Top 10 Sitcom Dads of all time part 2.
We’re back this Father’s day with part two of my top 10 greatest, most hilarious, most lovable sitcom dads of all time.
Part one : https://kendallrivers.medium.com/top-10-sitcom-dads-of-all-time-e69df0e50b77
I felt so bad that on the last list so many other great and iconic sitcom dads were left off so I wanted to give these fav dads their time to shine.
10. Homer Simpson.
Homer may have been dumb as a box of rocks and as lazy as a sloth, he also may have choked out Bart every time he pissed him off, all that said… He was a Dad that tried his best at the end of the day and more often than not he succeeded to provide a good lifestyle for his family and made sacrifices for his kids that any good Dad should be willing to do.
9. Archie Bunker.
Archie may have been flawed but at his core was a devoted family man who loved his wife and adored his “little goil” Gloria. Archie wasn’t always a softy but there were key moments with his only daughter that cemented him as the loving dad he really is.
8. Hank Hill.
Hank Hill may never have understood his son Bobby or the stuff he likes or does but he’s always loved and cared for his boy and would do anything so that he could be the best that he can be. Hank may have made mistakes with Bobby on occasion but I think we can all agree that he’s a million times better a father then his dad Cotton, so no matter what mistakes Hank made, nothing he ever did could ever be as bad as his father which automatically guarantees Hank as one of the greatest sitcom Dads ever.
7. Tony Micelli.
Tony was the ultimate housekeeper and also one of the ultimate sitcom dads, being a devoted, fun, caring, tough but fair Dad who took “making sacrifices for your kids” to heart when he moved he and his daughter out of the rough and tough Brooklyn, New York to a “brand new life” in Connecticut. “Aye, yo, yo, aye”, Tony’s one heck of a Dad.
6. Michael Kyle.
The classic and ever so funny My Wife and Kids is an often overlooked gem but is always worth the watch and Damon Wayans’ Michael Kyle is a classic sitcom dad with a twist. Being a modern version of Bill Cosby’s Cliff Huxtable, Michael had his own unique approach to parenting, usually going for the bombastic and hilarious route to teaching his children lessons. But at the end of the day he adored his wife and kids and deserves a spot in the Sitcom Dad Hall of Fame.
5. Martin Crane.
Martin Crane was excellently played by John Mahoney who we unfortunately lost a few years ago, but, this character will live on forever thanks to reruns, Dvds and streaming services. Who doesn’t love Martin? He’s as funny as he is warm, as down to earth as he is wise, as quirky as he is rock solid etc. Martin may not have always understood his sons and vice versa, but the three Crane men over the course of the series developed an unbreakable bond and Martin was never afraid to give his firm but loving opinions and advice on any situation his boys were in. He also became a surrogate father to Daphne and Roz. Marty Crane was one heck of a Dad and his chair deserves to be preserved forever in the Smithsonian.
4. Mike Heck.
Life in the middle ain’t easy but Patriarch Mike Heck makes it work as best he and his highly erratic and doting wife Frankie can. Mike is a typical guy’s guy who enjoys simple pleasures like coming home from a long, hard day of work and kicking back on the couch watching tv and holding a can of cold beer, now his kids and wife’s endless problems often get in the way of that but Mike never lets that stop him from doing what he needs to do to provide, take care of and enjoy his family. Mike may not always be raising his hand to be super involved but when he does get involved in his kids’ messes he does his damndest to fix the problem… even though it always hilariously blows up in his face.
3. Hal Wilkerson.
What can be said about Hal? This lovable, goofball of a Dad always does his best to ensure great lives for his family and is always quick with a life lesson for his boys. Hal may not be the strongest, most assertive parent in the house but he always manages to eek out great dad moments with earnest love and devotion to his boys that make him one amazing sitcom dad.
2. Bernie Mac.
It’s one thing to love and raise your own kids but to love and raise somebody else’s takes a very special dad in deed. Bernie was basically “Uncle Daddy” and although he was more prison warden than father knows best, he always punished with love and even had plenty of sweet and tender moments with the three rambunctious children that somehow won his heart.
- Andy Taylor.
One of the most important aspects of being a father, single or not is security and Andy Taylor was a very secure man who instilled that into his son Opie as much as possible. Andy was both the cool and tough parent, which he had to be since there was no mother in the picture, but Andy did a fine job raising his son and is one of the best sitcom dads ever because he did it all with heart, humor, strength, integrity and like I said before, security.
Honorable mention:
Alan Matthews.
Alan Matthews is overlooked terribly but he is truly deserving of mention because he’s such an incredibly funny, lovable and devoted father.
Just like the last list, there were many other great sitcom dads that didn’t make it on this list but that doesn’t make them any less because there are so many incredibly memorable and iconic sitcom dads that one or two lists can’t possibly capture them all.
This is dedicated to my very own Dad Mitchell Rivers, My two Grandfathers Willie C. Brown and Gilbert Rivers, and all the other amazing dads out there that are the definition of Fatherhood. ‘Til next time, folks!