Who Are The Best Dads on TV?

With Father’s Day just around the corner, TV is gearing up for various salutes to dear ole dad and I thought it only made sense to focus on some of the best dads on TV. But the big problem was deciding how far back in TV history to travel to pick the best dads.

After all there was Jim Anderson (actor Robert Young) in the classic 1950’s series Father Knows Best or Ben Cartwright (actor Loren Greene) on the legendary western series Bonanza or even Charles Ingalls as portrayed by actor Michael Landon on the popular series Little House on the Prairie. Then there is Mike Brady (actor Robert Reed) on the 60’s family drama The Brady Bunch or Dr. Cliff Huxtable (actor Bill Cosby) on the long running sitcom The Cosby Show. Hell, there was even Thomas Magnum (actor Tom Selleck) in the 80’s hit Magnum, P.I. who discovered he was dad during the final season of the show.

But, it only seemed to make sense to focus on the TV dads from the past decade simply because the dads that follow have become some of the coolest dads on TV. So, without further ado, here are the best dads on TV (at least in my opinion) in no particular order:

Jack Carter (actor Colin Ferguson) on Eureka – Jack Carter started out as a U.S. Marshal who stumbles upon the unique little town of Eureka while taking his, at the time, rebellious teenage daughter Zoe back to Los Angeles. He eventually takes over the role as Sheriff for the town filled with the smartest minds on the planet, becoming surrogate dad to his girlfriend Allison’s two kids and being one of the most comical yet devoted dads on TV.

Coach Eric Taylor (actor Kyle Chandler) on Friday Night Lights – Besides his devotion to the high school football team for which he was coach, Eric Taylor was a devoted father of teen Julie and younger daughter Gracie Bell; and while he had trials and tribulations in and out of his home, he was clearly devoted to his family and strived to be the best dad he could be and succeeded despite any obstacles.

Richard Castle (actor Nathan Fillion) on Castle – Well-known mystery novelist Richard Castle may still be very much a kid while his teenage daughter Alexis seems to be the adult in the family, he is still very much a dad devoted to his child, making sure she is happy, healthy and well-adjusted while still maintaining a sense of childhood wonder and frivolity.

Keith Mars (actor Enrico Colantoni) on Veronica Mars – As disgraced Sheriff of the small California town of Neptune, Keith Mars had a lot of obstacles to overcome and his teenage daughter, Veronica, was right by his side through all of it. They worked as a terrific investigative team and there was no question that Keith would have done anything for his daughter and who wouldn’t want that kind of devotion, right?

Dr. Andy Brown (actor Treat Williams) on Everwood – Andy’s relationship with his teenage son Ephram may have been contentious and difficult, he did have a terrific relationship with pre-teen daughter Delia; and eventually, as time went by, Ephram came around to his dad’s side. And, while the reason for the family’s sudden departure from Manhattan to the snowy town of Everwood, Colorado wasn’t made clear right away, it did make complete sense was the truth was revealed. Andy did his best and that’s all that matters in the long run.

So, there you have it – my top five choices for the best TV dads on TV over the past decade. But I’m more curious who are your favorite TV dads of the last 12 years? Please share your thoughts below.