Basic Information
There is a strong cultural tradition of a man being the King of his Castle; the Patriarch of the Clan; the Wise and Benevolent Authority Figure; the One Who Wears the Pants. Unfortunately, this is not terribly funny.
In Sitcoms, the father is more likely to be a Bumbling Dad, clumsy and clueless. He injures himself when doing the most basic home repair. He lets his wife and kids, who are much smarter, push him around. He has no idea what's going on. Played honestly, this comes from a fallible and human man trying to live up to being a Paragon of Fatherhood and falling short. Played for comedy, the guy has no idea he's not a Paragon and keeps pretending anyway.
Another reason for this could be that the father is seen from the point of view of his children, and once the children become old enough to be aware of his flaws, those flaws seem more evident.
Sources
Game and Story Use
- This is a comedy type. Although introducing a Bumbling Dad NPC might add a touch of humor to an otherwise serious setting, he is more at home in a silly campaign.
- Fathers are usually background NPCs anyway. Making him a bumbler could explain why his offspring are adventuring and he isn't.
- A better use of the trope could be to make his highly competent is some areas, but a klutz in others.
- "Larry, you are one of the most brilliant hyperphysicists on the planet! How come you can't fix a crummy lawnmower?"
