You will not see Peter Griffin, Homer Simpson, or Jim (from According to Jim) on this list. It will be filled with men who are responsible, compassionate and loving to their kids and significant others.
And I'll preface the list that it only includes dads who I have seen on TV and all these choices as just my opinion.
This list is not necessarily ranked but no list like this would be complete without the clear cut number one.
#1 Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable (the Cosby Show)
For most of the 1980s the luckiest children in the world were Denise, Theo, Vanessa, Rudy and later Sandra, because Dr. Huxtable was their dad. If the show lasted one episode he may have still made this list.
In the first episode Cliff broke down living costs to Theo who was having problems at school and didn't want to go to college. His only son Theo said in a touching moment that he didn't need to be a doctor or lawyer like his parents, he wanted to be a regular person and he'd be ok as long as his dad loved him. Cliff looks at him, and everyone is expecting a hug or something, but he stands up and says that's the stupidest thing he'd ever heard. That is the kind of straight talk that he dispensed for the rest of the series, and the kind that dads like me try to emulate. Fast forward many seasons that young boy who had trouble reading because of dyslexia was an NYU graduate and a teacher.
The character was revolutionary, not only because he was an African American doctor on TV but he was a stay at home dad. He was a loving dad, eventually grandfather, son and husband.
He raised his kids to be respectful and good people. His son learned to be respectful to women from his example. And his daughters married men that had many of the same good qualities that they saw in their father.
The character was as good a man as has ever been on TV. The kind of dad you'd be ok with trusting your kids into his care.
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