Blackmoor Vituperative

Sheesh, I better list some of the gotta-haves: The Andy Griffith Show’s gentle Andy Taylor, The Cosby Show’s bemused Cliff Huxtable, and currently, The OC’s Sandy Cohen and Veronica Mars’ Keith Mars — all warm, reasonable dads. But let me suggest an equally outstanding, if less-heralded TV father figure: Joel Hodgson (as Joel Robinson), host of that cult gem Mystery Science Theater 3000 — the premise of which had him shot into space and forced to watch (and heckle) very bad movies, along with several robots he created for company. With viewing companions Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot, foster-dad Hodgson was kind-hearted, teasing, supportive, stern when necessary, and always protective (oh, how caringly he held them during Manos: The Hands of Fate). Had Hodgson not been so believable, the series would have been little more than a funny guy talking to metal scraps — instead it was hilarious and oddly sweet.

(from Entertainment Weekly, Who is the best TV dad?)