MovieChat Forums > Family Matters (1989) Discussion > HOW URKEL RUINED/SAVED FAMILY MATTERS

HOW URKEL RUINED/SAVED FAMILY MATTERS

posted 4 years ago by TMC-4 (19392)
13 replies | jump to latest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-rs8vPEuak

Steve Urkel is a character you either love or hate... and I was firmly in the middle somewhere.

Urkel revitalized Family Matters but it became a show centered around him.

I personally preferred the show when it was about Carl and Harriette with Steve somewhere in the background or in a supporting role.

Earlier Family Matters is often forgotten in the larger spectrum of the show.

The more zany and outlandish parts of the show are what's remembered.

Urkel's shrink ray, the transformation machine, the ventriloquist dummy.

[–] IMDBrefugee (435) 4 years ago

Agreed with a lot of what he said. The less and less focused on the other character and how he kicked Myra to the curb.

[–] Furienna (3312) 4 years ago

Really, it is only a myth that there was less focus on the other characters.
Even during the 9th otherwise horrible season, Carl and Harriette and Eddy had their own storylines.

But I agree with you about how Steve treated Myra. That was terrible to watch.

[–] Furienna (3312) 4 years ago

For being a person who claims to be in the middle, he does a lot of complaining.

Maybe there's a reason why people remember the zany parts the best?
If it had only been a run-of-the-mill realistic domcom about Carl and Harriette, what would have been special about it?
You have to admit that Steve made people notice that this show existed.
I have to agree that he treated Myra like crap though.

[–] redban (5156) 4 years ago

I actually enjoyed the first season of Family Matters, which didn’t have Urkel. But I also did enjoy the following seasons too, which did have Urkel.

Urkel started to wear on me by, say, season 7 or so. They went overboard with the science fiction, and Urkel jokes got stale (how many times can you laugh at someone trip and fall?)

[–] TMC-4 (19392) 4 years ago

Urkel actually is in the first season of Family Matters. He doesn't show up though, until about the 12th episode.

[–] Stratego (29178) 4 years ago

He definitely ruined the show. I much prefer the early years.

[–] Furienna (3312) 4 years ago

Would you even have known about the show though, if it had not been for Steve?

[–] Stratego (29178) 4 years ago

Yes.

[–] Matildawormwood (1545) 3 years ago

Season 1 sucked. This show would've been canceled if it weren't for Steve Urkel.

[–] Furienna (3312) 3 years ago

Probably, yes.
I don't believe that most people would have remembered the show today, if it had not been for Steve.

[–] ThrillerTalk (1118) 3 years ago

I don't think Steve ruined the show but the writers did take the invention stuff too far at times. I enjoyed the transformation chamber stuff, and the episodes about them going to paris in the teleportation device, but stuff like the evil Steve doll could have been done without.

I enjoyed the Winslow families chemistry along with the Steve Urkel stuff. Especially disliked how Rachel and her daughter disappeared and were never mentioned again. Not to mention Waldo Faldo who was just as funny as Steve imo.

I liked the relationship Waldo had with Maxine and would have liked to seen more of that. Would have liked to see Waldos family and see Maxine more in general. There's a lot that this show could have explored instead of cashing in on just Steve Urkel. Then maybe it wouldn't have gotten cancelled.

[–] Furienna (3312) 3 years ago

Actually, Stevil was only a stupid Halloween thing.
This is not the only sitcom from that era, who did a thing like that for Halloween.

Judy wasn't Rachel's daughter! She was actually Carl's and Harriette's daughter.

I do agree with you about Waldo and Maxine. They were a cute couple!

Actually, the show did not shy away from doing storylines about other characters.
But it seems like people only remember Steve.

And about the cancellation, it is not like a TV show running for nine seasons has done badly!

[–] ThrillerTalk (1118) 3 years ago

Oh yeah. You're right that Judy was Harriet and Carls daughter. I forgot.

I know the others like Laura and Eddie had their own storyline angles, but it seemed like most of the the story revolved around Steve after a while in the later seasons.