TV’s Most Complicated Father-Son Relationships

Some of TV’s most complicated father-son relationships continue to live on in our minds after the show ends.

The dynamic between fathers and their sons is often complicated. It can lead to traumas and resolutions worthy of our affection and viewing.

Here are our picks on 19 of TV’s most complicated father-son relationships that made an impact in our lives.

We’d love to hear from other fanatics about which complicated father-son relationship duo hit you in the feels.

Even better if it’s a couple we didn’t mention! Broaden our horizons with your favorite pick for TV’s most complicated father-son relationships.

TV’s Most Complicated Father-Son Relationships

With all the repeated tropes done on TV, fans still love seeing family drama. Even in comedies and lighthearted shows, we need some turmoil to keep things from being too lighthearted and uninteresting.

There’s nothing we love more than watching things fall apart for others, especially when it comes to parents and children.

On the Hunt - 1883 Season 1 Episode 3 — (Emerson Miller/ViacomCBS ©2021 Paramount+, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

These are our 19 favorite moments of TV’s most complicated father-son relationships.

Lip and Frank Gallagher – Shameless

If you’ve watched the latest FX hit dramedy, The Bear, Jeremy Allen White’s face may be fresh in your mind.

For some, that face brings viewer trauma from his decade-long role as Philip “Lip” Gallagher in the raunchy drama Shameless.

Shameless focused on the very dysfunctional family dynamics of the Gallagher siblings and their horribly incompetent parents.

Lip and his older sister Fiona manage their household of siblings as the oldest two children.

Their alcoholic drug addict, Frank, appears at random for a place to crash, food, or money for booze or drugs.

Growing up in a rough household makes you grow up faster. We often saw Lip taking on the dad role for his younger brothers and sister.

As the man of the house, Philip frequently butted heads with Frank during his random escapades.

Lip also ended up becoming a teen dad with a problematic relationship of his own.

He struggled with alcoholism for a few seasons before getting sober. He tried to be a better dad than Frank. The show was the epitome of TV’s most complicated father-son relationships.

Malcolm Bright and Dr. Martin Whitly – Prodigal Son

Among the many father-son dynamics out there, one of the most complicated is those on opposite sides of the law.

While this trope has been used many times, Prodigal Son gave fans a new version. Malcolm Bright is an ex-FBI agent turned NYPD consultant who helps solve cases in the Criminal Minds style.

The twist?

He’s seeking redemption for the crimes of his father. And earning goodwill in anticipation that he might also become a psychopath in the future.

Being the son of a prolific serial killer isn’t just about a tarnished name. When you’ve been a victim of your father’s psychopathic torture, it leaves behind severe mental issues.

But having to enlist your crazy killer father to help you with solving cases can bring up issues long buried.

Fans loved watching Bright’s creepy, mentally warping interactions with his serial killer father. It was easy to see how The Surgeon charmed his way back into Malcolm’s good graces and lured his victims.

Regarding father-son relationships, it doesn’t get more complicated than having to work together for the common good, despite years of physical and psychological torture.

“My boy” will surely be a chilling endearment of nostalgia for Prodigies (fans of Prodigal Son) for years to come.

Clark and Jonathon Kent – Smallville

Everyone knows the legend of the comic book-turned-film star, Superman. However, only true fans know of the family drama surrounding Superman’s human alias, Clark Kent.

Kal-El came to Earth as a baby from the planet Krypton. Jonathan and Martha Kent found his spaceship and decided to adopt the strange baby inside. He became Clark Kent.

All parents struggle with the teenage years, but raising an alien comes with its own challenges.

A bored teenage alien boy-man in a small farming town is even worse.

Over the seasons, we watched the father and adopted son dynamic come to a head multiple times.

Despite the complexities of the relationship, Jonathan ultimately made a fantastic father figure. He helped mold Clark into the honorable caped hero he became.

Smallville Season Premiere Pic — (THE CW/Jack Rowand)

Jonathan’s ghost continued to guide and torment Kent through his adult years. Even as his relationship with his real alien father’s hologram grew more difficult.

