19. Bonanza Fought the “Bumbling Father” Trope
PHOTO: insp.com
Before Bonanza came out on TV in 1959, there was a common theme surrounding male characters in American television. The men played bumbling idiots. The creators of Bonanza wanted to make sure that Ben Cartwright was a loved and respected father who worked hard to support his family and give his children a good life. It worked. The studio got tons of letters from teenage boys who wanted Ben Cartwright to be their dad.