I sure did. The show became nothing but a live action cartoon once they focused the attention on him.

No I think he saved the show. I was getting bored with it until he started making those guest appearances during season 1. I do agree that the later seasons became to much of a cartoon especially when he would tranform into Steffan. I never liked that character.

No I think he saved the show. I was getting bored with it until he started making those guest appearances during season 1. I do agree that the later seasons became to much of a cartoon especially when he would tranform into Steffan. I never liked that character.


Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think he "saved" the show. I would have to see the ratings to be sure of that. I know he became the most popular character. His whole Steffan character was utterly ridiculous.

The character of Urkel was a mixed blessing. When he was just a side character in the first 2/3 seasons it was very good. But once they started focusing much more on him, getting rid of characters, lessening other characters screen time, adding unnecessary characters: Myra, Stefan, Myrtle which of course all revolved around Steve the show went down the tubes. But what really killed Family Matters was when Steve created all of those unbelievable inventions and the show really became too cartoonish. It sure was not Family Matters anymore.

The character of Urkel was a mixed blessing. When he was just a side character in the first 2/3 seasons it was very good. But once they started focusing much more on him, getting rid of characters, lessening other characters screen time, adding unnecessary characters: Myra, Stefan, Myrtle which of course all revolved around Steve the show went down the tubes. But what really killed Family Matters was when Steve created all of those unbelievable inventions and the show really became too cartoonish. It sure was not Family Matters anymore.
:yeahthat

i wonder how long family matters would have stayed on the air without URKELMANIA...so, i guess there are those who loved him. I hated the character.

I don't think it would have had a 9 year run. I think ratings for season 1 were in the 30's if I remember correctly so it probably would have been renewed. It just seemed to be a gentle comedy before Urkel . I would watch it but their was nothing on it that made me say I can't miss this show this week.

Urkel did bring in the ratings as he had his own dance, toys and made cameos on other shows. After awhile, the show became too silly, I stopped watching it late 1995. It was something I really didnt expect to be on a primetime, it became more of something you would see on Saturday morning or something.

i couldn't stand that other kid either, the mini-Michael Jackson look-a-like.

i couldn't stand that other kid either, the mini-Michael Jackson look-a-like.
Was that 3 J? I didn't like him. I did like Waldo. I wish he never left.

i couldn't stand that other kid either, the mini-Michael Jackson look-a-like.

Yeah Richie, it did not make sense that they kept him when his mother was written off and dumped Judy. :confused:

No way is all I can say.

I thought he WAS Family Matters. He's what made the show...in my opinon. When you ask people about the show, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Steve Urkel. I think it helped it rise to fame, but as someone said above me, it could be seen as a mixed blessing. I agree that FM started going downhill after all those stupid inventions Steve created.

There was nothing wrong with Urkel as a side character. He could've still helped the ratings and the show as a side character, but once the show completely focused on him, it turned into a dang cartoon show.

i just think people liked for urkel to make a fool of himself, but it would have still been good to me with less urkel.

I don't know! I can't imagine FM without Urkel!

Sorta kinda! Steve Urkel took the purpose of what the show was about! Family Matters! I think the show started out to be a more watered down version of the Cosby Show that focused on a Black middle classed family trying to make it in the world. When Steve Urkel arrived, the primary focus was on him! Almost every episode dealt with him in some way & the other characters had side stories. They should have just changed it to the Urkel Show because that's what it became.

I think he did save the show because ratings weren't very good for Season 1. But, I do like the episodes where he isn't in them. My favorite episode is the one where the Winslows bring home a dog in Season 1 (I forget the episode title, DAMM!). I do like the character, though. I hated Stefan, it made the series a joke.

I thought he WAS Family Matters. He's what made the show...in my opinon. When you ask people about the show, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Steve Urkel. I think it helped it rise to fame, but as someone said above me, it could be seen as a mixed blessing. I agree that FM started going downhill after all those stupid inventions Steve created.

I think you said it exactly right.

I think what ABC should have did was make their own version of the Family Ties/Cosby Show family hour with the original Family Matters and Full House together. Full House dominated the ratings up until it left TGIF. Family Matters could have benefited from this led in and then add Step by Step and Hanging with Mr. Cooper. I would have loved to see the original premise play itself out and see where it would have went.

I do remember hearing rumors of giving Urkel his own spinoff and if that would have happened with the current concept of Family Matters, it would have killed the show.

I don't think he ruined the show. But I did find his storys repetitive. Like with Myra and how he always triped or broke things. I think that what ruined the show was Stefon and Myrtle. They were just such a freak show.

I think he made the show. He was so funny and some of the other charectors were just dull. It did become more like a sill unrealistic cartoon but he was so funny.

Yes he saved the show from T.V death BUT once the Urkel Mania took over the writers let that go to their heads thinking that Americans will watch ANYTHING involving Urkel which turned a normal middle class family from Chicago to time travel machines, shrinking humans, clones, and going to Paris on some crazy ass device. That is what ruined the show, it turned into a total joke. No wonder JoMarie Peyton Noble left the show.

i cant imagine family matters without steve urkel either but i think he did ruin it. it wasnt even about family matters any more it was based on steve urkel. they shoulda did a spin off show called "steve urkel" and kept family matters about the title itself "family matters"

I thought he WAS Family Matters. He's what made the show...in my opinon. When you ask people about the show, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Steve Urkel. I think it helped it rise to fame, but as someone said above me, it could be seen as a mixed blessing. I agree that FM started going downhill after all those stupid inventions Steve created.

I wholeheartedly agree. I remember being a little kid and going to school talking about FM. Whenever the show came up, we didnt even call it Family Matters. Nope. We called it Urkel. But eventually it just got so utterly ridiculous towards the end.

I agree. The show would have NEVER lasted 9 years without Urkel. He made the show for me, and a lot of other people.

I do agree that the show started to get ridiculous and cartoonish once the focus was mainly on Steve. Like any episode where he "transforms" in that Bruce Lee character. Even worse is when other people like Carl or Richie became those characters. Up until a month ago or so, Family Matters came on a local station here, WFMZ 69. A couple months ago I turned to it just for the hell of it. And it was the episode where Urkel and Carl get transported to a pirate ship and they were actually treating it like a serious matter. That's when I was all like, "This is why I stopped watching this show."

And don't forget that Urkel only became more annoying as he got older. Just like what happened to Screech on SBTB, as he got older his voice got deeper and the geek'ish crackly nerdy voice was going away. So when he tries to do that voice when he's older, it just sounds irritating. And not in a comedic way.

I think Steve Urkel was just right for Family Matters

I do agree that the show started to get ridiculous and cartoonish once the focus was mainly on Steve. Like any episode where he "transforms" in that Bruce Lee character. Even worse is when other people like Carl or Richie became those characters. Up until a month ago or so, Family Matters came on a local station here, WFMZ 69. A couple months ago I turned to it just for the hell of it. And it was the episode where Urkel and Carl get transported to a pirate ship and they were actually treating it like a serious matter. That's when I was all like, "This is why I stopped watching this show."

And don't forget that Urkel only became more annoying as he got older. Just like what happened to Screech on SBTB, as he got older his voice got deeper and the geek'ish crackly nerdy voice was going away. So when he tries to do that voice when he's older, it just sounds irritating. And not in a comedic way.

I agree. People keep saying that the show would not have lasted nine years without him, and maybe so but as each season came the plots just got to be more and more unbelieveable and bizarre. Having Steve on the show helped it alot but once you have the whole transforming into different people (not only Steve, but Carl, Richie, 3J, and Eddie), the whole family teleporting to Paris, Steve cloning himself and making one clone into Stefan, time travel you know the writers just went way too far and forgot what Family Matters was all about.

:) steve was a great part of family matters the show would have been nothing without him!

I thought in the beginning, Urkel helped that show alot, but as they got older, they concentrated more on Urkel than the Winslow family.

if my memory is correct I belive Steve Urkel was susposed to be just be a one episode Guest Spot on amily Matters.

if my memory is correct I belive Steve Urkel was susposed to be just be a one episode Guest Spot on amily Matters.

