From Father Knows Best to Father Knows Least: What happened to The Sitcom Father?

Image Sources: Rodney Young Productions & Screen Gems Television & Bill Cosby & Carsey-Werner Company.

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There’s been a trope for years of the dumb sitcom dad that’s been quite frankly one of the worst aspects of television the last few decades. How did we go from sensible, strong, and intelligent dads like Father Knows Best’s Jim Anderson and Bill Cosby’s Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable to ridiculous albeit lovable morons like Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin? Let’s dig into the history of the sitcom dad and how the roles have changed over the decades.

When fathers knew best: The 50’s and 60's:

It all started with father knowing best: Father Knows Best 1954–1960.

In the 1950’s and 1960’s television gave us fathers like Ward Cleaver, Jim Anderson, Steve Douglas, Ben Cartwright, Andy Taylor and Jed Clampett. These were intelligent, wise, kind and strong fathers who were…