Whatever happened to predictability? This was the theme song lyric that I always hummed to myself whenever I got a nostalgic feeling for my favorite childhood show: "Full House." Unfortunately, I think I spoke too soon because in 2016, "Fuller House," the sequel to everyone's favorite American sitcom, made me realize that predictability isn't always a good thing. It's always a bittersweet feeling to see your childhood be revived again. On one hand, of course you long to relive those episodes and memories associated with it. But, at the same time, why can't we ever seem to leave the past in the past?
One major thing that I think feels outdated in "Fuller House" is the humor in general.
While everyone truly enjoyed watching DJ and Stephanie grow up in "Full House," and always anticipated their iconic catchphrases, the fact is that they're adults now. They have completely undergone a huge transformation as any child would-personality wise, and most of all, maturity wise. Of course TV shows don't necessarily always reflect real life, but in general, people wouldn't verbalize their thoughts the same way they did when they were younger. Every time one of the original characters tries to say her old catchphrase, it just feels like forced humor that doesn't resonate with the audience like it once did. The producers should realize that it's totally acceptable to represent the characters as grown adults, and not constantly depend on the old jokes from the original show. Both old and new "Full House" fans are ready to let go of the juvenile humor and are ready to embrace the characters for who they truly are.
Another flaw in the sequel is that the new characters introduced in "Fuller House" aren't given a chance to truly be welcomed by this new audience.
In "Full House," I always thought there was a good balance between adult characters like Uncle Jesse, Danny, and Joey, versus Danny's children. Each episode taught an interesting and relatable life lesson while giving each character ample screen time. In some episodes, each character would have a different plot that day, while in others, their storylines would intertwine and the audience would laugh as we watched them collaborate with each other to solve that problem. In "Fuller House," it feels like the original characters are highlighted, while the new kids are delegated to the background. They don't really have that much screen time, and their presence feels more like an added touch of cheesy humor rather than a core part of the show. If only the new kids had more involvement within the plot, there's a chance we would love them as much as we loved Michelle Tanner back then.
Don't get me wrong, "Full House" will always have a special place in my heart. Some may claim it was just a cheesy, family show, but this show had a way of doing much more than that. True fans felt like a true member of the Tanner family, and grew up enduring the same real-life events they went through. While it's heartwarming to find out what happened to DJ and Stephanie Tanner in Fuller House, maybe it could have been better to leave us wondering. Sometimes it's best to leave a little mystery to things, and just preserve the memories as they are.