Yes that is correct.

I am glad they decided to keep Steve Urkel

Urkel definitely saved the show, but as others have said, it probably would have survived without him becoming the lead.

Look at Seinfeld; Kramer was clearly their zany "Urkel" type that hooked a lot of viewers, but they never pushed him at the expense of developing any of the other characters. They were also still able to convincingly put him in over-the-top subplots.

I know it's not really fair to compare FM to one of the greatest shows of all-time, but it says a lot that the writers completely threw in the towel with Judy rather than taking up the challenge of making her an interesting character.

Not at all.

Okay, the Judy thing was handled very badly, I give you that. But Steve WAS "Family Matters". If it wasn't for him, you wouldn't even remember Carl, Harriet, Eddy, Laura etc, because the show would have been canceled in 1990 without Steve. In the first episodes, where there still was no Steve, you just long for Steve to turn up. The show was nothing special at all without him. Eat that!

Urkel may have been Family Matters and he did help the show but you have to admit he also ruined the show as well

I got this from jumptheshark.com and I agree with it.

It jumped the shark when it became a live action cartoon. At first, it was an honest look at real life topics (racism, poverty, school environments), a slice of real life family life. It was honest, realistic, and brutally frank in its depictions. Then came Urkel (though he didn't ruin the show at first), but as the show progressed on, the show shifted from realism and real life topics, i.e. it shifted from the family dynamics and the Winslows in life, to basically week after week of comedic escapeds, inventions and adventures. It became an excuse for just hijinks and tomfoolery, week after week of just corny jokes and Urkel mishap after Urkel mishap. Less about the family, and the Winslows and more about their wacky adventures and Urkelish shannigans. It jumped the shark when it all about the jokes, all about the adventures, and less about the normal and relaistic slice of life that I truly loved to watch.

When i was younger i thought Family Matters was called "URKEL"

urkel did kil Family Matters mean my god whole show turned out be about him and his damm inventions whole family got shafted cause of him may as well call it urkel show he buried the whole show n family.

Both sides have a point.

Yes, Steve Urkel saved the family matters IMO. He was the most charismatic character they had and he was just incredibly funny.
However, all those inventions were a bit silly.
Ok, I must admit that I don't really mind Steffane although I think they could've used that character better.
Myrtle was something that the show didn't need. Hated that character.
Besides all that, some of Steve's inventions got ridiculous and show turned into a semi SF.
That's not what familly matters was meant to be.
They focused on Steve and that was alright they went too far IMO.

Okay, "Family Matters" sure did change over the years. But I can't say it was for the worse. It went from the boring meaningless episodes from before Steve was introduced to the more interesting episodes in seasons one, two, three and four, where Steve was a brilliant side character, but the family was in focus too, to the just as brilliant episodes in seasons five, six, seven and eight, where the inventions became more and more important to the plots, to the awful season nine, where the writers thought it was a good idea to hook Steve up with Laura instead of with Myra. I have to say, that this show jumped the shark because they put Steve with Laura instead of Myra, not because of the inventions or the bafoonery. I can't understand how anyone can prefer watching the pilot or any other pre-Steve season one episode to the episode where Steve and Carl turn into Bruce Lees and defeat that gang. Not to mention that the Winslow family still was in focus, no matter what the Steve-haters say. Even if these were sub-plots to what Steve did with his inventions, almost every episode was about family matters too. If you only want realism, the later seasons might not be the thing for you, but they sure are funny, which I can't say about the pre-Steve episodes in season one.

Okay, "Family Matters" sure did change over the years. But I can't say it was for the worse. It went from the boring meaningless episodes from before Steve was introduced to the more interesting episodes in seasons one, two, three and four, where Steve was a brilliant side character, but the family was in focus too, to the just as brilliant episodes in seasons five, six, seven and eight, where the inventions became more and more important to the plots, to the awful season nine, where the writers thought it was a good idea to hook Steve up with Laura instead of with Myra. I have to say, that this show jumped the shark because they put Steve with Laura instead of Myra, not because of the inventions or the bafoonery. I can't understand how anyone can prefer watching the pilot or any other pre-Steve season one episode to the episode where Steve and Carl turn into Bruce Lees and defeat that gang. Not to mention that the Winslow family still was in focus, no matter what the Steve-haters say. Even if these were sub-plots to what Steve did with his inventions, almost every episode was about family matters too. If you only want realism, the later seasons might not be the thing for you, but they sure are funny, which I can't say about the pre-Steve episodes in season one.

It just wasn't the inventions and bafoonery that made Family Matters jump the shark it was a combination of things. But all of Urkel's antics just got old after awhile and the show lasted too long. I also think that people don't really argue too much that Urkel was funny and contributed greatly to the shows success but you have to admit that they took it all too far. Another problem was that they got rid of too many characters or lessened their screen time: Judy, Rachel, Mother Winslow, even replaced JoMarie Payton as Harriette. Also why did they have to have all of those Urkel based characters? Stefan, Mrytle, Bruce Lee Urkel etc. it was just too much Urkel. Another thing that got so old was they kept using the same plots over and over. Carl gets Harriette upset, and he is in the doghouse and they make up at the end. "I love you Mrs. Winslow, I love you too Mr. Winslow" and the audience goes "awwww". And I definetly agree with you on the big mistake of putting Laura and Urkel together to me they had much better chemistry as friends when they got together it just seemed too forced to me.

Actually, I think Steve's antics were funny just because it was "tradition" for him to do things, that you might think got old, like saying "Did I do that?" after he knew he had done something. Steve was such an excellent character to me, that I think this only added to his charm. About the other characters leaving... Well, the Jody thing ticks me off too, but Telma Hopkins ("Rachel") chose to leave for another show, and Rosetta LeNoire ("Estelle") was old and her health got worse (she has passed away now). So that wasn't only about bad writing, like the Jody thing was. I don't think anybody wanted a new Harriette either, but JoMarie Payton wanted to quit, and that other actress was introduced. About Jaleel White's secondary characters, I don't like Stephan, but I see this character as a good excuse for Jaleel to use his real voice for a change and not strain himself into the geek voice. However, Myrthle was pretty funny, when she chased a very reluctant Eddy, and the Bruce Lee Urkel was even funnier. So basically, I don't see any problem with this. But I'm glad you agree about it being wrong to have Steve with Laura, and that they should have been friends instead.

Well like I said before, he was a mixed blessing. They could have tone down all of the screen time Urkel was getting just a bit. I think FM was at its peak in 2nd and 3rd seasons because he was used with a great balance along with the other characters. Later on the show just turn into a cartoon and it became way too bafoonish to point where it was not funny anymore but too silly and predictable.

I don't think the character ruined the show per se, but making him THE WHOLE SHOW sure did. Why did they even bother to keep the title Family Matters? Most of the family was just pushed aside. I missed Mother Winslow, Rachel, etc. I think there were several characters much more interesting than Urkel.

I've said elsewhere that Urkel is a classic example of a supporting character who should've stayed a supporting character. ABC and Miller/Boyett (also responsible for turning Happy Days into The Fonzie Show) never learned that there CAN be too much of a good thing.

Steve Urkel was the best charater on Family Matters

My dad always called the character "Jerkel". :lol:

But again, this show was NOTHING without Steve. It was a decent family show, but it was also very forgettable. Then came Steve, and everything changed. I wonder if it could stayed on for nine seasons without Steve.

But again, this show was NOTHING without Steve. It was a decent family show, but it was also very forgettable. Then came Steve, and everything changed. I wonder if it could stayed on for nine seasons without Steve.

I am not anti-Urkel, and I agree Urkel made this show memorable, but it got to the point where it was just too much. I really enjoyed the first couple of seasons because they used Urkel with a better balance it still felt like a family show. But around the 6th season they made Jaleel White the whole show having him play Stefan, and all those other characters while the other characters took a back seat, and it started not to feel like a family show anymore. Also I think the problem was that the show lasted too long, the jokes got old it was the same thing year after year it became predictable. It is like having your favorite food every single day after awhile you become tired of it but when you have it in moderation you enjoy it so much more. So I think the main point is is that they should have kept Urkel a side character and used in moderation instead of having the whole show focus on him.

