May contain spoilers.

I am a 90s kid who grew up with Full House so I was one of the thousands sitting on the edge of my seat for the reboot Fuller House.

The original show is one of my all-time favorite shows and I own the entire series on DVD. Whenever I feel particularly stressed I pop in a CD and run the show in the background. The show is charming, funny and cute.

The premise of Fuller House is virtually the same as its parent series. DJ’s (now a successful veterinarian) husband dies and she is left raising three sons on her own. Stephanie and Kimmy move into the original Tanner home and help out. Does this sound familiar?

In anticipation for the Feb. 26, 2016 premiere on Netflix Instant Streaming I re-watched Full House with no regrets.

Below are my thoughts on different parts of the new series and how they may compare to the old. Enjoy!

Pilot/First Episode

I did not like the first episode of Fuller House. It is disjointed, awkward, and you wonder what the prize was for the “how many Full House references can we make?” game.

I had a couple of specific issues with the episode as well which when added together made for one of the most obnoxious pilots I think I’ve ever seen.

It is no secret Full House was not filmed live so unsurprisingly Fuller House uses the same setup. Unfortunately, Fuller House relies too heavily on the sound board. The first five minutes is a constant wave of applause as  Full House alumni enter the scene. Trust us, we know who these people are!….Chances are we wouldn’t watch this show if we didn’t.

Second, the episode is just awkward! It has been over 20 years since the original show ended and well…the chemistry between the older actors is gone. The camaraderie we love from the Full House is lost between Bob Saget, John Stamos, and Dave Coulier. However, while the group dynamic prominently changes, singular characters stay the same, namely, Jesse, Becky and Joey.

Full House began in 1987 and current pop culture has evolved into something completely different. The writers tried, rather unsuccessfully, to bridge the gap so it doesn’t make sense to the new viewer and feels odd to the old. The subsequent episodes are well updated but I find it odd that the writers didn’t bridge this introductory episode properly.

The most awkward moment of the 35 minute pilot (other than Stephanie’s short-lived British accent) is when Danny mentions Michelle and her fashion empire. The entire cast stares straight ahead at the camera for WAY TOO LONG. It feels like a minute. And, all the while, that blasted laugh box is going. I understand the cast throwing shade at the Olsen twins but that is just too much.

Speaking of…

Let’s Talk the Elephant in the Room…or Lack of (Michelle Tanner/the Olsen Twins)

Michelle Tanner’s absence from Fuller House is nothing short of conspicuous. Do I care? Not necessarily. Michelle was my least favorite character on Full House. She was spoiled, bratty and annoying. And, she really wasn’t as cute as they made her out to be. Only children look like perfect little angels compared to Michelle.

Regarding her absence on the Fuller House I think her presence would detract from the show. She would feel out of place in the already strong group Kimmy, DJ and Stephanie form.

However, I think it is really low of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen to not even guest-star (even the little twins did!). The original show made them famous and gave them their start in this industry. Elizabeth and James would not be a thing without Full House. It is extraordinarily “rude” of them to not even acknowledge this. They spent years shedding their goody-two shoes imagine they were branded with from Full House and their made for TV movies and that’s okay but they should appreciate what this show did for them!

And, I’m sorry but “I haven’t acted since I was 17” is BS. Just admit you do not want to play the character anymore and cannot convincingly play the part.

Danny Tanner/Bob Saget

While I think the Olsen twins should have at least guest-starred, I wonder if Bob Saget shouldn’t have just bowed out. It was particularly obvious that he couldn’t care less about re-visiting Danny Tanner. Under normal circumstances, as a fan, I would appreciate his appearances but Saget was so unattached I almost wish he hadn’t been there at all.

Danny Tanner was one of my favorite characters. He was awkward, goofy and kind of freakish and Saget played him well. Danny Tanner liked what he liked and had no reservations about who he was and all the while being one terrific father!

The Danny on Fuller House is nothing like the Danny on Full House. The “new and improved” Danny Tanner feels lazy, awkward and couldn’t care less about his family. He cannot wait to get to LA and play with his new wife. Oh, and speaking of his new wife: there is no real chemistry and we know she is there for his money.

Not to be wholly unfair, we do glimpse the old Danny during Saget’s second guest appearance. He cares about his daughter’s grandchildren but I still get the sense he doesn’t really want to be there.

Joey, Jesse, and Becky

I only want to spend a few minutes on these guys. The characters matured but remained the same goofy, lovable but mostly eccentric people we grew to love.

During Full House, Joey could not go a full two sentences without making a joke. It was annoying at times but I appreciated just how talented Dave Coulier was. During Fuller House, Joey makes a few jokes here and there but it is obvious the character grew up. At the beginning of his career, Joey was highly unsuccessful and overcompensated by turning everything into a joke. Now that he plays 10 shows a week in Las Vegas, he can be a normal human being in his every day life!

I don’t have a lot to say about Jesse except that he is exactly the same but older. He has the same wit and eccentricities and is still madly in love with with his wife.

I always really loved Becky. She was sweet, independent, and sassy. She never changed to be with Jesse and was a great friend, aunt and mother. She was successful and unapologetic about it. She was a woman I could aspire to be. Now, 30 years older, she is exactly the same with a little bit of baby fever thrown in. It might sound strange if you have not watched the new series yet. She was always happy with her two twins and pleased she still worked but she played a woman of “a certain age” extremely well!

The New Cast

I really cannot speak more highly about Cameron-Bure, Sweetin and Barbara’s performances! I am glad the show revolves around them with the older characters cast in supporting roles because these three have such a great chemistry that carries through from the original show. The plot doesn’t make sense sometimes (hello, Bollywood episode) but I somehow always forgive the crazy because their relationships are spot on.

The biggest difference between Full and Fuller House is the storyline. Yes, the premise is the same but this reboot is less about the family as a whole than each character’s separate lives: DJ’s dating life, Stephanie trying to maintain her independence, Kimmy and her ex, Max and Cosmo…you get my drift…

I know they did this mostly for the fans to see where the girls are now but I think the show is sorely lacking in the family dynamic. This was the best part of the original series. Even when we learned about one character there was always some family member on the sidelines. And, because the first season focuses on the girls we miss out on the incredible talent on the child actors. They breathe life into their stereotypical teenage characters but barely get any storyline.

 

As a whole I think the show is cute for nostalgic reasons and has vast room for growth. Netflix announced there will be a second season so I hope the producers and writers start to take this reboot seriously and gives it the potential for a true stand alone show!

Just don’t watch the pilot first! Heh…

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.