I'm Rewatching Full House, And I Forgot The Weirdest Thing About The Pilot

There are certain TV shows from the '80s and '90s that have a legendary status and will likely forever be seen as cult classics, and Full House is certainly on that list. The feel-good but still comedic and emotionally profound show about a non-traditional family ran for eight seasons, from 1987 to 1995, and remains a beloved series for many reasons—enough so that it got revived with Fuller House more than 20 years after it concluded. Among those reasons is certainly the beloved cast of the show.

Because of that standing, it's difficult to imagine that this show was ever less than charming and stellar. After all, Michelle's "You got it, dude," Uncle Joey's "Cut it out," and Uncle Jesse's many, many quotable moments remain references today, nearly 40 years after the show began. The series also made household names out of many of its stars, from the now incredibly famous Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, to actors like John Stamos, Candace Cameron (Bure), Bob Saget, and more—although some of those names were better known than others before the show began.

Nevertheless, the show is far from perfect. Just given its late '80s release date, there are a number of jokes that feel very outdated, often having to do with taking jabs at LGBTQ+ identities, and there are certainly a host of cringe-worthy, if lovable, moments. Yet, many of those details are generally more discussed or at least acknowledged than some of its other flaws, including one major oddity about the pilot that I only just realized upon my most recent rewatch.

The Full House Pilot Doesn't Reflect The Emotion It Should

The premise of Full House is that the dad of the family, Danny, needs the help of his brother-in-law, Jesse, and his best friend, Joey, as he raises his three daughters, DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle, following the tragic death of his wife, Pam. It's also clear from the pilot that her death is very recent in terms of when the show begins, as Danny's mom is leaving after helping out. It's possible that his mother was living with them for a few months, but it couldn't have been much longer than that, especially considering that Michelle was just a baby.

It's worth noting before diving into this issue that grief is very individual, and all grief is valid, whether that's in real life or what's depicted on screen (with the exception of cases like Anakin Skywalker, who went on a killing spree following the death of his mother in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones). However, Full House's pilot doesn't seem to just be representing a different form of grief. Instead, the beginning of the pilot in particular feels almost like it forgets that the girls' mother has only just died.

Yes, Full House is, in part, a comedy, and the creative minds behind the show no doubt wanted to set that tone and make sure it grabbed audiences' attention (and hearts) early on. However, the first half of the episode arguably dips too much into the humor. Every single character, down to the kids, comes off as silly, and no one seems to be exhibiting the behaviors that one would expect from children, a brother, and a husband grieving someone. And, again, this feels more like odd writing than an intentional representation of complex grief.

Full House Got So Much Better With Time

As is true of many shows, this issue with the pilot serves as proof that Full House got so much better with time. Although it started a bit oddly, it certainly found its footing along the way. This is true in myriad ways, but it feels especially true in terms of how the show dealt with the loss of Pam. In fact, one of the most impressive aspects of the show is that, throughout its many seasons, it never forgot that storyline (except, perhaps and strangely, for parts of the pilot).

There are many times throughout the show when each of the main characters experience deep and painful grief all over again, be it because something reminded them of her, when Danny is trying to date again at various points, or because the girls are consistently exposed to events that daughters typically attend with their mothers. That only makes it all the more odd that the Full House pilot frequently feels so detached from the reality that Pam has just died, but thankfully, that issue was short-lived.

Release Date 1987 - 1995-00-00