They may be strict and stern and lay down the law, but at the end of the day fathers are just big softies – at least where their kids are concerned.

In celebration of Father’s Day (which is on Sunday, by the way) we bring you this gallery of some of our favourite TV dads.

They are the ones who make us laugh and cry. They are smart and funny, they sacrifice a lot for their families, and some of them, well, sometimes we just shake our heads at their sarcastic remarks or appalling behavior.

Ultra-cool Dads


Michael Kyle from My Wife and Kids, Mike Heck from The Middle and Tim Taylor from Home Improvement

Geeky Dads


Jim Halpert from The Office and Ross Geller from Friends

Cheerleader Dad


Phil Dunphy from Modern Family

Bad Daddy


Hank Moody from Californication

Dad (almost) doing it on his own


Jimmy Chance from Raising Hope

Dads who scare us, but we love them anyway


Dr Edison Milford Goodson III from Bleep My Dad Says and Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air


Doctor Daddy


Dr Brick Breeland from Hart of Dixie and Grey’s Anatomy’s Dr Mark Sloan and Dr Derek Shepherd