History Main / VisitByDivorcedDad

** PlayedWith and GenderFlipped in season six--when Buffy was temporarily dead, Willow and Tara became Dawn's [[ParentalSubstitute substitute]] [[HasTwoMommies mothers]], but later they broke up and Tara moved out. In "[[{{Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E9Smashed}} Smashed]]", she and Dawn go out together in what seems intended to represent a sort of parental visitation.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'': Victor Bennett, the father of three of the four Halliwell sisters, returns at least once per season (a total of 14 episodes across eight seasons, except for season 2). The first time he appeared he was played by Anthony Denison and was portrayed like a bit of a jerk, and he hadn't seen them for 20 years. Starting with his next appearance two seasons later, he's then portrayed by James Read and is depicted more fatherly and becomes more and more involved with his daughter's family life. In the future, his two grandsons love their grandfather very much, and in the present, he would occasionally babysit his grandsons when the Halliwell sisters are away. The series also makes it clear that Victor was pushed from his family because of his ex-mother-in-law Penny who didn't let him being part of his daughters' life. Victor also treats Paige like one of his daughter despite her being the child of the man whom his ex-wife dumped him for, although the final episode shows that he has been long over that affair anyway.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'': Victor Bennett, the father of three of the four Halliwell sisters, returns at least once per season (a total of 14 episodes across eight seasons, except for season 2). The first time he was played Anthony Denison and was portrayed like a bit of a jerk, particularly since he didn't see them for 20 years. Starting with his next appearance two seasons later, he's then portrayed by James Read and is depicted more fatherly and becomes more and more involved with his daughter's family life. In the future, his two grandsons love their grandfather very much, and in the present, he would occasionally babysit his grandsons when the Halliwell sisters are away. The series also makes it clear that Victor was pushed from his family because of his ex-mother-in-law Penny who didn't let him being part of his daughters' life. Victor also treats Paige like one of his daughter despite her being the child of the man whom his ex-wife dumped him for, although the final episode shows that he has been long over that affair anyway.

* In the movie ''Film/{{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; from what she says to her ex after their son goes into the house, it's implied that he's actually not ''allowed'' to visit, or at least not without advance notice (which is why his son doesn't recognize him). Later, after the father takes part in a plan that saves the planet, his family sees him on TV. When the boy says, "That salesman is on TV," the mom finally admits, "That's not a salesman. That's your dad." A similar thing happens at the end of ''Film/TheLongKissGoodnight''.

This rarely works in the reverse--in fiction, dads and/or father-figures usually aren't depicted as raising kids on their own unless the mother of the child (or children) is dead.

* A variation happens in ''Manga/{{Kodocha}}'' -- In some episodes, Sana's (adoptive) mother's ex-husband shows up at their house a couple of times asking for money. Of course, due to the show's comedic nature, he's likely to be (harmlessly) blasted with some sort of large weapon, sending him flying away. However, Misako's ex-husband technically isn't Sana's dad (legally or biologically), as Misako had adopted/raised Sana as a single parents. To go into greater detail:

* In ''Anime/{{Noein}}: Mo Hitori no Kimi e'' (To Your Other Self), both Haruka and Yu both seem to be being raised by single mothers and Haruka brings up child support and running away to Tokyo to live with her dad in an early episode. It turns out Yu's is just always at work, but Haruka's dad's monthly visits becomes a plot point when fellow quantum physicist Uchida plans to use it to catch him and get him to help her save the world from their mutual research. [[Literature/{{Discworld}} There's always bloody quantum.]]

* In ''Manga/MarchComesInLikeALion'', the Kawamoto sisters' deadbeat dad divorced their mother years ago, before the youngest sister Momo was even born. Since their mother's passing they've lived with their grandfather. One day their father shows up again out of the blue, reopening painful wounds and trying to take advantage of the girls.
* In ''Manga/TonariNoKashiwagiSan'' Sayaka arranges to meet with her father, and brings Kazuki along for moral support. She only wants to know one thing: [[spoiler:[[WasItReallyWorthIt Was it worth marrying her mother]] despite how it ended up]]? The answer is quite simple: [[spoiler:Yes, because Sayaka was born.]]

* Seen a few times in ''Literature/TheBabysittersClub.'' There's one book in which Dawn and Jeff's dad visits Stoneybrook briefly before a summer trip. He has breakfast with his ex-wife, her NewOldFlame husband, and her stepdaughter. It's just as awkward as it sounds.

