Do any family-based sitcoms NOT portray the father as a dumbass?

[Orrex]

Granted, these aren't the height of the cinematic art, but how many family-based sitcoms portray the father as caring, involved, and competent?

on edit: I mean current or recent sitcoms, before someone suggests The Cosby Show or My Three Sons...

[1gobluedem]

1. Not that I can think of

It's always bothered me too.

[MissMillie]

2. "My two dads"?

One of the dads had to be reasonable alert, right?

:shrug:

[JVS]

14. Nope they were both jackasses, but in different ways, like the Odd Couple

[Momgonepostal]

3. Not current, but The Cosby Show

You're right though, most show the dad as a goof ball.

[underpants]

10. That was the first one I thought of

[Radical Activist]

4. I can't think of any.

Is it fair to call this widespread sexism on TV? Wouldn't it be pointed out more if this were being done to women?

[Orrex]

16. Well, there's a thread right now

Discussing "women as non-entities" in recent films. That quite reasonable subject got me thinking, and the pervasive stereotype of the male-as-doofus seemed to be of a similar vibe.

[Connonym]

31. Look at how women are protrayed on TV

behind every dumbass dad is a shrewy, know-it-all, controlling wife. I don't know which stereotype is worse.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

53. also fathers are main bread earner whereas the woman's domain is her home

fatherhood doesnt define men. whereas motherhood does define women.

[Radical Activist]

69. That 70's Show, Malcolm in the Middle, The War at Home

all feature women in family sit-coms who have careers outside the home. Those are the first three that come to mind and I'm sure I could think of many others. I think that's the new rule, not the exception.

[HEyHEY]

5. The Simpsons

[jilln]

6. Big Day, on ABC right now

The whole family is running around like crazy and creating dramas, and he just sits back and stays out of it all.

[JVS]

7. 7th heaven

[Orrex]

17. Never watched it--is it a sitcom?

[Left Is Write]

40. It's a family drama.

[JVS]

8. Carl Winslow on Family Matters or Phil Banks on Fresh Prince?

Both tended to be poked fun at for their weight and oafishness in Carl's and distemper in Phil's case, but they both seemed to know the score and were both caring and competent

[Orrex]

19. Fair enough, but on edit I added "recent" as a criterion

Otherwise, your suggestions are pretty good.

[Little Wing]

9. Same with commercails

be it tools, trucks, pizza, chairs, toilets, gardening, roofing, shopping, dancing

[Orrex]

18. YES!

No man in the history of commercials has ever been shown with a paintbrush in hand without a big smear of paint on his cheek.

[Left Is Write]

39. I agree! I often complained about those JCPenney commercials...

the ones which portrayed the mom as a wise person who'd go shopping for bargains on Saturday morning and dad as a big, dumb doofus who couldn't care for his own children when his wife wasn't around.

[Frank Cannon]

11. I never thought about it, but you're absolutely right

Going back in time, Mr. Brady on the Brady Bunch was actually pretty sharp. It was one or all of his six kids that always made a mess of everything. I would also invoke Andy Taylor and Ward Cleaver as two TV dads that were fairly on-the-ball, as well as Mr. Douglas on My Three Sons.

It's pretty sad, though, that in the modern sitcom world, ALL the fathers have been fairly well lobotimized. What the heck is with that? :shrug:

[1gobluedem]

13. Of course Robert Reed had to get drunk to BE Mike Brady...

He had a few issues of his own.

If I were forced to get a perm and wear awful white belts and shoes, I'd get drunk too.

[Deja Q]

32. As I recall, Reed wanted the show to be less farcical...

Looking at episodes where Cindy sells rabbits while Bobby sells hair tonic that turns hair green and there's no point to it all, I don't blame him...

Still, he had gripes going back all the way back to season 1...

He never got drunk to play the role.

Indeed, he and the kids got along well together. (and not in a Michael Jackson way, unless something broke out recently...)

I think the "E!" channel had a solid hour-long making-of special on the show. If you can find it, see it. It's rather good.

[underpants]

12. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

He may be ruthless and heartless but his isn't dumb

[terrya]

15. The one I thought of was "Family Ties"

Hell, that was 20 years ago, though.

[Strawman]

20. I believe thet there have been media effects studies on sitcoms

That have found that to be the case. I know I read/heard something to that effect in a content analysis course I took last year.

[zanne]

21. I have a theory about this.

I think the "father as dumbass" sitcom trend is a reaction to all the "mother or wife as dumbass" sitcoms of the 50's, 60's and 70's. Everybody has a turn to be a dumbass, and payback's a bitch.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

22. Art imitating life?

Lovable, bumbling goofball seems to sum up my dad pretty well.

Throw in the occasional fits of rage and you've got Homer Simpson to a T.

[Orrex]

24. No problem with "lovable, bumbing goofball," but...

It's the culpably inept, disaffected, and mentally absent sperm-donor archetype that irritates me. Too often males are portrayed as a boys-among-boys rather than as fathers-for-their-children, or else they're made to seem pissy and irritated at having to be fathers.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. For example?

