History Main / BumblingDad

* Nanjiroh Echizen in ''ThePrinceOfTennis'', though it can be said he's also a case of ObfuscatingStupidity.

* ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'', Ray Barone.

* ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond'', where Ray's intelligence was stripped away as the seasons went by so that the show could more easily employ the ParentingTheHusband trope in order to try and make the wife look more sympathetic and pander to her fans. And, unfortunately, they used this trope to attempt to justify the wife's smug and abusive treatment of him. Though the kids there were initially much younger than in other examples.

* Inverted in ''UpAllNight'', as [[http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/06/what_to_expect_and_up_all_night_the_doltish_dad_on_screen_is_changing_.html noted here]]. Chris began sort of this way, but as a stay-at-home-dad got things under control. His wife, Reagan, who continued working as a TV producer, is instead the one who tends to bollix things up when she takes charge.
* Carl Winslow from ''FamilyMatters'' was this on occasion (more so in the first few seasons).

* In the series ''FatherKnowsBest,'' the titular father complains about this trope in the ShowWithinAShow called ''Father Does It Again,'' exclaiming that such a "stumblebum" husband could [[ThisIsReality only exist on television.]] After watching the show he becomes WrongGenreSavvy, convinced his family is pulling a sitcom-style deception to keep him from going hunting.

* Tim Taylor in ''HomeImprovement''. Unlike most bumbling dads, however, he is actually very competent at his job. At least, he would be if it weren't for his almost mental illness level [[MadScientist compulsion to 'improve' things.]] When he isn't creating outdoor grills that can achieve geosynchronous orbit, he's actually a very skilled handy man. He's far more "No concern for safety or moderation" than "Doesn't know what he's doing".
** As far as his family goes, Tim is a little closer to the standard for this trope, usually not always understanding how he should act in various circumstances, as having effectively raised himself after his dad died, he's not clear how a family works. This conversely means that in any episode where someone dies, Tim ends up being much more competent and capable.
** Tim Allen's character in the SpiritualSuccessor ''LastManStanding'' actually subverts this trope. He's a very caring and loving father, but there is no question that he is more intelligent, rational, and mature than his kids, if at times a bit brusque. More often than not, he acts as the OnlySaneMan within his family.
* ''EverybodyLovesRaymond'', where Ray's intelligence was stripped away as the seasons went by so that the show could more easily employ the ParentingTheHusband trope in order to try and make the wife look more sympathetic and pander to her fans. And, unfortunately, they used this trope to attempt to justify the wife's smug and abusive treatment of him. Though the kids there were initially much younger than in other examples.

* WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} in ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'', ''WesternAnimation/AGoofyMovie'' and, earlier, in [[ClassicDisneyShorts his '50s cartoon shorts]] where he is played a StandardFiftiesFather named George Geef. However, we can probably forgive Goofy for being like this, because bumbling has always been part of his overall personality.

* Hal from ''MalcolmInTheMiddle''. However, he shows great intelligence and patience for an example of this trope - his relationship with his family is as far as the similarity goes. Certainly his wife is more of an antagonist than him. In fact, it's frequently hinted that Hal used to be a happy, intelligent, emotionally stable guy before marrying Lois.

* Cliff Huxtable from ''TheCosbyShow'' was created specifically as an antidote for this. Bill Cosby was tired of all the father figures on TV being essentially dominated by their kids, and created a competent, intelligent, but still ''funny'' father character for himself.
** In terms of being a father, yes: Heathcliff Huxtable averts this trope (with so few exceptions you can count them on one hand). However, the Huxtable family will do anything possible to keep him from fixing any of the household components (appliances, plumbing, etc.). Which may be a case of FridgeBrilliance given Cosby's classic routine about fathers who PRETEND to be bumblers, so that no one will pressure them to do things that... they didn't want to do in the first place. "That's a genius at work!"

** The kids are ''scenery.''

*** Hal is the INSTIGATOR for most of the madness in the Middle household, and the part of the equation the kids get their mischief from. Lois might be more strict and punishing, but Hal is the one with all the crazy schemes..

* Tim Taylor in ''HomeImprovement''. Unlike most bumbling dads, however, he is actually very competent at his job. At least, he would be if it weren't for his almost mental illness level compulsion to 'improve' things. When he isn't creating outdoor grills that can achieve geosynchronous orbit, he's actually a very skilled handy man. He's far more "No concern for safety or moderation" than "Doesn't know what he's doing".
** In other words, he fixes things the way a MadScientist would.

