Tom Selleck In Three Men & A Little Lady Is Still The Girl Dad Of Our Dreams

What happens when you put Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson in a movie together? You get the ultimate triple threat dad combo that could rival the Full House trio. Yes, throughout the ‘80s, ‘90s, and early aughts, audiences saw a surge in fatherhood-related content. Dads were no longer just away at work or off on the sidelines while moms did all of the parenting. They were present. They were constant. They were in touch with their emotions! The concept felt like a breath of fresh (if not long overdue) air. But while I’ve long admired the Danny Tanners and Sandy Cohens of the world, it wasn’t until a recent rewatch of Three Men and a Little Lady that I fully came to appreciate Tom Selleck’s character, Peter Mitchell, and the high-quality girl-dad energy he brings to the table.

Some generations came to love Selleck in Magnum P.I., while others know him best as Richard, Monica’s ex-boyfriend on Friends. (I’m #TeamChandler for life, but I’ll admit Richard knew how to make a lady swoon.) However, I was first introduced to Selleck’s talents in Three Men and a Little Lady as the handsome, quiet yet kind architect. I don’t know how I ended up watching the sequel first before the original Three Men and a Baby, but I always remember liking his character the best — an impressive feat given that the always-charming Ted Danson starred in the film alongside him.

At the time, I didn’t really think much about it. I was still a young kid, after all, and focused mostly on the comical hijinks of the plot. Yet now, having rewatched the movie as an adult, I’m struck by how truly wonderful Peter is, both as a man and a father figure to Mary.

He Treats Mary With Respect

You can tell an awful lot about a person from the way they talk to a child, and it’s one of the prominent reasons Peter completely won me over. Every single exchange he has with Mary is nothing short of heartwarming. He treats her with love and respect and never talks down to her or acts as if she couldn’t understand something because she’s too young. This creates a healthy dynamic between the two of them, allowing Mary to share her thoughts and feelings without fear of ridicule.

He Puts Mary’s Needs First

When Sylvia decides to get engaged to Edward and move to England with Mary, Peter is shocked and experiences a wide array of emotions. He’s angry. He’s hurt. He’s heartbroken. But while he does have a heated exchange with Sylvia as a result, he never speaks poorly of her or says anything negative about her in front of Mary. As mad at Sylvia as he may be and as wrong as he thinks it is for them to move away, he always puts Mary’s feelings first, knowing how painful it would be for her to hear.

In fact, Peter goes one step further and even helps Mary cope with the upcoming move. When Mary mentions how she doesn’t want to go and how much she’s going to miss them, he has her close her eyes and picture them all doing something in her imagination. That way, whenever she’s missing them, she only has to close her eyes and they’ll be there. It’s a short scene between the two of them, but it speaks volumes about the special bond that they share and gives her the comfort she needs for this big change. Because she knows no matter the distance, they’re always there for her.

He Demonstrates Emotional Intelligence and Growth

Sylvia makes some very questionable decisions throughout this film, but Peter makes some mistakes along the way as well. He clearly had strong feelings for Sylvia, but never made any attempt to act on them. She wanted to be with him, but his hesitancy and lack of action were what drove her into Edward’s arms. That man was saying all of the things she wanted Peter to say, yet he never did.

Ultimately, though, Peter learns from his mistake and puts all his effort into making things right. He finally confesses his feelings to Sylvia, validating their connection and assuring her it’s not just an attempt to get Mary back. He makes himself vulnerable in front of a church-full of people, proving that he’s willing to risk embarrassment and rejection in the name of love. It’s a great quality to see in a man — and demonstrates to Mary the kind of love that’s worth holding out for.

Bottom line, this guy is chock-full of green flags and the type of father figure that every girl should be lucky enough to have.