Top 20 Cartoon Dads From TV

“The Smurfs” (1981-89)
It takes a village to raise a child, but it only takes one father to raise a village. Papa Smurf is the wisest Smurf there is. He’s over 500 years young and still as sharp as a tack. As the man in charge, Papa is usually the one the Smurfs go to for guidance, which he is all too happy to provide when he’s not busy in his lab tinkering with magic. Undeniably his most important task is keeping the town and his little Smurfs safe from Gargamel. His dedication to the task, as well as attending to the wellbeing of his fellow Smurfs definitely earns him a “World’s Greatest Smurf Dad” mug.

“The Loud House” (2016-)
Raising one kid is a tough enough job, but raising 11?! We definitely need to give Lynn Sr. some credit for taking the challenge. Lynn is the head chef of the household and even owns his own restaurant. Even though he’s the father of 11, he doesn’t like playing favorites and tries to show his children that he loves them all equally. He takes part in his kids’ activities and only disciplines them when absolutely necessary. He’s overemotional at times and occasionally acts almost as childish as the kids, but he does his best and ensures that there is a lot of love in the Loud House.

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)
We love Uncle Iroh for being the father figure that Zuko needed. However, there’s one ACTUAL father we’d like to give some special attention to: Sokka and Katara’s dad, Hakoda. Being trained as a warrior, Hakoda is brave and strong-willed. However, when he was sent off to war, he was forced to leave his children behind. This wasn’t an easy decision as he loved Sokka and Katara dearly. He encouraged Katara’s bending abilities and saw potential in Sokka that others overlooked. While leaving his family stung, he made up for it by continuing to be loving and supportive. Suffice it to say, he was the proudest father in the world when his kids helped end the war.

“Hazbin Hotel” (2024-)
It’s fitting that Lucifer looks like a circus man since he’s the ringmaster of Hell itself – and Charlie Morningstar’s father. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, as Lucifer shares his daughter’s quirky personality and is a bit of a dreamer himself. However, they grew distant over the years and Lucifer doesn’t quite understand her dream of redeeming Hell’s residents – mostly due to his own mistakes in the past. Despite that, he loves his daughter more than anything and wants to protect her in any way he can. If anyone tries to harm her or take his place in her heart, he’ll show them why HE’S Hell’s number one daddy.

“Big Mouth” (2017-)
Going through puberty is scary enough for kids, even without a hormone monster hanging around. But if they’re lucky, they have a father as supportive as Nick’s dad, Elliot. He may come off as overly eccentric and a little TOO affectionate, but he’s open-minded and patient enough to deal with a pubescent kid. Sadly, Elliot never got this much love from his own father, who forcibly trained him to be a nipple-twisting champion… no, we’re not kidding. Thankfully, while he had a hard childhood, he became a soft, loving daddy to his kids - even if he comes off as a little TOO supportive.

“The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius” (2002-06)
Hugh Neutron is a father who appreciates the simple things in life, especially when they involve pie and ducks. It's plain as day that Jimmy didn’t inherit his smartness from him, but what Hugh lacks in brains, he makes up for in hilarity and heart. He loves his wife Judy dearly and encourages Jimmy’s scientific pursuits, even if he doesn’t understand them or is usually the one who causes them to go haywire. He may be a kid at heart, but he has his priorities straight, as he gave up a chance to be rich just to have a loving family. We’re happy to say that the decision paid off in a major way.

