Top TV Dads

Donning his Fathers Day duds of course. 

In celebration of Father's Day, I’ve compiled a list of TV’s greatest gift to fatherhood.

1) Heathcliff Huxtable, The Cosby Show--Seeing as how I'm spending my days in front of the computer streaming Seasons 1-8 of The  Cosby Show, let's just say the Huxtables are always on my brain.  So, it's really no surprise I'd say Heathcliff tops my list, but just think about the life lessons he taught us, all while keeping the comical antics and playful admonishments rolling.  If I was guaranteed a dad like Heathcliff, I'd want to be one of five too.  Plus, all his sweaters; seriously, he's got the most amazing wardrobe ever!

2, 3, and 4) Danny Tanner/Joey Gladstone/Jesse Katsopolis, Full House--A single father to  three young girls, Danny Tanner picks up the pieces after his  wife dies with the help of his brother-in-law and best friend.  The nearly perfect "dads" may be a bit clueless,  but let's be honest:  Danny makes sure the house is spotless; Joey keeps the laughs rolling with his endless supply of cartoon impersonations, and Uncle Jesse looks beautiful while singing them to sleep with sweet lullabies.  

That face...

5)Tim the Toolman Taylor, Home Improvement--The host of Tool Time, Tim's the quintessential "man's man."   He's a  bit accident prone too.  So, when he's not in the garage working on his hotrod or chatting with the upper half on neighbor Wilson's face, he's Jill's other half as they tackle the trials of raising three boys.  And, the grunt…well, that'd put him on the list by itself.

6)Eric Taylor aka Coach, Friday Night Lights--Coach Taylor is not only a loving dad to teen daughter Julie and baby Gracie Bell but also serves as a father-figure to all the boys on the East Dillon  football team.  I'd say he's the profoundly decedent bedrock of a great father and a great coach.  Plus, you'll always remember “Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose.”

7)Andy Griffith, The Andy Griffith Show--No list would be complete without doting dad  Andy Griffith.  Throughout the 60s, he weekly warmed the hearts of audience members, keeping Opie and the folks of Mayberry on a high standard of morality and proper behavior.

8)Mike Brady, The Brady Brunch--Famous for his morality talks, architect Mike Brady effortlessly headed up his blended family of six children.  Whether you saw The Brady Brunch when it first aired or only watched episodes once they hit TVLand, one thing's for sure, you've got to love Mike Brady!

9)Sandy Cohen, The OC--By far, Sandy Cohen was the best TV Dad of the 2000s.  He not only gave Ryan Atwood a home when his family abandoned him but also supported Seth with inventing the wonderful holiday known as Chrismukkah.  Then there's the eyebrows...

10)Dr. Jason Seaver, Growing Pains--Dad to four, stay-at-home psychiatrist Jason  was patient and kind when it came to juggling four children. For seven seasons he kept the peace between troublemaker Mike, honors student Carol,rambunctious Ben, and cute kiddo Chrissy.

11)Ward Cleaver, Leave It to Beaver--Whenever I had a sick day during elementary school, all my watching was turned to TV Land.  Of all the old time-y dads, I'd say Ward Cleaver was the best. The archetypal suburban parent, Ward would often give one of his boys a stern talking to after they committed a misadventure.  Besides dishing up moral instructions at the end of each episode, he also made sure Wally and Beaver thanked June for her always hot meals.

12)Fred Flintstone, The Flintstones-- When you hear the phrase "Yabba Dabba Doo", only one person's name comes to mind.  Yes, I realize Fred Flintstone is a cartoon character. But, as far as TV dads go, he's one of the best.  By no means is the prehistoric papa perfect, but we know behind the blue-collar bravado lies a heart of gold.  Plus, he always has a soft spot for dinosaur Dino and daughter Pebbles.


13)Eric Camden, 7th Heaven--When he wasn't busy balancing the schedules of seven children, Eric was spending time helping churchgoers and troubled teens.  A great example of a father trying to keep his kids on the right path, starting in the mid ‘90s he tackled moral issues better than anyone on TV.

14)Howard Cunningham, Happy Days--Regularly offering solid fatherly wisdom, Howard Cunningham always seemed to have time to be a part of his children's lives.  Plus, he and Marion's home (and kitchen) was always open to any friends  who stopped by.

15) Jed Bartlet, The West Wing--He might not be as fun as other dads, but it's hard to deny having your dad be the President of the United States would be pretty cool.  Plus, there was that whole thing where Zoey was kidnapped...

And, if I’m missing an obvious addition be sure to list it in the comments section!