It has to be sucky to have not one but two complicated father-son relationships in your lifetime. Especially when one is human and the other is an alien form that died decades before.

John and Kasey Dutton – Yellowstone

There has been much drama surrounding the ending of the Yellowstone series. Most of it concerns Kevin Costner’s portrayal of the show’s patriarch, John Dutton.

The Dutton men have been challenging in their paternal roles. It started with the first Dutton man, Tim McGraw, settling the Montana homestead in the series 1883.

Dealing With A Threatening Partnership - Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 6 — (Emerson Miller/Paramount)

However, none of those father-son relationships experienced the tensions and drama as the series that started it all.

Yellowstone.

Viewers saw family disharmony between patriarch John Dutton and his youngest son Kasey from the first episode.

Over five seasons, the duo experienced plenty of tension over the family cattle business and the ranch Yellowstone. They also butted heads over the way they do things in their family — even if it means breaking the law.

John wasn’t much of a father to any of his kids, so that family drama didn’t end with Kasey.

We also saw plenty of father-son complications between John and his first-named son, Jamie. But we learned he wasn’t actually a Dutton by blood, making Kasey the only true male Dutton.

Jamie experienced his own traumatic issues with his biological father. His birth father tried to get Jamie to kill Dutton, but he failed. And killed his biological father instead.

Which Side Will Jamie Choose? - Yellowstone Season 1 Episode 9 — (Emerson Miller for Paramount)

The third child damaged by John’s fatherhood decisions is Beth, a severely unhinged female with major emotional and behavioral issues.

Carl and Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead

When dealing with the life-or-death horrors of a zombie apocalypse, it’s expected things will get tense, especially between family members.

The end of the world is challenging enough. Having a young child grow up too fast will cause many hiccups.

Throughout the eight years Carl appeared on TWD, he and Rick often ran into issues. To survive, Carl had to do many horrible things that a child his age shouldn’t do.

Rick Grimes Dad Joke Meme - The Walking Dead — (AMC (YouTube Promo Clip))

A lot of these awful things had a profound effect on Carl’s psyche. He became a scary, cold, and nearly sociopathic young man.

At first, Rick was absent, barely around to set an example. However, he noticed things were going wrong and tried to correct Carl’s behavior.

But there were many times when Carl wasn’t receptive to Rick’s interference. Fans often viewed the animosity between the parent and the minor.

Even as we saw the paternal love buried in the hard actions.

Tick Tock - The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 9 — (Gene Page/AMC)

Ultimately, Rick’s lessons take root, and Carl dies as a hero. His parting words to his father in a goodbye letter put all their issues to bed and put viewers deep in our feelings.

Dean and Sean Archer – Chicago Med

There is often a lot of drama in the Chicago universe, and it’s no different for the doctors at Chicago Med.

One such doctor with father-son drama is Dean Archer. We met Dean in the sixth season of Chicago Med through former doctor Ethan Choi.

Dealing With a Cult - Chicago Med Season 9 Episode 9 — (NBC / George Burns Jr.)

Dean and Choi served together overseas in the Navy, and Archer came back with a severe case of PTSD.

We learned of his problematic relationship with his son Sean in the eighth season. He called Dean from jail after 15 years of no contact.

They developed a tense relationship as Sean struggled to overcome addictions. He found his place in the world working with recovering addicts.

He donated a kidney to Dean in the ninth season, and their relationship is going extremely well.

Peter and Walter Bishop – Fringe

Fringe found success as a supernatural crime procedural similar to X-Files. Fans loved the on-again, off-again relationship of FBI agent Olivia Dunham and genius Peter Bishop.

But it was our second favorite ‘ship of the show.

The drama that hooked viewers for five seasons was the chaos between Peter and his mad scientist father, Walter.

We first met Walter as a patient in a mental institution 17 years prior after his lab assistant died. Before getting institutionalized, Walter had a history of doing awful experiments on young kids, including Agent Dunham.

While locked away, Peter avoided contact with his father and moved around as a semi-conman.

