Full House Then and Now: 10 Eye-Opening Truths That Will Blow Your Mind!

Summary

The show, Full House, addressed significant themes like single parenting and grief. However, certain aspects of the series have not stood the test of time, such as disregarding the somber premise of the widowed father.

The sitcom's lack of diversity and representation, particularly concerning individuals from marginalized communities such as people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, was unexpected given its setting.

The show frequently exhibited mistreatment towards Kimmy Gibbler, as the adult cast would frequently make mean-spirited jokes about her, despite her challenging upbringing. Nevertheless, it's important to acknowledge that her actions as a house guest were also problematic.

Several aspects of Full House are challenging to appreciate today, almost four decades after its debut. The popular ABC sitcom premiered in the late 1980s and concluded in 1994. Despite not receiving critical acclaim, Full House resonated with audiences due to its authentic portrayal of the joys and struggles of parenting, from both the parents' and children's perspectives. It eventually achieved cult status, leading to the creation of a spin-off series called Fuller House, which was approved by Netflix.

The Tanner household deviated from the traditional setup, as it lacked a maternal figure. Instead, three men—Danny, Jesse, and Joey—raised three young girls named DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle. This unconventional dynamic was what made Full House revolutionary, challenging societal norms. Nevertheless, each of the three men fulfilled their individual roles within the family structure. Danny was strict but kind, Jesse exuded a laid-back and cool demeanor, and Joey provided humor and support. While Full House tackled progressive storylines ahead of its time, certain aspects have not aged gracefully.

10 Full House’s Dark Premise Was Swept Under The Rug

Full House kicked off after the sudden death of Danny's wife, who was killed by a drunk driver, leaving him to raise their three young kids alone. Fortunately, Danny received support from his brother-in-law, Jesse, and his close friend Joey, who both moved in with the Tanners to help care for the children. Despite being a sitcom, the show primarily focused on humor, which made sense. However, it is peculiar that the loss of Pam Tanner, the family matriarch, was rarely addressed in the storytelling, except for a few scenes. It wasn't until much later, when the older kids were able to drive, that her death began to play a more significant role in the show's narrative.

9 Full House Lacked Diversity & Representation

Full House lacked diversity, with little representation of people of color (POC). Throughout its run, the sitcom only featured a few POC characters, mainly as guest stars like Stephanie's friend, Harry Takayama, and Michelle's close friend, Denise Frazer. The main family and adults on the show didn't have meaningful connections with POCs, and a similar lack of representation is seen in regards to the LGBTQ+ community. Considering that San Francisco has one of the largest and most influential LGBTQ+ communities in the United States, Fuller House did make some progress in this area, although it still fell short.

8 Full House Treated Kimmy Gibbler Poorly (& Vice-Versa)

Aside from the Tanners, Full House also introduced Kimmy Gibbler as DJ's eccentric best friend and neighbor. With her kooky personality, Kimmy brought an abundance of laughter to the show. However, looking back, many of her interactions with the Tanner household were challenging to endure. The adult cast would mercilessly tease her, unaware of the difficult circumstances of her home life that later unfolded in Fuller House. Admittedly, Kimmy wasn't the ideal house guest as she often talked back, displayed crass behavior, and was even rude to the Tanners.

7 Full House Made Fun Of Mental Disorders

Danny had a unique quirk that he was widely known for - an intense obsession with cleanliness. While most of the time it was harmless, there were a few instances when it would inconveniently kick in. Rather than getting annoyed, the family chose to embrace it and turned it into an ongoing joke within the household. Although Full House didn't delve deeper into Danny's behavior, it was evident that he displayed symptoms of Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) - a mental and behavioral disorder.

6 Full House’s Laugh Track Was Distracting

Like many sitcoms, Full House was filmed in front of a live studio audience. However, on several occasions when the cast had to pre-tape scenes, it made an exception. Despite this, the show still prominently featured a laugh track, which can be incredibly distracting. It is worth noting that contemporary sitcoms are choosing to forgo the use of laugh tracks. Therefore, revisiting Full House and recalling how intrusive they can be doesn't create a pleasant rewatching experience.

5 Full House’s Finale Didn’t Make Sense

In contrast to other shows, Full House was granted the opportunity to bid farewell to the Tanners in a proper manner. However, the chosen storyline for its finale not only proved unsatisfying but also perplexing. The culmination of Full House centered around Michelle experiencing amnesia after a fall from horseback riding. The narrative was excessively somber for a show that was wrapping up, making it difficult for it to do justice. In an attempt to be poignant and heartfelt, it ended up leaving many viewers bewildered.

4 Becky's Joke About Being A Law-Abiding Citizen

Lori Loughlin's portrayal of Becky in Full House has become integral to the show, despite not being part of the original cast. While initially appearing as Danny's co-worker, she is most notably remembered as Jesse's love interest. In the episode "Our Very First Christmas Show," their relationship took a significant step forward when they shared their first kiss under the mistletoe, a moment Jesse deemed obligatory. Becky playfully responded, stating that she had no choice but to comply as a law-abiding citizen. However, around thirty years later, Loughlin's involvement in the National College Admission Scandal would lead to her imprisonment for several months and subsequent termination from Fuller House.

3 Full House’s Tanner Home Layout Didn’t Make Sense

The Tanners' charming San Francisco residence became an icon for numerous reasons. It served as the prominent backdrop of the show and was even revisited in Fuller House. However, the logic behind its arrangement was questionable. While the first floor was fairly straightforward to comprehend, the arrangement of the bedrooms and even the attic proved to be perplexing. During its initial broadcast, these peculiarities in the Tanners' home went unnoticed. However, with the convenience of binge-watching now offered by various streaming platforms, it becomes apparent that the layout of the place is rather perplexing.

2 Full House’s Child Bride Storyline Was Seriously Creepy

The triple wedding of DJ, Stephanie, and Kimmy was the highlight of the Fuller House finale. However, Full House also had its own memorable weddings with beloved characters Jesse and Becky. ABC made a big fuss about their wedding due to their popularity. On the other hand, there were some unsettling weddings involving the kids in the family sitcom. Witnessing Michelle "marrying" Steve was quite disturbing, particularly considering he eventually married DJ. Furthermore, DJ herself became a child bride when she "wed" Sylvio.

1 Full House Regularly Endangered The Tanner Kids

Without a doubt, Danny, Jesse, and Joey were incredibly dedicated parental figures for the Tanner girls. However, on multiple occasions in Full House, their safety was jeopardized solely for comedic purposes. The most notable instance of this was when Stephanie unintentionally crashed Joey's car into the family's kitchen. Overwhelmed with embarrassment and fearful of facing the consequences, she opted to flee from home. Other examples include DJ's misadventure with a cement truck, mistakenly activating it and causing cement to flood their kitchen.