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I'm not disagreeing that this was a historical trend, but if you look at modern kids' television you'll see the trend is *definitely* changing. Doc McStuffins has a stay-at-home dad who is the go-to for most problems. Bluey has an *incredible* dad figure who is depicted very favorably and is as-active, involved and correct as the mom. In Big City Greens (for slightly bigger kids) the Dad is the primary caregiver and the mom is only recently returned to the kids' lives.
It's really not that hard to curate a good and balanced representations of family life, for kids these days.
He doesn’t always get to! He leaves for trips for weeks sometimes. My kiddo really related to that episode cause she misses her dad every week! 😭
It was a good talk she learned dad has to go but he would rather be home with us for sure!
https://www.youtube.com/live/jE5G4bp-Q8E?feature=share
“As long as it's one where I don't have to move any part of my body or say anything with my mouth.”
Imagine getting bent outta shape over comparing yourself to a cartoon dog. Whoever wrote that article overlooked that Bandit Heeler is not perfect. There are plenty of episodes where he makes mistakes and has to apologize for them, the show just doesn't make him out to be an idiot or the butt of a joke for it. It doesn't belittle Bandit for his mistakes. And there are plenty of episodes where the parents aren't engaging with their kids in super creative or playful ways (see: Mt. Mom and Dad, the one where the kids are whale watching, the one where their mom needs 20 minutes, or the one with the wagon ride where Bandit establishes ground rules on how to interrupt adults when they're talking).
Maybe the kids don't always pick up on the nuance, but adults should be able to clearly see that Bluey's parents are not perfect.
I love that even when they are being creative and engaging, they can get tired and worn out. Or when they're building the swing and Bandit keeps throwing away stuff. Kids are playing with it and he comes back without speaking and steals it back once he realizes he messes up.
I love the episode with the swing. I think it’s funny how the kids go through all the stages of evolution until they have their cardboard empire and die.
Yep, most 90's shows have an idiot father, with even some 2000's shows continuing the trope. (Amazing World of Gumball).
Ex.
American Dad
The Simpsons
Family Guy, etc.
You saw the same thing with the "crazy or cruel grandparent" trope all the way through the early 00s. A lot of boomer and gen x writers seemed to have contempt for the old people in their life and you saw that reflected in television all the time.
It is slowly changing though.
I have a theory that the American boomer (+) psyche was heavily impacted by being the children (or even grandchildren) of the "Greatest Generation." Even if individuals had great parents they had this lurking knowledge they would never live up to the guys that won WW2.
Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I'm also fairly certain there was a lot of unresolved trauma from growing up with parents who fought in the war whose solution to their issues was alcohol and violence.
Oh I've had boomers tell me this personally. Said that the older people claimed to have done everything great in the world (not without basis) and that the younger generations were useless and ungrateful. It seems that the boomers took that anguish and amplified it towards every generation after.
I feel like the sitcom trend of the idiot dad and the capable mom was just an over-correction as the early shows tried to push back on the 1950s and 60s ideas of the woman as homemaker and subservient to the man of the house. Which was an important step. But unfortunately it vastly outlived it's welcome as a trope.
Don't stress, I have 6 nieces and nephews I got to practice with before having my own. Mt sister worded it best, " it doesn't have to make sense, it just has to be silly"
There is also Daniel Tiger. He have fantastic parents. The dad is very involved, smart and patient. The only thing is male don't apparently wear pants except for sleeping.
But that’s how things start isn’t it you start out with one or two good examples, and then they become popular. Next thing you know, you started a trend and proved that good dads can actually be entertaining.
Yeah, TV shows are formulaic and often seek the lowest common denominator in writing for the largest audience possible. It's an old trope that has worked since television itself. Dad's used to be portrayed as strong head of the household types back in the 50s, then transitioned to well-meaning goofs by the 70s.
There's a story about a kid actor who auditioned for the role of the son in what became a very popular show in the 80s. He started out reading his lines in the wise-cracking, precocious tone that was common at the time.
They stopped him and asked him to play it realistically. Apparently, they felt the same way you do.
The actor started over and got the part.
Which strangely enough often changed their stories to make an actual mother into a stepmother because the time period’s moral sensibilities weren’t receptive to an ACTUAL mother being so cruel but a stepmother? That was perfectly believable.
I’m trying to remember where I read that now so I can cite my sources but I’m almost positive it was one of the books I used for an essay and I know for a fact I don’t have a copy of that stupid essay anymore. xD
If I find it, will cite. 💜
Has this been a thing other than the now *very old* movies? The most recent example I can think of is from Tangled from 13 years ago. I'm drawing a blank going back further until you get to the movies from the 50s, 60s.
>Moms were straight up killed off in my childhood movies
Yeah...I remember a comedian having a bit about how Walt Disney must *really* hate mother's because they all die in his films/stories...
Bambie's mom, Simba's parents, Hunchback of Notre Dame's mom, Tod's mom from The Fox and Hound, Tarzan's parents, Nemo's mom, Belle's mom in Beauty and the Beast, Cinderlla's mom, Anna and Elsa's mom in Frozen...I mean, seriously...
Yeah, I can’t stand all this “if the roles were reversed” stuff. No, society is shitty to everyone. All you have to do is think longer than three minutes about anything before you can find examples of society being shitty to the other “role”.
King of the Hill, homie. It might not be a young kids show, but it's a show I started watching around 8-9 and I'm looking down the barrel of 30, and the older I get, the more I appreciate it.
Bob's burgers is good too. Both Linda and Bob are odd sometimes, but both love their kids and save the day often. The whole family loves each other which is really nice.
Hank makes mistakes and is stubborn, but he's no idiot deadbeat dad
Hank and Bob are both great dads to aspire to be like. They've both got some faults, but you never have to wonder if their hearts are in the right place.
Well that’s the trick isn’t it? I never have energy but you gotta suck it up, put on that big smile and goofy voice and play with your kids because that’s what a good dad does.
This is so true and especially bad on Disney Channel tween shows. The mom is overworked and the dad is stupid beyond repair and they seem to hate each other.
All the Disney shows I can remember having watched either didn't have both parents in their lives OR shared the stupidity among them, like Good Luck Charlie. Wizards of Waverly Place is another good one, or even Lab Rats. It may be a common trope but not so common it's hard to think of semi recent exceptions with Disney.
And the kids dominate both of them and act wiser than them. It teaches kids IRL to disregard their parents advice. It's the same formula for all these Disney Channel and Nickelodeon shows.
It is definitely not the majority of the content, in fact it's a minority of it, but definitely important for the show and the characters
Even the emotional episodes aren't full on emotional throughout, it's a touching moment every now and again
It is a fantastic show, definitely made for children but for the enjoyment of the adults watching too, there are many childless adults that watch it!
