The Definitive Ranking Of The Parents On "Parenthood"

Which of these characters would you trust with your kids?

13. Seth Holt (John Corbett)

NBC

Amber and Drew's father is an easy choice for the worst parent because he barely qualifies as one. He's long been in and out of his kids' lives (mostly out), and though he occasionally tries to be a dad, the good vibes never last long.

Pros: In fairness he has done a couple decent things: He once stopped Amber from driving drunk, and he gave his kids cards for every one of their birthdays he missed (before, uh, taking off again).

Cons: A lot, but it's hard to get past the fact he's pretty much ignored his kids since they were born.

12. Hank Rizzoli (Ray Romano)

NBC

Hank has been an emotionally detached father to his daughter, Ruby, and left the majority of the parenting to his ex-wife, Sandy. His recent realization that he may have Asperger's, however, has inspired some growth as a parent.

Pros: Breaking up the house party Ruby threw when her mom was away was a major step forward for Hank. He not only handled the situation himself (as opposed to letting Sandy do it), but learned the important lesson that it's OK if your kids don't always like you.

Cons: It's a little late for Hank to be finally figuring this parenting thing out considering his daughter is already a teenager.

11. Renee Trussell (Tina Lifford)

NBC

She's strong-willed and exactly what people think of when they hear "mother-in-law," but clearly has a deep love for Jasmine, Jabbar, and Aida (and even Crosby).

Pros: She's always willing to help (even if it's usually on her terms).

Cons: She pushes her own agenda on her daughter's family (as seen in her recent suggestion that Crosby become a realtor), and doesn't seem to care much about what they think.

10. Sandy (Betsy Brandt)

NBC

We don't know all that much about Sandy, but she seems very committed to her role as a parent even if she is overly stern and often frazzled.

Pros: She's unafraid to roll up her sleeves and tackle the hard parts of parenting.

Cons: She's humorless and strict to a fault. She would probably have a better relationship with her daughter if she did more of the kind of bonding that Sarah did with Ruby when she took her shopping and watched Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

9. Crosby Braverman (Dax Shephard)

NBC

Crosby was really unsuited to be a parent when he got the surprise news that Jabbar is his son, and has been trying to play catch up ever since. He's a warm guy who loves his kids, but can still act like a petulant teenager from time to time.

Pros: He didn't run away from the responsibility of being a parent, and has made slow but steady strides toward becoming a more responsible person.

Cons: Crosby still has a lot of growing up to do and often thinks of himself before his family. And what was the deal with his crazy, helmet-less motorcycle ride when Zeke was in the hospital? That was totally irresponsible for a father of two.

8. Sarah Braverman (Lauren Graham)

NBC

Sarah can be a loving and fun mom, but perhaps because she became a parent so young, can also be irresponsible and often puts herself first.

Pros: Sarah has been terrific through Amber's pregnancy, and a great influence on Hank's daughter, Ruby. She also raised a super responsible son who goes to Berkeley (but one could say his achievements are a reaction against how Sarah raised him).

Cons: She dated a teacher from her kid's school (a teacher, I should add, that her daughter had a crush on). Really, Sarah?

7. Zeek Braverman (Craig T. Nelson)

NBC

The patriarch of the Braverman family is clearly very loved by his kids and grandkids, but he's hard-headed, stubborn, and as the show goes on, increasingly eccentric.

Pros: Zeek deeply loves his family, can give good advice and guidance when it's needed the most, and was largely responsible for helping Victor feel comfortable with his new family.

Cons: Zeek cheated on his wife, nearly destroying his relationships with his children in the process, and has a creepy tendency to discuss his sons' libidos. Also, his old-school parenting style of acting like the "general" of the family is a little much.

6. Jasmine Trussell Braverman (Joy Bryant)

NBC

Jasmine possesses a lot of qualities as a parent, but like her mother, has very strong feelings about how to raise her kids. She's learning to give Crosby's opinions consideration too, though, which is healthy (even if she's usually right).

Pros: She's open-minded, and was very supportive of Jabbar's taking ballet.

Cons: She didn't tell Crosby he was the father until Jabbar was 5, and led her mother and brother to believe Crosby had abandoned them. Yikes, Jasmine.

5. Julia Braverman-Graham (Erika Christensen)

NBC

Julia is a high achiever in her professional life, and works hard to be every bit as successful as a parent. She may not always connect with her kids as easily as she'd like, but there's no denying how much she loves them.

Pros: Julia is a good provider for her kids, and has gotten better at balancing work and her home life.

Cons: Julia is a lawyer who approaches every situation with her kids like it's a case to be won, which isn't always the best way to parent.

4. Camille Braverman (Bonnie Bedelia)

NBC

"Millie" puts her family above all else and is always there for them. In many ways, she's been the glue that has kept the Bravermans together all these years.

Pros: She gives good advice and isn't afraid to tell her kids when they're wrong.

Cons: She's been trying to find herself in her golden years, but there's something undefined (bland even) about her personality that makes it hard to imagine her as having been a truly dynamic parent when her kids were growing up.

3. Joel Graham (Sam Jaeger)

NBC

Joel is patient, great with kids, and excelled during his time as a stay-at-home dad. He would have been a contender for number one on this list if he hadn't walked out on his family.

Pros: Joel went all in on the adoption of Victor and was prepared to open his heart up to another child without qualification.

Cons: That whole walking out on his family thing even after Julia begged him to go to family therapy. It was a strange enough move that it makes you question all of his awesome qualities as a father.

2. Adam Braverman (Peter Krause)

NBC

Adam is a responsible dad who not only takes care of his kids, but many of his siblings too. Of all the Braverman kids, he's the one you'd most trust to watch your kids.

Pros: He quickly adapted to the news that Max had Asperger's and did everything to support him. Later, when Haddie came out, he supported her too.

Cons: Adam is generally a congenial guy, but can sometimes fly off the hook.

1. Kristina Braverman (Monica Potter)

NBC

Adam is a terrific parent, but more often than not he's following Kristina's lead. She not only advocates for her kids tirelessly, but makes her home feel calm and safe even in the most difficult of times.

Pros: When the school system wasn't serving her son as it should, she didn't just complain, she started a new school. She also made incredibly moving videos to comfort her children when she thought she was going to die.

Cons: Kristina gave Max's crush, Dylan, more stank eye than she deserved after Max went off on her in the cafeteria, but it's a small quibble!