The Cult of Hating the Father

My politics are definitely liberal/progressive, but I don't consider this show evil. In fact, it was a more complex & nuanced show than its detractors claim. The Andersons may have been slightly idealized, but they were still very human characters. Jim Anderson wasn't some overbearing tyrant, but a loving & decent man who could admit to his family when he was wrong. He was willing to change & grow, and meet his children halfway; yet he was never a pushover, and he stood firm on what he considered to be basic human values ... values that have no political bias either way, but are simply what we'd expect of any mature human being: courtesy, respect, integrity, honesty and occasionally a wry sense of humor about himself.

Did the show reflect the then-current values of mainstream middle America? Yes. But it also subtly examined & questioned them at times, too. Never in a cheaply sneering or dismissive way, but in a thoughtful & considered way.

As I say, the Andersons were somewhat idealized. But what's wrong with that? They offered a model of basically good & caring people, both as individuals & as a family. They also depicted the inevitable stresses of growing up; even loving families have quarrels & disagreements. The best episodes were often more drama than comedy, in fact. Definitely an underrated show, deserving of a second look!