I am not anti-Urkel, and I agree Urkel made this show memorable, but it got to the point where it was just too much. I really enjoyed the first couple of seasons because they used Urkel with a better balance it still felt like a family show. But around the 6th season they made Jaleel White the whole show having him play Stefan, and all those other characters while the other characters took a back seat, and it started not to feel like a family show anymore. Also I think the problem was that the show lasted too long, the jokes got old it was the same thing year after year it became predictable. It is like having your favorite food every single day after awhile you become tired of it but when you have it in moderation you enjoy it so much more. So I think the main point is is that they should have kept Urkel a side character and used in moderation instead of having the whole show focus on him.


:yeahthat:

I am not anti-Urkel, and I agree Urkel made this show memorable, but it got to the point where it was just too much. I really enjoyed the first couple of seasons because they used Urkel with a better balance it still felt like a family show. But around the 6th season they made Jaleel White the whole show having him play Stefan, and all those other characters while the other characters took a back seat, and it started not to feel like a family show anymore. Also I think the problem was that the show lasted too long, the jokes got old it was the same thing year after year it became predictable. It is like having your favorite food every single day after awhile you become tired of it but when you have it in moderation you enjoy it so much more. So I think the main point is is that they should have kept Urkel a side character and used in moderation instead of having the whole show focus on him.
I didn't like Stefan...very boring character but Myrtle I loved. lol

But honestly, Steve was this show's gimmick. What would it have been without him? Nothing, that's what! Not many people would remember Carl, Harriet, Eddy, Laura etc today, if Steve hadn't been brought into the picture. The people in charge understood, that they had struck gold with Steve, while they couldn't have competed with other shows just having a realistic family sitcom about the Winslows. And the family issues were always there, even if they mostly were side-plots to Steve's plots. The show could focus on Steve in the sixth and seventh seasons and still have side-plots about the family like Carl almost throwing Eddy out of the house because he was drunk or Harriet going bananas when she thought Laura had gotten a nose ring.

But honestly, Steve was this show's gimmick. What would it have been without him? Nothing, that's what! Not many people would remember Carl, Harriet, Eddy, Laura etc today, if Steve hadn't been brought into the picture. The people in charge understood, that they had struck gold with Steve, while they couldn't have competed with other shows just having a realistic family sitcom about the Winslows. And the family issues were always there, even if they mostly were side-plots to Steve's plots. The show could focus on Steve in the sixth and seventh seasons and still have side-plots about the family like Carl almost throwing Eddy out of the house because he was drunk or Harriet going bananas when she thought Laura had gotten a nose ring.

I feel like I am talking to a wall-lol. Did I not just say that I agree Urkel made the show memorable. Urkel helped the show alot yes, but like I keep saying they just went overboard with his character. They should have just kept using him as a side character in moderation like they did in the first three seasons even the fourth season was nice. You had a good amount of Urkel in the early seasons and the other characters got a fair amount of attention as well, they used Urkel with a better balance it still had a family "feel" to it because they dealt with more realistic plots, which the later ones did not because the plots were terrible. That episode about Laura getting a nose ring was not a good example, Harriette was only in that one scene and plus it was not a creative storyline at all.

You're not talking to a wall. LOL I just love Steve and I can't see this show surviving another season without him. And why is Laura getting a nose ring such a bad example? It was a plot, that could just as well have been used in earlier seasons. I just took it as an example of a plot with just Winslows and no Steve, and I think it sure works for that.

The fact is the first season without Steve wasn't memorable. The only shows I enjoyed really were the ones Steve guest starred in. I would watch the show during the first season but If I missed an episode I didn't think it was that big a deal. I just thought it was another Cosby clone when it first came on.

You keep saying that the show would not have lasted another season and that without Steve it was not as memorable and I will say it again that I agree Steve made the show memorable adding him was a good move, I am not disputing that at all. My point is for the one hundredth time is the Urkel character was just overused and I think the show itself lasted too long. Maybe had they ended it earlier the decline would not have been as noticeable to me but it last three to four years longer than it should have in my opinion.

The fact is the first season without Steve wasn't memorable. The only shows I enjoyed really were the ones Steve guest starred in. I would watch the show during the first season but If I missed an episode I didn't think it was that big a deal. I just thought it was another Cosby clone when it first came on.
:yeahthat :thanks:

You keep saying that the show would not have lasted another season and that without Steve it was not as memorable and I will say it again that I agree Steve made the show memorable adding him was a good move, I am not disputing that at all. My point is for the one hundredth time is the Urkel character was just overused and I think the show itself lasted too long. Maybe had they ended it earlier the decline would not have been as noticeable to me but it last three to four years longer than it should have in my opinion.
Steve was not overused. He was their gold mine, the only thing special. And having Steve end up with Laura instead of with Myra is the decline of this show, not Steve's inventions and adventures.

:yeahthat :thanks:


Steve was not overused. He was their gold mine, the only thing special. And having Steve end up with Laura instead of with Myra is the decline of this show, not Steve's inventions and adventures.

Wow the only thing special, what a slap in the face to the other actors/characters on this show. I agree Urkel was the most unique and entertaining character but the other characters were valuable as well the writers just did not use some of them the right way. We will just agree to disagree about the inventions and adventures and him being overused because to me and to alot of other fans that was what made Family Matters decline.

But it's true. Before Steve, the show was just a "Cosby" rip-off, as others have put it. It was okay, but nothing special at all. But Steve made the show uniqe and special.

Wow the only thing special, what a slap in the face to the other actors/characters on this show. I agree Urkel was the most unique and entertaining character but the other characters were valuable as well the writers just did not use some of them the right way. We will just agree to disagree about the inventions and adventures and him being overused because to me and to alot of other fans that was what made Family Matters decline.
I never said the other characters weren't important but it was usually in their relationship to Steve. I liked Carl, Harriet, Laura, Eddie, Waldo. Myra ..they were all great characters. The first year though a lot of them were undeveloped. If it had gone the way it was it might have lasted a few seasons but I doubt would have became very popular. I watched it originally because it was part of the TGIF lineup and it came on after Full House and before Perfect Strangers. I considered it the weak link though. All shows decline eventually. The last season was the worst and it was because most of the other characters weren't on a lot and they replaced Harriet with another actress which was stupid. Family Matters probably should have ended after 7 seasons but like other sitcoms sometimes they run to long.

But it's true. Before Steve, the show was just a "Cosby" rip-off, as others have put it. It was okay, but nothing special at all. But Steve made the show uniqe and special.


Yes I agree with you, Steve made the show unique and a standout. I think me and you just disagree about how the later seasons were with the inventions, which is fine we both have differing opinions. You like the later seasons and I don't which is cool, we can just agree to disagree on that point, but again I do agree with you on the point that Urkel made Family Matters a stand out from being a Cosby clone.

I never said the other characters weren't important but it was usually in their relationship to Steve. I liked Carl, Harriet, Laura, Eddie, Waldo. Myra ..they were all great characters. The first year though a lot of them were undeveloped. If it had gone the way it was it might have lasted a few seasons but I doubt would have became very popular. I watched it originally because it was part of the TGIF lineup and it came on after Full House and before Perfect Strangers. I considered it the weak link though. All shows decline eventually. The last season was the worst and it was because most of the other characters weren't on a lot and they replaced Harriet with another actress which was stupid. Family Matters probably should have ended after 7 seasons but like other sitcoms sometimes they run to long.


I agree that without Urkel it may have lasted a few seasons but it would not have been as popular and memorable. Again I am not disputing that Urkel helped the show alot. I just did not like how they did the later seasons thats all, and like you said it ran too long. The first season was slow but alot of other shows have weak first seasons anyway because they are trying to develop the characters and see what works and what doesn't.