** However, this one is potentially justified, as it's shown in the movie that both her father and mother are distracted due to the move, and her father is ''especially'' distracted since he needs to get a major project done for his job. That, and since it's all from a [[UnreliableNarrator child's perspective]]...

* Phil Dunphy of ''ModernFamily,'' mainly as a result of his attempts to seem cool.

Naturally, filled with UnfortunateImplications about dads, and potentially men in general--and often used as an enabler of several [[DoubleStandard Double Standards]]. Sometimes, on the rare occasions that a mom does something dumb, she's cut more slack than she otherwise would be, since the BumblingDad is there to make her look better by comparison. On the other hand, if everyone just gets used to tolerating Dad's incompetence, they might still hold Mom to the standards of a competent adult - in fact, she may end up being held responsible for fixing his screw-ups. After all, somebody's got to be the grownup in a family, and you can't hold Dad accountable for not acting like one if he's just an idiot. The frustrating and stagnant sexual roles enforced by this trope are often pointed to by feminists as a sign of how sexism hurts men as well as women. [[note]]Sadly, when you try to subvert this trope by making fathers look cool, some feminists will ''still'' complain that it's sexist, because they feel it [[http://www.salon.com/2014/07/28/dont_believe_that_new_cheerios_commercial_why_i_hate_the_myth_of_the_cool_dad makes the mother look bad]]...or something. [[/note]]

* Frank Heffley in ''DiaryOfAWimpyKid'' is a bumbling dad. He acts like he's in his 80s. Not only does he regularly yell "Dagnabbed rotten teenagers!", but in the webcomic, he tries to get Classical music playing throughout the town to scare the teenagers away, is apparently teenager phobic, can't figure out how Gregory's game system is even hooked up to the TV, and says people at drive-thrus are idiots...yet he tries to place his order ''through a garbage can''.

* Vijay Patel from ''WesternAnimation/SanjayAndCraig'' is also more of dork rather than an outright idiot.

* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick'': In her episode on {{Disney Princess}}es, The Chick notes that there's a trend in "infantile, impotent fathers" that the Disney girls have to put up with.

* ''Videogame/{{Octodad}}'', who due to being an invertebrate creature with poor motor controls has difficulties performing tasks that would be otherwise simple for human beings ([[CutscenePowerToTheMax at least in gameplay).

This is an example of how a SubvertedTrope can end up becoming the norm. Back in the day, fathers were assumed to be wise and in charge, and the BumblingDad was something fresh and unusual. Today, sitcoms have made BumblingDad an UndeadHorseTrope, and consistently competent fathers are a comparative rarity.

Often used as an enabler of several [[DoubleStandard Double Standards]]. Sometimes, on the rare occasions that a mom does something dumb, she's cut more slack than she otherwise would be, since the BumblingDad is there to make her look better by comparison. On the other hand, if everyone just gets used to tolerating Dad's incompetence, they might still hold Mom to the standards of a competent adult - in fact, she may end up being held responsible for fixing his screw-ups. After all, somebody's got to be the grownup in a family, and you can't hold Dad accountable for not acting like one if he's just an idiot. The frustrating and stagnant sexual roles enforced by this trope are often pointed to by feminists as a sign of how sexism hurts men as well as women. [[note]]Sadly, when you try to subvert this trope by making fathers look cool, some feminists will ''still'' complain that it's sexist, because they feel it [[http://www.salon.com/2014/07/28/dont_believe_that_new_cheerios_commercial_why_i_hate_the_myth_of_the_cool_dad makes the mother look bad.]] [[/note]]

* Also averted by Uncle Phil on ''TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir''. Yes, he has his moments of stupidity, but overall, Uncle Phil's portrayed as competent and knowledgeable way more often than other sitcom dads. And he's also an excellent lawyer and an even better judge, although his skills as a handyman and cook are even less impressive than Bill Cosby's above.
* Michael from ''MyWifeAndKids'', on the other hand, was an subverion of the BumblingDad trope GoneHorriblyWrong, or [[TruthInTelevision perhaps true to life]]. Instead of being a BumblingDad whose controlled by his wife and children... his relationship with them throughout the series can be summed up with this quote, "I [[JerkAss Bugs Bunny'd]] you."