Why We Mourn the Loss of TV Dads

Why did so many people mourn the death of Bob Saget? Parasocial relationships describe the emotional connection we experience with loved characters and celebrities.

KEY POINTS:

• TV dads are idealized versions of the fathers we’d all love to have
• A parasocial relationship describes the one-sided emotional attachment we feel to real and fictional characters and celebrities
• Losing a loved character is experienced as the loss of a real connection. It can leave a hole.
• Parasocial relationships add to entertainment enjoyment by increasing the immediate pleasure and creating a longer-term sense of meaning.

Bob Saget was among the very best of TV dads. Like James Avery, John Ritter, Alan Thicke, and Tom Bosely, he raised his TV family. He exemplified the changing face of the “Father Knows Best” tradition, anchoring the family with love, humor, and warmth. Whatever his sit-com shortcomings, his love for his family was steadfast, unconditional. He was the perfect dad we all wished our dads could be. We will miss him.

Few of us have the idealized and understanding dads we see on TV sit-coms. They taught life lessons in 30 minutes story arcs and wrapped up each show with just the right thing to say. (In one old Happy Days, Howard Cunningham…