“Goof Troop” (1992)
Even some of our favorite Disney icons have had to step up in parenthood. Donald Duck is usually a surrogate parent to his three nephews, and Goofy became a single parent once we met his son Max in “Goof Troop.” As usual, Goofy is a clumsy dimwit with a heart of gold. While he’s not always graceful, his son is his whole world to him, and he’ll do anything to support and provide for Max. While Max loves his Dad back, he gets easily embarrassed by Goofy’s... well, goofiness. Their bond gets stronger as Max grows older, and he learns more and more to appreciate his father’s efforts – even when they end hilariously.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (1987-96)
There have been several interpretations of the Turtles’ sensei and fatherly figure. From the lazy-but-protective former movie star from “Rise of the TMNT” to the unstoppable ninja master from the 2012 series. But for this list, we’re giving the OG mentor his place in the spotlight. Mutated into a rat and forced to live in the sewers, Splinter took in four mutated baby turtles and trained them in the art of ninjitsu. While he usually treats them more like his students than as adopted sons, he protects and nurtures them as if they were his own offspring, perfectly demonstrating that you don’t need to be blood to be family.

“Danny Phantom” (2004-07)
While Maddie is the beauty and the brains, Jack Fenton is the passion behind Fenton Works. He’s obsessed with ghosts and has dedicated his life to capturing them... usually unsuccessfully. Though he’s not the best ghost hunter, he’s definitely a pretty great father. While he embarrasses his kids, he loves Danny and Jazz dearly and does what he can to protect them. He clashes with Danny’s alter ego, Danny Phantom, not knowing that he’s persecuting his own son. But the minute Jack finds out the truth, he puts his obsession aside to reassure Danny that he’ll always love his son – half-ghost or not. Plus, even if Jack can be a buffoon, you can’t say he isn’t a great inventor.

“Phineas and Ferb” (2007-15; 2024)
While Lawrence Fletcher isn’t the most observant, he is loving and encouraging to all three of his children. Arguably, the only “Phineas and Ferb” dad who’s better than him is Heinz Doofenshmirtz. It's surprising given how bad his own parents were – favoring his brother and constantly neglecting him. Thankfully, Heinz didn’t inherit their abhorrent parenting traits. He may be an evil scientist, but he loves his daughter Vanessa unconditionally and will bend over backward to make her happy. While Vanessa is embarrassed by him and doesn’t appreciate his diabolical scheming, she can’t deny that when Heinz gets it right, he’s not so bad a dad after all.

“The Powerpuff Girls” (1998-2005; 2016-19)
Following a bizarre combination of sugar, spice, everything nice, and Chemical X, Professor Utonium accidentally created three super-powered little girls. And what was his first reaction? To immediately treat them like his own daughters. He plays with them, aids them in their crime-fighting, and offers words of advice and support when they need it most. There are times when the Professor may be a little overprotective of his little superheroes, and needs to lay down the law from time to time, but it’s all out of love. There isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for the perfect little girls - for better or worse.

“King of the Hill” (1997-2010)
Hank is a simple man who values hard work, and of course, propane and propane accessories. He’s a more traditional father and has trouble connecting with his only son Bobby due to their conflicting personalities. While Hank is more straightlaced and stern, Bobby is a quirky free spirit – or as Hank usually puts it, “That boy ain’t right.” Despite being polar opposites, Hank truly cares for Bobby and learns to respect his differences over time. In turn, Bobby sees Hank as a hero and wants to make him proud while still being true to himself. In a way, the two teach each other, making the moments they truly see eye-to-eye much more memorable.

“Steven Universe” (2013-19) & “Steven Universe Future” (2019-20)
For most of his life, Greg Universe had no direction in life other than music and his van. But all that changed the day he fell in love with Rose Quartz. When Rose gave up her physical form, Greg became a single father to their only son, Steven. These two have a father-son bond many of us envy; but with Steven living with the Gems, Greg doesn’t get as much time to spend with his ‘Schtu-ball’ (Shtew ball). While he doesn’t know much about gem stuff, Greg is always willing to offer support and advice to his son whenever possible. He may not be perfect, but like he always says, “If every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hot dogs.”