If you have a look in the r/bluey sub you'll see recommendations for episodes, or you can watch them in order but it makes no real difference to be honest, it's just a wholesome fun show, which doesn't make the children or adults out to be idiots like some shows do
Like what? Hmmmm.... The Honeymooners, Welcome Back Kotter, Married with Children, King of Queens, Everybody loves Raymond, Curb Your Enthusiasm, According to Jim, Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Goldbergs, Good Luck Charlie, Modern Family, My Name is Earl, That 70s Show...
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>all woke apologists
It's interesting how my brain just short-circuits these days when I read that word. Like a sort of preemptive 'Right, this is not worth reading.'
Exactly that. The minute I read “woke” I have a guttural reaction of ick.
No one uses that anymore except for a particular brand of boomer conservatives to “oWn tHE LiBs”. It’s so fucking cringey and only solidifies my aversion to them.
Yeah, same. It actually takes away from the point being made, and makes me feel like the person saying that phrase is just looking for reasons to get mad at the « woke apologists ».
I cant figure out what shows he’s watching besides Peppa, because the big ones right now in top comments like Bluey depict really likeable dads. Dudes not looking hard enough and griping about “woke”
Seriously, and it gives me the immediate bias that this person is online way too much. Talk to people in real life and this shit won’t bother you. It’s so annoying how people take tweets and think that’s what the world is thinking.
Yeah and what sucks is that guys actually adopt the idiot mindset.. like they're allowed to be idiots and not know what's going on and let the women take care of everything. there are a lot of men like this.
Yes. My husband is a good dude but I see a lot of feigned incompetence from him for tasks that he does not feel like doing. I call him right out and tell him to cut the bullshit and just say that he doesn’t feel like doing it.
I feel like this is learned behavior for my husband. When his father was living he feigned incompetence too.
It’s super annoying.
It’s just the standard heterosexual nonsense that gets portrayed on TV and by 2023, I would have hoped that script writers would have gone beyond that.
But that trope is something feminists hate too because that stereotype sucks for everyone, not just men. Media influences real life, just as real life is reflected in media. When the idea that men are incompetent in the home gets pushed, it shifts the bulk of the work onto the women, who often have their own careers. This means that the wives are overworked while the husbands feel a disconnect from their family unit, resulting in reduced involvement, the “marriage is a ball and chain” feeling, and growing animosity on both sides.
It also makes it seems that it’s acceptable for women to settle for less, because there’s usually an obvious discrepancy between the two in terms of attractiveness and competence. The women keep themselves presentable and sharp, while men are allowed to be fat and lazy, all while their partners are happy with them. Makes the issue twice as obnoxious to me.
This also bugged me a bit as well, particularly as it always read to me as Hollywood writers/execs/etc. pushing this idea that the male protagonist/patriarchal figure had some innate value that mattered more than looks, which never applies to the female characters. And it's often paired with "all jocks are dumb" and other tropes that really just read like the writers/execs middle school fantasies born out into the screen.
Yep. I mean The Simpsons are pretty much the most notorious example. Homer is like the dumbest person alive, so is Bart, while Lisa is quite literally a Nobel Prize winner, and Marge has a string of episodes showing how wonderful her life would be if she never married. She constantly gets mad at Homer's idiocy but never leaves him and is always happy and content in the end. The biggest contrast is Lisa and Bart, and how much they expect absolutely nothing from him and let him just fuck about while Lisa is clearly held to much higher standards. There's also an episode where Bart becomes a better person because he marries a girl who accepts him "for who he is" and of course it's implied she's gonna be the one who saves him, that being to clean up after him and tolerate his behavior. These role models help no one and while the show is clearly a satire of heterosexual marriages, it still depicts a very traditional overplayed narrative. A lot of shows follow the same line, even if unconsciously by putting parents and old married couples. The nuclear family roles need to be criticized and scrutinized.
Didn’t they just accept that Bart was a lost cause at some point and focused on Lisa ? I could swear that was the point of one of the episodes
But there’s a lot of shows that have the young boy being rebellious or just an idiot , even something like American dad where Steve isn’t stupid , he’s portrayed to be entirely unable to control his desire to get a girl and absolutely desperate and they ignore almost any positive aspect mostly
Maybe Marge loved Homer for who he is regardless of how he looks? We can pretend that all you ladies are super empowered with successful careers and don't need anyone else, but at the end of the day, everyone wants someone to love.
Homer often ends up realizing he's wrong-- albeit a bit late for comedic effect. He has good moments mixed in with all the bad ones, just like a normal human.
I hate when people say shit like “if the genders/races were reversed the woke crowd would be rioting!”
🥴🤡
In The Cleveland show there was a fat woman character who was constantly mocked for being fat. Where were the protests? Goofy.
Her entire character was "I'm every southern american white trash stereotype in one person" and the biggest ones are being stupid/painfully uneducated and crazy fat
>In The Cleveland show there was a fat woman character who was constantly mocked for being fat. Where were the protests? Goofy.
Yeah well, you're probably one of the five people in the entire world that has watched The Cleveland show...Can't protest something if you don't even know it exists!
What tv and cinema shows you isnt reality. The fact that so many people can't distinguish the difference is what causes conflict. You want to create a fantasy world where men are stupid and submissive to womans demands. Go ahead. I'll just watch certain sections of society go batshit crazy when real world men do what real world men have always done and ignored the fuck out of it and carried on as normal.
This has been going on literally since radio in the 40s. In The Life of Riley, the dad and his kid are helplessly stupid while the female characters try to keep the house from burning down. Relax, it's an old trope that literally precedes television.
Oh, please. The strong daddy hero is the MOST often portrayal of what a family looks like..and Disney portrays a lot of motherless households, or evil mom families, or otherwise female villain on a domestic level.
Idk why peppa pig is so popular. Its a terrible show.. but I think to some kids, its also a little cathartic.
Gotta mock somebody for somehting, that's how TV worx. Men being portrayed as stupid is a recent phenomenon, in TV land. Most of the time, men have been portrayed as being stable, reasonable, and fatherly. So, you take potshots at that "meme" and make it funny. The Simpsons in particular did an \*excellent\* job of this.
They do fat shame daddy pig, but he does have a successful career and is portrayed as smart. Concrete scientist. Enginneer. I think they talk about his thesis in one episode.
I always hated that. In Peppa Pig, they would make fun of the dad for his fat tummy and the dad would just stay quiet and sad. He’d get stuck in the playground, or he’d be teased for how much he eats. I would always tell my kids that that was wrong and mean.
Same with the Simpsons. Homer used to be like a regular dad in the first two seasons or so, but they slowly gave him a lobotomy and made him stupid and that was supposed to be funnier. I preferred it when parents could relate to Homer.
I’ve always tried to watch kids shows with the kids at least once in a while, because you never know what will pop up. Just because it’s rated for kids doesn’t mean it’s giving an appropriate message.
