selenak

First, a fanfic link:

Life on Earth is a Dr. Who/Life on Mars crossover with spoilers only for the first season of LoM, but all of DW (i.e. including the s3/29 finale). Ever since John Simm was cast as the Master, it was obvious LoM crossovers would be written. This one pulls off a very tricky idea with style and does justice to both universes, which is always the best thing a crossover can do. Oh, and it's from the same genius who wrote

dwseason4. Go read!

Now, on to the fictional Parents:

1) Sam Vimes and Lady Sybil (Discworld): whom I loved several books before they procreated, and who turn out to be fantastic parents for Sam Junior. To sum it up: Where's my cow?

2) Ben Sisko (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine): the Siskos were that completely new thing in Star Trek, a family who actually got along famously with each other. Ben was a great single parent to Jake, and while he certainly wasn't without flaws otherwise, I never doubted that for a moment.

3) Jackie Tyler (Dr. Who): and Jackie was a great single parent to Rose, as well as a wonderful example of a character who first seems comic relief but quickly gains layers. Ah, Jackie.

4) Rita Sue (Carnivale): fierce, and so vibrant that you could see both her daughters sometimes feeling like pale imitations, but there was no doubt she loved them and would have died for them.

5) Joyce Summers (BtVS): initially saddled with the thankless job of being a superhero's clueless relative whom the big secret must be kept from, Joyce got rid of this narrative constraint and really didn't need it: not always reacting perfectly, absoutely, but still, never letting you doubt she loved Buffy (and then Dawn), coping with the craziness of Sunnydale life with grace and strength.