I liked Steve on the show. After he makes his appearance the show had a different feel. It did get a bit repetitive with his relatives always showing up. I liked Myrtle in her first appearance, but when she kept showing up every other episode it was beyond old. Then there was the cousin, Old Dirty Gangsta Dog or whatever his name was. I don't even know... I love Steve's inventions, like the one that sent him and Carl back in time, but I didn't like it when they went to the Pirate ship. That was a waste of an episode. I don't think they should've concentrated so much on Steve. I don't like that Laura and Steve got together, because I didn't want this show to be one of those shows, you know, but I also didn't want Steve and Myra to be engaged. I never really liked Myra dating Steve. I mean, her character was funny, but sometimes it was too over the top or whatever.

I like STeve URkel. He's my favorite character in the show. I wouldn't watch it, if he wasn't in it. He's so funny. And Jaleel is soo talented! He knows exactly how to play a nerd.

Oh yeah! Steve is my fave too. But that doesn't excuse what they did to other characters. Not only did they give the Jody character less and less time and lines, and they never gave her an entire plot. But they suddenly just fired the actress Jaimee Foxworth, when she was only thirteen years old, and without any previous notice. And even though JoMarie Payton was the reason why the show was started in the first place, they started treating her like a nobody, so that she left when it was only half a season left of the show, so they suddenly had to replace her and bring in a new Harriet.

Yeah...why did they fire Judy?

Same here. He did NOT ruined it!

I don't think he totally ruined the show. But the character did sort of take away from the producers and writers original intention which was to portray a working class black family in the late 80's and 90's. They wanted the show to be more relating to black families than the Cosby Show was at the time.

Steve made the show, but I think "Stephan" messed it up.

I don't think he totally ruined the show. But the character did sort of take away from the producers and writers original intention which was to portray a working class black family in the late 80's and 90's. They wanted the show to be more relating to black families than the Cosby Show was at the time.
"The Cosby show" was realistic enough. There were many families, even black families, were both parents were successful. But this show was realistic too. Even in the awful last season, they had family-centred sub-plots.

Steve made the show, but I think "Stephan" messed it up.

Yeah. Steve's extreme inventions, including Stefan was too much. The ones in the early seasons was ok.

What would happen if Steve Urkel never joined Family Matters? How many seasons would FM have ran if that happened?

No Steve Urkle was a Blessing to family matters he brought joy to millions of people around the globe in the 90's he was something nobody have ever seen before on tv,Family Matters seemed more like a updated 90's rippoff of Good Times in the first season, the evans and the winslows were a struggling black family in chicago.

No I think he saved the show. I was getting bored with it until he started making those guest appearances during season 1. I do agree that the later seasons became to much of a cartoon especially when he would tranform into Steffan. I never liked that character.
I thought he was really funny at first and then after seeing him every week, I got board.

I think Steve Urkel was a great addition to "Family Matters". For the record, I liked the show in the first season in the episodes before he showed up as well. But Steve definitely helped boost the popularity big time and he is by far one of my favorite characters on the show (and not for his bumbling nerd act either, though that part's funny too. I also applaud his strong, moral and Christian stand. In one episode of the show Steve Urkel goes to church with the Winslows and tells the congregation that he asked The Lord Jesus into his heart. That is awesome to see a show actually portray a character becoming a Christian and do it without derision or stereotyping, as so often seems to come when any kind of faith belief systems, particularly Christianity, is portrayed on a show.)
Steve Urkel was one of the most virtuous characters on the show and I really love his great example of love and caring. This is not to say that he didn't have faults too. And the other characters all have good points too- and the Winslows did a great job of learning to love their neighbor as themselves. :) :cool:

No I think he saved the show. I was getting bored with it until he started making those guest appearances during season 1. I do agree that the later seasons became to much of a cartoon especially when he would tranform into Steffan. I never liked that character.

If it weren't for the Urkel character, then Family Matters would've pretty much been a more blue color variant of The Cosby Show, w/ the prototypical sappy moral moments/predictable humor that one would expect from a Miller-Boyett show. The problem is that Urkel worked best as a quirky side character (a la Kramer on Seinfeld) and not the de facto main character/main focus. Otherwise, his socially awkward "super nerd" gimmick would've worn out extremely easily. My point is that Steve Urkel when you got right down to it, was a very one-dimensional or one-note character.

I dont think he ruined it but as the show went on it literally became the Steve Urkel show. Samething happened when Richie left Happy Days and Fonzie took over. I mean there great in the beginning but I think after a while you get sick of them.

I mean Urkel's antics were funny at first but how many times can he dress the way he did and act the way he did before it becomes annoying?

Before Urkel, the show was a middle class suburban carbon copy of The Cosby Show and Urkel made it more fun but then the overexposure of Urkel from cereal to dolls made it unbearable that by it's last seasons it was tiresome and Jaleel White was transitioning from skinny teen to adulthood.

Again with all these negative opinions on Steve. :(

By the way, Mets82, can you explain to me how you can be annoyed by how a person is dressed?

What I loved about Steve was that he always knew what the right thing to do was and he did it. :) :) :)

God bless you always!!! :) :) :)

Holly

No Urkel didn't ruin the show....When Judy and Aunt Laura left, and Urkel started having alter egos, then they changed up Harriett and added 3J, the ship took a 90 degree slope downward....

Surely you mean Aunt Rachel? :lol:

But yeah, there were some changes over the years.

Again with all these negative opinions on Steve. :(

By the way, Mets82, can you explain to me how you can be annoyed by how a person is dressed?


I dont why I didnt see this until now. Here's the thing. Urkel, not Stefan, never got out of wearing the suspenders and the high pants. Eventually, I would think you'd have to evolve.


2900 posts!! WOOHOO!!

Family Matters wouldn't have been the same without Urkel.

I dont why I didnt see this until now. Here's the thing. Urkel, not Stefan, never got out of wearing the suspenders and the high pants. Eventually, I would think you'd have to evolve.
Steve did change his style in the last season, and I hate it. If it had been a gradual change over the years, it would have been fine. But it just came out of nowhere as an attempt to please Laura, despite the fact that he already had a girlfriend, and it was a big jump the shark moment to me.

Family Matters wouldn't have been the same without Urkel.
Of course not. :)

What killed Family Matters was Urkel overkill, not Urkel himself. The problem was that Steve changed very little over the years to make him a more well-rounded character that by the end he got stale.

Then there was that awful final season missing about every character that helped make the show fun to watch and focusing on a severely out of character Steve and his out of nowhere relationship with Laura. Really, I think the show would have been better off canceled with the end of season 8.

Bingo!!

All of a sudden Steve and Laura were in a relationship?? How did that happen? They spent the previous 7 years with Steve and Laura being friends and then all of a sudden they're in a relationship.

Indeed, you don't even want to get me started on how wrong Steve's relationship with Laura was. And no matter how much they tried to turn Myra into this crazy monster, I never lost my sympathy for her. The rest of the last season is good enough though, with Eddy joining the police academy and Carl and Harriette adopting 3J. The OGD Urkel episode was a pleasant surprise, and I don't even mind the new Harriette as much as many other people do.

Yes he totally ruined it for me. A little Urkel goes a long way. Once they made the show all about Steve Urkel I was done with it. It was sickening. I just couldn't stand him.

Ed.

Yes he saved the show from T.V death BUT once the Urkel Mania took over the writers let that go to their heads thinking that Americans will watch ANYTHING involving Urkel which turned a normal middle class family from Chicago to time travel machines, shrinking humans, clones, and going to Paris on some crazy ass device. That is what ruined the show, it turned into a total joke. No wonder JoMarie Peyton Noble left the show. I agree with you to a point! I don't believe he saved the show by himself, because it taken more than one person to make the show. In fact the show "Urkel & Laura non-date, if he was 16 years old he would be sitting in jail, because harassment Laura among other behaviors, he force himself on the "Winslows and most of the time he cause everything to go hay-wire, Urkel pretty much made them apologize for his bad behaviors. On season 3, where he broke/mash Carl sail-boat & Carl said "I hate that kid & I wish he move away" which Carl, didn't mean it, but he was upset at the time :( Heck Urkel, had did so many things to the family, not to mention, he disrespected the teachers by their first name :( Urkel, felt like his money, smile & jokes would get him out of everything!! But I understand his behaviors came from his parents-dysfunctional family, I can't imagine not being loved along with his father trying to push back into his mother womb-Season 3, and never taking him any where, leaving him at home when they go out of town SAD SAD SAD, Last Urkel sexual harassed the cheerlead-Cassy lou by kissing her without her permission :mad: goodness..let's not forget he climb through Laura window at night :mad: Yes I agree with you I came from a Middle-Class Family, we didn't do the things Urkel did on the show..the writers, portray us in a negative way, along with breaking many laws! NO HE DIDN'T SAVED THE SHOW HE HELPED THE SHOW ALONG WITH THE OTHERS

Btw, welcome Empress!!:wave: Just look at the DVD covers. Uriel is front and center. It's not the Urkel show. It's called Family Matters.

