Fuller House, Netflix Original Series - Recap & Review
(SPOILERS BELOW)
I was cautiously excited when I first heard about Fuller House. I was a huge fan of Full House and literally grew up with the show. I'm enjoying the trip down nostalgia lane with most of the returns and reinventions of shows/movies/etc from my childhood. I was also cautiously excited when I heard about Girl Meets World, the sequel series to Boy Meets World. While Girl Meets World is great in its own way and does feature some throwbacks and some of the original characters occasionally, I think you'll find that Fuller House offers you a closer feel to its predecessor. We see the original characters more often, however, we're missing one of them in particular which kind of bums me out. Also unlike Girl Meets World, we also get the original house. The house from Full House almost feels like its own character. I do not think the show would feel the same without it, so it was exciting to “go home again”. I am glad it wasn't super updated and changed, as well. It's also important to note that the original executive producers are back as well, which keeps the continuity and feel of the show from the original. We are immediately welcomed back in the first episode with special appearances from the cast. Yes, the audience applause and obvious introductions of each cast member into the scene might be a bit cringe worthy for new viewers or for viewers who aren't that excited about it. This pretty much only happens in the first episode. It's understandable and I imagine it was a great feeling to have when coming back to a series that was over a long time ago.
You do have to suspend some disbelief and want to have fun, but that's not forced either. But when do you not have to do that when watching a show? Original fans will accept that and there's enough in here that will appeal to a new audience. The premise is very similar to its predecessor. D.J. Fuller, (a neat way to recreate the title) is forced to raise her three sons alone after her husband died. Just as Uncle Jesse and Joey stepped in for Danny, Stephanie and Kimmy step up for D.J. when she needs them. Yes, some say it's too contrived but even so it's honestly not hokey. Once you get past the similarities, especially if you think there are too many, you will see that it is its' own show. There's enough to keep it feeling close to Full House. One scene in particular was when Danny, Joey, and Uncle Jesse sing to baby Tommy as they once did to Michelle with D.J. and Stephanie. The guys leave and D.J. and Stephanie literally and figuratively take their spots with the new kids joining in to sing to Tommy. That's a sweet scene.
An important part for me to mention is one of the reasons I was so hesitant about the idea of Fuller House. I was very nervous that the actors and actresses would not “be” their characters or that it would feel different or as though they were phoning it in. I wanted the characters to feel like the natural progression of how they would have turned out, as though they were out there living their lives while the series ended, and not like people cashing in on nostalgia or not like how the actual actors and actresses developed over the years. One reason this show succeeds is that the characters feel real and do not feel forced at all. It's fun to see them fit back into their characters and back into the family. D.J. feels just as kind and spunky as she once did. I particularly like that she is allowed to cut loose sometimes. Kimmy feels just as wacky as before, but as an adult and a mother she doesn't feel like the running joke. I really like her progression. Stephanie offers the strangest outcome, albeit comical as she's become DJ Tanner meaning she is now a traveling DJ. I'm not surprised by the DJ gig because she was interested in music on Full House. I like how she falls into being an aunt and I believe there will much more to her story if we get another season. I will say that I enjoy the new cast, as well. Kimmy's ex and her daughter suit her perfectly. The kids are a welcome addition to the show. I know some critics find their antics, new slogans, and jokes not up to par. While they cannot be the original kids from Full House, they are bringing something new and fresh to Fuller House.
The series starts with the family about to part ways after helping D.J. cope over the last year without her husband. This serves as a great reintroduction to the characters and explains what they have been doing. Yes, it does seem a little outright how they just oddly state it or ask each other. But hey, they have a lot to fit into the beginning and this awkwardness doesn't last long. Danny and Becky are off to host Wake Up USA in Los Angeles while Jesse is joining them there to work as a music composer for General Hospital. Joey will be heading back to Vegas as a comedian. All of this seems like natural progression. We also get to see Nicky and Alex, although their story of finally finishing college and planning to open a fish taco truck seems somewhat underdeveloped. I would have liked more for them. Perhaps there is time. We later meet Danny's new wife, Teri, although her character is underdeveloped and not exactly what I would have wanted.
D.J. is thrilled to have Stephanie, Kimmy and her daughter, Ramona stay with her, but it creates more disruption for her sons especially for the oldest, Jackson. We get some great throwbacks to Stephanie and D.J. having to share a room when Jackson is forced to room with his little brother, Max and when Uncle Jesse offers Stephanie advice on her new role as an aunt. Joey helps the kids come closer together, after getting them to put their electronics down, when the girls take D.J. out for a girls' night that features some special guest appearances. The kids all have to adapt to their new living arrangement and become closer throughout the show. D.J. and Kimmy have to learn how to parent in their new situation while Stephanie is learning how to be an aunt and realizes that she loves being in her nephews lives more than she thought she would and eventually discusses why she doesn't have children with D.J. I imagine it will be something they revisit if they get another season. There are some lighter stories tossed throughout that have the group going to a Mexican wrestling match, to Ramona's not-so-epic birthday party, to the firehouse after Max promises his friends he can ride on the truck because his father was a firefighter, to a baseball game featuring a special guest baseball player, and to a retirement party for D.J's boss.
Throughout the series D.J. becomes interested in her coworker, Matt while she is still undecided about her relationship with her high school love, Steve. Along the way we see them compete for her affections. She seems smitten by both and perhaps a bit unlike D.J. Tanner, although she did worry that she was becoming a floozy. Aunt Becky has a funny episode when she helps the girls try to guess who sent 1,000 roses to the house. Each girl thinks the roses are meant for her, but they cannot figure out who sent them because the dog took the card. Becky delights in the excitement and romantic gesture because she hasn't had much of that from Uncle Jesse or so she says. They discover who the secret admirer was at the end of the episode and it's somewhat unexpected. For fear of spoiling, I won't reveal much about the love story, but I'll say there is a double wedding in the finale and they all have to make some decisions.
Netflix also has to make a decision. Will there be a season two? I can think of one (or maybe two) other(s) who need to make a decision, as well. Hopefully all parties come together for a season two! It's a fresh take on a favorite show, with a modern, pop culture referencing style. It's a show that can appeal to kids and to those who remember watching the original as kids. It's an ode to Full House and nostalgia. It's a trip down memory lane. It's proof that you can go home again.
Review by: L. Burden
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