What do you guys think the show would have been like if Jaleel White quit the show?

What do you guys think the show would have been like if Jaleel White quit the show?

I can't even fathom such a thing. I think Jaleel would have rode that show into the ground before quitting. I could see other actors like Darius McCrary quitting but not White

I can't even fathom such a thing. I think Jaleel would have rode that show into the ground before quitting. I could see other actors like Darius McCrary quitting but not White

Yeah, it would have been kind of weird if the show went back to a normal family comedy.

Yeah Steve Urkel was certainly a mixed blessing to this show. He contributed greatly to the show's success but unfortuntately he also contributed to the show's downfall as well. But it would be wierd if Steve left the show because by the 4th and 5th seasons Urkel was pretty much the whole show.

Let's say he quit after season 7, do you think the show still could have been funny if Waldo stayed on?

Let's say he quit after season 7, do you think the show still could have been funny if Waldo stayed on?


It probably would have still been funny just weird, because everyone is so used to seeing Steve, I mean everytime he came in the room the audience would scream. Don't get me wrong I loved Waldo but he was not the biggest draw to the show. I truly believe people mainly watched to show for the character of Steve and if he left people would probably stop watching. Jaleel White did dig the show deeper and deeper into the ground but he still was the main draw. It is a no win situation, the Urkel character played a role in the downfall of the show yet he is the main attraction to the show.

It probably would have still been funny just weird, because everyone is so used to seeing Steve, I mean everytime he came in the room the audience would scream. Don't get me wrong I loved Waldo but he was not the biggest draw to the show. I truly believe people mainly watched to show for the character of Steve and if he left people would probably stop watching. Jaleel White did dig the show deeper and deeper into the ground but he still was the main draw. It is a no win situation, the Urkel character played a role in the downfall of the show yet he is the main attraction to the show.

I agree, but imagine if he quit and they hired someone else to play Steve, kind of like what they did with Harriette.

I agree, but imagine if he quit and they hired someone else to play Steve, kind of like what they did with Harriette.

Yeah but if White quit they would have tried their very best to cast someone very similar to White. Since Urkel was the main draw they would have worked very hard in the casting. With Harriette since she wasn't the biggest draw they simply casted anyone and did not care. Unfortuntaely the writers and producers simply did not care about the character of Harriette and felt that the audience didn't either and it was evident because look who they casted as her replacement.

Yeah but if White quit they would have tried their very best to cast someone very similar to White. Since Urkel was the main draw they would have worked very hard in the casting. With Harriette since she wasn't the biggest draw they simply casted anyone and did not care. Unfortuntaely the writers and producers simply did not care about the character of Harriette and felt that the audience didn't either and it was evident because look who they casted as her replacement.

Another thing, did you know that Judyann Elder guest starred in a season 5 eps, I guess that has something to do with her being hired to play the 2nd Harriette.

Another thing, did you know that Judyann Elder guest starred in a season 6 eps, I guess that has something to do with her being hired to play the 2nd Harriette.

Yeah the episode when Steve thought Myra entered the convent, Elder played the nun. She at least made me laugh in that episode when she said to Eddie "My aren't you close to the Lord" lol

Do you think they would have continued without White?

Do you think they would have continued without White?

Probably not it seems like the writers and producers felt that Jaleel's "Urkel" was the only hope for the show's existence (unfortuntaely) :(

Yeah, but the show did pretty bad in the ratings the last 2 yrs. season 8-#50, season 9-#108, so even if Steve left, and the writers chose to continue to go back to focusing primarily on the family, even if it didn't work, they wouldn't have anything to lose.

When Cody left Step By Step, they still continued without him.

True, but Cody was not as popular as Urkel was. Although Cody was a big draw to Step by Step. You never really hear people say I am going to watch "Cody" they just say Step by Step but with Family Matters many people said they are going to watch "Urkel".

Exactly. Step by Step was never the Cody show. Watching a lot of the episodes now, he was often not even the focal point of episodes. The show always stayed fairly focused on the idea that it was a family sitcom. The family got first billing and the show was pretty good about tight writing like that.

Family Matters would have bombed without Jaleel White. If he'd never come on it wouldn't have lasted and if he'd left it would have been immediately cancelled. Without him there's nothing to distinguish it from the plethora of other family sitcoms ABC was churning out at the time. And once the character took off the show relied too heavily on. There's no way they could have developed the other characters well enough to take Steve's place.

True, but Cody was not as popular as Urkel was. Although Cody was a big draw to Step by Step. You never really hear people say I am going to watch "Cody" they just say Step by Step but with Family Matters many people said they are going to watch "Urkel".

Yeah I guess your right, although audiences cheered/applauded for Cody, he isn't quite as well known as Urkel, when he left SBS it was kind of like Waldo leaving FM.