Photo: AMC/Gene Page
Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead
You have to respect a dad who’s willing to continually go back into the zombie-infested wilderness in order to find a safe place for his kids. Sure, you could argue the heinous things that have happened to his kids since we’ve known him are indirectly his fault, but you gotta give him an “A” for effort. He’s always looked out for his children, and mostly did the right thing to protect them.
The longer The Walking Dead has gone on, the more Rick has become reserved and withholding. I guess that’s to be expected when almost everyone you’ve ever loved has been brutally and viciously murdered – some of them right in front of you. Although those don’t really make for a great emotional connection with your children, Rick’s your go-to TV dad if you ever need your father to fight for you in hand to hand combat, wield a 12-pound gun, or go weeks without a shower.
As far as TV dads go, I wouldn’t pick Rick to lead the sharing circle, but he’s definitely the best dad to have in the apocalypse. Besides, it’s nice to know he’s still open to love, even when the world is ending. That’s a healthy emotional model for his children.