Sherlock's father is never referenced in the show (his mother is), so I generally consider him to be pretty absent and probably dead.
His brother filled in for both parents, in the most likely case, even while their mother was still alive... Myrcroft's line: "I'll be mother" was recieved with a very quick "Well there's a childhood in a nutshell" from Sherlock, and since Mycroft is seven years older than him, that makes a lot of sense. The only other reference to his parents is a throw away line how Sherlock 'always upset Mummy', and Mycroft chiding him for it, which just lends more proof to the theory.
In any case it's reasonably assumed that his parents were both neither affectionate nor present, but any strong feelings he would hold for or against them are instead shifted over to his brother, with whom he holds a very acidic relationship.
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Sherlock's father is never referenced in the show (his mother is), so I generally consider him to be pretty absent and probably dead.
His brother filled in for both parents, in the most likely case, even while their mother was still alive... Myrcroft's line: "I'll be mother" was recieved with a very quick "Well there's a childhood in a nutshell" from Sherlock, and since Mycroft is seven years older than him, that makes a lot of sense. The only other reference to his parents is a throw away line how Sherlock 'always upset Mummy', and Mycroft chiding him for it, which just lends more proof to the theory.
In any case it's reasonably assumed that his parents were both neither affectionate nor present, but any strong feelings he would hold for or against them are instead shifted over to his brother, with whom he holds a very acidic relationship.