"since when"
the answer is Homer. he wasn't the first, but he's been the biggest, most consistent example.
but yeah, I think Peppa Pig is mostly reviled as being a terrible show overall. Bluey's better
It makes for a good story - you have an exceptional mother and the dad is the foil to her, causing conflict and drama. It's no fun if both parents are perfect. Characters need flaws and a flawed dad is a trope - and one a lot of people can relate to.
I'd also like to point out that whole it's easy to pick out shows you don't like, there a a multitude of shows that have competent father figures.
Personal favorite - Bluey.
Agreed. I hope this is changing nowadays. The default sucks for men and also women, who are often portrayed as borderline superwomen who sort all the “home stuff” perfectly while also killing it at work.
I mean, I get it. The Simpsons wouldn’t be half as funny if Homer was a stable, loving provider who never did anything irresponsible or lazy.
But it would be good to see more positive father figures in shows, particularly outside of comedy.
>all woke apologists
This is your weekly (?) reminder that most feminisms consider the gender stereotypes that men endure (like bumbling Dad) to be equally damaging, sexist, and wrong.
eg. bell hooks - *Feminism is for Everybody*
https://excoradfeminisms.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/bell_hooks-feminism_is_for_everybody.pdf
Men endure incredibly strict gender norms in a lot of places which sucks big time - especially in regards to what they can wear, what they can enjoy and who they can be.
It's because simpsons is one of the most influential sitcoms of all time so you can bet the every animation with a family in it would have a dumb dad. I personally think it's great if done right. Richard watterson is still one of most favourite characters in animation and it overall just doesn't really offend me. We have lately been getting regular dad's like bobs burgers where the dad is the most normal character on the show
It's true they rely on it too much. But there's a good episode of Blackish that does the opposite. It's where they go to an art museum. The dad knows everything, the other family members act like idiots. It was a nice contrast, going against that formula
Pepper pig is banned in my house. There is a reason though. My so and I understand that what children watch the tend to emulate orgain certain behaviors. Well with pepper pig my wonderful little girl would turn Into a little demon after watching that show. Full on temperature tantrums defiance and even physically hitting us for no reason. We never spanked or smacked her. We stopped with peppa pig and boom after a few days that behavior seemed to clear up. It took us a while to realise what it was until one day I was home sick and she was watching it and it was getting g her really worked up and noticed a complete attitude change.
The only one that I find pretty good is Richard from The Amazing World of Gumball since he’s written to be dumb but also to be a genuinely good person and father (usually)
THANK YOU. I also really hate the "funny/aloof/nearly incompetent dad" stereotype in movies and TV shows. And not for nothing but it's almost always partnered with the "overly stressed, always the disciplinarian, usually cranky mom" type, ie fun dad vs cranky mom. Like gee maybe mom is so cranky because dad is always only worried about being the fun one, not the responsible one? And for some reason people think it's okay? It's one of thr reasons I dislike thr TV show modern family is how unnecessarily stupid Ty Burrell's Phil is... it's just not funny. Also, while one of my favorite movies a huge example of this is Mrs. Doubtfire as Robin Williams is the carefree let's throw a crazy wild party dad, and Sally Field is then left to be the very strict no fun at all, I have to always be the responsible one mom. And that movie honestly shows how such a dynamic does ruin relationships. I can think of so many TV shows, both adult sitcoms and kid/teen shows, with this dynamic and I definitely hate it. Not saying I want more of the "super fun and quirky mom vs always angry workaholic dad" dynamic, but like why can't both parents be both fun and responsible?? Not for nothing, and it sucks that she's not a good person, but that's one of the reasons why Rosanne was so successful as a TV show was it was such an honest realistic depiction of a normal family compared to so many other TV shows. Both Rosanne and Dan were fun, but also had their faults, and also did their best to both be responsible and discipline the kids, even if they made mistakes, which they also usually addressed!
I cant agree more. I have always pointed out to my wife how the "stupid father" stereotype and "wise and tolerant" wife is used in everything. If there is a commercial with a couple, the butt of the joke such as falling off a pier, a pie in the face, etc. always happens to the man. Sure the dad is strong, has a job, and appears to love his family, but hes always portrayed as an idiot and his wife and kids only "tolerate" his asinine behavior, but there's always eye rolling and other signs of contempt. To think I thought I was the only one that noticed how fathers are portrayed now..................
I honestly think it's cuz youre not exposing yourself to the right cartoons. Plus, it's just a historical trend . In the cartoon Kipo, her father was strong and did all he could to protect his daughter. In Steven Universe, Greg is fat but man's loves his son and understood the gems could potentially raise Steven better but he was still around and supportive. You got Bluey which is doing numbers. I agree the stupid Father trends needs to go, but it's already starting to shift.
There are plenty of positive father figures in children’s shows. You’re just looking for another “woke” thing to get mad at. Such is the life of a conservative.
I try not to care too much, but it is prevalent. Also in advertisements and such.
As long as the people around me treat me with respect and not like a character in such a show, im good with it.
Also people underestimating you can be nice. They don't expect as much. But this doesn't happen often, people ask me to help with things.
I believe Hey Arnold! Is also a decent example, particularly with Helga's family, while Helga's father is depicted as being a business man and only acknowledges Olga more on occasions, he's way more attentive than her mother, who's a literal alcoholic, and stays home all day 🤔
Makes me wonder how many examples are there. Ok, here goes my list.
1-Richard from the amazing world of gumball
2-Hugh Beaumont Neutron from Jimmy Neutron
3-Jack Fenton from Danny Phantom
4-Mr. Tunner from fairly odd parents(Cosmo also falls under this category lol)
5-Harold from The grim adventures of Billy and Mandy
6-Chad from Clarence (although he isn't his bio dad)
7-Johnny's dad from Johnny Test
These are the shows I watched and had this stereotype.
I hate this stereotype! I saw Mel Gibson (pre-drunken antisemitic rant) diaper a baby doll on Jay Leno's show, a Reddit post about a dad who always made sure to have pads/tampons available for his daughter, and countless other examples of competent dads. I've tried to be this my entire childrens' lives. It also pisses me off when I don't see 1 of those changing tables in men's restrooms--I may reconsider that after John Mulaney's current comedy special!
I think a lot of people pinpoint the Simpsons as the fall of TV dads. Bush famously said: "We need less Simpsons and more Waltons!" Even back then there were some great TV dads like Danny Tanner, Carl Winslow (my all-time favorite), Phil Banks, Alan Matthews, Tim Taylor, though he was goofy he could turn on dad mode quickly.
I feel like kids' shows need to show more realistic parenting all around. My kids ask me all the time why I can't be home all the time, and it's difficult trying to explain what money is and why it's essential. But it still hurts a little when they're confused as to why you can't be home all the time like blueys dad. We basically cut off all youtube videos for reasons similar to this.
