Top 7 Worst Dads on Television

Fathers, as portrayed on television, have come a long way. Unfortunately this is not always for the better. Although there are some great fathers shown, there are also those who never should rear any children.

Here is my list of the 7 worst dads in television history.

7. Jack Bauer, 24 - Jack Bauer is the hero of America. Exciting, brave, he would do anything to save the people. However, what makes him such a great character also makes him a good candidate for worst Father of the Year.

Kim Bauer obviously is longing for attention. But, Jack's job always comes first. Time and again, she is left to her own devices. This is why she is always getting in trouble.

Although Jack's altruism is a positive trait, his willingness to torture or break the rules is not. His willingness to put his life on the line without concern for those left behind to deal with his loss is not. His first thought has never been for those who love him, instead it is to do his job, what must be done. He will never be able to stop battling his inner demons or the forces of evil.

Because of this, his job as Kim's dad becomes less fulfilled, less important. Jack Bauer is a good man, maybe even a great one. He is just not cut out for the role of father.

6. Bradford Meade, Ugly Betty - The world of fashion is a nasty business. And we saw this quite clearly at Meade Publications. Daniel Meade, Betty's boss, tries incredibly hard to please his father.

His father claimed to love both of his children, but his behavior has shown otherwise. He had an affair while married to their mother, not the best way to be a good family man.

He was so ashamed of his son Alex, who was gay, that he made him feel completely inferior and hateful. So much, in fact, that Alex faked his own death, and after having a sex change tried to ruin the family business. He fostered a rivalry between his two sons so they were never as close as they could have been. He fostered hate and hostility, which almost ruined everything.

Bradford Meade might have felt slightly guilty for all the harm he caused, but he never had time to make up for it. Money, power, and his business were all more important to him than his family. Not a good father by any meaning of the word.

5. Lionel Luther, Smallville - Everyone knows that Lex Luthor becomes Superman's greatest enemy. Perhaps after meeting his father, Lionel, we can understand why.

Lionel is a man who is after power and he doesn't care who he hurts to get it. That includes his son, Lex, who had many physical ailments as a child.

Throughout his life, Lex was always told by his father that he wasn't good enough, that he will never be a man. They are constantly competing to outdo and best the other.

It is because of Lionel's constant berating and nastiness that Lex started getting jealous of Clark who seemed to get respect all the time. He also had a happy family life, which Lex never had.

I truly feel that if Lionel had given Lex one iota of acceptance he may not have taken the path he eventually did.

Lionel Luthor, who succeeded at almost everything thing he attempted, failed completely at his most important job, being a father.

4. Al Bundy, Married with Children - Let's be very honest, Al Bundy was treated just as badly by his family as he treated them. Every episode there were insults flying back and forth.

But, a major part of the job of dad is being a role model. Not only did Al Bundy ooze disdain for the world at large, including his family, he constantly let them know just how much he resented them. He wanted them to know that he thought they were taking advantage of him. In one commentary, such words as "Greetings vultures! Your meal-ticket is here,"¹ his family, especially his kids, knows just how little he appreciates them.

The man is nasty, insulting, and rarely shows them any compassion. He enjoys humiliating his children as much as possible, perhaps so they could be as miserable as he. I suppose that Al Bundy had a chance of being a better father if he would have agreed to some long-term therapy, but that did not seem likely.

3. Homer Simpson, The Simpsons - I have seen people say that although Homer is not the brightest of beings, he still cares about his family. Well, be that as it may, Homer is a horrible father.

He is constantly berating his children, making sure they feel unwanted and unappreciated. He also doesn't give them any reason to try, just the opposite as can be shown from this quote "Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try."²

It didn't end with verbal abuse. Homer, time and again would be physically abusive to Bart. Now, Bart might have been a very aggravating and nasty child, but children sometimes act as they are taught and let us remember that Homer is supposedly the adult. Therefore, he should not be strangling his child.

He doesn't accept his children for who they are, he insists they cater to his wants, he mentally and physically abuses them, therefore Homer Simpson should not get a gift on Father's day.

2. Aaron Echolls, Veronica Mars - Aaron Echolls is the famous acting father of Logan Echolls, Veronica Mars' boyfriend.

He appears to be the perfect father. But, he is not. He cheats on his wife and beats up his son. When things don't go his way, he tends to react violently.

To make matters worse, we find out over the course of the first season that Aaron Echolls is not only a nasty bully, but he is also a murderer. We find out that he killed Lilly Kane, his son's girlfriend, rather than have Lilly tell others of his relationship with her.

A horrible man and an even worse father, Aaron Echolls is almost at the very top of my list.

1. The Fathers from Heroes - On the TV show, Heroes, we meet several people who have super abilities that make them more than human. But, how they use those powers decides whether they are heroes or villains.

I am using all the failed fathers from this show as a whole as one item in this list. From Sylar's father, who killed his mother right in front of him as a little boy, to Arthur Petrelli, who betrayed his children, Nathan and Peter, for ultimate power, we see an utter lack of paternal instinct.

Along with these two fathers, we also get Claire's dad, known commonly as H.R.G. (horned rimmed glasses). H.R.G. is Claire's adoptive dad. He has made a lot of mistakes, lying to his entire family in an attempt to protect Claire, the daughter he loves with all his heart, doing anything he had to do to, including using such tactics as murder and sabotage.

My problem with him is, even after all they have been through, he still lies to Claire. She deserves the truth, the chance to know and deal with everything happening in her life. But, he continues to hide everything from her. Sometimes, those with the best of intentions make the worst decisions. So, all these fathers have not even come close to being what they should. This is why they are at number 1.

Here you have my list of the worst fathers on television. Do you agree? Do you think that I have left someone out? I would love to hear your opinion.

Sources:

¹Married with children, Season 4, Episode 1, "Hot off the Grill"

²The Simpsons, Season 5 Episode 18, "Burns Heir"