Mets82 :wave: Good morning, I see what you mean "Urkel front & center" :mad: So unfair to the rest of the cast! Yes, I understand that one cast member may bring something new to the table, which is okay, but Family Matters is a show not a One Man Stand Up Comedy :mad: Have a wonderful day ;)

This is an interesting thread and I'm sorry I missed it until now. I NEVER like it when one character completely takes over a show, and that, sadly happened with Urkel. Yes, he was entertaining but theother characters weren't chopped liver either. Each member of the Winslow family was interesting in their own right, and I really liked Waldo too. For me it was TOO MUCH Urkel and the convoluted story plots turned a nice charming show into a freak presentation.

Yes, if a particular character is interesting, give them a little more time, but not 80% of a show. What might have been better, IMO, was to do an Urkel spin off.

Of course these are just my personal preferences, and I see the other side too; I just don't agree with it.

I agree!

I agree with you to a point! I don't believe he saved the show by himself, because it taken more than one person to make the show. In fact the show "Urkel & Laura non-date, if he was 16 years old he would be sitting in jail, because harassment Laura among other behaviors, he force himself on the "Winslows and most of the time he cause everything to go hay-wire, Urkel pretty much made them apologize for his bad behaviors. On season 3, where he broke/mash Carl sail-boat & Carl said "I hate that kid & I wish he move away" which Carl, didn't mean it, but he was upset at the time :( Heck Urkel, had did so many things to the family, not to mention, he disrespected the teachers by their first name :( Urkel, felt like his money, smile & jokes would get him out of everything!! But I understand his behaviors came from his parents-dysfunctional family, I can't imagine not being loved along with his father trying to push back into his mother womb-Season 3, and never taking him any where, leaving him at home when they go out of town SAD SAD SAD, Last Urkel sexual harassed the cheerlead-Cassy lou by kissing her without her permission :mad: goodness..let's not forget he climb through Laura window at night :mad: Yes I agree with you I came from a Middle-Class Family, we didn't do the things Urkel did on the show..the writers, portray us in a negative way, along with breaking many laws! NO HE DIDN'T SAVED THE SHOW HE HELPED THE SHOW ALONG WITH THE OTHERS
Well, there is no way that I can agree with your negative opinion of Steve. And there is nothing weird about him calling his teachers by their first names to me, as it had become the normal thing to do here in Sweden. But I guess that things are different in the US, so there will be a values dissonance between us on that issue. But you can at least understand why Steve would be dysfunctional, and that is a good start.

I see what you mean "Urkel front & center" :mad: So unfair to the rest of the cast! Yes, I understand that one cast member may bring something new to the table, which is okay, but Family Matters is a show not a One Man Stand Up Comedy :mad:
You have to take that up with whoever designed those covers. But I guess that putting the break-out star in front makes sense to the people, who wish to sell these DVDs.

I think Steve Urkel's character made the show more kid friendly, broadening its audience by including them. The show was great on its own, but Urkel's character opened the door to merchandise (like the Steve Urkel doll, the Family Matters View Master reels, etc.) Also, the character became so popular that he would even cross over into other venues like when he made an appearance on Full House. But apart from all of that, I think that Steve Urek was to Family Matters what J.J. was to Good Times. He was the young, more "wild" element that added a form of excitement to the show that it wouldn't have had without him.

He ruined it for me. I find him to be one of the most unfunny obnoxious characters in TV history.

Urkel was the best.

I don't want to read every post in this thread but I'll just state my feelings even if I'm just echoing what others have said.

The show was kind of bland before Urkel showed up. I do believe he saved the show. However, they went overboard with all the Urkel-Mania. Instead of having him be the Winslow's wacky neighbor, he took on the focus of the show, like how Fonzie took over Happy Days almost two decades earlier. It didn't help that the family fell apart, too, with Judy vanishing, Aunt Rachel and Estelle moving out and finally a lack of Richie in the final season (which wasn't a big deal but he was still a member of the family that was gone). And that fake Harriet in the last eleven or so episodes was so bizarre! You don't replace HARRIET!!!

I don't want to read every post in this thread but I'll just state my feelings even if I'm just echoing what others have said.

The show was kind of bland before Urkel showed up. I do believe he saved the show. However, they went overboard with all the Urkel-Mania. Instead of having him be the Winslow's wacky neighbor, he took on the focus of the show, like how Fonzie took over Happy Days almost two decades earlier. It didn't help that the family fell apart, too, with Judy vanishing, Aunt Rachel and Estelle moving out and finally a lack of Richie in the final season (which wasn't a big deal but he was still a member of the family that was gone). And that fake Harriet in the last eleven or so episodes was so bizarre! You don't replace HARRIET!!!
That sums up my feelings 100%, especially about Harriet. They shouldn't have replaced her. If Jo Marie wanted to leave that was fine... They should've just had her character away at a convention or something.

It didn't help that the family fell apart, too, with Judy vanishing, Aunt Rachel and Estelle moving out and finally a lack of Richie in the final season (which wasn't a big deal but he was still a member of the family that was gone). And that fake Harriet in the last eleven or so episodes was so bizarre! You don't replace HARRIET!!!
Well, I think I can only agree with you about Judy. But as for Rachel and Estelle, the actresses had made a decision about leaving the show for different reasons. And we can pretend that Richie was with Rachel (his mother), wherever she happened to be at that point.

That sums up my feelings 100%, especially about Harriet. They shouldn't have replaced her. If Jo Marie wanted to leave that was fine... They should've just had her character away at a convention or something.
Yeah, we can tell in retrospect that replacing Harriet didn't work with many people.

I agree about the similarity between Fonzie and Urkel.

Without Steve, you'd have no Family Matters

Without Steve, you'd have no Family Matters

Without Steve, you'd have no Family Matters
Agree. It wouldn't have been the same.

He ruined it for me. I find him to be one of the most unfunny obnoxious characters in TV history.

Family Matters probably would not have existed without Urkel

Well, of course it would have existed. There were twelve episodes made before Steve was introduced, after all. We have no idea though how long the show would have survived without him. It might very well have only become a one-season wonder, that most people wouldn't remember today.

Generally though, the first five seasons are pretty funny (albeit cheesy, corny and melodramatic at points) with a likable enough cast. Once they drop the opening credits, it starts to become more focused on Urkel's wacky inventions.

What killed Family Matters was Urkel overkill, not Urkel himself. The problem was that Steve changed very little over the years to make him a more well-rounded character that by the end he got stale.

Then there was that awful final season missing about every character that helped make the show fun to watch and focusing on a severely out of character Steve and his out of nowhere relationship with Laura. Really, I think the show would have been better off canceled with the end of season 8.

Urkel was fine as a quirky side character, but he was too cartoonish or broad to work (before his whole "gimmick" gets stale and unless you actually developed him as time went on) as the main focal point of a show.

Yes, Urkel ruined Family Matters. By about Season Four it was clear that the Winslow Family didn't matter.

Urkel was fine as a quirky side character, but he was too cartoonish or broad to work (before his whole "gimmick" gets stale and unless you actually developed him as time went on) as the main focal point of a show.
Like I've said so many times before, I'm totally fine with Steve's character and how he didn't change much (until we reached the last season, that is). But I have a problem with that he could never stop drooling over the snooty Laura, even by the time when he had dated Myra for years.

