Do you guys know how hard it was to not title this, “Did I do that?” I would have just stuck with “Family Matters” but not letting the uninitiated know that Urkel was in this would be a bad idea. Mentioning his name will skyrocket the number of people who read this well into the teens. After how “well” the Disney shows in March went, I need a little TGIF boost.
I also don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that other than Steve Urkel and Carl, the other people on this show could have not existed. I guess Laura needed to exist to give Urkel a reason to come around, but the wife could have just been killed off in season two. They wrote off the youngest daughter without mentioning it anyway. The show could have eventually been whittled down to a buddy comedy and no one would have noticed.
These two disagree. Also finding a picture of them together was way harder than it should have been
You’re right guys. I am being somewhat hyperbolic. Harriette Winslow was actually imperative to “Family Matters”. Winner in the “Weirdest spinoffs in television history” category; Mrs. Winslow was originally the elevator operator in the show “Perfect Strangers”. I’m showing my complete unawareness of that show by saying it doesn’t make sense to give this character a show. If it does make sense find me on Twitter and correct me. I’ll post a notice of revision when the article is reposted in 2021 during my ten year anniversary celebration.
When focus of the program shifts to her family matters (like I’m lasting until 2021 with that kind of word play) she becomes chief of security so she wouldn’t interact with the “Perfect Strangers” anymore. I would still think Bronson Pinchot would pop up from time to time, but I digress.
Actually forget him. We've got Stamos on board
The two knuckleheads pictured above were pretty funny too. I would argue that if I ever wanted to watch this show again they would entertain me more than Urkel. Eddie (right) is Carl’s son and his buddy there is Waldo Geraldo Faldo. The former is the stereotypical “high school dumb guy” that most sitcoms need and WGF is his even dumber sidekick. Just in case Urkel wasn’t enough comedy relief, these two could fill in to make the crowd bubble with laughter. Eddie and Waldo eventually succumbed to the Urkel barrage and hung out with him too. Why? It’s no prob Bob, outcasts have to stick together.
In a love story so one-sided that even Phillip J. Fry feels bad for him, Steve Urkel is interjected into the Winslow family by way of their teenage daughter Laura. Urkel was meant to be a seldom used character pining after his pretty, smart and popular neighbor. Luckily for this show, the little dork accidentally caught fire. I even remember having an Urkel coloring book as a kid. I don’t know how Laura couldn’t love a man with his own coloring book. He could even use a machine to transform himself into a good looking and suave guy named Stefan. Laura originally liked that version better because she was a shallow teenager. Eventually though she aided Steve in completing a major heel turn in the final season. Spoiler alert:
Urkel Wins
Some people may disagree with me on the finale being fairly villainous. Steve’s long time girlfriend Myra loved him for the polka playing dork that he was. She even managed to deal with Urkel wanting to be friends with Laura despite their history. What happens in the final season? Of course Steve leaves her for Laura and they become engaged. We’re then supposed to feel like Myra is in the wrong for being upset and trying to break them up? She loved that nerd and the girl that spent at least 9 years rejecting him comes to her senses and snatches the kid with a freakin’ (awesome) cloning machine and ability to reconstruct DNA. They’re likely rich at this point. Not since “Dr. Zhivago” have I rooted so hard against a love story. Hopefully Myra and Stefan (who was cloned and remained present) end up together and much happier.
Urkel even looks cool now
Do I really need to talk about Urkel? I’ve discussed him in each paragraph so far because he really became the show. “Family Matters” likely would have done okay without him, but good god he launched an all out assault on America. I think most people would now prefer Carlton Banks and his portrayal of the “nerdy black teen” because it holds up today. But back then Steve Urkel would have won that poll hands down. Instead of reiterating things I’ve already mentioned, I think this will give you all the info about Steve Urkel you need:
I like Carlton's dance better too
There were a bunch of other people living in the Winslow’s house. A little boy and his mom that disappear, and old lady, a little girl and some adopted boy. I don’t know why they wasted so much time on other characters. Eventually America got sick of Urkel, so maybe the boring family was used as a way to delay the inevitable backlash. Urkel took up time in “Full House”, “Boy Meets World”, “Step by Step” and “Meego”. He danced with Bea Arthur on television. He was all over. You know who should have been all over the cover of magazines, television screens and video games?
That’s right! Carl Winslow is a true hero. Not because he’s a cop; but because he doesn’t kill Urkel. He was a man of the law, he could have gotten away with it. “This little dork wants to be with my daughter and won’t leave my house? Time to pull out my gun!”
That’s exactly why Carl was great. He never shot or urinated on Urkel. He eventually learns to embrace him and has a richer life for it. Imagine if Uncle Phil had let Jazz stay in the house? He may have gained a friend. Instead all he did was work out his triceps. Carl and Urkel became pretty good friends. They even wrestled the Bushwhackers together!
See? I'm not lying
“Family Matters” ended prematurely in 1998. I for one can’t believe it almost lasted as long as “Boy Meets World”. Production company Miller-Boyett had a falling out with ABC and moved this and “Step by Step” to CBS and aided in trying to destroy the TGIF lineup they once bolstered. Both shows were canceled the next year, but they did succeed in injuring TGIF beyond repair as well. The company folded the next year as well. So everyone, including the audience, lost because of this spat. CBS and ABC ruined television on Friday. We have no Friday night family friend block schedule and I don’t like it! NBC certainly was incapable of picking up the slack. Now all we have is “Smackdown”.
NOW WE FIGHT ON FRIDAY NIGHT!