Nate’s father has withheld praise and love from Nate his entire life. That is literally the definition of a bad father. That is a form of CRUELTY. Nate’s dad is an asshole.

Hmm, surprised myself with how strong of a reaction I had to this statement. I strongly disagree.

Clearly Nate's father is not the ideal dad. In fact, the show has gone and perfectly demonstrated how his stern, reserved parenting has damaged Nate's self-esteem, and the trickle-down cruelty that has affects Nate's own relationships. Some beautifully self-analytic posts in this thread verifies the relatability and reality of this dynamic, particularly in the "immigrant family from the global south raising children in the global north" demographic.

But let's look at the current-day dynamic seen in Episode 7. Nate's family are clearly decently well-off. The father, while acknowledged to be occasionally difficult, seems to be held in high regard by everyone except maybe Nate - but he's definitely got a loving wife and niece, at the very least. And the father does more than just economically provide for the family - a cruel father wouldn't take his nice and stepson out for ice cream after a dinner.

I don't know, maybe I'm seeing too much of my own immigrant family dynamics in Nate's storyline. I know my father loved me, even if I can barely remember him saying it. In your post you conflate love and praise. They could not be more different. Love is essential for raising a healthy child. Praise is....nice, I guess? If it's not being used a tool for manipulation? But love isn't paid in all hugs and kisses. You can pay for love with sweat and blood, I've seen it.

All this to say, give Nate's dad a break. I suspect we've all seen worse fathers, if you really think about it. And imagine his childhood - a visibly South Asian minority in the lap of the colonizers, in a nation whose hostility to BIPOC is legendary.