Yes, Urkel ruined Family Matters. By about Season Four it was clear that the Winslow Family didn't matter.
That's a common misconception, but it's not fair. Most of the episodes would have two plots going on: one that would be about Steve, and one that would be about other characters. And that is true even in the last season, as far as I can remember.

That's a common misconception, but it's not fair. Most of the episodes would have two plots going on: one that would be about Steve, and one that would be about other characters. And that is true even in the last season, as far as I can remember.

Oh, it's fair, and it's not a misconception. MentalFloss states, "It began as a family show about Chicago cop Carl Winslow and his family, but fairly quickly morphed into “The Steve Urkel Show.” (http://mentalfloss.com/article/59435/23-fun-facts-about-family-matters)

When core family members are written off a show because they need more time to develop eight different Urkel characters, the Urkel craze had clearly gone too far. The show was no longer really even about the Winslow family. It was about Urkel, or Urkel's girlfriend, or Urkel's clone, or Urkel's wacky relatives, or Urkel's adventures in space. MentalFloss states, "the producers decided to cram as much Urkel into any given episode as was humanly possible."

Entertainment Weekly's recent snub (http://www.ebony.com/entertainment-culture/jaimee-foxworth-family-matters#axzz4wzMxzSSx) of Jaimee Foxworth caused Ebony Magazine to mention the fact that other actors were getting "less and less screen time" due to the overexposure of Urkel. MentalFloss states that caused tension on the set of Family Matters.

In Mitchell Shapiro's and Tom Jicha's book, they state that the show morphed into The Steve Urkel Show, and that the Winslows simply became "accessories". They state that Jo Marie Payton left the show due to her diminished role. Jo Marie herself disputes that, but she says the show jumped the shark (https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/family-matters-jo-marie-payton-16891/) and started running out of ideas around season six. The show had devolved into a vehicle for Jaleel White.

Salon states it outright: "In “Family Matters,” the only one who mattered was Steve Urkel (https://www.salon.com/2014/10/09/key_and_peele_lampoon_the_urkel_mania_of_family_matters_in_hilarious_new_sketch/)," they write.

Key and Peele hilariously lampooned (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Zdp1RfoyI) the bizarre situation of a show called "Family Matters" where the family didn't matter. (Language warning).

Again, that is people's opinions and not facts. But what is a fact is that Jaleel White always shared the show with other actors. It is true that he was the unexpected break-out star. But there was still room to evolve plenty of characters like Waldo, Maxine, Lt Murtaugh and Myra (who indeed was mainly Steve's girlfriend, but there was still a lot of depth to her character) and 3J. And it was not his fault that poor Jaimee Foxworth was fired, nor was it his fault that Rosetta LeNoire had to cut down on her working hours for health reasons.

^^^ Amen to this. At the end of the day, the final word rested with whoever was in charge of the show's direction. Blame them, not Jaleel.

God bless you and him always!!!

Holly

Like I've said so many times before, I'm totally fine with Steve's character and how he didn't change much (until we reached the last season, that is). But I have a problem with that he could never stop drooling over the snooty Laura, even by the time when he had dated Myra for years.


That's a common misconception, but it's not fair. Most of the episodes would have two plots going on: one that would be about Steve, and one that would be about other characters. And that is true even in the last season, as far as I can remember.

I think that I said elsewhere before that Family Matters is one of those shows that I often watched growing up, but when watching it with adult eyes/a modern perspective, it's hard not to think that it has aged really terribly. Steve's obsession with Laura even back then, bordered more on the creepy (https://www.thethings.com/15-things-choose-ignore-classic-tgif-sitcoms/) and stalker-ish side.

^^^ I don't think that his obsession was creepy. If anything, he loved her and he showed his love for her in so many ways. When Steve approached Ted and said "Laura wants to go with you and all that I care about is her happiness.", that pretty much sealed the deal in my opinion. I love to watch Laura and Steve dance at the end of that episode. He most definitely did not see it coming, Laura saying, "This dance is for the one guy who has always treated me like a queen: Steve Urkel."

God bless you always!!!

Holly

P.S. Actually, his feelings were shown even earlier in the show. He approached Ted in a season four episode. In a season two episode he approaches the school bully named Willy Fuffner and said, "Not only have you insulted me, but you have sullied the reputation on my lady love!" And then he slapped Willy right in his face.

Steve Urkel became my favorite character and is what made me interested to watch the show. He did not ruin the show, in my opinion, but the focus on him that grew through the years and his inventions certainly did.

The Winslows was a very likable family and the characters were easy to follow and care about. I think the show definitely got better after Steve Urkel was introduced, but shouldn't have become the main focus. He was great as the annoying neighbor, and could easily have maintained his popularity by being the side character who appears in every episode.

Steve's inventions is what ruined it for me the most. It started early, with the Urkel robot and that jetpack he made to pass a class in school, but it was quite OK and not too much (except that the robot got a mind of his own...)

In season 5, it got too much though, when he makes this potion to become Stefan. Like some previous posts here have said: The addition of Urkel characters was terrible, and Stefan was no exception. It was now that it was confirmed that this wasn't a show about an ordinary family in Chicago anymore, it was a sci-fi show and definitely no longer Harriet's show.

Steve then created the transformation chamber which can turn anyone in to anybody they liked, if done correctly. Carl tried out this machine once and turned into an "Urkel" himself.

Later Steve successfully clones himself, so now he can miraculously make his clone to Stefan so that he can become his own person.

Ïn season 6, Urkel and the Winslows teleports themselves to Disney World! Because, of course, Steve buildt a teleportation machine that can take them wherever they want.

The original world of Family Matters was supposed to be like the way we know it - It was supposed to be the real world. Transformations and teleportation devices are not humanly possible, and this show was not relatable any longer. It remains a favorite and has some terrific episodes inbetween inventions even in later seasons, but it went too far.

^^^ Paris is where the family was transported to. They flew to Disney World in an earlier season. Also that jet pack was created to beat another guy who wanted Laura, not to pass a class.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

P.S. Don't forget about the machine that allowed Steve to have the ability to read other people's minds in the final season although I believe that the real purpose of that machine was to help you remember things better. I believe the final season is also when Steve created the wrist watch looking time machine gadget. He was able to take Carl back to when the Winslow house was first bought.

^^^ Paris is where the family was transported to. They flew to Disney World in an earlier season. Also that jet pack was created to beat another guy who wanted Laura, not to pass a class.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

P.S. Don't forget about the machine that allowed Steve to have the ability to read other people's minds in the final season although I believe that the real purpose of that machine was to help you remember things better. I believe the final season is also when Steve created the wrist watch looking time machine gadget. He was able to take Carl back to when the Winslow house was first bought.

Yes, they were transported to Paris, I haf the two locations mixed up. Thank you!

There was just too much going on. I remember when he was able to read minds - good episode, but still off limits.

His inventions could have been used in episodes where a character is dreaming or something. Sitcoms has a lot of that.

Steve Urkel became my favorite character and is what made me interested to watch the show. He did not ruin the show, in my opinion, but the focus on him that grew through the years and his inventions certainly did.

The Winslows was a very likable family and the characters were easy to follow and care about. I think the show definitely got better after Steve Urkel was introduced, but shouldn't have become the main focus. He was great as the annoying neighbor, and could easily have maintained his popularity by being the side character who appears in every episode.

Steve's inventions is what ruined it for me the most. It started early, with the Urkel robot and that jetpack he made to pass a class in school, but it was quite OK and not too much (except that the robot got a mind of his own...)

In season 5, it got too much though, when he makes this potion to become Stefan. Like some previous posts here have said: The addition of Urkel characters was terrible, and Stefan was no exception. It was now that it was confirmed that this wasn't a show about an ordinary family in Chicago anymore, it was a sci-fi show and definitely no longer Harriet's show.

Steve then created the transformation chamber which can turn anyone in to anybody they liked, if done correctly. Carl tried out this machine once and turned into an "Urkel" himself.

Later Steve successfully clones himself, so now he can miraculously make his clone to Stefan so that he can become his own person.

Ïn season 6, Urkel and the Winslows teleports themselves to Disney World! Because, of course, Steve buildt a teleportation machine that can take them wherever they want.

