What is Dad Shows? 

Dad Shows is a newsletter of reviews, recommendations, and thoughts on Dad Shows from me, Liam Mathews.  

What are Dad Shows? 

Dad Shows are a state of mind, and you certainly don’t have to be a dad to enjoy them. Dad Shows are TV shows that have some essential dad-ness to them. It can be hard to define exactly what this means, and you may have your own definition. 

My definition that I’ll be using for Dad Shows is Shows About Cool Guys Who Are Also Bad Guys. 

Jacques Reacher. Jean Dutton. Ramón Dónavon. Antoni Sopranowicz.

Antiheroes. Guys who are good at their jobs. Killers with codes. Well-dressed men willing to get their hands dirty.

Dads don’t necessarily want to be these guys, but they are drawn to them. Dads enjoy the vicarious thrill of watching someone get results by any means necessary, free from the constraints of traditional morality. And they like to see the consequences of that, too.

I’ll be writing about those kinds of shows, and the people who make them. Once a week to start, and twice a week when I turn on paid subscriptions.

(I reserve the right to write about Dad Movies or non-antihero types of Dad Shows [sports documentaries, History Channel reality shows, etc.] if I want.) 

Who am I? 

I’m Liam Mathews, a freelance entertainment writer. I’ve been an editor at TV Guide and The Messenger (lol rip), and I’ve written/currently write for Gold Derby, TheWrap, Parade, Entertainment Weekly, Paste, Polygon, Tudum, and many other websites. I’m not a dad, but whatever. 

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