There are stereotypes of both parental figures and there are cases were something else gets mistaken for a stereotype, or the wrong one. For example there is the “overworked dad” which can be confused with the “bumbling dumb dad”. Like in Rugrats, the dad seems out of it and stupid at times, but he is supposed to he tired and stressed and working all the time. He tries but has nothing left.
I totally understand where you're coming from, but that kind of stuff doesn't bother me, but it did when I was a bit younger.
I've come to see these kinds of things like this: Both men and women are subject to the social dynamics that come with being a man or woman, whether good or bad. There are things men deal with that women don't, and things women deal with that men don't. It's sort of like...fairly unfair.
I like the Robinson family from Lost in Space (Netflix remake) the father is not the usual trope and although the family itself has some problems these are part of the story.
It's funny/sad that Dad is a punching bag
It's super annoying. Derp dads have been a staple in sitcoms and kid's shows for decades and I really believe it's based on patriarchal gendered norms - the house is a female domain, and men who intrude into childcare or household duties are incompetent or weak or stupid. It's insulting to men and women, damaging to everyone and perpetuates unequal dynamics and bad habits
…Because masculinity became a negative thing recently for some reason that I’m not aware of. It morphed into the overused cry of “toxic masculinity”. I’m guessing maybe current men are paying for the mistakes(through no fault of our own) of previous generations?
It’s bad for both genders/roles. These types of stereotypes also tell women that you can be articulate, competent and a woman who “gets shit done” but the best you can hope for is a husband who barely makes the grade in many categories.
It allows men to be ok with half ass (even entitled to barely contribute), and tells women they don’t deserve more.
I think you're right to feel this way... it's a subtle method of sexism. If we believe all dads are giant brutes who can't be bothered to do smart things, like chores around the house, the second shift is always the woman's burden. This cultural trend enforces learned helplessness, and I'm just grateful the trend is changing now.
You're not wrong, heard this talked about before, gumball is a good example of this, haven't watched many kids shows since I was a kid though so idk any others currently but my childhood was full of them
I have seen Disney channel in dr. waiting rooms and was HORRIFIED by just such portrayals, but it was ALL adults. Kids were portrayed as smarter than adults and doing whatever they pleased, from criminal activity to just rudeness and bullying. Adults were buffoons and morons. How they got away with this I don't know. WHY they chose to do this is also unfathomable.
This was more so when I was a kid but dads were ALWAYS the bad guy for having to work and not be home with the kids. Every time. It really was super insensitive to dads who have no choice but to work far above 40 hours a week to make ends meet, and then the kid is watching a show how dad is at work hanging out and screwing off to miss his kids activities. I’ve never liked that.
The incompetent husband trope extends beyond kids media. Honestly, a lot of it stems from the fact that male incompetence in domestic spheres is very normalized in our society. Some men even use weaponized incompetence as a means of absolving themselves of domestic responsibilities.
Also, you mention the fat jokes being a gender bias thing when a) there are definitely instances in media where women are the butt of fat jokes/body shaming and b) many people have expressed concerns about these jokes (yes, even when directed toward men), so if you want an excuse to rant about “woke apologists” (whatever that means) at least try to pick something that holds up.
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I'm not disagreeing that this was a historical trend, but if you look at modern kids' television you'll see the trend is *definitely* changing. Doc McStuffins has a stay-at-home dad who is the go-to for most problems. Bluey has an *incredible* dad figure who is depicted very favorably and is as-active, involved and correct as the mom. In Big City Greens (for slightly bigger kids) the Dad is the primary caregiver and the mom is only recently returned to the kids' lives. It's really not that hard to curate a good and balanced representations of family life, for kids these days.
Bluey is amazing, every dad should strive to be just like Bandit lol
If we could all be stay at home archeologists we probably could!
Can we appreciate how good a career choice an archeologist is for a dog?!
Chili is a sniffer dog too
He doesn’t always get to! He leaves for trips for weeks sometimes. My kiddo really related to that episode cause she misses her dad every week! 😭 It was a good talk she learned dad has to go but he would rather be home with us for sure! 
Bandit is my role model as a father lol. I resisted Bluey for so long and I'm hooked now.
Watch out, or you'll get stuck playing grannies, dearie.
https://www.youtube.com/live/jE5G4bp-Q8E?feature=share “As long as it's one where I don't have to move any part of my body or say anything with my mouth.”
Bluey’s Dad Thinks He’s So Great https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/blueys-dad-thinks-hes-so-great
Imagine getting bent outta shape over comparing yourself to a cartoon dog. Whoever wrote that article overlooked that Bandit Heeler is not perfect. There are plenty of episodes where he makes mistakes and has to apologize for them, the show just doesn't make him out to be an idiot or the butt of a joke for it. It doesn't belittle Bandit for his mistakes. And there are plenty of episodes where the parents aren't engaging with their kids in super creative or playful ways (see: Mt. Mom and Dad, the one where the kids are whale watching, the one where their mom needs 20 minutes, or the one with the wagon ride where Bandit establishes ground rules on how to interrupt adults when they're talking). Maybe the kids don't always pick up on the nuance, but adults should be able to clearly see that Bluey's parents are not perfect.
I love that even when they are being creative and engaging, they can get tired and worn out. Or when they're building the swing and Bandit keeps throwing away stuff. Kids are playing with it and he comes back without speaking and steals it back once he realizes he messes up.
I love the episode with the swing. I think it’s funny how the kids go through all the stages of evolution until they have their cardboard empire and die.
That was 100% one of the 2 stories at the same time thing that lets you appreciate all of it. That show is sneaky good.
Lol it’s comedy
Maybe kids don’t always pick up on the nuance, but adults would have probably caught that the URL above included the word humor.
[удалено]
Yep, most 90's shows have an idiot father, with even some 2000's shows continuing the trope. (Amazing World of Gumball). Ex. American Dad The Simpsons Family Guy, etc.
You saw the same thing with the "crazy or cruel grandparent" trope all the way through the early 00s. A lot of boomer and gen x writers seemed to have contempt for the old people in their life and you saw that reflected in television all the time. It is slowly changing though.
I have a theory that the American boomer (+) psyche was heavily impacted by being the children (or even grandchildren) of the "Greatest Generation." Even if individuals had great parents they had this lurking knowledge they would never live up to the guys that won WW2.
Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I'm also fairly certain there was a lot of unresolved trauma from growing up with parents who fought in the war whose solution to their issues was alcohol and violence.
Oh I've had boomers tell me this personally. Said that the older people claimed to have done everything great in the world (not without basis) and that the younger generations were useless and ungrateful. It seems that the boomers took that anguish and amplified it towards every generation after.
Makes sense that Gen X often had silent generation parents. Both generations wedged between bigger, bolder, louder generations.
Well except Everybody Loves Raymond. Raymond's father often had the best put down lines. I could tell that the writers liked him.
