Who's your favourite Canadian TV dad?

For Mother's Day, we took a look at Canadian TV moms we adore, saluting the maternal mavens we've all seen on our screens. TV dads are a little different; often find them to be stubborn and bumbling, trying their best to keep their families happy (often in vain). So with Father's Day now upon us, we decided to dig up some nationally televised examples of pretty perfect patriarchy from some obvious and not-so-obvious sources.

APPA KIM (played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) - Kim's Convenience

This dad has resonated so strongly that it had a seamless transition from stage to screen. In many ways, Appa Kim is a classic dad; pushy and strict, he's worked very hard to provide for his family and would love nothing more than for them to continue the family business. His shades of Archie Bunker can't be denied; his conservative views on other cultures and lifestyles put him at direct odds with his eclectic Toronto environment and his estrangement from his son is such a vintage alpha-dad maneuver. But despite his hard exterior, Appa is easily gotten to, whether by Umma, his much more clever wife, or his kindness for his daughter, it's obvious that, no matter what, Appa would just like his family to be happy (though they should really be running the store).​

Drunk Dad (Bruce McCulloch) - Kids In The Hall

Kids In The Hall manages to encapsulate the all-true sad side of fatherhood (and manhood) in this surreal sketch. A father halts his son's birthday party to take him to a field where (true to family tradition), he must watch his father get pathetically drunk. Bruce McCulloch's drunken dad rants are flawlessly fatherly - genuine attempts at advice mixed with non sequiturs - and his son's blank stare says it all. We've all had that moment, when we get old enough to view our fathers as genuine, imperfect people so there's a lot of truth wrapped up in this absurdity. Also, special mention to Kevin McDonald for playing the most awkward mom in history.

​Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) - Schitt's Creek

Speaking of awkward parents, Eugene Levy is quite the aficionado - American Pie is an acting masterclass in how to be an uncomfortable father. But his Canadian induction here is for his work on Schitt's Creek as Johnny Rose, a father once wealthy and triumphant, now reduced to reality. Johnny Rose was riding so high on the hog, that he'd just throw money at his family's problems. But without a bankbook to fall back on, Johnny is essentially learning how to be a father in every episode, dealing directly with the lives of his eccentric and often troublesome children. Furthermore, there's a real life dynamic at play between Eugene and son/co-creator Dan Levy, so you know the father-son interactions are coming from an authentic place.

Joey Jeremiah (Pat Mastroianni) and Archie "Snake" Simpson (Stefan Brogren) - Degrassi

Pat Mastroianni and Stefan Brogren have literally had the roles of a lifetime - being able to play characters from their teenage years to full adulthood. Many times fathers would like to forget the crazy things they did in their youth, but, for long time viewers of the Degrassi franchise, it's on full display. Joey Jeremiah was the perennial slacker, always letting his loud personality get him in and out of trouble while his best friend, "Snake", would never let his smarts get in the way of working too hard. Their experiences as teens moulded and matured their lives, which are no easier today. Archie is a father, stepfather and poetically a principal while Joey is a father and stepfather, tragically, losing his partner, and consistently in the middle of more relationship woes. No matter their tribulations, these two dads remained best friends and always made sure their children (and students) learned the life lessons they learned first.

Malachy Doyle (Sean McGinley) - Republic Of Doyle

For those of us whose fathers seem to parent us more when we're adults, the patriarch of Republic Of Doyle should be instantly recognizable. Going into business with your son is one thing, but when it's the detective business, you'll need to be as tough and gritty as Malachy and his son, Jake (played by Allan Hawco). With Jake in his 30s, Malachy is privy to a lot that a normal father isn't, like his son's hit-or-miss romantic relationships (though Malachy is certainly no stranger to his own tumultuous past), which he always taunts him about. Of course, the father-son bond was put to the ultimate test in Season 5, when Jake went missing and Malachy risked his life to get him back.

Stu Hart - Stampede Wrestling

An unorthodox choice on our list, but (as any Calgarian can tell you) Stu Hart was undoubtedly the grandfather of professional wrestling in Canada. A renown athlete and grappler in his own right, Stu operated Stampede Wrestling (starting in 1948) which toured Western Canada, televised weekly and is still beloved today; known for it's wild matches and even crazier fans. Stu literally and figuratively birthed great wrestlers - fathering wrestling legends Bret Hart and the late Owen Hart while also running "the Dungeon", a basement training centre, where Stu's tough love and painful submission holds gave way to countless famous grapplers. For is contributions to the culture and community, he was awarded the Order Of Canada in 2000.

Théophile Plouffe (Paul Guèvremont) - La famille Plouffe

This is a deep cut for sure, but this Radio-Canada family drama captured a unique moment in our nation's televised history. Based on a novel and film about family life post WWII, La famille Plouffe filled a much-needed void in French Canadian programming at the time. The patriarch, Théophile, was a former cycling champion who was settling into his new career as a plumber - emblematic of the "buckle down" attitude at the time - providing for his kind hearted wife, three sons and daughter. While the plots and characters may seem all too traditional today, it provided a crucial cultural voice at the time. So popular was the show among francophone viewers, that CBC also produced an English version, using the same actors and plots (but reworking some of the saltier French references), so the whole country could enjoy the Plouffe family saga.

Oscar Leroy (Eric Peterson) - Corner Gas

Oscar Leroy might be the quintessential Canadian father; a veritable grump, very much set in the superiority of the (alleged) "old days", but can reveal his soft spot in an instant and is always jumping head-first into another wacky idea. Still, his most fatherly characteristic might come from one word, "jackass". Everyone knows a surly patriarch who freely uses a vulgar catchphrase (especially towards his son), that is simultaneously an insult and term of endearment... the perfect allegory for someone as cantankerously caring as Oscar.

Mr. Dressup (Ernie Coombs) - Mr. Dressup

Biology aside, Mr. Dressup receives honorary dad-status because you can't hear that opening theme without feeling like you're going to your forever-young grandfather's house. Having an older adult host a children's show is a rarity nowadays, but Mr. Dressup really gave young viewers the assurance that you can be playful and creative no matter what your age. Mr. Dressup's true strength was never talking down to his guests or viewers; you were on his level and he knew you were capable of whatever craft or drawing he was doing that day. He was never too boisterous or flashy, but you felt that he truly cared about his viewers learning, playing and growing - the true sign of a television dad.

RJ Skinner is an actor, writer and pro wrestler, so he rants and raves in various states of undress. Follow him on IG @rjcity and if you're feeling crafty, behold The Cynical Crafter.