner is described as a loving husband to Roseanne. They deal with a realistic relationship, sometimes mocking each other, but viewers can feel their love while they deal with the kinds of problems real families face.
27. Hal Wilkerson (Malcolm in the Middle)
Hal Wilkerson is often seen as immature, reckless and incompetent. He is more relaxed in his parenting than his wife, Lois, but he disciplines his sons when needed. See the Breaking Bad resemblance?!
28. Frank Costanza (Seinfeld)
Frank Costanza, the father of George Costanza, Jerry Seinfeld’s best friend, is considered as an utterly deranged father who is easily angered. His marriage with his wife, Estelle, is not warm or affectionate. He calls his son a Biff and treats him like a failure. He is usually confrontational or condescending but finally starts to control his temper and his blood pressure during the final season of the show. Not sure how great he his, but he gets a laugh…
29. Michael Bluth (Arrested Development)
Michael Bluth prides himself on being a good parent especially to his son whom he tries to help through adolescence, but sometimes misinterprets what his son is experiencing.
30. George Bluth Sr (Arrested Development)
George Bluth Sr, the father of Michael Bluth, is extremely manipulative and is willing to endanger or even sacrifice his children to his benefit. However, eventually, his testosterone levels began to plummet and he eventually found he wanted to live his life as a woman.
31. Anakin Skywalker a.k.a Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Popularly known as Sith Lord Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker, a former Jedi knight, is the father of twins, Luke Skywalker, who also grew up to become a Jedi knight, and Princess Leia. Anakin becomes the leader of the dark force after giving himself up to it to try to save his wife, Queen Amidala from dying, but still, Queen Amidala died after giving birth to their twins, who he didn’t know until time came when he and Luke finally meet.
32. Dr Evil (Austin Powers)
Dr Evil is plain genius especially in doing evil devices for global domination or abomination, but despite his high degree of intelligence, he is sometimes absent-minded and childish.
33. Rick Grimes (The Walking Dead)
Rick Grimes is a good friend and father who is protective of his group and other living people and will do everything to keep them safe.
34. Dexter Morgan (Dexter)
Dexter Morgan is a serial killer who kills other killers rather than harming innocent people.
35. Martin Crane (Frasier)
Martin “Marty” Crane is humble unlike his sons. With his down-to-earth personality, he has simpler tastes than those of his sons such as preferring to drink beer and watch action movies at home.
36. Mike Brady (The Brady Bunch)
He may be funny, nerdy, totally not groovy, but Mike Brady made the blended Brady family, a bunch of loving kids.
37. Frank Gallagher (Shameless)
Frank Gallagher is seen as a hopeless alcoholic and a troublemaker father of six smart and independent kids. He is abusive, conniving, careless and selfish who he hasn’t done anything in his life but collect disability checks and get boozed. He is also willing to give up his own children if it meant he can get money or booze.
38. Howard Cunningham (Happy Days)
Howard Cunningham is a typical American 1950’s father who is a business owner with traditional values.
39. Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show)
Funny dad and doctor, Cliff Huxtable is the man of the hour as he portrays a loving dad, who always shares meals with his five children and wife and throws jokes that makes everyone LOL. Bill Cosby in real life is however, still going through some questionable court proceedings.
40. Ray Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)
Ray Barone is a spoiled and a lazy husband who doesn’t know how to discipline his children or how to do anything around the house. He is reluctant to assume any responsibility, and lives in fear of his mother, Marie. However, he sometimes shows his wife, Debra that he does love her and care about her.
41. Eric Camden (7th Heaven)
Reverend Eric Camden is a pastor, a father of seven children and a grandfather of six. He has seen all of his children’s ups and downs and perhaps the perfect father one could ever have.
42. Steven Keaton (Family Ties)
Steven Keaton is a liberal ex-hippie father of four children in a family that is composed of a cool couple and conservative children.
43. Alan Harper (Two and a Half Men)
Alan Harper is an offbeat and neurotic dad who is constantly rejected and dominated by the women in his life. He is a moderately good father but cares for Jake, who is the son of his former wife, Judith.
44. Don Vito Corleone (The Godfather)
Don Vito Corleone is known as a generous man who lives by a strict moral code of loyalty to friends and family. He also demands respect along with his status that even his closest friends refer to him as “Godfather” or “Don Corleone” rather than “Vito”.
45. Edna Turnblad (Hairspray)
Portrayed by versatile actor John Travolta, Edna Turnblad is the mother of Tracy Turnblad. She is ashamed of her weight and appearance until one day when Tracy decides Edna should be her new agent, she took her to Mr Pinky’s Hefty Hideaway to strike a contract. While there, Edna is treated to a makeover and begins to embrace herself more.
46. Michael Kyle (My Wife & Kids)
Michael Kyle is a loving husband and a modern-day father who rules his household with a unique brand of parenting style. He uses his humour as he teaches his three children some of life’s lessons.
47. Bob Parr (The Incredibles)
Bob Parr is brave, kind and heroic father who loves his wife, even though he doesn’t spend too much time with his family and constantly sneaks off with Lucius for some incognito crime fighting.
48. George Banks (Father of the Bride)
Funny, sweet but sometimes embarrassing, George Banks is a father one might want to have. His strong love for his daughter has led him to some hysterically funny antics. Mostly about dodging having to pay his daughters wedding bills.
49. Will Freeman (About a Boy)
Will Freeman lies about being a single parent of a child with cancer in a bid to pick up single mums. Living off the royalties of a very successful Christmas song his father wrote, he doesn’t have a day job. However, when he met Marcus, things changed and Marcus begins to see him as a father figure as they bond and become best friends.
50. Sam Dawson (I am Sam)
Mental disability didn’t stop Sam Dawson from loving his daughter, Lucy. He does everything to win custody of her despite the court telling him he’s unfit to be a father. A really inspiring and touching father and daughter story.
51. John Walton Sr (The Waltons)
John Walton Sr, the family patriarch is a hard-working and industrious man. He is good-natured, wise, frank, and willing to face challenges. However, these traits often cause him to be brash, even towards his children and wife. When he is stressed out, he is prone to overwork, but will do anything to protect his family.
52. Guido (Life is Beautiful)
Despite the horrors of war, open-minded Jewish librarian Guido still wants to paint a picture of happiness to protect his son from the dangers around their camp. Indeed, life is beautiful for the imaginative, positive and funny Guido.
Who’s your favourite fictional dad?