John Noble on Fringe — (Liane Hentscher/FOX)

The duo reunited to solve mysterious paranormal cases alongside Olivia. It resulted in five seasons of emotional struggle as they tried to repair wounds while uncovering massive family secrets.

Dylan and Jack McKay – Beverly Hills, 90210

The 1990s were a family time, with many series revolving around family dynamics. Beverly Hills, 90210 captured mature audiences with its blend of family and relationship struggles among a young group of friends.

Among that group, heartthrob Dylan McKay (Luke Perry) intrigued audiences with his sexy smolder and curt aloofness.

Dylan had a rocky relationship with his father, Jack, a wealthy businessman who ended up spending time in prison.

Upon his release, the duo repaired their tumulous relationship until Jack’s supposed death from a car bomb.

After several years, Jack revealed he was in witness protection. He returned to his new wife, life, and son in Arizona.

Luke Perry is no stranger to complicated father-son relationships. He had his own hardships as a father to Archie in the teen drama Riverdale.

Kelly and Benny Severide – Chicago Fire

Lieutenant Kelly Severide and former firefighter Benny Severide are another father-son drama couple within the One Chicago universe.

Benny was a womanizing absentee father, leading to some strife in Kelly’s earlier years. Kelly followed in his father’s footsteps regarding commitment issues until he met his wife, Stella.

Severide Close Up - Chicago Fire Season 12 Episode 10 — (Adrian S Burrows Sr/NBC)

Senior Severide never settled down despite being married to Kelly’s mom. He had an affair that resulted in a daughter that Kelly never knew.

When Benny left his second wife and two step-sons in the second season, Kelly discovered he had a half-sister.

Kelly also found out he also has a half-brother in the season finale of Chicago Fire Season 12 Episode 10. Benny is dead, leaving Kelly to deal with the discovery without answers.

Jordan and Billy Baker – All American

Supportive Jordan - All American Season 5 Episode 11 — (Troy Harvey/The CW)

All American captured the dramatic, more mature side of teenhood. It became a more grown-up version of Friday Night Lights from an urban high school and college viewpoint.

The show has plenty of family troubles, including several father-son altercations.

The struggles between Jordan and his dad, Billy (played by Taye Diggs), continue throughout the show. Its ebb and flow were natural, from good to bad.

Billy's Suspicions - All American Season 5 Episode 2 — (The CW)

As a coach, Billy spends much time focused on Spencer James. That leads to some hiccups as Jordan feels left out and jealous.

Spencer has his own problems as a father in the form of an absentee dad.

They reunited when Spenc was in high school and managed to work things out. It hit Spencer hard when his dad died.

Tyrion and Tywin Lancaster – Game of Thrones

The Lancasters were a prominent family on the Game of Thrones. Tywin was a typical bureaucratic patriarch who pitted his children against each other to get his way.

His debauchery was legendary and shameful. Yet he felt the biggest insult to his family was fathering Tyrion, a dwarf.

Tyrion’s birth resulted in the death of his mother, who was Tywin’s true love.

Tywin hates Tyrion for being alive instead of his wife. He felt ashamed of Tyrion for his dwarfism.

But especially because he is the most intelligent of the three children and the most similar to Tywin.

Robby Keene and Johnny Lawrence – Cobra Kai

Cobra Kai is full of dramatic relationships, but the struggles between Johnny and his son Robby top the list.

For years, Johnny was an absent father as he struggled with sobriety and alcoholism. It wasn’t until his son’s teen years that he started making an effort for reconciliation.

The duo constantly struggles to maintain a semblance of a relationship. And they have trouble finding ways to connect on any level.

Another source of tension between the two is that Robby doesn’t train with his father despite his impressive karate skills.

Robby trains with Johnny’s former sensei, John Kreese, and his rival, Daniel.

Sean Murphy and Aaron Glassman – The Good Doctor

The Good Doctor just wrapped up its final season. The Good Doctor series finale was a positive tearjerker.

Fans saw the future of their favorite autistic doctor, Sean Murphy, and his unofficial father figure, Dr. Aaron Glassman.

Although not biologically related, the duo developed a deep bond that transcended Sean’s relationship with his real father.

