Television Dads in cartoons are idiots

[Phlog]

I didn't think this was cartoons, this seems to be TV shows in general.

Dads are all one IQ point above special needs, fat, or beta-cuckish, inexplicably married to hot, genius-level intellect, witty, perfect, Mary-Sue, wives. I guess Bill Cosby is the best TV dad you can look up to as he is none of the above.

Black Dads are definitely more likely to be successful and have their shit together, that's what I learned from American sitcoms.

 

[SoberAwakening]

Well spotted, Disney killing dads since forever.

Cinderella's dad - DEAD
Snow White’s dad - DEAD
Tarzan's dad - DEAD
Lilo's dad - DEAD
Elsa's dad - DEAD
Kida's dad - DEAD
Arthur’s dad - DEAD
Linguini's dad - DEAD
Bambi's dad - DEAD?
Quasimodo’s dad - DEAD?
Simba's dad - DEAD
Tiana’s dad - DEAD
Shang’s dad - DEAD

WILL YOU EVER STOP THE DAD GENOCIDE, DISNEY???

And the dude's left behind are bumbling idiots like Jasmine's dad and Belle's dad.

 

[sleepwalk]

Being a young dad myself I've started noticing this recently - the portrayal of fathers in cartoons is mostly negative. Whether we're talking about shows for kids or the ones aimed at adults, old or modern, 2D or 3D - whenever a dad is in the picture, he's usually stupid, useless or both.

Let's have a quick rundown, shall we?

• Simpsons - Homer - loveable idiot
• Family Guy - Peter - violent retard
• The Flintstones - Fred - lazy fatso
• The Jetsons - George - scrawny loser
• Daria - Jake Morgendorffer - meek loser
  
• Mickey Mouse / Disney - Goofy - literally goofy
  
• Dexter's Laboratory - Dad - completely clueless
  
• Rick and Morty - Jerry - meek, insecure and misguided
• Adventure Time - Martin - total asshole and absentee father
• Peppa Pig - Daddy - fat stupid lazy slob (a cartoon for little kids!)
• The Amazing World of Gumball - Richard - unemployed fat lazy idiot
• How to Train Your Dragon - Stoick - overprotective, stubborn, obstinate
• UP - ? - absentee father

What are some other idiot dads that you know from cartoons?
Why do you think dads are portrayed like this?
Are there any GOOD dads in toons?
Discuss!

I'm not the only one who noticed this trend BTW.
Multiple articles written on the same topic:

https://metro.co.uk/2013/06/12/cartoons-make-dads-look-lazy-stupid-and-useless-3837816/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2340677/Why-does-TV-portray-dad-dimwit.html
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-05/simpsons-family-guy-bluey-and-the-useless-dad-trope/10957610
https://www.deseret.com/2013/2/27/2...m-opposed-to-what-being-a-father-used-to-mean
https://watchmojo.com/suggest/Top+10+idiot+cartoon+Dads+in+TV

I will say that you've got Goofy pegged all wrong. That is a loving and doting father that, despite raising and providing for Max on his own, never fails to be upbeat and positive. And, when he loses his job while Max is in college, he goes to college himself in order to improve his position in life. That's a dude right there. And he got his kid onstage with Powerline and impressed said major recording artist with his dance moves.

Another great cartoon father figure on TV is Bandit Heeler from Bluey (although I have maintained that Bluey is a parenting show with elements in it to keep kids entertained but hey.)

 

[ChickenBrother]

Since I mentioned the Peppa Pig books, this also holds true for most other children's books. There's not a single positive dad role model in the Dr. Seuss books - basically dad is either too busy working, absent or just a douche. Rule #1 is you should NOT hop on pop or he gets grumpy. And if you try to announce yourself to him so he can try some green eggs and ham (which you like), he's just going to sit in his easy chair ignoring you or rebuffing your attempts at having a relationship for 20 something pages until he finally acquiesces after 40 consecutive hours of pestering and having to bring in livestock, trains, automobiles and ocean waves from the ends of the earth to get him to engage.

And the mama of the 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed? How about Llama llama's mom? Fuhgettaboutit. After the ordeal of getting the kids to bed, mom goes to bed alone because baby daddy is out at the club or banging 10's somewhere else.

 

[n...not crazy]

Yep it's the old TV trope. Men are children.

But hey, I'll always have family ties, growing pains, and. uh, Cosby.
I think the guy on ALF was pretty boss too. We got a few reasonably ok dads in history.

 

[sleepwalk]

Yep it's the old TV trope. Men are children.

But hey, I'll always have family ties, growing pains, and. uh, Cosby.
I think the guy on ALF was pretty boss too. We got a few reasonably ok dads in history.

Uncle Phil
Cpt Carl Winslow of Chicago PD
Jack Arnold
Alan Matthews