The original world of Family Matters was supposed to be like the way we know it - It was supposed to be the real world. Transformations and teleportation devices are not humanly possible, and this show was not relatable any longer. It remains a favorite and has some terrific episodes inbetween inventions even in later seasons, but it went too far.
It seems like the inventions became a deal-breaker to many viewers. I don't really mind them though, because of three reasons.

1: All of this was a gradual process, like you explained yourself. They started out with a few minor semi-realistic inventions, like a robot and the jet-pack. And it made sense to continue from there, with a few more outlandish inventions.
2: Steve is one of my favorite characters on the show, so I don't mind when the focus is on him.
3: Many of these "sci fi" episodes managed to be funny to me, even if they of course weren't terribly realistic. But often, there would be another more realistic plotline going on in the same episode anyway.

It seems like the inventions became a deal-breaker to many viewers. I don't really mind them though, because of three reasons.

1: All of this was a gradual process, like you explained yourself. They started out with a few minor semi-realistic inventions, like a robot and the jet-pack. And it made sense to continue from there, with a few more outlandish inventions.
2: Steve is one of my favorite characters on the show, so I don't mind when the focus is on him.
3: Many of these "sci fi" episodes managed to be funny to me, even if they of course weren't terribly realistic. But often, there would be another more realistic plotline going on in the same episode anyway.

I agree with some of that. Steve remains my favorite on the show and I enjoy episode that are about him and what he goes through. I still enjoy the episodes and plots where he uses his inventions, but I still think they went a little too far with it.

Yes, he did develop his inventions gradually, which is way better than to start with those incredible machines in later seasons. I think it could have toned down after his transformation chamber though. That was advanced enough.

Steve Urkel himself didn't ruin the show. His overexposure did. They could have just changed the name of the show to Urkel Matters later on, because it was clear he became the main star, and wasn't part of the Winslow family.

Urkel's increased focus was the main reason characters like Judy and Rachel were written out. By the end, the only original characters left were Carl, Laura and Eddie. Harriette doesn't count. I like to think of the new Harriette as Carl being divorced from the old one, and marrying another woman also named Harriette.

Steve Urkel himself didn't ruin the show. His overexposure did. They could have just changed the name of the show to Urkel Matters later on, because it was clear he became the main star, and wasn't part of the Winslow family.

Urkel's increased focus was the main reason characters like Judy and Rachel were written out. By the end, the only original characters left were Carl, Laura and Eddie. Harriette doesn't count. I like to think of the new Harriette as Carl being divorced from the old one, and marrying another woman also named Harriette.

Yeah, that's how I saw it too. Although I love Urkel, the overerxposure was too much. It wasn't good at all to replace Harriette.

Steve Urkel himself didn't ruin the show. His overexposure did. They could have just changed the name of the show to Urkel Matters later on, because it was clear he became the main star, and wasn't part of the Winslow family.

Urkel's increased focus was the main reason characters like Judy and Rachel were written out. By the end, the only original characters left were Carl, Laura and Eddie.

Yes. "Urkel Matters" would have been a much more appropriate title.


Harriette doesn't count. I like to think of the new Harriette as Carl being divorced from the old one, and marrying another woman also named Harriette.

I had given up on the show before Harriette was even replaced by Pod Person Harriette.

Yeah, that's how I saw it too. Although I love Urkel, the overerxposure was too much. It wasn't good at all to replace Harriette.

To be honest, I think they could have done a few episodes with Urkel entirely absent. He appeared in every single episode after his introduction. But then again, maybe that would cause the ratings to suffer too?

To be honest, I think they could have done a few episodes with Urkel entirely absent. He appeared in every single episode after his introduction. But then again, maybe that would cause the ratings to suffer too?

The ratings might have gotten lower if Steve had been absent in some episodes. However, I don't think the views and ratings would be affected if they had skipped all the additional Urkel characters. It would have been just fine without them.

To be honest, I think they could have done a few episodes with Urkel entirely absent. He appeared in every single episode after his introduction. But then again, maybe that would cause the ratings to suffer too?
That was never going to happen. Steve was, whether you like it not, the star of the show, and there was no way, that they would make even one episode without him.

Okay, I've started compiling a list of episodes where Steve isn't the main focus.

I'll just skip Season 1, because the only episodes in that season where he's the main focus are "The Big Fix" and "In a Jam". So let's start with Season 2:

Episode 4: Flashpants - This is a Carl and Harriette episode.

Episode 5: The Crash Course - This one goes to Eddie and Carl, even though Steve plays a notable role in it too.

Episode 9: Dedicated to the One I Love - Another Carl and Harriette episode.

Episode 14: Ice Station Winslow - Another Eddie and Carl episode. Steve is there with them too, but he just tags along.

Episode 15: Son - Carl and Eddie yet again.

Episode 16: Do the Right Thing - This one belongs to Carl.

Episode 19: Busted - Carl and Eddie. Although, Steve plays a notable part too.

Episode 22: Finding the Words - This one is about Carl, Harriette and Rachel.

Episode 25: I Should Have Done Something - Carl yet again.

These are the results after I skimmed through Season 2 again. Some of these are open to debate, but counting those above, that's 9 out of 25 episodes in Season 2 where Steve isn't the main focus (or one of the main focuses). Carl and Eddie had quite a few episodes together, as you can see. There's some Laura episodes in there too, but they are also Steve episodes. I'll do the other seasons soon.

Steve Urkel himself didn't ruin the show. His overexposure did. They could have just changed the name of the show to Urkel Matters later on, because it was clear he became the main star, and wasn't part of the Winslow family.

Urkel's increased focus was the main reason characters like Judy and Rachel were written out. By the end, the only original characters left were Carl, Laura and Eddie. Harriette doesn't count. I like to think of the new Harriette as Carl being divorced from the old one, and marrying another woman also named Harriette.

https://screenrant.com/tv-shows-series-changed-partway-through/9/?utm_source=quora&utm_medium=referral

Family Matters was just your average, everyday sitcom for a few episodes. The Winslow family would go through struggles every week, but come together again by the end of the episode to enter the next one with a fresh start.

Then, something peculiar happened. The Winslow's nerdy neighbor Urkel started visiting. Then Urkel kept coming back. By the second season, Urkel's popularity was so huge that he was upgraded to a full-time cast member. Eventually, Steve Urkel became the main character of the series despite the show ostensibly being about the Winslow family. The plotlines about a down-to-earth family started getting substituted with stories about cloning machines and "cool juice," and in the end, people associate Family Matters with one stand-out character, Steve Urkel, and little else.

^^^ I don't think that his obsession was creepy. If anything, he loved her and he showed his love for her in so many ways. When Steve approached Ted and said "Laura wants to go with you and all that I care about is her happiness.", that pretty much sealed the deal in my opinion. I love to watch Laura and Steve dance at the end of that episode. He most definitely did not see it coming, Laura saying, "This dance is for the one guy who has always treated me like a queen: Steve Urkel."

God bless you always!!!

Holly

P.S. Actually, his feelings were shown even earlier in the show. He approached Ted in a season four episode. In a season two episode he approaches the school bully named Willy Fuffner and said, "Not only have you insulted me, but you have sullied the reputation on my lady love!" And then he slapped Willy right in his face.

I'm assuming that Urkel’s stalking was played for laughs impart because he was depicted as being no physical threat to his victim. The problem is he was also depicted as a genius who, at one point, was using a motion detector to track his victim’s entire family, going so far as to chart how often her parents had sex. This too was played for laughs.

Miller-Boyett Productions tried to tried to recreate that humor on Step by Step with a cousin having an equally persistent and unrequited obsession with one of the daughters on the show. That subplot didn’t last long because the actor was a good foot taller than the woman he was stalking. The disturbed and threatening nature of the harassment became very uncomfortable very fast.

Miller-Boyett Productions tried to tried to recreate that humor on Step by Step with a cousin having an equally persistent and unrequited obsession with one of the daughters on the show. That subplot didn’t last long because the actor was a good foot taller than the woman he was stalking. The disturbed and threatening nature of the harassment became very uncomfortable very fast.[/QUOTE]

What daughter was that? Which episode?offtopic:
I know I am off topic. Anyway, Urkel was great.
He did not ruin the show. He added to it.Stefan was silly.
That was silly having Urkel chance into another person.

