Welcome back to San Francisco!
DJ Fuller (Candace Cameron Bure) has been widowed and is trying to put her life back together while working as a veterinarian in San Francisco. When DJ realizes she’s so overwhelmed with her three children, Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and Kimmy (Andrea Barber) step in to help her raise her children…a full house is about to get fuller.
Fuller House—Season 1 spins off the popular series Full House which ran from 1987-1995 on ABC. The series reunited the cast for a Netflix series which was released on February 26, 2016. It was released to largely negative reviews.
Where’s Michelle? You got it, dude!
I can remember the promos for Full House when it was coming on in 1987, and I was excited for it as a lover of bad-family friendly sitcoms like Perfect Strangers and Facts of Life…but quickly found out that I had outgrown awful sitcoms and found myself longing for Diff’rent Strokes. Flash-forward almost thirty years to Fuller House for which I had no excitement or anticipation…and it turns out I was right.
The good news for Full House fans: Fuller House is faithful to the original series…it is awful. The laughs are cliché, predictable, pandering and the awful studio audience/laugh track that explodes with every joke. It does have bits of weird grown-up moments with jokes about semen, lesbians, and masturbation which feel a bit out of place, and it also adds in a lot of self-aware jokes like about Elizabeth and Ashley Olsen’s absence, what the cast has been up to since 1995, and the ideas of relaunching tired old shows. Some of these jokes work, but the laughs are few and far between.
Nothing say “1987 Flashback” like people getting slimed
The cast still can’t act. They read their lines with little interaction and poor chemistry. I do feel that the three girls perhaps work together better than Bob Saget, David Coulier, and John Stamos, but the scripts are so much like the original Full House that the poor acting seems to fit. The kids (like Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber in the original series) are kid actors and would be better fit for Disney and Nickelodeon shows. The series also feature guest appearances by Macy Gray and Hunter Pence playing themselves.
The series does look a little bigger budgeted than the original Full House. There are more remote locations, and it is kind of odd to see the original set recreated. I liked the excursions into San Francisco, but the series still feels rather cheap.
Whoa! This show just got a lot more exciting…for a second.
Fuller House is for fans only. Despite disliking Full House, I did see a number of episodes of it and it is strange to see these actresses as “adults”, drinking, and talking about sex. It makes you wish that the series had gone for a more reflexive style and mocked the original series more (but then it wouldn’t have been true to the original, and it wouldn’t be family friendly). With all the buzz surrounding Fuller House, I have a feeling that Fuller House—Season 2 will follow whether critics like it or not.
Fuller House—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Our Very First Show, Again”
1.1 Our Very First Show, Again Airdate: 02/26/16
DJ Fuller (Candace Cameron Bure) adjust to life without her husband and tries to raise her three kids Jackson (Michael Campion), Max (Elias Harger), and Tommy (Dashiell and Fox Messitt). With her father Danny (Bob Saget) and his wife planning to move to L.A. to host a new talk show with Rebecca (Lori Loughlin) and selling the house, DJ finds that raising a family alone is more of a challenge than she thought…fortunately Kimmy (Andrea Barber) and Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) are there to catch DJ when she needs help.
“Moving Day”
1.2 Moving Day Airdate: 02/26/16
Kimmy and Ramona (Soni Nicole Bringas) are moving into the Fuller house and Jackson isn’t happy about it when he learns that he’s losing his room to Ramona. “Team DJ” is getting its first assignment when DJ is called in for an emergency at the veterinary clinic…but find that Jackson has secretly run away with Jesse (John Stamos) to Los Angeles.
“Funner House”
1.3 Funner House Airdate: 02/26/16
Kimmy and Stephanie have convinced DJ to head out for a night at the club while Joey babysits the kids. As Joey declares a “no tech” night, DJ, Stephanie, and Kimmy are head to a club with Macy Gray as a headliner…but things go south when Kimmy’s almost-ex Fernando (Juan Pablo Di Pace) shows up.
“The Not-So-Great Escape”
1.4 The Not-So-Great Escape Airdate: 02/26/16
Ramona wants to runaway to her old home and Jackson agrees to help her. Stephanie meets a guy who thinks Max an Tommy are her children. Max tries to pick out a puppy. When Stephanie is left in charge of the vet clinic, a visit by a skunk causes chaos.
“Mad Max”
1.5 Mad Max Airdate: 02/26/16
Ramona is assigned to babysit Tommy but finds she can’t get him to sleep. Max prepares for a recital and learns about a magic scarf from Stephanie. When Stephanie is called away to Coachella by her friend, she accidentally takes Max’s scarf.
“The Legend of the El Explosivo”
1.6 The Legend of El Explosivo Airdate: 02/26/16
Kimmy worries that Stephanie is more popular with Ramona than she is. Stephanie DJ a Mexican wrestling event, and Jackson finds he can’t go because he’s disobeyed his mother.
“Ramona’s Not-So-Epic Party”
1.7 Ramona’s Not-So-Epic Party Airdate: 02/26/16
Max works to potty-train Cosmo while Jackson’s trying to impress Ramona’s friend Lola (Ashley Liao). DJ’s ex Steve Hale (Scott Weinger) worries about DJ working with Matt Harmon (John Brotherton) and tries to set him up with Kimmy. Ramona’s turning 13 and having a party, but things don’t as planned.
“Secret, Lies and Firetrucks”
1.8 Secret, Lies and Firetrucks Airdate: 02/26/16
Kimmy and Fernando hide that they are secretly seeing each other. Danny comes to visit and worries the past is being forgotten when he finds Cosmo has destroyed his couch. Max lies to his friend about being able to get rides on firetrucks due to his father and promises he’ll bring a truck to his party. DJ debates dating Matt.
“War of the Roses”
1.9 War of the Roses Airdate: 02/26/16
Rebecca is visiting and involved in a mystery when someone in the house is delivered a room full of roses. Now DJ, Stephanie, and Kimmy must find out which of their boyfriends sent the flowers. Jackson finds a new way to impress Lola.
“A Giant Leap”
1.10 A Giant Leap Airdate: 02/26/16
DJ is finding herself more involved with Matt as she tries to gauge her friendship with Steve. Stephanie is dating the San Francisco Giants Hunter Pence, but she could be the jinx that keeping the Giants down. Jackson asks Ramona to act as his wingman for Lola. A trip to AT&T Park could lead to an explosion.
“A Partnership in the Night”
1.11 Partnership in the Night Airdate: 02/26/16
Ramona and Jackson accidentally get a virus on DJ’s laptop and have to go to Max for money to keep it secret. Stephanie finds new popularity after breaking up with Hunter Pence at the Giants game but gets a job with Kimmy for extra cash. DJ learns her hopes of getting the veterinary clinic are dashed when she learns Matt is getting it from his father.
“Saves the Dates”
1.12 Saves the Dates Airdate: 02/26/16
DJ is having her date with Steve who is trying to recreate the past. Max finds he can never beat Jackson but Stephanie’s advice to Jackson could backfire. Ramona learns that her parents are back together, but Fernando has a surprise for Kimmy.
“Love Is in the Air”
1.13 Love Is in the Air Airdate: 02/26/16
Jesse and Rebecca are renewing their vows and Kimmy is planning to tack on her wedding to Fernando. DJ decides not to take anyone to the wedding but Kimmy and Stephanie have different plans. Ramona learns she’s moving out of the house and finds she wants to stay. When the time comes to say “I Do”, both Kimmy and DJ will have to make a decision.
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