Deadbeat: Hank Summers

In honor of Father's Day (which was yesterday, but who's counting), we take a retrospective look at one of the absolute worst fathers of all-time. The deadbeat to end all deadbeats, Mr. Hank Summers.

It didn't used to always be this way. In the beginning, Hank was a loving father and a semi-okay-alright-so-not-that-great husband. He used to pick Buffy up in Sunnydale and bring her to Los Angeles to spend summers with her and buy a whole load of shoes….and shoes…and more shoes.

The process seemed to be a good one, but over time Hank stopped caring.

He started canceling birthday visits. He and Buffy were supposed to go to icescapades, but he got too busy with work. Then he stopped calling, and by the following year (around the time Buffy was about to graduate) Buffy stopped hearing from Hank completely. A matter of fact, it seemed like Hank didn't exist anymore. The only reason we know he was still alive was because once every year or two, Buffy would make mention of how she couldn't get ahold of him over the phone.

Then Dawn showed up. You would think that he'd care to talk to the youngest Summers. It's not like Dawn was 18 and becoming an adult. She was still young and more than likely needed a father. Actually, Dawn needed a lobotomy, but that's for another blog entry altogether. He never called her. He never sent her anything, as far as we know.

As Buffy was turning 20, having to protect Dawn from Hell-Gods and Lord of the Rings fans, Buffy's mom, Joyce, died. Okay, here comes Hank to the rescue! Nope. Think again. No Hank to be found. He was in Spain with his Secretary, livin' it up. What a guy.

Not only would he not show any sort of emotional support, but Hank didn't even help out Buffy and Dawn financially. As far as we the viewers know, Hank never paid alimony or child support. If you think about it, there's a good chance he has a warrant out for his arrest.

After all of this, there's a good reason Dawn never told her father that Buffy was dead at the beginning of Season 6. Even when Buffy came back to life and needed money, Hank didn't even help then. I don't believe Buffy tried contacting him about it, she just went right to Giles for temporary help. Hell, Buffy had to work fast-food to make end's meat. How she lived off of $5.15 an hour especially in California is perplexing and for another time.

Anyway, with the exception of Buffy's wacky land in Normal Again, and in her brain with Willow in Weight of the World, we never saw Hank Summers after Buffy's junior year in high school. We never saw a check, a phone call, anything. It makes one wonder what the hell happened to the man. What changed in him to make him a bad father? Was he possessed by a demon? Was he possessed by a Secretary with a nice rack? It looks like we'll never know.

So for all the fathers out there, be good to your kids….treat them well. Don't be like Hank Summers. Spain is nice though….you should go to Spain.