Relationships with our dads have their ups and downs and for some of us there are a lot more downs and ups, or a lot more ups than downs. No matter how you slice it, sometimes our dads can be pretty awesome and provide us with some serious wisdom. Whether or not we actually use the advice they give us is another story, but it’s the thought that counts.

With Father’s Day coming up, we thought it would be a great idea to list some of our favorite dads from TV and movies. Of course, we don’t have enough room for all of the great dads, but consider the ones who didn’t make the list as honorable mentions.

Marlin from Finding Nemo

Marlon swam the entire sea for Nemo, and I’m pretty sure this scene left me in tears when I saw it in theatres. This scene really doesn’t get old.

Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is one of my all time favorite sitcoms, and Uncle Phil is probably my favorite dad (next to my own, that is). He supplied his nephew Will with a lot of tough love, but he was always there for him when push came to shove.

Danny Tanner from Full House

I’m pretty sure that there was a touching moment between Danny Tanner and his daughters at the end of every episode of Full House. Sure, they were usually pretty cheesy but it was always the best kind of cheese.

Phil Dunphy from Modern Family

Dads who think they’re cool usually aren’t, and Phil is no exception. But he’s still one of our faves.

Sam McGuire from Lizzie McGuire

Sam McGuire dad was always pretty goofy and aloof, but that never detracted him from showing some serious love and support for his kids.

Sandy Cohen from The OC

A modern classic, the OC’s Seth Cohen is probably one of the most down to earth lawyers that I’ve ever seen. Come on, he’d have to be to take in a trouble-making kid and treat him as his own.

Red Forman from That 70s Show

Red Foreman doesn’t exactly come across as a caring father about 99.9% of the time, but in the end his strictness stems from some serious love for his kids. And hey, at least he told his son that he loved him that one time…

Sandy Koufax from Big Daddy

For some strange reason, I was obsessed with this movie as a kid. While Adam Sandler’s dysfunctional time as a temporary dad was funny and heartwarming, the most important lesson that I took away from this film was a little trick about bent cans.

Coach Taylor from Friday Night Lights

Nothing destroys me faster than big ol’ super manly men have heart to hearts with their daughters. Moments between Coach Taylor and his daughter Julie are perfect examples of this. My heart!

Cliff Huxtable from The Cosby Show

Cliff Huxtable. Enough said. He was the quintessential parent of the 80s, and I still wish that I could cop all of his sweaters.

Who are some of your favorite dads from TV and movies? Which of the dads in the list are your favorites? Tell us in the comments!

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