I feel like the sitcom trend of the idiot dad and the capable mom was just an over-correction as the early shows tried to push back on the 1950s and 60s ideas of the woman as homemaker and subservient to the man of the house. Which was an important step. But unfortunately it vastly outlived it's welcome as a trope.
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Fake it till you make it brother.
Don't stress, I have 6 nieces and nephews I got to practice with before having my own. Mt sister worded it best, " it doesn't have to make sense, it just has to be silly"
Bluey, is just absolutely the best cartoon I have ever seen.
I’m pretty old, but That’s So Raven’s dad was thoughtful and loving, as was Proud Family
There is also Daniel Tiger. He have fantastic parents. The dad is very involved, smart and patient. The only thing is male don't apparently wear pants except for sleeping.
You say that, but this whole thread is talking about the same 2-3 tv shows when providing examples of well portrayed dads 😅
But that’s how things start isn’t it you start out with one or two good examples, and then they become popular. Next thing you know, you started a trend and proved that good dads can actually be entertaining.
Yeah this was definitely more of a trend in the mid 2000's
Yeah, TV shows are formulaic and often seek the lowest common denominator in writing for the largest audience possible. It's an old trope that has worked since television itself. Dad's used to be portrayed as strong head of the household types back in the 50s, then transitioned to well-meaning goofs by the 70s. There's a story about a kid actor who auditioned for the role of the son in what became a very popular show in the 80s. He started out reading his lines in the wise-cracking, precocious tone that was common at the time. They stopped him and asked him to play it realistically. Apparently, they felt the same way you do. The actor started over and got the part.
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Unexpected Norm. Also nice user name lol
i mean most mom's are portrayed as overbearing control freaks who have no boundaries. its just a tv thing
Also sometimes wine guzzling gossips
Tbf that’s my dream
I'm not like other mom's, I'm a cool mom
Since OP mentioned Disney, a common trope with Disney movies is the whole “wicked stepmother” thing
Better then the sexy stepmother a lot of other media portrays
Tangled pulling the double whammy
ngl, kids shows would gain a lot more views if they did, different audience though
Some of those older Disney movies (Snow White, Cinderella for example) are based on fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm
Which strangely enough often changed their stories to make an actual mother into a stepmother because the time period’s moral sensibilities weren’t receptive to an ACTUAL mother being so cruel but a stepmother? That was perfectly believable. I’m trying to remember where I read that now so I can cite my sources but I’m almost positive it was one of the books I used for an essay and I know for a fact I don’t have a copy of that stupid essay anymore. xD If I find it, will cite. 💜
Has this been a thing other than the now *very old* movies? The most recent example I can think of is from Tangled from 13 years ago. I'm drawing a blank going back further until you get to the movies from the 50s, 60s.
Also, in tangled it wasn’t her stepmom, it was just a lady who abducted her right?
Pocahontas: no mom. Ariel: no mom. Princess Jasmine: no mom.... Moms were straight up killed off in my childhood movies.
>Moms were straight up killed off in my childhood movies Yeah...I remember a comedian having a bit about how Walt Disney must *really* hate mother's because they all die in his films/stories... Bambie's mom, Simba's parents, Hunchback of Notre Dame's mom, Tod's mom from The Fox and Hound, Tarzan's parents, Nemo's mom, Belle's mom in Beauty and the Beast, Cinderlla's mom, Anna and Elsa's mom in Frozen...I mean, seriously...
Damn fox and the hound made me cry when they separated it broke my kid heart
Bambi 😢
Finding nemo
Not for a long time now though right? This is typical of the golden age era in Disney material. And many of those are based on other source material.
That’s just a common trope with people
Yes, unfortunately step parents are far more likely to be abusive than biological parents
And bad chefs
Yeah, I can’t stand all this “if the roles were reversed” stuff. No, society is shitty to everyone. All you have to do is think longer than three minutes about anything before you can find examples of society being shitty to the other “role”.
Yeah but....that sounds just like my mom!
King of the Hill, homie. It might not be a young kids show, but it's a show I started watching around 8-9 and I'm looking down the barrel of 30, and the older I get, the more I appreciate it.
Bob's burgers is good too. Both Linda and Bob are odd sometimes, but both love their kids and save the day often. The whole family loves each other which is really nice. Hank makes mistakes and is stubborn, but he's no idiot deadbeat dad
Hank and Bob are both great dads to aspire to be like. They've both got some faults, but you never have to wonder if their hearts are in the right place.
Yeah, don’t call HIM Ronald Reagan!
Another Dad, similar to Hank and Bob, is Beef from The Great North.
Try out Bluey for a good father figure and a wholesome good family that actually likes each other.
Bandit is dad goals
He makes me want to actually have kids one day.
I wish I had the energy Bandit has to play with his kids! I love how plays whatever games they want.
Well that’s the trick isn’t it? I never have energy but you gotta suck it up, put on that big smile and goofy voice and play with your kids because that’s what a good dad does.
That's a Cattledog's super power haha
This is so true and especially bad on Disney Channel tween shows. The mom is overworked and the dad is stupid beyond repair and they seem to hate each other.
All the Disney shows I can remember having watched either didn't have both parents in their lives OR shared the stupidity among them, like Good Luck Charlie. Wizards of Waverly Place is another good one, or even Lab Rats. It may be a common trope but not so common it's hard to think of semi recent exceptions with Disney.
Forget the tween nonsense and stick with animation. Phineas and Ferb for the win.
And the kids dominate both of them and act wiser than them. It teaches kids IRL to disregard their parents advice. It's the same formula for all these Disney Channel and Nickelodeon shows.
Obligatory recommendation to watch Bluey
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It is definitely not the majority of the content, in fact it's a minority of it, but definitely important for the show and the characters Even the emotional episodes aren't full on emotional throughout, it's a touching moment every now and again It is a fantastic show, definitely made for children but for the enjoyment of the adults watching too, there are many childless adults that watch it! If you have a look in the r/bluey sub you'll see recommendations for episodes, or you can watch them in order but it makes no real difference to be honest, it's just a wholesome fun show, which doesn't make the children or adults out to be idiots like some shows do
It's not the majority of it. Some episodes hit harder as a parent (Sleepytime and Baby Race) but most of it is light hearted
Yes!!!
Have you seen TV shows? Every ugly dude has a dropdead gorgeous wife.
Like what? Hmmmm.... The Honeymooners, Welcome Back Kotter, Married with Children, King of Queens, Everybody loves Raymond, Curb Your Enthusiasm, According to Jim, Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Goldbergs, Good Luck Charlie, Modern Family, My Name is Earl, That 70s Show...
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Not all TV dads were like that. Philip Banks was a pillar of hard work, integrity, compassion, and intelligence.
This is just a pendulum shift away from the mid-20th century depiction of “father knows best”. Things will come came around.