[Orrex]

61. Everybody Loves Raymond

Both fathers explicitly dislike having to act as fathers.

For example.

[mitchum]

23. It all started with Ralph Kramden

[meegbear]

26. Leave It To Beaver

[Tyrone Slothrop]

27. Arrested Development

George Sr. may be a crook, but he's not dumb.

And Michael is the smartest person on the show.

[Orrex]

71. I can't believe I didn't think of that one!

Perhaps I overlooked it because I'm still in mourning over it's far-too-early demise!

[tigereye]

28. the one with the girl who talked to God (name escapes me)

Mary Steenburgen was the mom and the dad was a very sharp cop. Hmmm. That wasn't a sitcom, though.

guess that kind of makes your point.

[Left Is Write]

37. Joan of Arcadia?

[tigereye]

43. yeah, I was sad to see that one go

[YellowRubberDuckie]

46. Not a sitcom...

Sitcom is shorthand for situational comedy.
Duckie

[Left Is Write]

51. I know that. I was trying to help the poster name the show she was thinking of.

[sakabatou]

58. After she got sick, it started to go down hill...

[NorthernSpy]

41. thanks for reminding us -- my LORD I hated that show!

Fake-profound smarm delivered by a self-righteous teenaged bigmouth -- what's not to love?

Just another dog brought to us by that woman who created Judging Amy (the most despicable show ever).


:puke:

[tigereye]

42. I really liked it

there were some really good and funny points, not all were cliches. And Steenburgen and Joe Mategna were excellent.

I thought they asked some questions that no one seemed to ask on tv. And that was refreshing.

Did you hate Northern Exposure and Cagney and Lacey, too? ;)

[Left Is Write]

52. I enjoyed Judging Amy.

[Shell Beau]

29. What is that show on Fox that comes on after The Family Guy?

[Deja Q]

33. The War at Home

Last year wasn't bad. The plots, while edgy, had some substance.

This year it's every-other-word-*BLEEP*. That's not edgy. That's lame. Not much of substance either; it's obvious FOX opted to let it continue on the provision it got changed to suit their purported all-knowing beliefs... :eyes:

[Shell Beau]

35. I have only seen a few. The ones I saw were funny though!

And the dad wasn't a goofy idiot!

[Blue-Jay]

30. "caring, involved, and competent" isn't terribly funny.

[Deja Q]

34. How about 'Alf' or 'The Cosby Show' (1984)?

If not, would you believe 'Unhappily Ever After'?

How about 'Married with Children'? Al wasn't much, but he seemed brighter and more moral than the rest of his family (at least until the 4th season...)

[Left Is Write]

36. Recently, none that I can think of.

The only ones I can think of are the old shows...

Father Knows Best
Leave It To Beaver
The Donna Reed Show

Even goofy Rob Petrie on the Dick Van Dyke show was portrayed much better than many of the fathers in today's show.

The George Lopez show just occurred to me - that's not still on, is it? I saw it a couple of times and George seemed okay.

[NorthernSpy]

38. nope, can't stray from the formula!

Father: oaf, immature dumbass, all-around troglodyte.

Mother: frigid, manipulative, insufferable tyrant-bitch.

Kids: one smart, one weirdo/budding juvenile delinquent, one still young and cute for the awwwww factor. Frequently, all three are brats.

Pets: for the awwwww factor.

[philosophie_en_rose]

44. "Smallville" - Lionel Luthor and Jonathan Kent

Sometimes condescending or evil, but generally not dumbasses.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

45. Not a sitcom...

Sitcom is shorthand for Situational Comedy.

[philosophie_en_rose]

49. It's not? Okay, then Ugly Betty or Bernie Mac or Frasier.

Smallville doesn't seem serious to me. I'd consider it more of a comedy than a drama.

Bernie Mac is not a dumbass on his show. Both of the parents are portrayed as real people that deserve respect. "Ugly" Betty's dad and Frasier's dad are also not dumbasses.

If sitcom = mom, dad, kids on a set that's a kitchen and living room --> there aren't so many of those anymore. Most of those just suck. (King of Queens, According to Jim, War at Home, Two & 1/2 men).

[jobycom]

62. "Bernie Mac--" Good example. One of the better family sitcoms ever.

Of course he had his dumb moments, as everyone does, but he wasn't detached or bumbling. Very sophisticated show handling relevant contemporary issues with true insight, and yet still humor. Bernie Mac should be proud of it.

[philosophie_en_rose]

64. Bernie Mac was a great show.

It was about characters that acted like real people. Children acted like kids, but weren't hellions. Bernie Mac was sometimes ridiculous, but he and his wife were also responsible.

I miss that show. It's too bad Fox cancelled it. No doubt to replace it with "Girls Go Wild on Cops - the Animated Series." :eyes:

[Lex]

47. It's like with Disney films, the mom has to die pretty quickly after the beginning.

I don't get that either.

