Erik Robbins is the single father of Melissa. He works as a real estate agent. Erik is one of Paula's few close friends, and occasionally hints at being attracted to her. In several episodes he and McGuirk show signs of friendship, such as him helping McGuirk in looking for a new apartment in "Mortgages and Marbles" and reluctantly taking McGuirk with him to his journal-writing class in "Curses." He tells McGuirk that his ex-wife (Melissa's mother) is dead, but then reveals that she ran away with another man, leaving him to look after Melissa himself. When Erik attempts to begin dating again in the fourth season episode "Curses," Melissa objects and moves out. Erik is known for his wise-guy persona and constantly makes inappropriate jokes, which Melissa sees as alternately hilarious and em