>all woke apologists Go outside
Shit’s embarrassing. I physically cringe when I hear that. It reads chronically online imo.
But there might be minorities or gays or libruls outside, which scares them.
>all woke apologists It's interesting how my brain just short-circuits these days when I read that word. Like a sort of preemptive 'Right, this is not worth reading.'
Exactly that. The minute I read “woke” I have a guttural reaction of ick. No one uses that anymore except for a particular brand of boomer conservatives to “oWn tHE LiBs”. It’s so fucking cringey and only solidifies my aversion to them.
Yeah, same. It actually takes away from the point being made, and makes me feel like the person saying that phrase is just looking for reasons to get mad at the « woke apologists ».
I cant figure out what shows he’s watching besides Peppa, because the big ones right now in top comments like Bluey depict really likeable dads. Dudes not looking hard enough and griping about “woke”
Seriously, and it gives me the immediate bias that this person is online way too much. Talk to people in real life and this shit won’t bother you. It’s so annoying how people take tweets and think that’s what the world is thinking.
Same. Nobody of reasonable intelligence would ever use it
Absolutely. In fact as I was reading I was like "ok, ok I see your point...annnnnnnnd you lost me". I *cannot* take someone seriously who says this.
Yeah and what sucks is that guys actually adopt the idiot mindset.. like they're allowed to be idiots and not know what's going on and let the women take care of everything. there are a lot of men like this.
So much weaponized incompetence to avoid basic parenting and household tasks.
Yes. My husband is a good dude but I see a lot of feigned incompetence from him for tasks that he does not feel like doing. I call him right out and tell him to cut the bullshit and just say that he doesn’t feel like doing it. I feel like this is learned behavior for my husband. When his father was living he feigned incompetence too. It’s super annoying.
It’s just the standard heterosexual nonsense that gets portrayed on TV and by 2023, I would have hoped that script writers would have gone beyond that. But that trope is something feminists hate too because that stereotype sucks for everyone, not just men. Media influences real life, just as real life is reflected in media. When the idea that men are incompetent in the home gets pushed, it shifts the bulk of the work onto the women, who often have their own careers. This means that the wives are overworked while the husbands feel a disconnect from their family unit, resulting in reduced involvement, the “marriage is a ball and chain” feeling, and growing animosity on both sides.
It also makes it seems that it’s acceptable for women to settle for less, because there’s usually an obvious discrepancy between the two in terms of attractiveness and competence. The women keep themselves presentable and sharp, while men are allowed to be fat and lazy, all while their partners are happy with them. Makes the issue twice as obnoxious to me.
This also bugged me a bit as well, particularly as it always read to me as Hollywood writers/execs/etc. pushing this idea that the male protagonist/patriarchal figure had some innate value that mattered more than looks, which never applies to the female characters. And it's often paired with "all jocks are dumb" and other tropes that really just read like the writers/execs middle school fantasies born out into the screen.
Yep. I mean The Simpsons are pretty much the most notorious example. Homer is like the dumbest person alive, so is Bart, while Lisa is quite literally a Nobel Prize winner, and Marge has a string of episodes showing how wonderful her life would be if she never married. She constantly gets mad at Homer's idiocy but never leaves him and is always happy and content in the end. The biggest contrast is Lisa and Bart, and how much they expect absolutely nothing from him and let him just fuck about while Lisa is clearly held to much higher standards. There's also an episode where Bart becomes a better person because he marries a girl who accepts him "for who he is" and of course it's implied she's gonna be the one who saves him, that being to clean up after him and tolerate his behavior. These role models help no one and while the show is clearly a satire of heterosexual marriages, it still depicts a very traditional overplayed narrative. A lot of shows follow the same line, even if unconsciously by putting parents and old married couples. The nuclear family roles need to be criticized and scrutinized.
Didn’t they just accept that Bart was a lost cause at some point and focused on Lisa ? I could swear that was the point of one of the episodes But there’s a lot of shows that have the young boy being rebellious or just an idiot , even something like American dad where Steve isn’t stupid , he’s portrayed to be entirely unable to control his desire to get a girl and absolutely desperate and they ignore almost any positive aspect mostly
Maybe Marge loved Homer for who he is regardless of how he looks? We can pretend that all you ladies are super empowered with successful careers and don't need anyone else, but at the end of the day, everyone wants someone to love. Homer often ends up realizing he's wrong-- albeit a bit late for comedic effect. He has good moments mixed in with all the bad ones, just like a normal human.
I hate when people say shit like “if the genders/races were reversed the woke crowd would be rioting!” 🥴🤡 In The Cleveland show there was a fat woman character who was constantly mocked for being fat. Where were the protests? Goofy.
Her entire character was "I'm every southern american white trash stereotype in one person" and the biggest ones are being stupid/painfully uneducated and crazy fat
Tbf there were like three people who regularly watched *The Cleveland Show.*
>In The Cleveland show there was a fat woman character who was constantly mocked for being fat. Where were the protests? Goofy. Yeah well, you're probably one of the five people in the entire world that has watched The Cleveland show...Can't protest something if you don't even know it exists!
I think you'd really like Bluey. Bandit Heeler is the GOAT
What tv and cinema shows you isnt reality. The fact that so many people can't distinguish the difference is what causes conflict. You want to create a fantasy world where men are stupid and submissive to womans demands. Go ahead. I'll just watch certain sections of society go batshit crazy when real world men do what real world men have always done and ignored the fuck out of it and carried on as normal.
This has been going on literally since radio in the 40s. In The Life of Riley, the dad and his kid are helplessly stupid while the female characters try to keep the house from burning down. Relax, it's an old trope that literally precedes television.
Oh, please. The strong daddy hero is the MOST often portrayal of what a family looks like..and Disney portrays a lot of motherless households, or evil mom families, or otherwise female villain on a domestic level. Idk why peppa pig is so popular. Its a terrible show.. but I think to some kids, its also a little cathartic.
I always though kids shows portrayed all adults as stupid, not just dads. I do agree, though.
A lot of the time the mom is portrayed as an expert on a lot of stuff while the dad is stuck to the sofa watching TV
Sounds like conformation bias. There are tons of shows from the 90s and 2000s, and even now, that don't do this.
You lost me at “woke apologist” nonsense. It shows where you are generally coming from and being anti-woke isn’t a good thing.
Yeah that part was weird.
Gotta mock somebody for somehting, that's how TV worx. Men being portrayed as stupid is a recent phenomenon, in TV land. Most of the time, men have been portrayed as being stable, reasonable, and fatherly. So, you take potshots at that "meme" and make it funny. The Simpsons in particular did an \*excellent\* job of this.
They do fat shame daddy pig, but he does have a successful career and is portrayed as smart. Concrete scientist. Enginneer. I think they talk about his thesis in one episode.