“Rugrats” (1991-2004)
The dads of “Rugrats” may be oblivious at times, but there’s no doubt that they love their kids. While we’d love to tip our hats to Stu, we think Chas deserves the “World’s Greatest Dad” mug in this show. It’s plain to see how much Chuckie inherited from Chas, both being overly cautious and plagued by allergies. Chas understands Chuckie’s many fears, is very protective, and values his son’s opinion even at a young age - as evident when Chuckie saves his daddy from making a horrible mistake. When Kira and Kimi entered their lives, he didn’t hesitate to welcome his new daughter with welcome arms, showing that Chas is a loving, dependable man.

“Bluey” (2018-)
If you want a father who gives 150% for his kids’ entertainment, look no further than Bandit Heeler. While he’s usually reluctant to do so, Bandit usually ends up taking part in his daughters’ games. He fully commits to the bit, creating a wide variety of hilarious characters, and enduring whatever pain comes his way. When he’s not taking part in playtime, he offers advice and life lessons, though most of his attempts don’t always go as planned. Despite this, everything he does is to help give Bluey and Bingo the good life they deserve. If there’s one thing Bandit always succeeds in, it’s showing his kids how much he cherishes them.

“The Wild Thornberrys” (1998-2004)
On the surface, Nigel Thornberry is an eccentric goofball, but underneath he’s nothing short of passionate. He travels across the globe hosting his nature show because of his immense love for animals. Of course, his love for his family is immeasurable, especially for his children. While he’s often oblivious, he offers a vast amount of wisdom nobody would expect and is more than ready to put himself at risk to protect his loved ones. He was even willing to give up his nature show and settle down just to give his family a normal life. But Nigel isn’t normal, and that’s just another part of what makes him so loveable.

“The Jetsons” (1962-63; 1985-87)
Even in a future where technology has evolved to solve mankind’s burdens, fatherhood is a job that never gets easier. Nobody knows this better than George Jetson. Along with having to provide for a 6 1/2-year-old prodigy and a rebellious teenage daughter, he struggles as a breadwinner with a boss who barely respects him – he's practically fired every episode. It’s no wonder George can get easily stressed out at work and home. Despite all that, he’s still a loving, caring father who wants to provide his family with a safe and happy lifestyle. With all he has to endure in the process, maybe he should get a medal for Father’s Day.

“The Flintstones” (1960-66)
When it comes to dumb cartoon dads, Fred Flintstone practically founded the trope. He can be a bumbling schemer and a blowhard. But the birth of Baby Pebbles brought out Fred’s more sensitive, loving side. He makes it loud and clear how much he loves his only daughter, and bends over backwards just to make her happy. Of course, he can still be a short-tempered bonehead, overprotective, and jealous. But it’s just part of his charm, and seeing him gush over his “Pebbly-Poo” is just plain adorable. Pebbles inherited a few of Fred’s scheming traits as she got older, showing how much she valued him as her father.

“The Simpsons” (1989-)
As iconic as Homer Simpson is, his blunders as a parent often outweigh the successes. Meanwhile, his neighbor, Ned Flanders, usually outclasses Homer as a father. While his two boys, Rod and Todd, are sheltered, Ned still goes out of his way to provide a happy, comfortable life for them. His attempts feel even more notable after his wife Maude dies in Season 11, leaving him to raise his sons on his own. In addition, he treats his neighbors’ kids as if they were his own. While he may sometimes put the Flanders in “Flanderization,” it barely detracts from him being a loving, providing father.

“Bob's Burgers” (2011-)
Of all the adult animated families, the Belchers seem to have the healthiest dynamic; and of course, running the household is the man himself, Bob. To be blunt, Bob’s kids are oddballs, and he has no qualms saying it out loud. Despite this, they’re HIS oddballs, and he loves them more than anything. His own father was controlling and forced him to work in a restaurant since childhood, but Bob doesn’t want that for his kids. Even if he doesn’t always understand them, he goes above and beyond to ensure their safety and happiness, even at his own expense. He’s not perfect, but we’d all be pretty lucky to have a father as honest and caring as Bob Belcher.

Who do you think is Cartoon Father of the Year? Let us know in the comments.