„Dad TV“ is a series genre that mainly appeals to men from their early 30s and middle-aged men.
What is „Dad TV“? Meaning, definition, explanation
Dad TV has the following characteristics:
In Dad TV series, the main protagonist is a masculine man who strongly embodies archetypal male characteristics such as uncompromising, strength and roughness. He is the good guy and remains the good guy. In dad TV series, the main character always wins. (Conversely, this also means that the main character must never lose!)
The setting in dad TV series is usually as follows: There are bad guys who want to harm others. The bad guys can be criminals, the mafia, but also politicians or the government. The main character in Dad TV series takes action against the bad guys and has the main goal of putting a stop to the bad guys and ridding the world of bad people.
This reveals two core elements of Dad TV: it is about justice and about protecting, defending or liberating the weak and innocent.
In Dad TV series, the main character is the police, judge, prosecutor and executioner all rolled into one. The main character passes sentences and carries them out. The main character’s methods are not questioned. The main character is above the law. All means are possible, no matter how morally wrong or questionable.
Dad TV series work with simple and unambiguous friend-foe patterns and black-and-white thinking. Dad TV series are free of ambivalence, shades of gray and depth. The good guys are the good guys and the bad guys are the bad guys. The good guys stay the good guys and the bad guys stay the bad guys. Once you’ve been good, you stay good. Those who were once bad remain bad. There is no change and no doubt.
Dad TV can be reactionary and the plot can be really banal. Since in Dad TV series the main character is always male, he is supported by female characters. But these women never become dangerous to the main character or try to dominate her. They subordinate themselves.
Why Dad TV is so popular with men over 30:
The life situation of men aged 30 and over is usually as follows: They have a steady job, they have at least one child, are in a steady partnership and are perhaps paying off a loan. There is no room for adventure and excitement here. These men move within fixed structures, everyday life and a lot of responsibility. That can be very boring.
Dad TV satisfies a certain longing for strength, masculinity, adventure and a mission. Dad TV stands for the desire to be a hero one day.
But Dad TV is also a fantasy. Because in Dad TV, the main character lives by his own rules. He asserts himself and sometimes uses his fists. The main character seems to be free. He has no obligations, no fixed job, doesn’t have to compromise and has little responsibility.
Example: Reacher has no boss and no job. He has no pressure and no responsibility. He needs little and seems to be free.
The contrast is that men with children spend their time in playgrounds and don’t go on adventures.
Dad TV main characters have no everyday life. They don’t have to do laundry, clean the toilet or go shopping. They also never have to compromise or arrive at work on time. Dad TV characters have one exciting adventure after another.
2nd reason why Dad TV is so popular:
In complex times, Dad TV is balm for the soul. It’s good to see that the bad guys really are the bad guys and they don’t get away or buy their way out in the end. The uncompromising nature of Dad TV is the opposite of reality, where complicated proceedings take place, criminals have to prove their crimes and sometimes you think that politicians are standing idly by.
Dad TV serves a kind of desire for a simpler world.
Well-known Dad TV series:
- Echo 3
- Bosch
- Justified
- Magnum P.I.
- Ray Donovan
- Reacher
- Renegade
- The Continental
- The Last of Us
- The Night Agent
- The Terminal List
- Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
- Tulsa King
- Yellowstone
- Walker, Texas Ranger