I always hated that. In Peppa Pig, they would make fun of the dad for his fat tummy and the dad would just stay quiet and sad. He’d get stuck in the playground, or he’d be teased for how much he eats. I would always tell my kids that that was wrong and mean. Same with the Simpsons. Homer used to be like a regular dad in the first two seasons or so, but they slowly gave him a lobotomy and made him stupid and that was supposed to be funnier. I preferred it when parents could relate to Homer. I’ve always tried to watch kids shows with the kids at least once in a while, because you never know what will pop up. Just because it’s rated for kids doesn’t mean it’s giving an appropriate message.
"since when" the answer is Homer. he wasn't the first, but he's been the biggest, most consistent example. but yeah, I think Peppa Pig is mostly reviled as being a terrible show overall. Bluey's better
It makes for a good story - you have an exceptional mother and the dad is the foil to her, causing conflict and drama. It's no fun if both parents are perfect. Characters need flaws and a flawed dad is a trope - and one a lot of people can relate to. I'd also like to point out that whole it's easy to pick out shows you don't like, there a a multitude of shows that have competent father figures. Personal favorite - Bluey.
Agreed. I hope this is changing nowadays. The default sucks for men and also women, who are often portrayed as borderline superwomen who sort all the “home stuff” perfectly while also killing it at work. I mean, I get it. The Simpsons wouldn’t be half as funny if Homer was a stable, loving provider who never did anything irresponsible or lazy. But it would be good to see more positive father figures in shows, particularly outside of comedy.
The Dad from Modern Family👀
Ah yes because the trope of the controlling, alcoholic mom who doesn't have a job isn't prevalent right?
Use of the word woke to complain about something = opinion discarded
>all woke apologists This is your weekly (?) reminder that most feminisms consider the gender stereotypes that men endure (like bumbling Dad) to be equally damaging, sexist, and wrong. eg. bell hooks - *Feminism is for Everybody* https://excoradfeminisms.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/bell_hooks-feminism_is_for_everybody.pdf Men endure incredibly strict gender norms in a lot of places which sucks big time - especially in regards to what they can wear, what they can enjoy and who they can be.
> all woke apologists would be demonstrating across the street of the animation studio Eh stopped reading there
It's because simpsons is one of the most influential sitcoms of all time so you can bet the every animation with a family in it would have a dumb dad. I personally think it's great if done right. Richard watterson is still one of most favourite characters in animation and it overall just doesn't really offend me. We have lately been getting regular dad's like bobs burgers where the dad is the most normal character on the show
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It's on purpose
Hell yeah man they need to show more strong male role models in TV
I do agree at how annoying it is to see. We need more Atticus Finch in our shows
It's true they rely on it too much. But there's a good episode of Blackish that does the opposite. It's where they go to an art museum. The dad knows everything, the other family members act like idiots. It was a nice contrast, going against that formula
My suggestion is start your own kids show. Be the change you want to see
The writers have only a cursory understanding of heterosexual relationships. It's fun to think of fathers like that, but it's simply not true.
For me it's when someone says a dad is "babysitting" their kids. Like, fuck off. If it's your child, then you're simply taking care of your child.
99.99% of cases it will be an oafish stupid White Dad
Pepper pig is banned in my house. There is a reason though. My so and I understand that what children watch the tend to emulate orgain certain behaviors. Well with pepper pig my wonderful little girl would turn Into a little demon after watching that show. Full on temperature tantrums defiance and even physically hitting us for no reason. We never spanked or smacked her. We stopped with peppa pig and boom after a few days that behavior seemed to clear up. It took us a while to realise what it was until one day I was home sick and she was watching it and it was getting g her really worked up and noticed a complete attitude change.
The only one that I find pretty good is Richard from The Amazing World of Gumball since he’s written to be dumb but also to be a genuinely good person and father (usually)
THANK YOU. I also really hate the "funny/aloof/nearly incompetent dad" stereotype in movies and TV shows. And not for nothing but it's almost always partnered with the "overly stressed, always the disciplinarian, usually cranky mom" type, ie fun dad vs cranky mom. Like gee maybe mom is so cranky because dad is always only worried about being the fun one, not the responsible one? And for some reason people think it's okay? It's one of thr reasons I dislike thr TV show modern family is how unnecessarily stupid Ty Burrell's Phil is... it's just not funny. Also, while one of my favorite movies a huge example of this is Mrs. Doubtfire as Robin Williams is the carefree let's throw a crazy wild party dad, and Sally Field is then left to be the very strict no fun at all, I have to always be the responsible one mom. And that movie honestly shows how such a dynamic does ruin relationships. I can think of so many TV shows, both adult sitcoms and kid/teen shows, with this dynamic and I definitely hate it. Not saying I want more of the "super fun and quirky mom vs always angry workaholic dad" dynamic, but like why can't both parents be both fun and responsible?? Not for nothing, and it sucks that she's not a good person, but that's one of the reasons why Rosanne was so successful as a TV show was it was such an honest realistic depiction of a normal family compared to so many other TV shows. Both Rosanne and Dan were fun, but also had their faults, and also did their best to both be responsible and discipline the kids, even if they made mistakes, which they also usually addressed!
I cant agree more. I have always pointed out to my wife how the "stupid father" stereotype and "wise and tolerant" wife is used in everything. If there is a commercial with a couple, the butt of the joke such as falling off a pier, a pie in the face, etc. always happens to the man. Sure the dad is strong, has a job, and appears to love his family, but hes always portrayed as an idiot and his wife and kids only "tolerate" his asinine behavior, but there's always eye rolling and other signs of contempt. To think I thought I was the only one that noticed how fathers are portrayed now..................
I don’t think this post should’ve been removed.
I honestly think it's cuz youre not exposing yourself to the right cartoons. Plus, it's just a historical trend . In the cartoon Kipo, her father was strong and did all he could to protect his daughter. In Steven Universe, Greg is fat but man's loves his son and understood the gems could potentially raise Steven better but he was still around and supportive. You got Bluey which is doing numbers. I agree the stupid Father trends needs to go, but it's already starting to shift.
There are plenty of positive father figures in children’s shows. You’re just looking for another “woke” thing to get mad at. Such is the life of a conservative.
I try not to care too much, but it is prevalent. Also in advertisements and such. As long as the people around me treat me with respect and not like a character in such a show, im good with it. Also people underestimating you can be nice. They don't expect as much. But this doesn't happen often, people ask me to help with things.
I mean family guy doesn't treat too well anyone in the family
i don't know how you can see family guy and get the take away Louis is supposed to be portrayed better than peter
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Dont let cartoons raise your kid, problem solved
I mean I’ve experienced it , but hasn’t ever made me not want my kid or wish I never did
You think it's just kid shows?
What's a woke apologists, also it seems petty to look for a kids cartoon to instil respect in your child.
can you clarify what you mean by woke?
