For those of you out there who, like myself, were blessed to have grown up with a wonderful father (or father-type figure) in their lives, know that Father's Day is a holiday certainly worth celebrating. This is the guy who taught you how to ride a bike; who played with your Barbies without complaint; who loved you unconditionally even when your teenage-self hated him. Why wouldn't we want to take a day to honor someone like that? Unfortunately, however, not all children were lucky enough to get the Sandy Cohen treatment growing up — a fact that has been proven time and time again on the small screen by TV dads we love to hate.
Because for every Danny Tanner and Adam Braverman out there, there's a Tywin Lannister and Rowan Pope waiting in the wings to crush our spirit of fatherly love. And yet, we can't help but to still find them alluring in their own unique way. We may loathe every fiber of their being and seethe at our television screens every time we see their face, but deep down we love the heated passion these characters evoke within us. Basically, they're the best at being the worst, and for that even these formidable fathers deserve some semblance of praise. (Not that they'd ever say thank you for it, of course.)
1. Mikael Mikaelson — The Originals
Call me old fashioned, but constantly terrorizing your children doesn't exactly earn you any Father of the Year awards. And, even though Klaus wasn't technically his son, Mikael was still the closest thing to a father he had ever known. So, his constant desire to kill Klaus was really just downright rude. And yet, I couldn't help but love their scenes together. I may need therapy.
2. Tywin Lannister — Game of Thrones
No one knows how to dole out tough love quite like this guy. And, while he may have been unforgivably horrible to Tyrion, you couldn't help but applaud every time he put Cersei or Joffrey in their place.
3. Malcolm Merlyn — Arrow
Let's see, he inadvertently killed his son Tommy when he decided to destroy The Glades and then knowingly made his daughter Thea commit murder while under the influence of a drug that makes you susceptible to suggestion. That's a terrible track record as far as parenting goes. However, this Dark Archer has somehow managed to pierce our heart despite his many flaws. I blame the fact that John Barrowman is just so darn charming.
4. Rowan Pope — Scandal
What is there to say about Papa Pope other than you do NOT want to mess with this guy. He will eat you up and spit you out just because he can. Not even family is off limits to his wrath, and those monologues of his are a force to be reckoned with. Yet, I'd be lying if I said I didn't secretly love every single minute of it. Ruthless is the new awesome.
5. Conrad Grayson — Revenge
He may have been the successful head of Grayson Global, but as far as his fatherly duties went, Conrad fell rather short. Maybe if he had taken time out of his busy schedule to throw a football around with Daniel rather than frame an innocent man for his crimes, then things would've worked out rather differently.
6. George Bluth, Sr. — Arrested Development
To be fair, no one in this family seems to really care about anyone other than themselves, but as the patriarch, George really should know better. It does make for some hilarious television though, I'll give him that.
7. Clay Morrow — Sons of Anarchy
As messed up as it is, I couldn't help but still feel a tad sorry for Clay right before he met Mr. Mayhem. Clay betrayed SAMCRO in almost every sense of the word, but he was a memorable villain that straddled the line between good and evil so closely it was impossible not to feel some sort of allegiance to him. For better or for worse.
8. Dan Scott — One Tree Hill
Ugh. On second thought, I think I just plain hate this guy. Sorry, Dan Scott, but you are the worst of the worst.
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