It's the battle of the dads: Homer Simpson vs. Peter Griffin.
I watch both The Simpsons and Family Guy every day when I come home, and the comparison was inevitable.
My personal take: Peter has more self-confidence and positive attitude than Homer, but Homer tries harder and cares more. Homer seems to have awareness of his flaws, almost to the point of hating himself. Peter never seems to have a self-deprecating moment. Homer strangles Bart, but would never lay a hand against Lisa. Peter regularly slugs Meg. Both are not the greatest parents of all time. But, which one is a better dad?
Homer, without question!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do see more and more of myself in Peter, worryingly...
Gotta go with Homer on this one.
ReplyDeleteThe tougher question might be, Who's the better mom: Marge or Lois?
Homer. Not a debate.
ReplyDeleteHomer, circa 1989-around 2001, when the show somehow stopped being funny.
ReplyDeleteHomer gave a hoot about his wife and kids. He contemplated suicide knowing he couldn't provide for his family. He even agreed to save Santa's Little Helper from a one-way ticket to doggie heaven!
Don't say that about yourself, Rich! Peter is an unbelievable asshole, while Homer is just careless and stubborn. Homer can change - he wants to change! - but Peter? His 'charm' is in that he virtually hates his family.
ReplyDeleteLois should marry Brian, and Lex Luthor in the Superman comics should be replaced with Stewie. I know I'm not the only one thinking it.
Homer is a better dad, because I see more responsible Homers than Peters in my life.
ReplyDeleteHomer; it's not even a contest. I loved the Simpsons and despise Family Guy for just this reason: while the Simpsons had plenty of cynicism, there was always an awareness that the family cared about each other and loved each other despite everything. Family Guy is all about mean-spirited cynicism without any redeeming quality that I could ever find.
ReplyDeleteAgreed with everyone here. Homer may frequently disappoint Lisa, but Peter actively and repeatedly loathes Meg -- which is, I think, one of the weakest running "gags" of Family Man.
ReplyDeleteHome. Overbite over double-chins, any day.
ReplyDeleteI think Marge is the better mother. Lois is just about as cruel to Meg as Peter is.
ReplyDeleteToo much sexual deviancy in the Griffin Household.
ReplyDeleteI choose Homer.
Homer, definitely. Homer may be dumb, but he cares. Peter, not so much. Family Guy is a much more mean spirited show than the Simpsons is.
ReplyDeleteIn the earlier seasons, Homer for SURE.
ReplyDeleteEven now, still Homer. But in the earlier seasons Homer truly cared about his children even if he didn't always know how to express himself :\ He was rdy to die to stop Bart from endangering himself doing the skateboard stunts and he worked 2 jobs to make Lisa happy with the pony... etc
Homer. Because Homer was first. Although I miss the days when he was just middling smart or clueless rather than the outright imbecile he's become over the past few years.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that when the writers make Homer completely an asshole it feels like a betrayal, but Peter Griffin is one day in and day out with no relief and all I can do is shrug?
That is why Homer is the better dad. Also the better fictional character.
Definitely in the Homie camp.
ReplyDeleteI'll go on to say that Peter is exploitive, manipulative, selfish, and mean spirited. Homer is just a bit slow. But he cares so much about his family. When the doc removed that crayon from his noggin and he got smart, he became the model dad. I don't think you could say the same for Peter if he were suddenly imbued with smarts.
Do you want to get shot in the face or in the stomach?
ReplyDeleteHomer. Especially, as everyone else has said, in the early seasons. Sure, he strangles Bart, but he cares about him as much as he cares about Lisa (I think he loves Maggie the most. The episode where he renounces his dream just to be able to provide for Maggie, and the reason why he has no pictures of her at home are heartwrenching). He also tried very hard to make up for his shortcomings, something that the writers seem to have forgotten of late. He's not smart, he's not the perfect man, and he has many faults, but he tries so hard, and so often, that you can't just ignore the love he has for his family.
ReplyDeleteHomer by a country mile. Peter isn't even as good a parent as Agnes Skinner.
ReplyDeleteFor Mr. Griffin there's only one thing to say in the immortal words of Nelson Muntz: "HAW HAW!!!"
Homer as the better dad and the better character. Remove Homer from the Simpsons and the show suffers. Remove Peter from Family Guy and the show would improve dramatically. The episodes that focus mostly on Stewie and/or (but particularly and) Brian and mostly ignore Peter are the best episodes.
ReplyDeleteHomer. He's not the greatest dad, but he's willing to put his dreams on hold for his kids. You know the one with all the flashbacks to when Maggie was born? "Do it for her"
ReplyDeleteHomer. Done.
ReplyDeletePeter is one of those characters I cringe every time is on camera.
Family Guy is all about Brian.
The Simpsons is all about Homer. He may be an idiot, but he has a heart.
There is no doubt that Homer is the better father.
ReplyDeleteHomer makes an effort. How many episodes has he taken Bart fishing, camping, hunting (including reindeer)? Bart and Santa's Little Helper? Bart and the soap box racer? Lisa and the museum? Lisa and the isolation tank? Maggie and... and... well, he was concerned when Maggie was stuck in the newspaper machine.
Peter...Peter ditches Chris when Chris isn't pretty enough. Peter tells Chris he's too needy when Chris asks him to play catch. Peter won't change Stewie's diapers. It is a rare occasion that Peter shows any interest in Meg, and usually there are ulterior reasons. And then...one word...
ipecac.
Father Homer rocks, Father Peter does not, Good Night Now.
Homer without a doubt, he has a love for his family and his wife that his head can't wrap itself around but his heart already has.
ReplyDeleteHomer is a better father. He takes on two jobs for Lisa, risks his life for Bart, and gave up his dreams for Maggie. When it showed he had changed the sign to say "Do It For Her" it gave me gooebumps. He is a very caring and loving father. He is just clueless. Peter is very cruel to his children.
ReplyDeleteHomer for sure, because PEter is a fucking asshole and I hate the character, it is a portrayal of a typical redneck American...but anyhow, the character stands as an epythomy of a selfish, egocentric piece of shit...
ReplyDelete