Classic TV shows to watch for Father’s Day and beyond
TV has given us lots of unforgettable fathers, but some just seem to have a khaki-clad leg up on their peers. What makes the dads featured in our list especially noteworthy? It’s their unique form of guidance. The way they always seem to know exactly what their kids (or surrogate kids) need to hear, whether it’s counsel after a major breakup or encouragement before a major test.
Read on for some classic TV dads who dispense some of the best, most quotable parental advice. Our list spans decades, from The Brady Bunch‘s Mike Brady to Julius Rock from Everybody Hates Chris. All the shows noted are streaming now on Paramount+, so you can soak up the fatherly wisdom for yourself.
1. Julius Rock, Everybody Hates Chris
Julius Rock (Terry Crews) is a man who sleeps in his work uniform, a man who takes a photo of the fridge-interior so his family won’t rack up the electricity bill leaving the door open. This is an economical dude. But when his three kids need him, he spares the time and energy. Though sometimes gruff in manner, especially when the behavior of his progeny strikes him as lazy or wasteful, he’s there to offer thoughtful, hard-won advice when the going gets tough. Young Chris (Tyler James Williams) and his siblings know that their dad’s frugality and strictness is also a form of affection; When your family is working class and lives in a dodgy part of Brooklyn, firm boundaries are an expression of love.
WATCH NOW: Everybody Hates Chris
2. Mike Brady, The Brady Bunch
Quite literally named “Father of the Year” in an early episode of the same name, Mike Brady (Robert Reed) is the quintessential TV dad – the blueprint for the sitcom papa. He’s the patient and level-headed family man who always has time to offer advice to his brood. Can he be stern? You betcha, especially when he’s making the point that maintaining personal integrity is more important than, say, good grades or hot dates achieved through lying or corner-cutting. But his counsel always comes from a place of love.
WATCH NOW: The Brady Bunch
3. Eric Taylor, Friday Night Lights
Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) of Friday Night Lights is a dad with two daughters of his own, Julie (Aimeé Teegarden) and Gracie Belle (Madilyn Landry). And while he certainly provides a strong example for them, his dad status extends to the high school athletes of the West Dillon Panthers (and later the East Dillon Lions), many of whom would not have much of a compass without him. Head coach Taylor is formidable on the football field, bellowing out plays and chewing out his players when they perform like amateurs or idiots. But the teens see Taylor’s brand of leadership as paternal because his insistence on hard work, focus, “clear eyes, [and] full hearts” isn’t just about gridiron glory. It’s a standard he emphasizes off the field, too – and models in himself.
WATCH NOW: Friday Night Lights
4. Steven Keaton, Family Ties
Steven Keaton (Michael Gross) is a former hippie raising four ’80s-era children. His eldest, Alex (Michael J. Fox), is a money-obsessed, Young Republican, who trains the youngest Keaton, Andy (Brian Bonsall) to be just like him. His daughter Mallory (Justine Bateman) is materialistic and politically disinterested. And his third-born, Jennifer (Tina Yothers), may align with her liberal parents if not for sports, among other interests. Even across the cultural divide, this loving dad meets his kids where they’re at while also challenging their youthful hubris. Times do change, yes. But some things he’s picked up as a Berkeley grad, Peace Corps-working, Woodstock-attending bohemian may actually serve them well.
WATCH NOW: Family Ties
5. Frank Reagan, Blue Bloods
Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) is dad to three adult children – Danny (Donnie Wahlberg), Erin (Bridget Moynahan), and Jamie (Will Estes) – but, really, he’s a father figure to several generations of Reagans. His Sunday dinners – started by his father, Henry Reagan (Len Cariou) – bring the group together, no matter what squabbles its members are engaged in from Monday to Saturday. His kids (not to mention their spouses and children) have strong personalities, and head-butting is inevitable. But the Reagan patriarch seated at the head of the table is the New York City police commissioner, and he’s used to the quarrelsome and rebellious. As he does in his job, he provides his kin with a stable presence, plus an ounce of common sense, and a big helping of integrity. The fam will come to answers on their own, in their own way. They just need that Frank Reagan nudge. And maybe a second helping of Sunday supper.
WATCH NOW: Blue Bloods
What makes a great TV dad?
Each of these dads has a unique way of imparting his hard-earned insight to the younger generation, but all share traits that make them stand out from the patriarchal pack. The dads featured above are good role models and providers who accept their offspring for who they are while also challenging them to be better versions of themselves. Yes, sometimes they’re bewildered by their kids, or maddened by their choices, but these pops’ guidance always stems from a place of love.
You want some cookie-cutter father that just spouts adages? Some one-dimensional tyrant who shouts his children into silence? Or maybe a dad who answers his kids’ questions by peering over his newspaper and telling them to ask their mother. You’re not going to find them here. These characters resonate across generations because they can be both warm and tough, outspoken and restrained. This isn’t to say that all their fatherly feedback is a grand slam; each one of our picks can be out-of-touch or wrongheaded in his input. But they learn from their errors, and occasionally even allow the younger generation to teach them a thing or two. Those are the moves of a great TV dad – one who keeps his (great) TV kids coming back for advice again and again.
