Overprotection as a Trope

Back in the 80s, a number of comedy films came out where overprotective fathers ran about trying to protect their teenage girls from kissing boys or wandering behind closed doors, etc. etc. And it was sooooo funny.

No, not really. I never understood those films at all--then or now.

What interests me more is that despite institutionalized concerns about protection in our daily lives, this trope in art has died off to a huge extent.

Why? Probably because obsessive fathers became linked not to good fathering but to child abuse/sexual abuse.

Is that fair? No.

Is that the point of this post?

Nope. Still not!

The question I ask as a popular culture aficionado is, So what do television fathers do now if not behave in disturbingly overprotective ways?

Booth right out says, I am overprotective. It doesn't come off as disturbing because he is Booth and works for the FBI. He protects his family, his teammates, America, and the world. It is as natural and non-creepy of him as breathing.

Mike Baxter is protective. He also believes quite firmly in the dangers of over-protection. I found his reaction to Eve's entry into the Air Force Academy entirely believable--he is proud of her and accepts the possible dangers as a future reality but not something he will worry about in the present.

Ted Danson as Michael is a somewhat protective father towards Eleanor in The Good Place. Despite a shaky beginning, by Season 2 (at least), he has found a friend or soulmate (personality-wise) in Eleanor. Ted Danson's age plus his ability to exude ambiguity when he is being mean OR nice gives him an off-beat fatherly aura. The kind of father who might just possibly maybe feed you to rats but totally on your side otherwise!

Alan Eppes in Numb3rs is the most fatherly of the bunch. He has two sons to whom he gives advice (that they sometimes take). He is more protective towards the women on the show, such as Amita. When Amita's parents are a no-show, Alan steps in to provide her with the emotional support she lacks.

Morland Holmes is the least protective father in the history of fatherhood (although he does help Sherlock with his recovery). My examples here concentrate on fathers and daughters but even if one proposes Joan Watson as a daughter-figure...well, considering that at one point, she warns him to back off, then blackmails one of his subordinates...yeah, this is definitely a family-unit that thrives on only two people (and one of them is not Morland).

In general, fathers have become far more nuanced in the 21st century.