History Main / DaddyDidntShow

* Early in ''Film/JingleAllTheWay'', to really cement Howard's status as a workaholic.
** In his defense, however, he tried to make it, only to run into a traffic jam, followed by a Cop From Hell.

--> [[TearJerker "... how come he don't want me, man?"]]

[[AC:TruthInTelevision]]
* [[TearJerker Heartbreaking]] real life example: Buckminster Fuller, inventor of the geodesic dome, the guy after whom buckyballs/fullerenes are named, had a daughter. She had polio, and was very ill. Dying, in fact. She asked him for a present, a stick to help her walk. He promised her he'd get her one. He went out drinking with some physicist buddies. She fell into a coma, and died. When he returned from his night out, she regained consciousness, just for a few moments, and asked if he'd remembered to get her the stick.
** He hadn't. He'd completely forgotten.

* Nelson's dad on ''TheSimpsons'' a few times.
** Especially in recent seasons; his family situation sort of [[DependingOnTheWriter depends on the writer]]. In earlier episodes it was his ''[[MissingMom mother]]'' who was never around.
** Subverted in one episode when Bart finds and reunites Nelson with his Dad
** Homer Simpson is prone to the lesser version of this.
*** Once he forgot to bring Bart home from soccer practice and the other time when he actually stopped by Moe's to get a beer before getting a much needed saxaphone reed for Lisa's recital.

* On ''PhineasAndFerb,'' neither of [[MadScientist Doofenshmirtz]]'s parents showed up for his birth. Cue CutawayGag of a very confused doctor holding the baby.

--> [[TearJerker "Why don't he want me, man!? WHY DON'T HE WANT ME."]]

* This takes the center of one episode of ''Psych'' in which a Young Juliet is having a birthday party and keeps expecting the Dad to come.Turns out her Dad was a ConArtist and this becomes a source of tension in the present day.

* This happens to Ashley from ''TraceMemory'' when she agrees to meet her dad for the first time in eleven years. Instead of leaving it at that, she decides to go looking for him. It's a bit more understandable when you discover [[spoiler:he was drugged and unconscious for some time while Bill gave Ashley the runaround]]. When it happens again in the second game when he forgets to met her at the bus stop, it's more the workaholic/absent-minded reason.

* Inverted in ''TheDresdenFiles'' book ''Changes.'' [[spoiler: Harry]], upon finding out he is a father is determined come hell or high water to Show Up for his child.

* Early in ''JingleAllTheWay'', to really cement Howard's status as a workaholic.

* In ''DrawnTogether'', it's implied several times that this is why Foxxy Love [[FreudianExcuse tends to be so promiscuous.]]

* This formed the center of the DramaBomb that dropped about halfway through ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}.'' [[spoiler:Taiga]] was encouraged by [[spoiler:Ryuji]] to try and go along with a father's attempts to patch things up, despite ''everyone'', even Ryuji's ditzy mother, not trusting the man. Ultimately, they proved correct when said father fails to arrive at the culture festival where [[spoiler:Taiga]] eagerly awaited him and held out hope that he'd show; going so far as to write words to dad in an award acceptance speech.

* Heartbreaking real life example: Buckminster Fuller, inventor of the geodesic dome, the guy after whom buckyballs/fullerenes are named, had a daughter. She had polio, and was very ill. Dying, in fact. She asked him for a present, a stick to help her walk. He promised her he'd get her one. He went out drinking with some physicist buddies. She fell into a coma, and died. When he returned from his night out, she regained consciousness, just for a few moments, and asked if he'd remembered to get her the stick.

* Hiroshi Morenos in ''MichikoToHatchin'' could be accused of this. [[spoiler: When they finally find him near the end of the anime, he agrees to live with Hatchin and take care of her. (Since he's her father, her mother is dead, and her only other parental figure is about to be sent to prison for ten years, this is the least that could be expected of him.) Then the DistantFinale reveals that he left her to her own devices not much later, when he found a new girlfriend.]]

