Visit by Divorced Dad: Difference between revisions

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== Film ==

* ''The [[Babysitters Club]]'' movie had an example, where Kristy's [[Disappeared Dad]] visits for the summer. He only reveals himself to his thirteen-year-old daughter (ignoring his fifteen-, seventeen-, and seven-year-old sons), forcing her to keep it secret and basically lie to her family and friends all summer, before he leaves unexpectedly because his job prospect didn't pan out. The main series has another example where Dawn and Jeff's dad visits Stoneybrook briefly before a summer trip. He has breakfast with his ex-wife, her [[New Old Flame]] husband, and her stepdaughter. It's just as awkward as it sounds.

** The [[Spin-Off]] series, "Friends Forever," had Kristy's dad get married again and finally remember that he has kids - because he wants the three oldest ones to be in the wedding. He doesn't even seem to remember that the youngest child (who was a baby when he left) exists, and is kind of a [[Jerkass]] throughout the whole thing.

* In the movie ''[[Armageddon]]'', one of the guys who has to go to space visits his son. The mom doesn't tell the boy that this is his father, but that he's a salesman. Later, after taking part in a plan that saves the planet, they see the man on TV. When the boy says, "That salesman is on TV." The mom responds, "That's not a salesman. That's your dad."

** A similar thing happens at the end of ''[[The Long Kiss Goodnight]]''.

* One that does not end well in ''[[The Rebound]]''.

== Literature ==

* Another kind of inversion happens in ''[[Amelia's Notebook]]'' where Amelia gets a letter from her divorced father, then she comes to visit ''him''. There still seems to be tension between her parents, though.

* In ''[[Animorphs]]'' [[Action Girl|Rachel]] is visited occasionally by her father, who lives in another city. She actually seems closer to him than to her mom because they have a lot in common.

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** [[Joss Whedon]] was raised by a single mother. Coincidence?

** It got the point where, in the 5th season, after {{spoiler|Joyce dies and Dad doesn't even show up for the funeral}}, Dawn going to live with their Dad is listed as only a slightly preferable alternative to foster care if Buffy were to be deemed an unfit guardian.

** [[Played With]] and [[Gender Flipped]] in season six--when Buffy was temporarily dead Willow and Tara became Dawn's [[Parental Substitute|substitute]] [[Has Two Mommies|mothers]], but later they broke up and Tara moved out. In "Smashed" she and Dawn go out together in what seems intended to represent a sort of parental visitation.

* A few times in ''[[The Suite Life of Zack and Cody]]''.

* Interestingly ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' has an example of a child with divorced parents living with their father. This trope isn't used because the Mum shows up so often that she's a [[Drop in Character]]. It's later played straight when Clyde's father pays a visit for the first time in five years in ''"The Mark of the Berserker"''.

* Interestingly ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'' has an example of a child with divorced parents living with their father. This trope isn't used because the Mum shows up so often that she's a [[Drop-In Character]]. It's later played straight when Clyde's father pays a visit for the first time in five years in ''"The Mark of the Berserker"''.

* ''[[Sports Night]]'' has a Visit To Divorced Dad by Casey's son Charlie.

* ''[[The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]'' used it for a [[Very Special Episode]] where Ben Vereen appears as Will's career-first father. Initially Will is excited, but when Uncle Phil tries to warn him against getting his hopes up, Will throws it back in his face. Of course, Mr. Smith plans on leaving without telling Will, triggering a [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]] [[Papa Wolf]] rant from Philip, as well as a combined [[Tear Jerker]]-cum-[[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]] at the end when Will's attempt to look strong in the face of this latest abandonment fails and, breaking down, asks Phil, "How come he don't want me, man?"

* ''[[Castle]]'' inverts this trope, since Rick Castle is raising his daughter Alexis (or in his case, possibly the other way around) and they get the occasional visit from his even more irresponsible ex-wife. (Even one of his ''other'' ex-wives, who isn't Alexis's mother, occasionally turns up to spend time with her.)

* Inverted in ''[[The Secret Life of the American Teenager]]''. Amy and Ashley live with their dad George( {{spoiler|or did until Amy moved in with Ricky and Ashley went on a road trip with Toby}}). Their mom, Anne, and their baby brother Robbie live in another town near Anne's ailing mother. The girls (and occasionally George) sporadically visit Anne and Robbie. Anne keeps up semi-regular phone communication, but never really physically visits them, except when she's dropping Robbie off for his time with George.

* ''[[Gossip Girl]]'' has done this with both parents. Blair's father (who comes to visit once or twice per season) and Dan and Jenny's mother (who appeared in a minor arc in season one).

* ''[[Modern Family]]'', with Gloria's ex-husband (Manny's father).

** Also reversed, when Jay's ex-wife visits (though both of her children are now adults).

* ''[[Eureka]]'' does the [[Gender Flipped]] version when Zoe's mom shows up. In a twist, she's showing up because it's her turn to get custody, and Carter needs to convince her not to [[Put on a Bus|put Zoe on a bus]] back to Los Angeles.

* ''[[Vampire Diaries]]'' has a two episode arc in which Caroline's dad shows up. Of course, then he proceeds to torture her.

* In the [[Power Rangers]] episode "Return Of An Old Friend", the parents of the Rangers are kidnapped and used as hostages. This includes Kimberly's divorced parents, with the dad being in the middle of this.

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* ''[[Braceface]]''

* ''[[The Weekenders]]''

* ''[[Rocket Power]]'' with Sam's workaholic father.

* ''[[Pepper Ann]]:'' her father visits fairly often, though as a blimp pilot he's usually away.

* ''[[Home Movies]]'' (on multiple occasions; the divorced dad eventually evolved into a [[Recurrer]].)

* Happens to Buster in ''[[Arthur (animation)|Arthur]]'', though sans melodrama on his part. It eventually culminates with Buster leaving for an extended period to travel with his father. Later to be used as fodder for a spin-off series.

* ''[[WITCH (animation)|WITCH]]'' features this a couple times with Will's dad, especially in the episode "Q for Quarry".

** It happened in the original comics, too. However, Will's dad there isn't so nice...

* In one of those rare reversals, [[Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist|Dr. Katz]] actually has custody of his son, and is visited by his ex-wife only once for Thanksgiving.

* [[Inverted]] on ''[[Phineas and Ferb]],'' where main character [[Mad Scientist|Dr. Doofenshmirtz]] occasionally goes through with his evil plans while his [[Mad Scientist's Beautiful Daughter|daughter]], Vanessa, is visiting; most of the time she's with Doofenshmirtz' ex-wife, but unlike most of the men on this page he keeps regular contact. Even if she sometimes [[Bumbling Dad|wishes he wouldn't]].

** Averted, however, with both Phineas and Candace's [[Disappeared Dad|biological dad]] or Ferb's [[Missing Mom|biological mom]], about whom nothing is known. [[Word of God|The creators]] have gone on record as saying they're unimportant, since they would just rather focus on the Flynn-Fletchers as a [[Happily Adopted|happily blended]] family. Notably, the kids all refer to both parents as Mom and Dad.

* ''[[King of the Hill]]'' had a few episodes sort of like this, when [[Dumb Blonde|Luanne]], an [[Adult Child]] who lives with her aunt and uncle, got visits from both of her parents. The mom had previously been in jail, while her dad {{spoiler|[[Retcon|had been as well]]}}.

* ''[[Wheel Squad]]'' had an episode where Jessica's father visited her.

** It's unclear if Emilie might have a similar experience, since it's not known if her birth father died or simply divorced her mother.