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Home › Articles › Special Features › TV Dads: Have They Really Changed That Much?

TV Dads: Have They Really Changed That Much?

By Felicia Hodges

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Fathers seemed to have been reduced to background players in this decade. Either they were not around much ("Grace Under Fire") or, if they were a regular part of the story lines or even one of the show's central figures, they were not around their children very often (like Frasier Crane on "Frasier" or Dr. Mark Greene on "ER"). Oddly though, African American fathers -- once a relative oddity in prime time -- came on strong in the 1990s. Like Dr. Huxtable in the 1980s, black fathers on shows like "The Parent 'Hood," "Moesha" and "The Hughleys" were regulars on the show, providing just as much comfort and kissing just as many boo-boos as their partners did.

The concerned patriarch seems to have made a resurgence in this decade as well. Even shows that are centered around the children (and are extremely popular with teens as a result) have expanded Dad's role, regularly involving him in the story conflict as well as in the decision making and discipline. The dads on "7th Heaven" and "Dawson's Creek" for example, are actively woven into the stories, not just background pieces that come out and say a few words because we expect them to be around.

Television shows -- which are mostly written by men -- try their best to imitate life and the society it exists within, as is exists, at the time. But, just like with portrayals of women or people of color, often, the shows miss the mark and come off feeling strange and surreal. Any dad, working mom, Latino or lesbian searching for an accurate portrayal of him or herself on television today would probably tell you the same thing.