I recently binged three shows that look at fatherhood and sibling relationships within different contexts: religious-wealth, struggling economically, and uber-wealthy industrialists. In this post, I’ll be exploring these three shows (with high recommendations that you watch them all) and at the end ranking each of the father figures for how well they really care for their children.
The Righteous Gemstones
The Righteous Gemstones follows a pastor patriarch, Dr. Eli Gemstone, and his three children who all play roles in his giant evangelical church. The family faces a lot of drama in the form of blackmailers and violent child-dirtbikers (not joking). However, when it comes down to it (and after filthy jokes and curse words that you’d never expect to hear from a pastor and his religious children are thrown out) they all love each other and do their best to uphold their family and the Bible.
Shameless
Shameless is a mixed bag. Most of the time Frank Gallagher doesn’t come through for his six children. Even going so far as calling Child Protective Services (CPS) on them when they don’t respect him enough. However, when it really counts he does come through for them. Attending their weddings, protecting them from drug dealers, keeping them from getting arrested, and helping them when they become parents themselves. Even though you end the series with no respect for Frank, you do take notice of the small things (and I mean small things) he did for his kids.
Succession
“F***k you, Logan Roy.” That is how I watched this series. It is more than fair to say that out of this family patriarch/business tycoon’s four children (three of which play a role in his multi-billion dollar media conglomerate) the only one that really loves is his business, Waystar. Logan Roy is by far the worst father on this list. He threw all of his children (and everyone in his path) under the bus in more ways than I can count. He used one of his sons as a patsy when faced with an angry Congress charging Waystar with knowledge of unlawful conduct on their cruise ships.
Fatherly Rankings
Dr. Eli Gemstone: The Gemstone family may be stupid, but they follow in their father’s footsteps by caring for each other and being (relatively) good leaders of the community.
Frank Gallagher: He may have been a father, who was pathetic toward his children, but when it really counted, he could/would show up for them.
Logan Roy: The antithesis of the word ‘father.’ He couldn’t care less about his children, their feelings, or their well-being. He is the worst father on this list.
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