You can always rely on a good “dad joke” from your dad’s. Dads are a lot of things. Protective, annoying, comforting, solid, funny, embarrassing, or all of the above. Dads come in all kinds of forms, no two alike. It’s fun to watch them on screen, as you can identify traits in dad characters to your own dad, or maybe you wish that your dad was more like a TV dad.
We all have those moments from time to time, but at the end of the day, we’re grateful that our dads are who they are. That said, here are the 10 best TV dads of the past decade, ranked.
Walter White “Breaking Bad”
As the seasons of Breaking Bad went on, Walter (Bryan Cranston) became less likable. He became colder and more ruthless as time went on, and as he got deeper into his drug-dealing business. However, we have to remember and appreciate, the whole reason why Walter “went bad” to begin with.
It was for his family, so they would be financially stable once he was gone. At least when he became a criminal, it was for his wife and children’s well-being, so obviously his family meant a lot to him.
Zeek Braverman “Parenthood”
Zeek Braverman (Craig T. Nelson) of Parenthood isn’t perfect. He struggled with his wife for a bit, and he has a tendency to be too demanding when it comes to his kids. He does have their best interests at heart, though, and helps out where he can. He helped out his daughter Sarah when she moved back and needed a place to stay with her kids until she was back on her feet, and Zeek and his wife opened up their home to her.
Zeek has expectations of his family and can be very stubborn when they try to help, but he does deeply care about each of them, as they are everything he ever wanted in life: a big family.
Mike Baxter “Last Man Standing”
Mike (Tim Allen) is a conservative old-school type of guy. He likes all things outdoors, and he’s not much for any kind of liberalism. He’s who he is all day long and is unapologetic about it. Sound familiar? Even if this doesn’t fit the profile of a dad you know, you at least know of someone that resembles Mike Baxter.
He’s good to his wife and three daughters, and he spends lots of time with his grandson (especially since he’s the only other boy in the family). Mike will go through thick and thin for his family, even if he doesn’t always agree with them.
Murray Goldberg “The Goldbergs”
Murray’s (Jeff Garlin) not “Dad of the Year”, but when it comes to what really matters, Murray makes it count. Murray pretty much takes off his pants as soon as he’s walked through the front door and reclines in his chair, leaving anything to do with the kids to his wife. He calls his kids “morons” but it’s more of a term of endearment. He does have a soft side that occasionally comes out, like when he misses his kids after they’ve moved out.
Sometimes it looks like he doesn’t want to be too involved in his kids’ lives, but he’s involved more than you think. His biggest asset is that he doesn’t want to be like his own father, who was never there for Murray or his brother.
Dwayne Pride “NCIS: New Orleans”
Most relationships in the NCIS franchise seem to be non-existent or dysfunctional in some way, so it’s nice to see a relationship that works, especially this one on NCIS: New Orleans between father and daughter. Dwayne (Scott Bakula) was working a lot while his daughter Laurel (Shanley Caswell) was growing up, but his daughter is understanding of that. They bond over music and cooking and are shown to be quite close.
One episode even had Laurel hesitating to take an opportunity in New York because she wanted to be near her father, and Dwayne encouraged her to follow her dreams and not worry about him, which was one of the most touching and meaningful moments between them.
Phil Dunphy “Modern Family”
Phil (Ty Burrell) is one of those awkward dads that always tries to spend time with his kids. He sometimes pushes the concept too hard, but at least he tries. He has a technique he calls “peerenting”, which is a combination of talking like a peer but behaving like a parent.
It can be cringeworthy at times, much to the audience’s amusement. He likes to think of himself as a “cool dad”, and he loves being a family man, doting on his wife and hanging with his kids.
Mike Heck “The Middle”
Mike (Neil Flynn) is a simple guy. He lives in the Midwest, and though he’s not rich, he does ensure that his family makes ends meet. He has trouble connecting with his kids from time to time but he deeply cares about them. Mike tried helping his youngest son get over his fear of bridges, and he was shown to be protective of his daughter a time or two.
He wanted his kids to go to college even though it would be a financial hardship for him and his wife, only wanting them to have opportunities to better their lives and be successful.
Danny Williams “Hawaii Five-0”
Few dads can go the distance like Danny ‘Danno’ Williams (Scott Caan) of Hawaii Five-0. Prior to the events of Season 1, Danny had moved from New Jersey, the only home he’s ever known, all the way to Hawaii so he could be near his daughter Grace after Danny’s ex-wife Rachel remarried and moved to the island.
He made big efforts to be there for Grace, making sacrifices in order to do so. He later has a son Charlie that he also prioritizes. Either way, we’d give him a “World’s Best Dad” coffee mug.
Frank Reagan “Blue Bloods”
Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), the patriarch of the Reagan empire in New York City, should be in the “Hall of Fame” for dads if there ever was one. Frank Reagan has three living children (one of his sons was killed) that he’s always keeping an eye on. Frank, as the Police Commissioner, is seriously connected and usually knows about whatever’s going on in his children’s lives before they have a chance to tell him themselves.
He’s there when you need him, but he’ll also take a step back if he thinks it’s necessary to help his kids get through what they have to, and he’s definitely a dad filled with great advice that’s specially reserved for both his children and grandchildren.
Jack Pearson “This Is Us”
Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) tops the list for obvious reasons. He is the quintessential father and husband. He’s about as perfect as they get, making other husbands and dads pale in comparison. Jack is always there for his family, putting them first and helping each of his children and his wife through whatever struggles they encounter.
Jack’s character is a powerful and calming presence, meaningful because of all the good he’s done. We’re still saddened by his tragic and untimely death.
