Some of the best Dad characters were introduced to us not by the silver screen movies but by our very own television set. There are some popular TV series that have such well-written dad characters that they are instantly relatable to the viewer. Moreover, these characters have left a long-lasting impact on us through their stellar performance. Below are our picks for what we feel are TV’s funniest and wisest dads to ever grace our TV screen:
Phil Dunphy, Modern Family
Phil Dunphy is the dad to Hayley, Alex, and Luke on the popular Modern Family sitcom and is married to Claire Dunphy. Though a pretty average guy by all standards, Phil Dunphy stands apart in his role as a dad because of his adorable goofiness and the oblivious demeanor.
Acting as more of a friend than a dad to his kids, Phil Dunphy is a fan of the virtual reality game Battle Beasts of Gar and is a real-estate agent by profession. He is the very example of a ‘cool dad’ if ever there was one and he does proclaim himself to be so to his on-screen daughter Alex too.
Phil Banks, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Phil Banks or ‘Uncle Phil’ as he was known on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was the father to Carlton, Nicky, Ashley and Hilary Banks. Quick-tempered and a no-nonsense exterior often hid the understanding and compassionate man that he was underneath. He often loses his patience, especially because of Will and Calton’s antics and it is usually Vivian, his on-screen wife who calms him down.
Phil Banks is a lawyer turned judge by profession and has a pretty strict persona that was in keeping with the demand of his profession. However, he is a noble, knowledgeable and inspirational dad who turns out to be one of the best characters on the show.
Sandy Cohen, the OC
Another dad character who is also a lawyer, Sandy Cohen, from the OC has a much more laid back style. He is the dad to Seth and Ryan who are misfits in the on-screen family and get into a multitude of scrapes. Thankfully, Sandy Cohen is the superman dad who deals with all the situations and is able to teach his kids a lesson without implementing any strict measures.
Sandy’s compassion towards his kids, as well as a humorous way of handling situations, make for some of the best moments on the show. He is the more easy-going parent as compared to his on-screen wife, and his style has been popularly called ‘hippie parenting.’
Rogelio de la Vega, Jane the Virgin
Rogelio de la Vega enters his daughter Jane’s life after she is already in her 20s just because he does not even know she existed. He does, however, go to great lengths to make up for the time he has lost and bestows all the kind of love and attention that makes a daughter feel like a true daddy’s princess.
Rogelio plays the role of telenovela star in the series and is known to be a kind and generous man along with a pretty dramatic one too. Through his contact with Jane, he slowly becomes a part of the Villanueva family on the show. Rogelio and Jane’s father-daughter bond is one of the best things about the show that makes their moments together awfully tender and nostalgic.
Jason Seaver, Growing Pains
A popular show of the late 80s and 90s, Growing Pains featured Jason Seaver, one of the wisest dad characters that we have ever seen on TV. A stay at home psychiatrist, Jason Seaver was a dad who had a solution for all his kids’ problems. Though he never indeed claimed to have all the answers, he did have a good many words of wisdom that always meant that his kids learned a good lesson at the end of the day.
Played by Alan Thicke, the real-life father of Robin Thicke, Jason Seaver was a character that probably gave viewers of its own age group some primary parental goals. Particularly noticeable is the easy way that this dad handled sensitive topics like drugs, alcohol, and suicide with his teenage kids.
Jack Bristow, Alias
What can be better than a combination of spy action drama and a genuinely heartfelt father-daughter relationship that hits all the right notes of family and relationships? Alias was one such great show which had Jack Bristow played by Victor Garber who was the father to Sydney played by Jennifer Garner.
This father-daughter duo works as spies together and is not all that simpatico all the time which is just proof of the fact that no relationship can be perfect. However, they do find common ground after the death of Sydney’s mother and provide us with some hair raising plot twists and nail-biting action in this fantastic show.
Hal Wilkerson, Malcolm in the Middle
When you are a dad to a crowd of unruly boys, there are only two things you can do. You can either be a strict and most hateful dad, or you can be a fun dad who enjoys his time with his boys. Hal Wilkerson from Malcolm in the Middle is a dad who has chosen the second option. His job is to preside over his boys, but he often becomes one of them in his bid to have the time of his life.
Played by Bryan Cranston of the Breaking Bad fame, Hal Wilkerson is definitely one of the most fun dads of all time on TV. It does make it difficult for his on-screen wife, but it makes for a hilarious watch as a TV show that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter.
Louis Huang, Fresh off the Boat
Louis Huang is a brilliantly written character played by Randall Park which may very well be one of the best performances of his life. Introduced as the father of three boys who emigrates with his family from Taiwan to experience American life, Huang is a super positive character who will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that he is successful.
The show revolves around Huang and his family. Though Huang initially struggles with his Cattle ranch Steak House business, he is still one of the best dad characters as he is always around for his sons. He is attentive to their needs and considerate of their feelings at all times.
Homer Simpson, The Simpsons
It is hard to imagine the Simpsons without the hilarious Homer Simpson who is the embodiment of a couch-bound, TV watching dad with a pot belly and a slow uptake on things. Voiced by Dan Castellaneta, he made his first appearance on the show in April 1987 and has been a regular ever since.
Homer Simpson was a character that was not given a lot of importance by the show creators initially. However, they did eventually catch up to his potential and gave us one of the most foolishly wise dad characters that well learned to love over time.
Danny Tanner, Full House/Fuller House
Danny Tanner from Full house was the best possible combination of a wise yet funny dad. A widowed father of three girls on the show, he also has his brother-in-law and his best friend in the house to act as father figures for the girls. However, he stands out from the others for his parenting skills as he never takes a strict tone with the girls but still ensures that they learn all the essential life lessons.
Danny Tanner’s popularity as a dad had topped the charts with Full House. But what is even more proof of his reputation is the fact that his character was recalled for Fuller House that is still playing on Netflix.