[WernhamHogg]

48. Blossom?

Granted the show went off the air about 10 years ago and I might be remembering it differently, but I seem to recall the father on that show could be described as caring, involved and competent. The mother was absent, I believe she walked out on the family and moved to Europe.

[SOteric]

50. "Still Standing" has a dad that isn't particularly a dumbass.

But then, I wouldn't exactly call him 'caring, involved and competent.' Perhaps the best thing one can say in reference to the show is that Bill and Judy Miller seem equally capable of screwing up their childrens' lives. It's not unlike the erstwhile "Roseanne" in that regard.

The Charlie Sheen sitcom shows two men, one a father, who are caring within the bounds of the comic idiosyncrasies. Dad might be a whiney, tightly wound goober, but he still tries to do the right thing by his son.

The recently demised "Frasier" showed two big silly goofballs still needing to be parented by the quite sensible Martin Crane.

Heck, even "That 70's Show" had Red Foreman, who for all his cranky threats of putting a foot in various asses, was quite caring in his own way and certainly not a blithering twit.

[LeftyMom]

55. zomg, I love your new sig image

:rofl:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

54. they only portray fathers as a dumbass in their homes

raymond for instance is a successful writer but sucks as father/husband.

i think its mainly because the home isnt considered a mans domain or an important part of his identity

[JVS]

56. Red from that 70's show is not a dumbass

He calls everyone that but isn't one

[Patiod]

78. I always liked that he was portrayed as smarter than the kids

and that he a Kitty still had a sex life. I always thought his character was really nicely done.

[CanuckAmok]

57. It's sad that Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin are the best dads in sitcom-land.

Each has more redeeming qualities than most male characters are given these days.

I understand the psychology of the "stupid male" on television; much has to do with advertisers pandering to a traditionally female audience. Remember that old Calgon commercial where the male owner of the Chinese Laundry pushes his "ancient Chinese secret" to the WASP housefrau? It's the sensible, pragmatic wife who looks the best in that ad. It's designed to reinforce womens' ideas of having superior practical abilities in day-to-day life.

Read the book "Spreading Misandry" for more on this phenomenon.

For what it's worth, I'm in the television industry, and most of my employers (I'm referring to producers) are women. In fact, I figured this out last year, and in 15 years of my involvement in the industry, 88% of the executive power on my projects have been held by women.

[VelmaD]

65. wait a minute...

I thought the demographic all advertisers wanted was 18-35 year old males (or approximately that range anyway)? I just finished reading an article about how figure skating, though it is the 2nd most popular sport in the US, will likely not be televised after the end of it's current ESPN contract because it doesn't appeal to young men...as if the women who do watch it don't matter to advertisers at all. Now I'm confused.

BTW, one of the effects of showing men as useless around the home to to reinforce the gender stereotype that lets men off the hook from doing any housework. "See honey...I can't possibly vaccuum or do dishes or dust...I'm a man and we're useless." The stereotype doesn't help anyone and I'm probably just as tired of it as any man on DU.

[Generic Brad]

59. Father Knows Best, Leave It To Beaver, Andy Griffith, etc

The oldies did not have doofus dads.

[Solon]

66. What about the Honeymooners?

It seems like all the shows of today seemed to have adopted the Honeymooner formula for laughs.

[Generic Brad]

72. Ralph Kramden was not a dad

He was a childless doofus.

[Solon]

73. true, but I was thinking more along the lines of the...

bumbling husband, the formula didn't change with the addition of kids in other shows.

[liberalpragmatist]

60. Do The Wonder Years count?

Great show.

[JVS]

77. That dad was a poster-boy for office related stress.

[jobycom]

63. Eight Simple Rules didn't. nt

[Rosemary2205]

67. Ugly Betty.

I don't watch much TV but I saw this one a few weeks ago and her dad is very supportive.

[Aristus]

68. "Frasier".

Marty Crane, Frasier's father was portrayed as canny, rational, hard-headed and practical. He had a character history of bravery, generosity and devotion to family.

Sure, he did some dumb things once in a while, but don't we all? I also love the way his character grew during the run of the show. At the start, he had an old-timer's discomfort with shows of affection, and a few seasons in, he tried to make up after quarreling with Frasier, because, as he said: "I just wanted to get to the hug!"

Fraiser, who was also a father, was smart, kind, funny, erudite and sophisticated. He started with those things, and built his character around the kinds of flaws a man like that would have.

Great show.

[Vidar]

70. Mothing recent. Family Ties from the '80s.

[atre]

74. The sitcom with the Olson twins

Can't remember the name of it for the life of me - but there the father was caring, involved and competent - maybe a little too much so.

[grace0418]

75. Everwood had its moments.

I have to say that though. My brother played one of the dads on that show. But I still think it's true.

[Orrex]

76. Sitcom?

And, incidentally, was there a strong mother-figure on the show? It seems that even if a father-figure is portrayed positively, it's usually only because the mother-figure is absent. I believe that takes care of Fraser, My Three Sons, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Arrested Development, and even The Brady Bunch, since it's the story of a man named Brady who was living with three boys of his own (presumably without a mother-figure, prior to the show's pilot).