Family Matters

Like it or not, "Family Matters" has placed a positive staple on American Television and has created some unforgettable moments that will be talked about from now until eternity. Part of the reason why "Family Matters" was a good show is not because of the topics that it covered during it's lengthy run on prime-time television but because it also was a perfect contrast to another popular African-American show known as "The Cosby Show." Even though the Cosby's were about a upper class African-American family, family matters was about a regular, average family who had average jobs and average lives.

"Family Matters" debuted at a good time in American Television. During this time, "The Cosby Show" was the king of all television and when that show ultimately ended, "Family Matters" began to pick up where "The Cosby Show" left off: that is presenting a good wholesome show that the whole family can watch.

Another part of the reason why this show was a big success, probably have already been mentioned, was because of Steve Urkel, the nerdy next door neighbor that always drove the Winslows' angry. I will go as far as to say that without the Urkel character, this show wouldn't had been as successful as it was.

In regards, "Family Matters" is a very good show. It's good to catch this show on syndication now so I could remember the good times of television.

Family Matters was the perfect show for the family. It wasn't sappy or annoying like most of the other family shows on tv. Carl and Steve Urkel were the best characters and the funniest. The show, like others, began to lose quality over the years and met cancellation. In my opinion, the show was better than all the other TGIF shows ever.

I have always been disappointed at how networks often cancel shows before allowing them to take their natural progression. If CBS was going to pick up the show, they should've committed to a final season. I understand that the ratings may not have been the same as the first few seasons, but I'm sure they would've picked up with a little promotion "Urkel and Laura, this is the season." Family Matters was an excellent show that deserved its final season; it was a staple of Friday nights on ABC, that if you compare, put its current Friday night line up to shame.

Laura and Steve were engaged, but we never get to see them finally marry (the last episode I saw was when Urkel was in space, kinda lost track when the show switched networks). Or at least, cancel the show, but allow for one or two final episodes to be made, to allow the show the conclude adequately.

A similar thing happened with the show "Quantum Leap," where the crew got last minute notice the show wasn't going to be renewed, and they had to do post production work to add black screens adding two sentences, one of which the most unsatisfactory "Sam NEVER leaped home." I'm pretty sure that same thing happened with "Perfect Strangers" too. I can understand canceling floundering shows abruptly, but not one that has been on for 9 years. At least that's what I think.

Family Matters started out as a rather ordinary Cosby Show-like sitcom about an everyday African American family living in suburban Chicago. But then something happened. Next door neighbor Steve Urkel was introduced. And just like that, ABC's TGIF line-up would never be the same.

I'll agree with most and say that the first six seasons were very funny. Classic episodes included Steve playing the role of Laura's husband for a school project, Carl teaching Steve how to drive, the introduction of Stefan, and the obligatory trip to Disneyland. Unfortunately, after Season Six (ie. when Steve finally moved in with the Winslows) it was pretty obvious the series was starting to wear thin. The writers seemed to be running out of ideas, often having to rely on Steve Urkel himself and his inventions for all the comedy, his cousin Myrtle was re-introduced for no reason, and even Steve's own character cooled down to the point where by the last season, he no longer seemed like the clumsy, nerdy Steve Urkel we all knew and loved.

Essentially, Family Matters was a very funny show for a while, but also one that should have stopped while it was still at its prime, rather than being forced to end after two or so seasons of lousy ratings.

Like it or not, 'Family Matters' did produce a cultural icon. People everywhere knew who you were talking about when you mentioned the name 'Urkle,' the accident-prone next door neighbor who wore red framed glasses, suspenders, highwater pants, and had a passion for cheese and an admiration for Laura Winslow. Funny, too, that his becoming a regular on the show was by mere accident, since they only wrote Steve in for one episode. Like all cultural icons, it will be the one that actor Jaleel White will be forever associated.

'Family Matters' was a terrific comedy series, save the last one or two seasons where the situations became pretty desperate as an aging Jaleel White likely got tired (and too old) to play the hapless nerd character, and wanted to just be normal Steve (which he could because in the show he invented a machine where he often played a Dr. Steve and Mr. Urkle type towards the end of the series). It was also one of the few pleasant black comedies on television then and now, as few these days seem to offer anything more than insulting stereotypes and idiotic characters. The Winslows were a loving family (and one that didn't speak in ebonics just because they're black) who faced difficult problems in their lives and so forth. The show addressed issues of racial pride, of prejudice, of love, your typical family values.

The Winslow family consisted of the sometimes impulsive Carl (VelJohnson), the father; Harriet the intelligent mother (Judyann Elder); the oldest son, Eddie (McCrary); the oldest daughter, Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams); the youngest sister Judy (Jaimee Foxworth), who appeared occasionally before disappearing altogether; and later, they added a little fellow named Ritche (Bryton McClure). There was also Mother Winslow (LaNoire); and of course, Steve Urkel.

Urkle did compete a few years later with Waldo (Shawn Harrison), Eddie's friend, because like all television comedy series, they need an idiot character. Urkel did create many misadventures because he never seemed to pay attention to what he was doing, but he was no idiot. Or, at least not the way Waldo was. He was a pretty funny guy for the while he was on the show.

And they were a pretty funny family, especially in the moments between Carl Winslow (Reginald VelJohnson), the father of the household, and his dufus friend, Urkel, which went on for some time the way Dennis the Menace often got on the nerves of George Wilson. Likewise, Urkel found it easy to annoy many of those in the Winslow household, namely the object of his affection: Laura, who squirmed around the hopeless dork, but finally managed to look past his faults (basically, just his appearance and awkward manner).

It was a pleasant show that ran in the TGIF line-up for quite some time, with other family comedy series that generated an audience and developed into series in a way that ABC may never again be able to reproduce. Everyone on the show was terrific, although my favorite, wasn't Urkel, but the lovely Rossetta LeNoire who played Mother (Estelle) Winslow. She was always such a pleasant character, and gave such a great performance.

If you ever get to see the reruns of the show, which do appear on network television every now and again, I would recommend watching it. It was a pretty good family series for it's day. And one that produced a cultural icon.