Our favourite TV dad's of all time

To all the dad’s out there, we wish you a Happy Father’s Day! In celebration of all the great things dad’s do, we’re counting down our top eight TV dad’s from some of the most iconic shows throughout the years, and we'd love to hear who your favourite TV dad’s are, too! Head to Twitter now to vote in our polls...

17/06/2022

From Stranger Things all the way to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, we’re looking at a host of different TV genres for this list, each of which stars a father figure that has had a huge impact on the industry. So without further ado, let’s countdown the top 8 TV Dads of all time (plus an honourable mention...)

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8 of the best TV Dads

8. Eddard Stark – Game of Thrones

Let’s start things off with a father from a fantasy world. Lord Eddard Stark was the ruler of House Stark during the first season of hit HBO series Game of Thrones, and is based on the character written by George R. R. Martin who wrote the book series A Song of Ice and Fire. Stark was always a caring father in contrast to pretty much every other father figure on the show. Actor Sean Bean made us love the character and we appreciated the values he taught his high-born children, which kept them grounded throughout the series. Even after death, Ned Stark’s legend was remembered by many, and he raised strong and independent children, all of them having incredibly important roles to play in the unfolding of events in Westeros.

7. Louis Huang – Fresh Off The Boat

Louis Huang (Randall Park) from Fresh Off The Boat is definitely one of the best TV dads to grace our screens in recent years. He’s an optimistic father who takes every opportunity to promote his restaurant, even if it’s a bit inappropriate at times, and though he does mess up as a parent, his flaws make him unique, and it's obvious that he’s trying his very best to be a good father.

6. Michael Kyle – My Wife and Kids

An overlooked TV dad is Michael Kyle from My Wife and Kids. If you remember the sitcom from the early 2000s, you’ll know about the hilarious Michael (Damon Wayans) whose parenting style was a little out of the ordinary. This included using reverse psychology to trick his kids into thinking they’ve done something wrong so that they can learn important life lessons. It was dubbed “Michael Kyle signature moments”, and every single time it was iconic.

5. Gomez Addams – The Addam’s Family

No matter what generation you’re from, we all remember The Addams Family from our childhood. The idea is so classic and brilliant that it keeps being picked up for new generations to enjoy. But what makes it so special? Each and every family member had a unique role to play, and one of our favourite characters is Gomez Addams. Portrayed first by John Astin in 1964, the next instalment was in 1991 with Raul Julia (most notably for me). In 1998 for The Addams Family Reunion, Tim Curry portrayed the character, and there have been plenty other versions since then, including the newest Netflix series Wednesday, coming soon. But why is Gomez so iconic? Some say it's his moustache, but we think it’s because he was, despite the family’s strange customs, a loving husband and father who supported all of his children’s ideas and projects (even if they included blowing up toy trains).

4. Johnny Rose – Schitt's Creek

Portrayed by Eugene Levy (American Pie), Johnny Rose is the dad on the American comedy Schitt’s Creek. When his family lose their fortune, they’re forced to move to a town called Schitt’s Creek and live in a much smaller (and problematic) home than they’re used to. But this doesn’t stop Johnny from taking the unique opportunity and making the most of it, including instilling a strong work ethic in his children so that they can succeed after losing everything they had. Without money, he’s also able to build a better emotional connection to his family and they all become closer because of it. Often he’s the butt of the joke, but that only makes him more loveable.

3. Robby-Ray Stewart – Hannah Montana

When I think of TV dads, I remember watching the Disney channel series Hannah Montana when I was growing up. Miley Cyrus and her real-life father Billy-Ray Cyrus were both cast as father and daughter on the hit kid’s series, which made all the touching moments they had together as father and daughter that much more special. Miley was a young teen when she was cast, so some of the life lessons her character was learning would also translate to her own life, and Robby-Ray had plenty of wise advice for her. The acting, in that case, was so effortless it felt real, because in a way it was.

2. Philip Banks (AKA Uncle Phil) – The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

We simply couldn’t leave Uncle Phil off this list. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was a huge hit when it aired back in the 90s, and Will Smith’s career skyrocketed. His on-screen relationship with his uncle really rounded out the show, though. Philip Banks always had a tough exterior, able to teach Will plenty of life lessons, but underneath he had a heart of gold and loved his children and nephew more than anything, despite constantly aggravating him. He was always there as a shoulder to cry on during his kids’ darkest days.

1. Jim Hopper – Stranger Things

It’s safe to say Jim Hopper (David Harbour) has been put through the ringer during the supernatural show’s run. After his own daughter died of cancer, his wife left him and he became isolated and a little rough around the edges during the first season of the show. He still acted as a protector when it came to Dustin, Mike, Lucas and Will, though, and his drive to do the right thing never left him. When season two rolled around, he adopted Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), kept her safe from the scientist trying to find her and their bond became so strong that Hopper felt he’d been given a second chance. He showed time and time again that he would give up everything for her, including his own life. Plus, there are some hilarious exchanges between Hopper, El and Mike that play on the overprotective dad trope, and we love it!

But Hopper wasn’t the only father figure to make an impact on the show. As a special mention, Bob Newby, portrayed by Sean Astin (The Goonies, Lord of the Rings), made a great first impression when he was introduced as Joyce Byer’s (Winona Ryder) boyfriend in the second series. Not only was he great for her after her failed marriage, Bob was also a totally different father figure to the one Jonathan and Will had experienced (or lacked) growing up. He was kind and gentle, bubbly and wise, and he had some important life lessons to teach the kids. He bravely died in battle protecting his loved ones, and the boys and Joyce would never forget him.