Favourite TV dads

Since today is Father’s Day, now seems an apt time to honour some of the very best dads to grace the small screen – even if like all dads they’ve had their fair share of embarrassing setbacks…

Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)

No list of TV dads is complete without everyone’s favourite yellow layabout Homer Simpson – the half-witted alcoholic with a heart of gold. Over his 29 years on television, Homer has cemented himself as the quintessential lazy-but-lovable TV dad. While the show often follows a predictable formula of Homer’s poor parenting followed by a heart-warming gesture that restores the love of his children, the early seasons at least managed to perfect the formula with a perfect blend of sharp-witted comedy and just enough sentimentality. If you think the show’s excesses push him to a borderline negligent father, just watch the episode ‘And Maggie Makes Three’ to see the sacrifices Homer makes for his children.

Phil Dunphy (Modern Family)

A self-proclaimed ‘cool dad’, Phil Dunphy’s comedic attempts to bond with his children through ‘peerenting’ are so endearing because he’s basically a big kid himself. Whether it is memorising text abbreviations, learning the dance to High School Musical or allowing Luke to throw basketballs at him, Phil is never afraid to act like an idiot for his kids. The big, dumb heart of Modern Family, Phil not only gets the best lines and has spawned many a T-shirt but is also a great dad, cementing himself as an iconic TV father up there with Homer Simpson.

Ned Stark (Game of Thrones)

In a world full of truly terrible dads, Ned stands out as a kind but firm father to the long-suffering Stark children. In the brief moments we see of him as a father in the first series – whether it is defending Sansa’s direwolf, gently reassuring Bran of his archery skills or breaking convention by hiring Arya a sword fighting instructor – Ned always goes the extra mile for his children, somewhat of a rarity in a world where Tywin Lannister and Randyll Tarly set new lows for child neglection. Perhaps the ultimate testament of his fatherly love is that Ned ultimately puts his precious honour aside to save Sansa and Arya – a huge sacrifice for the right honourable Eddard Stark.