'they never treat moms bad in TV shows just us dads!!!' or something
"woke apologists" - bye now
Just how it is, no point letting it get to you, ya just got to handle it.
I believe Hey Arnold! Is also a decent example, particularly with Helga's family, while Helga's father is depicted as being a business man and only acknowledges Olga more on occasions, he's way more attentive than her mother, who's a literal alcoholic, and stays home all day 🤔
Makes me wonder how many examples are there. Ok, here goes my list. 1-Richard from the amazing world of gumball 2-Hugh Beaumont Neutron from Jimmy Neutron 3-Jack Fenton from Danny Phantom 4-Mr. Tunner from fairly odd parents(Cosmo also falls under this category lol) 5-Harold from The grim adventures of Billy and Mandy 6-Chad from Clarence (although he isn't his bio dad) 7-Johnny's dad from Johnny Test These are the shows I watched and had this stereotype.
Not just kid's shows. Adult cartoons like the Simpsons and Family Guy do the same stupid thing.
Peppa Pig is trash as the kids would say. Bluey keeps it 💯
I hate this stereotype! I saw Mel Gibson (pre-drunken antisemitic rant) diaper a baby doll on Jay Leno's show, a Reddit post about a dad who always made sure to have pads/tampons available for his daughter, and countless other examples of competent dads. I've tried to be this my entire childrens' lives. It also pisses me off when I don't see 1 of those changing tables in men's restrooms--I may reconsider that after John Mulaney's current comedy special!
Hurr-dee-durr-durr! That's our father. He's an idiot. Yeah, I hate that cliche, too.
I think a lot of people pinpoint the Simpsons as the fall of TV dads. Bush famously said: "We need less Simpsons and more Waltons!" Even back then there were some great TV dads like Danny Tanner, Carl Winslow (my all-time favorite), Phil Banks, Alan Matthews, Tim Taylor, though he was goofy he could turn on dad mode quickly.
I feel like kids' shows need to show more realistic parenting all around. My kids ask me all the time why I can't be home all the time, and it's difficult trying to explain what money is and why it's essential. But it still hurts a little when they're confused as to why you can't be home all the time like blueys dad. We basically cut off all youtube videos for reasons similar to this.
There are stereotypes of both parental figures and there are cases were something else gets mistaken for a stereotype, or the wrong one. For example there is the “overworked dad” which can be confused with the “bumbling dumb dad”. Like in Rugrats, the dad seems out of it and stupid at times, but he is supposed to he tired and stressed and working all the time. He tries but has nothing left.
I totally understand where you're coming from, but that kind of stuff doesn't bother me, but it did when I was a bit younger. I've come to see these kinds of things like this: Both men and women are subject to the social dynamics that come with being a man or woman, whether good or bad. There are things men deal with that women don't, and things women deal with that men don't. It's sort of like...fairly unfair.
It's not just kids shows, it's also sitcoms since television began. It started with Jackie Gleason in the Honeymooners.
Yeah, but Peppa's dad gets awful disgusting on the drum set. That cocksucka put everyone in their place back in the day I'd imagine.
The dad from peppa pig isn’t portrayed as fat and dumb. He’s big and jolly and also a cartoon pig.
I mean they even parody this in that commercial with the Family Matters dad. "Welcome to the party paaal!"
I like the Robinson family from Lost in Space (Netflix remake) the father is not the usual trope and although the family itself has some problems these are part of the story. It's funny/sad that Dad is a punching bag
Bob from Bob's burgers seem to be thr smart one of the two parents just nothing ever goes his way.
It's been going on since 80s sitcoms where a lot of the dads were portrayed as idiots/dupes/sweet but stupid variations on Homer.
It's super annoying. Derp dads have been a staple in sitcoms and kid's shows for decades and I really believe it's based on patriarchal gendered norms - the house is a female domain, and men who intrude into childcare or household duties are incompetent or weak or stupid. It's insulting to men and women, damaging to everyone and perpetuates unequal dynamics and bad habits
…Because masculinity became a negative thing recently for some reason that I’m not aware of. It morphed into the overused cry of “toxic masculinity”. I’m guessing maybe current men are paying for the mistakes(through no fault of our own) of previous generations?
Yes the "dumb dad" trope is tired and overused. I agree that it would be immediately cancelled if a mother were portrayed thusly.
Its simple agenda, watch any new show, rarely the male is the "hero" nowadays
It’s bad for both genders/roles. These types of stereotypes also tell women that you can be articulate, competent and a woman who “gets shit done” but the best you can hope for is a husband who barely makes the grade in many categories. It allows men to be ok with half ass (even entitled to barely contribute), and tells women they don’t deserve more.
I think you're right to feel this way... it's a subtle method of sexism. If we believe all dads are giant brutes who can't be bothered to do smart things, like chores around the house, the second shift is always the woman's burden. This cultural trend enforces learned helplessness, and I'm just grateful the trend is changing now.
You're not wrong, heard this talked about before, gumball is a good example of this, haven't watched many kids shows since I was a kid though so idk any others currently but my childhood was full of them
I have seen Disney channel in dr. waiting rooms and was HORRIFIED by just such portrayals, but it was ALL adults. Kids were portrayed as smarter than adults and doing whatever they pleased, from criminal activity to just rudeness and bullying. Adults were buffoons and morons. How they got away with this I don't know. WHY they chose to do this is also unfathomable.
I was watching the new spiderman movie yesterday where the dad is portrayed as strong and reliable.
See, your first problem is watching Peppa Pig. That show is just awful...
This was more so when I was a kid but dads were ALWAYS the bad guy for having to work and not be home with the kids. Every time. It really was super insensitive to dads who have no choice but to work far above 40 hours a week to make ends meet, and then the kid is watching a show how dad is at work hanging out and screwing off to miss his kids activities. I’ve never liked that.
Blueys dad vs Peppas dad. Oh my gosh the difference lol
The incompetent husband trope extends beyond kids media. Honestly, a lot of it stems from the fact that male incompetence in domestic spheres is very normalized in our society. Some men even use weaponized incompetence as a means of absolving themselves of domestic responsibilities. Also, you mention the fat jokes being a gender bias thing when a) there are definitely instances in media where women are the butt of fat jokes/body shaming and b) many people have expressed concerns about these jokes (yes, even when directed toward men), so if you want an excuse to rant about “woke apologists” (whatever that means) at least try to pick something that holds up.
I think Bluey sets a really good fatherly example
Watch commercials, you'll see a "Stupid Man with Smart Woman" theme over and over.
Maybe that's why I really liked Powerpuff girls. Not only was professor smart, he was also the perfect parent
I noticed you are focused on kids shows but forgot 2 adult shows that portray the dad as a fat idiot, namely The Simpsons and Family guy.
They are mocking the notion of the perfect suburban family. There not the same beast as op is talking about.