** It got the point where, in the fifth season, after [[spoiler: Joyce dies and Hank 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.
** PlayedWith and GenderFlipped in season six--when Buffy was temporarily dead Willow and Tara became Dawn's [[ParentalSubstitute substitute]] [[HasTwoMommies mothers]], but later they broke up and Tara moved out. In "[[{{Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E9Smashed}} Smashed]]" she and Dawn go out together in what seems intended to represent a sort of parental visitation.

* Inverted in ''Series/TheSecretLifeOfTheAmericanTeenager''. 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.

* ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' has a two episode arc in which Caroline's dad shows up. Of course, then he proceeds to torture her.

* Presumably occurs at the beginning of ''VideoGame/AmongTheSleep'', judging by the sound effects when Mom goes to answer the door in the first cutscene and via clues revealed throughout the game. Said 'visit', unfortunately, is nothing more than an entirely offscreen argument between Mom and Dad, ending with Mom shouting 'NO' loudly and clearly and apparently slamming the door in his face before giving you the present he had for you. By the way, you're a two-year-old. [[spoiler:Dad returns at the very end, after Mom has been revealed as alcoholic, and you open the door and let him in. It's assumed this visit was actually to take you away after winning custody.]]

* After [[DaddyDidntShow not coming to a family picnic]] in the Nick run of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'', we finally meet Roger's father in the Disney run episode "Doug's Movie Madness." Despite what's implied about him before, he proves to be a good father, and possibly even a better parent than others. When all the children want to see an R-rated movie, Doug's parents use trailers and reviews [[NeverTrustATrailer (which can lie to a viewer)]] to make their choice to not let Doug see it. When Roger asks his dad if he can see it, his father says he'll have to watch it first to judge it fully; he ends up walking out halfway since in this case, the trailers actually kept out a lot of the bloodier parts. He tells Roger, who still doesn't understand. Later, all the kids told no go to see it anyway and Roger's father is the only parent who catches their kid in the act, physically takes Roger from the movie, and has a firm but gentle talk with him about it. Doug's parents don't find out until afterward, and while Roger learned that sometimes parents do know what they're talking about and a better understanding of his dad, all Doug learned was that he got nightmares, and grounded without fully understanding why his parents did it in the first place. The other kids never even get caught.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheWeekenders'' had Tino's dad show up for one episode, causing a temporary awkward moment as his dad and mother's boyfriend initially have no idea what to say to one another; however, [[CommonalityConnection the two men end up becoming friends after bonding over]] [[LethalChef Tino's mother terrible cooking.]]

** 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.

-->-- '''Vic Damico''', ''Bye Bye Love''

* ''Series/VeranoAzul'' has the local {{Meganekko}}'s father dropping by during summer vacation. As it's a Spanish series from TheEighties, coming right after the very conservative Franco dictatorship, merely speaking onscreen about divorce was ''revolutionary'' back then.

* ''Series/LifeWithDerek'' had an episode in which Casey was particularly excited to be getting a visit from her absent father.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* A variation happens in ''Manga/KodomoNoOmocha'' -- In some episodes, Sana's (adoptive) mother's ex-husband shows up at their house a couple of times asking for money. Of course, due to the show's comedic nature, he's likely to be (harmlessly) blasted with some sort of large weapon, sending him flying away. However, Misako's ex-husband technically isn't Sana's dad (legally or biologically), as Misako had adopted/raised Sana as a single parents. To go into greater detail:

* Interestingly ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'' has an example of a child with divorced parents living with their father. This trope isn't used because Maria's Mum shows up so often that she's a DropInCharacter. It's later played straight when Clyde's father pays a visit for the first time in five years in "[[Recap/TheSarahJaneAdventuresS7E8TheMarkOfTheBerserker The Mark of the Berserker]]".

* Interestingly ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'' has an example of a child with divorced parents living with their father. This trope isn't used because Maria's Mum shows up so often that she's a DropInCharacter. 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."

* In ''Manga/SangatsuNoLion'', the Kawamoto sisters' deadbeat dad divorced their mother years ago, before the youngest sister Momo was even born. Since their mother's passing they've lived with their grandfather. One day their father shows up again out of the blue, reopening painful wounds and trying to take advantage of the girls.

