And three great shows to try if you’re ready to embrace the dad within.

A lot of these shows have themes and plots in common.

And yet, not all shows that fit those metrics are “dad shows.”

Person nodding, text "YES, THAT'S RIGHT. BILLIONS" at the bottom

They need a certain X-factor (or dad-factor) that isn’t always easy to pinpoint.

Part of it is, of course, due to my dad.

I lovedallthose shows when I was younger.

Man in a cowboy hat with a surprised expression; text: "I NEVER SAW THIS COMING" from the TV show Yellowstone

Characters were not just welcome in my house, they were obsessed over.

(You know that’s right.)

I started with the funnier ones, likeMonkandPsych, but eventually transitioned to the dramas.Burn Notice.

Two men in a conversation, one facing the camera, the other with his back to us

These shows fall into a genre that can only be described as dad-lite.

So of course I grew to love dad shows as an adult.

Is there a dad-ier name than that?

Woman in elegant attire excitedly speaks at an event

I was nonstop bingeing seasons ofBillionsandReal Housewivesin equal measure.

But, really, it makes sense.

Both are far enough away from real life to provide a much needed respite.

A man in a dark blazer speaks to others in a dimly lit room, appearing in a still from the TV series "Slow Horses"

They’re silly but fun, which is what I needed at the time and also always.

Slow Horses

Perry Mason

Will Trent

Thumbnail images viaApple,WB, andABC.

Matthew Rhys in character as Perry Mason, dressed in a 1930s suit, clapping in a courtroom

Man in sunglasses driving convertible with a small dog in his lap. City skyline in the background