* ''Strongly'' [[DefiedTrope defied]] in ''{{Discworld}}'' with Sam Vimes, who, despite slaving constantly to maintain order and prevent civil war in a chaotic city, reads the same ridiculous book to his one-year-old son every night at 6 o'clock. '''''[[TheDeterminator No]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Matter]]. [[GoodParents What]].'''''

* Averted/inverted in ''SomethingPositive:'' Jason's father wants to meet with him, but Jason winds up refusing, citing both his emotional manipulation and the fact that he only ever shows up when he needs something.

* Nelson's dad on ''TheSimpsons'' a few times.

*** Once he forgot to bring Bart home from soccer practice and the other time when he actually stopped by Moe's to get a beer before getting a much needed saxaphone reed for Lisa's recital.

* ''Strongly'' [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] in ''{{Discworld}}'' with Sam Vimes, who, despite slaving constantly to maintain order and prevent civil war in a chaotic city, reads the same ridiculous book to his one-year-old son every night at 6 o'clock. '''''[[TheDeterminator No]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Matter]]. [[GoodParents What]].'''''

* Also Russell's dad in ''{{Up}}''. Russell talks the whole movie about getting his final patch so his Dad will be proud when he sees him get his award. Dad doesn't show. [[spoiler: [[CrowningMomentofHeartwarming Carl does, though]]]].

In both cases, the key difference is that the parent genuinely cares for their child, is usually conscious of what they're doing, and portrayed with much more sympathy than with this trope. When [=~Daddy Didn't Show~=], it's usually because it was a either specific, deliberate decision on Daddy's part or because Daddy simply flat-out forgot he was supposed to be there.

* Implied in ''{{Charmed}}'' with Leo and Chris in a future timeline.

* This happens to Ashley from TraceMemory when she agrees to meet her dad for the first time in eleven years. Instead of leaving it at that, she decides to go looking for him. It's a bit more understandable when you discover [[spoiler:he was drugged and unconscious for some time while Bill gave Ashley the runaround.]] When it happens again in the second game when he forgets to met her at the bus stop, it's more the workaholic/absent-minded reason.

* The ''AsToldByGinger'' episode "Hello Stranger".

* The Spanish/English movie ''DebajoDeLaMismaLuna'' has one of these. Particularly sad because Carlitos' dad left before he was born and was supposed to take him to his mother who he hadn't seen in four years.

* The Spanish/English movie ''LaMismaLuna'' has one of these. Particularly sad because Carlitos' dad left before he was born and was supposed to take him to his mother who he hadn't seen in four years.

* ''Strongly'' [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] in ''{{Discworld}}'' with Sam Vimes, who, despite slaving constantly to maintain order and prevent civil war in a chaotic city, reads the same ridiculous book to his one-year-old son every night at 6 o'clock. '''''[[TheDeterminator No]]. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Matter]]. [[BeyondTheImpossible What]].'''''

* This formed the center of the DramaBomb that dropped about halfway through ''Literature/{{Toradora}}.'' [[spoiler:Taiga]] was encouraged by [[spoiler:Ryuji]] to try and go along with a father's attempts to patch things up, despite ''everyone'', even Ryuji's ditzy mother, not trusting the man. Ultimately, they proved correct when said father fails to arrive at the culture festival where [[spoiler:Taiga]] eagerly awaited him and held out hope that he'd show; going so far as to write words to dad in an award acceptance speech.

* This formed the center of the DramaBomb that dropped about halfway through ''Anime/{{Toradora}}.'' [[spoiler:Taiga]] was encouraged by [[spoiler:Ryuji]] to try and go along with a father's attempts to patch things up, despite ''everyone'', even Ryuji's ditzy mother, not trusting the man. Ultimately, they proved correct when said father fails to arrive at the culture festival where [[spoiler:Taiga]] eagerly awaited him and held out hope that he'd show; going so far as to write words to dad in an award acceptance speech.

* Peter Banning failing to show as promised for his son's baseball game in ''{{Hook}}'' is one of the many things said son holds against him.

* Parodied and played to the hilt in ''[[AustinPowers Austin Powers: Goldmember]]'', complete with song by Austin Powers and Ming Tea: "Daddy Wasn't There," whose lyrics might include a good intro quote.

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