TV's 17 Most Heavenly Fathers
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Once upon a time, not so long ago, Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby) held the number one 'TV dad' spot on Father’s Day lists worldwide.
Sure, sure, Cosby and Cliff are two different men, but the lesson is the same. It's no longer enough to simply be present, crack jokes, and serve the kids Jell-O.
The time has come to hold our TV fathers to a higher standard. Out with the old and in with the new... Here are TV's Most Heavenly Fathers of this millennium.
17. David Nolan Charming, Once Upon a Time
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A staunch beliver in happily ever after with an epic love for Snow White, he defends and sacrifices for his family at all costs -- literally making him the prince of dads.
16. Louis Huang, Fresh Off the Boat
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Louis is not giving up on the family's new life in Orlando no matter how (hilariously) tortured his family is by their new address. This father is determined to provide his wife and children with the opportunity he never had -- to live the American Dream.
15. Richard Castle, Castle
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Yet after his mother is swindled out of her life's savings, he also rescues her and moves mom in with him.
When it comes to Alexis, Castle's love knows no bounds. He's done everything from mercilessly torturing those who harm her, to making Alexis his ‘Best Man' when he remarries. Castle does everything for his child, because she is, without question, "the most important person in his life."
14. Rogelio de la Vega, Jane the Virgin
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The famous telenovela star supports Jane's relationships and pregnancies -- no matter how they come to be, or where they may go. Though rather self-obsessed, Rogelio has been a dream dad to Jane from the get-go -- even when suddenly being a father was virgin territory.
13. Andre Johnson, black-ish
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He wants his family to have a happy, modern life -- based on equality and chock-full of opportunity. t's not all so serious though, as Andre is one of, if not THE funniest dad on network television today!
12. Fred Andrews, Riverdale
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11. Danny, Jesse, and Joey, Fuller House
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Little Michelle is nowhere to be seen of course, as the Olsen twins have long since moved onwards and arguably upwards, but the fatherly trio of Danny, Jesse, and Joey has returned to the San Francisco house, with a whole new generation of kids to raise.
And with the boys’ fatherly band back together, their music (and their house) has never been more energetic, or more entertaining.
10. Michael Bluth, Arrested Development
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9. Joe West, The Flash
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8. Seeley Booth, Bones
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7. Sandy Cohen, The O.C.
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The ultimste idealistic do-gooder, Sandy loves, protects, and defends his sons no matter how badly they screw up, while doling out romantic advice and that crucial first -time sex talk over the perfect spread of Bagels and Lox.
6. Ray Donovan, Ray Donovan
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5. Dale Bishop, Siren
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Dale's decision to release Ryn may not necessarily have been the right call as Bristol Cove's sheriff, but it is definitely the right -- and most loving move as Maddie's step-daddy.
4. Adam Braverman and Joel Graham, Parenthood
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The oldest child of Zeek and Camille Braverman, Adam has three children of his own, while often playing dad to his siblings and even parents in times of crisis.
Adam's standout father moments include basically EVERYTHING he does for Max, who’s challenged with Asperger’s -- from their meant-to-be-fun father-son adventures out to the amusement park and into the ocean -- to Adam punching a man when he calls Max a "retard."
Adam also barely even flinches when daughter, Haddie brings her first ever girlfriend home from college. Though I guess it's all relative, considering the loser dudes she dated in high school.
Julia’s husband, Joel struggles with his role as a stay-at-home dad, but is super-supportive of his wife’s career and loves being a father. It seems easy with their daughter, Sidney, but Joel struggles to relate to their adopted, rather difficult son, Victor -- straining their marriage.
Yet Joel's an amazing man, insisting he and Julia stay the course. And in the end, both their relationship and their parenthood prevail.
3. Jay, Phil, Cam, and Mitchell, Modern Family
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Jay’s daughter, Claire, is married to Phil Dumphy (Ty Burrell), the (self -proclaimed, but not far from it) coolest dad ever to his three kids -- daughters Hayley and Alex, and son, Luke.
That leaves Jay’s son, Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson)and his partner, Cam (Eric Stonestreet) to be the most neurotic but loving parental tag team ever to raise their adopted baby girl, Lily, into a confident, sassy and hilarious young woman.
The Pritchett men might just be the best example of stellar fathers breeding the next generation of exemplary men, if not for this next guy…
2. Jack Pearson, This Is Us
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Proof that excellent fathers raise sons that grow up to be stellar dads themselves? Jack's son, Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown), is an EPIC father to Annie,Tess, and foster dad to Deja.
With the help of his amazing wife Beth, Randall's family may just be the brightest (and cutest) on television.
Surely Jack couldn't be prouder as he watches Randall from up in heaven, and sees what an incredible husband and father his little boy has become.
1. Coach Eric Taylor, Friday Night Lights
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Coach Taylor is also the father figure to many of his football players who never had dads of their own. He motivates, appreciates, and rarely dissapoints those who look up to him, cultivating both his children and his players into winners.
With a father figure like Coach Eric Taylor, even without clear eyes and full hearts, you likely couldn't lose.