* ''WesternAnimation/MonkeyDust'' had a recurring sketch in the first series based around this. In each sketch a divorced dad has a custody visit with his young son Timmy; only to [[DrivenToSuicide kill himself in various horrible ways]] when Timmy talks about how great the mother's new boyfriend is. The divorced dad eventually discovers that his ex's boyfriend is [[YourCheatingHeart Timmy's real father]], but on this occasion decides not to kill himself and just be there for Timmy. However, in the last sketch featuring the characters, the dad commits suicide yet again on discovering that a now-teenage Timmy has become a juvenile delinquent.

* Interestingly ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures'' 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 DropInCharacter. 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."

In a show where the main child character(s) is(are) mentioned to have divorced parents (or at least parents that aren't together anymore), it's usually the mom who has primary custody of the kid(s). However, more often than not, there will end up being an episode where the child's father visits or where the child pays a visit to his father (usually but not always as part of some custody arrangement).

This rarely works in the reverse--in fiction, dads and/or father-figures usually aren't depicted as raising kids on their own unless the mother of the child (or children) is dead or something.

** Shortly after she and her husband got divorced, Misako learned that she wouldn't be able to have children through biological means. Still wanting to have kids and be a mom, Misako looked into adopting a child--after finding Sana (who was abandoned as a baby by her biological mother, Keiko) and taking her to an orphanage, Misako was eventually able to legally adopt Sana as her daughter and ultimately raised her as a single parent.

->''“I was working, sometimes two jobs, so I just wasn’t around much. I’m not making excuses—I should’ve been there, but I wasn’t. I’d come home, Grace would tell me which kid to hug, which kid to yell at. I’d read report cards, kiss’em good night, sometimes I’d make breakfast. And that was about it, ya know? But now when my kids are with me, it’s just me. I’m the one who puts the band-aids on, I’m the one who rubs the tummies and shampoos the hair, holds them when they have a bad dream. Then they go back to their mother, and I realize what I'm missing. Before I didn’t really know, couldn’t put my finger on it. But now I know. Now I know.”''

In a show where the main child character(s) is(are) mentioned to have divorced parents (or at least parents that aren't together anymore), it's usually the mom who has primary custody of the kid(s). However, more often than not, there will end up being an episode where the child's father visits (usually but not always as part of some custody arrangement).

* ''Series/DesperateHousewives''

* ''Series/TheParkers'' (on more than one occasion)
* ''Kate and Allie'' (many occasions for both divorced moms)
* ''Series/{{One Day at a Time|1975}}''

* In ''Manga/TonariNoKashiwagiSan'' Sayaka arranges to meet with her father, and brings Kazuki along for moral support. She only wants to know one thing: [[spoiler:[[WasItReallyWorthIt Was it worth marrying her mother]] despite how it ended up]]? The answer is quite simple: [[spoiler:Yes, [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments because Sayaka was born]].]]

* Hank Summers appears in the first-season ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' episode, "Nightmares," and is supposed to meet Buffy, but cancels, a few other times over the series's run.
** In "Nightmares" everyone's worst fears come true, so Hank tells Buffy that [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech it was all her fault her parents divorced]]. It wasn't really her father as it turned out, but Buffy never gets over her DisappearedDad, a fact that lampshaded in Season 7 "Conversations With Dead People".

** PlayedWith and GenderFlipped in season six--when Buffy was temporarily dead Willow and Tara became Dawn's [[ParentalSubstitute substitute]] [[HasTwoMommies 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.
** Seems to be an example of CharacterizationMarchesOn, Hank's appearance in the season finale indicated that he genuinely cared for Buffy, and his divorce from Joyce came out of irreconcilable differences(if the second season finale offers any hint), not from some sort of parental neglect. It isn't until the third season that his incompetence as a parent truly becomes apparent.

* In the movie ''Film/{{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; from what she says to her ex after their son goes into the house, it's implied that he's actually not ''allowed'' to visit, or at least not without advance notice (which is why his son doesn't recognize him). Later, after the father takes part in a plan that saves the planet, his family sees him on TV. When the boy says, "That salesman is on TV," the mom finally admits, "That's not a salesman. That's your dad."
** A similar thing happens at the end of ''Film/TheLongKissGoodnight''.
* One that does not end well in ''Film/TheRebound''.
* Happens in ''Film/PayItForward'', when Trevor's estranged father suddenly shows up at the door. It doesn't work out between the two.