After losing his daughter, Aaron saw Sean as a second child. In the final season, he even adopted Sean’s son as his grandchild.

But despite their close relationship, the two had plenty of complicated issues. They often butted heads over medical cases, Sean’s behaviors and job performance, or Aaron’s health.

Fans experienced multiple heartaches and satisfying resolutions as they navigated the balance between professional and personal.

Raylan and Arlo Givens – Justified

Raylan Givens is a US Marshal who follows his own form of justice when dealing with cases and bad guys.

His intimate knowledge of criminal behaviors stems from his complicated relationship with his convict father, Arlo.

Being on opposite sides of the law instantly led to conflict. But having a father who doesn’t mind betraying his son intensifies the problems.

We often saw them on Justified trying to have a relationship without having to change their ways, frequently leaving them worse off.

But each man had his flaws and his redemptions. It made their interactions achingly realistic as they struggled not to want love or forgiveness from each other.

Frasier and Marty Crane – Frasier

Wisdom comes with age; sometimes, it takes wisdom to repair what’s broken. Fraiser took ten years to peacefully reconcile with his father, Marty Crane.

Dr. Frasier Crane Enjoys a Beer in Boston — (CBS (Paramount+ Trailer Screenshot))

Frasier spent most of his adult life slightly estranged from his ex-cop father. He used his experience as a psychiatrist and talk show host to deal with the issues.

When Frasier moved back to Seattle, he moved in with his father. Living in close proximity forced the two to resolve their problems during frequent clashes.

They eventually mended their relationship and moved beyond childhood grievances. They developed a mature adult relationship with new ways to relate to each other.

The Banana Phone - Frasier Season 1 Episode 9 — (Chris Haston/Paramount+)

Logan and Mitchum Huntzberger – Gilmore Girls

Mitchum was your typical overbearing family patriarch with old money entitlement. His son Logan was your average Ivy League, spoilt rich kid who rebelled against his father’s wishes.

Mitchum wanted Logan to join the family newspaper business, but Logan did not want to follow in his footsteps.

The disagreement led to many conflicts between the two. Sometimes we could understand Mitchum’s point of view before he would ruin it with something terrible to get his way.

Logan in London - Gilmore Girls — (Netflix)

But his awfulness was equal to Logan’s bad behaviors, making them interesting combatants.

Archie Bunker and Mike Stivic – All in the Family

The father-son dynamic occurs between blood relatives, adoptive, and in-laws. Such is the relationship of Archie and Meathead.

Meathead was in a relationship with Archie’s daughter, Gloria. But Archie did not approve of their union, convinced Mike wasn’t good enough for his daughter.

Archie was also very conservative and single-minded, which caused friction with the more liberal views of Meathead. But despite their near animosities, the duo had a few rare moments of respect during the series.

Steven and Blake Carrington – Dynasty

Blake Carrington heads one of the country’s richest and most powerful oil families, currently dueling with the second-richest dynasty.

His environmentalist son, Steven, often butted heads with the oil tycoon and his business practices.

Their opposing views drove them apart, often pushing Steven to leave the family. But he always returned due to his love and loyalty towards his father.

We eventually learned that despite their father-son dynamic, the two did not share any DNA. Steven was not a Carrington.

Dennis and Frank Reynolds – It’s Always Sunny in Pennsylvania

Father-son complications are a common theme for Frank and Dennis Reynolds. Frank was the typical neglectful rich father who came back into his adult children’s lives after years of abandonment.

Dennis and his twin sister Dee spend most of their time at the flailing Paddy’s Pub. When the bar started experiencing financial problems, Frank used his vast wealth to help it stay operational.

Although Frank is a rich father, his behaviors are more like those of a friend. He often encourages or finances the antics of his son and two friends and fellow bar owners, Mac and Charlie.

Despite spending years together in random shenanigans, Dennis and Frank never really developed a father-son relationship. In fact, they never actually had any one-on-one interactions. There was always someone with them.

We eventually discovered that Frank wasn’t the actual father of Dennis and Dee. But the secret didn’t come out until Dennis’s thirties.