These Are the Worst TV/Film Dads

I will never—and I repeat—never get the episode that Will’s dad Lou came to Bel-Air out of my head. I for one have been on the receiving end of broken promises from a parent more times than I care to share, so this automatically makes the list.

Joe Jackson is a lie, and he’s a cheat! And “wedon’twanthim, wedon’twanthim, wedon’twanthim no mo’!” And that’s EXACTLY why he deserves to be on this list. If you know, you know.

Although this man had, dare I say it—power—in the city, he consistently put his family in harm’s way and drove his son to go down the same reckless path. 0/10 would recommend.

This man cheated on Angela Bassett’s Bernadine with a..*checks notes* WHITE WOMAN and tried to take their children away from her—even though he wasn’t a present father in their lives or their home. Immediately no. (Also, let me know when y’all are ready to have that conversation about how Michael Beach always tends to play shitty characters so well.)

This man killed his own son. ‘Nuff said.

Luscious quite literally threw his only gay son in the trash can when he was little and continued to lowkey traumatize him—and the rest of his sons, to be real—for the rest of their adult lives. I get it, he was trying to make them great and “teach them lessons,” but come on now. “I gotta put me first, Luscious” and for that reason: you’re going on this list.

I won’t lie: I was conflicted putting Papa Pope on this list! I know, I know! He ran a covert government agency that tried to take out the President and assert himself and his daughter in power—I get it! But the monologues!! You just don’t find good monologues like this on TV anymore, come back Papa Pope!

HE. WAS. CHEAP. Next candidate.

There’s absolutely no denying that Alton’s complicated history and mangled up future made it difficult for him to mend fences with his son and ex-wife. And this scene alone says it all. Prayers down for you, Alton.

Now there’s no way as a grown man you were OK with having a revolving door relationship with your kids to where you just come and go in and out their lives as you please. This coupled with the fact that his return was mostly driven by ways he could get over on Rog and Dee’s mother, definitely makes him a contender on this list.

Look, I understand a dream deferred makes the heart fester, sag like a heavy load and eventually explode. But the way Troy let his own life disappointments tailor the decisions he made towards and treatment he gave towards his children is borderline unforgiveable.

The thing that bothers me about Bennie Upshaw is the fact that he only seems to take himself seriously. He barely listens to his wife and children, nor really takes their dreams, goals, or desires into serious consideration. Plus he barely likes going to work, even though he loves to say he owns his own business. Make it make sense!

Any man who calls himself a father but raises his hand against children deserves to be on the “Ain’t Shit” list, so need I say more?

Mister from The Color Purple had to learn his abusive ways from someone! And in this case, the apple really didn’t fall far from the tree. Looking at you angrily, Old Mister.