Yeah if Urkel never appeared this show would have probably only lasted two or three seasons and would likely have been all but forgotten by now. Urkel is the reason we have people making YouTube videos about trying to find the house in the series.

I agree that things went too far but at the same time I understand why they went that direction. None of the other characters really had much of a hook. They really weren't that funny on their own. The show needed Urkel in order to make the laughs work so in that regard I can understand why they turned it into the Urkel show.

As far as Steve and Laura getting together I can't help but wonder if that was put into the show because Myra's screen time had to start being decreased because that was when Michelle Thomas was becoming I'll. If Michelle hadn't started having health issues I wonder it Steve and Myra would have ended the series together?

Yes, Urkel ruined Family Matters. By about Season Four it was clear that the Winslow Family didn't matter.

It's pretty safe to say that towards the end (after switching networks for its final season) the series was simply a setup for the actors to feed Jaleel White’s Urkel character funny lines.

What daughter was that? Which episode?
On "Step by Step", Cody started out with having a crush om his step-cousin Dana.

I know I am off topic. Anyway, Urkel was great.
He did not ruin the show. He added to it.
Yep. :cool:

Stefan was silly.
That was silly having Urkel chance into another person.
Not that I liked Stephan either, but he was an opportunity for Jaleel White to get some rest from the strain of being Steve Urkel.

It's pretty save to say that towards the end (after switching networks for its final season) the series was simply a setup for the actors to feed Jaleel White’s Urkel character funny lines.
Actually, that is not true. Even in the last season, there would be two storylines in most episodes: One with Jaleel White and one without him.

It's pretty save to say that towards the end (after switching networks for its final season) the series was simply a setup for the actors to feed Jaleel White’s Urkel character funny lines.

Absolutely. But the producers had forgotten the show was called Family Matters, and most of the audience had tuned out by then. By the seventh season, the show had dropped out of the top 40; the following year, it had dropped to #50. The final season, the show wasn't even in the top 100. They had wrecked the show, and everyone knew it.

Absolutely. But the producers had forgotten the show was called Family Matters, and most of the audience had tuned out by then. By the seventh season, the show had dropped out of the top 40; the following year, it had dropped to #50. The final season, the show wasn't even in the top 100. They had wrecked the show, and everyone knew it.
And I can see that you still haven't read my last post in this thread, where I actually explained that the family still was around and did matter through the otherwise awful last season. :rolleyes:

Here's an interesting piece of information:

Jo Marie Payton, who played Harriette Winslow, admitted that she felt the Urkel character had hogged much of the show's attention and disrupted the close family relationship she had formed with the rest of the cast. She experienced increasing burnout over the course of the show and felt that the overbearing focus on Urkel had made the show jump the shark; she very nearly quit when the show moved to CBS but agreed to stay for the first several episodes while a new actress, Judyann Elder, was cast as Harriet. White is one of the few living members of the cast with whom Payton no longer speaks regularly. She nevertheless speaks well of her experiences and appreciates the effect that the Urkel had on the show's popularity and thus the residuals everyone receives from the show.

Here's an interesting piece of information:

Jo Marie Payton, who played Harriette Winslow, admitted that she felt the Urkel character had hogged much of the show's attention and disrupted the close family relationship she had formed with the rest of the cast. She experienced increasing burnout over the course of the show and felt that the overbearing focus on Urkel had made the show jump the shark; she very nearly quit when the show moved to CBS but agreed to stay for the first several episodes while a new actress, Judyann Elder, was cast as Harriet. White is one of the few living members of the cast with whom Payton no longer speaks regularly. She nevertheless speaks well of her experiences and appreciates the effect that the Urkel had on the show's popularity and thus the residuals everyone receives from the show.

Thanks, MA. I like how Jo Marie softens her blows while she confirms that Urkel caused the show to Jump the Shark. She's such a classy lady. The wiki article links to this interview (https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/family-matters-jo-marie-payton-16891/) as a source.


Well, you know, I think it probably was because the show was kind of running out of air, what they call “jumping the shark,” you know what I mean?

I know that prior to that, a year prior to that, I didn’t want to do it anymore. I had been offered an opportunity to do the Mahalia Jackson story and I wanted to do something else.

[…] Jaleel came in and it was fun to have him there and all, but of course it did the same thing Happy Days did [with the Fonz character]. You know what I tell people? He “jumped” out of Family Matters, but I “jumped” out of Perfect Strangers, you know? It was just a different kind of “jump.”

Thanks, MA. I like how Jo Marie softens her blows while she confirms that Urkel caused the show to Jump the Shark. She's such a classy lady. The wiki article links to this interview (https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/family-matters-jo-marie-payton-16891/) as a source.

You're welcome RetroGuy2000.

He needed his own spinoff! Urkel was overshadowing everyone else.

Steve Urkel himself didn't ruin the show. His overexposure did. They could have just changed the name of the show to Urkel Matters later on, because it was clear he became the main star, and wasn't part of the Winslow family.

Urkel's increased focus was the main reason characters like Judy and Rachel were written out. By the end, the only original characters left were Carl, Laura and Eddie. Harriette doesn't count. I like to think of the new Harriette as Carl being divorced from the old one, and marrying another woman also named Harriette.

Urkel was one of those characters that you'll from time to time see on sitcoms, where there's this weird, quirky, obnoxious kid who for whatever the reasons, always hangs around the house and is somehow "near and dear" to the family. Miller-Boyett Productions also did this with Kimmie Gibbler on Full House, except that Kimmie didn't exactly overtake that show like Urkel did with Full House. Skippy on Family Ties kind of served as a precursor to Steve Urkel (but again, he didn't really threaten to overtake the like say Mallory's Fonzie/Sylvester Stallone wannabe boyfriend Nick).

Thanks, MA. I like how Jo Marie softens her blows while she confirms that Urkel caused the show to Jump the Shark. She's such a classy lady. The wiki article links to this interview (https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/family-matters-jo-marie-payton-16891/) as a source.

This is a great article. Thanks for posting it. I get where she’s coming from too; I think many actors don’t want to do one thing endlessly. She states her feelings with candor and class.

I'd say Judy disappearing was just the beginning of jumping the shark but it was the moment that upset me most

I'd say Judy disappearing was just the beginning of jumping the shark but it was the moment that upset me most
That's a weird thing to say though, because Judy was totally unimportant to the show before she was finally removed from it entirely.

meeither heisthe reson whythe show got Better

That's a weird thing to say though, because Judy was totally unimportant to the show before she was finally removed from it entirely.

It just ruins the show for me

Family Matters like Good Times from a decade or so prior, was one of those shows started out with the best of intentions but got caught up in the breakout popularity of the one character (Urkel/J.J.) that some people deep down inside didn't want to be showcased. The crazy thing is that even though Urkel like J.J. also came across as buffonish and obnoxious, Urkel was none the less, smart and into science and math.

It just ruins the show for me
But why? Even if you feel that they treated Jaimee Foxworth badly, there was nothing interesting about her character.

But why? Even if you feel that they treated Jaimee Foxworth badly, there was nothing interesting about her character.

I liked her character, she gave great one liners and was adorable. Its just too sad to see them ignoring her existence.

Like Lorimar, I liked Judy: she had some funny one-liners and she was so cute. Urkel ruined the show.

Like Lorimar, I liked Judy: she had some funny one-liners and she was so cute. Urkel ruined the show.

I wouldnt say he ruined it, just that his char took too much screentime after a while leaving little for certain members of the family.

(LANGUAGE WARNING)

4-rs8vPEuak

Steve Urkel is a character you either love or hate... and I was firmly in the middle somewhere.
Urkel revitalized Family Matters but it became a show centered around him.
I personally preferred the show when it was about Carl and Harriette with Steve somewhere in the background or in a supporting role.
Earlier Family Matters is often forgotten in the larger spectrum of the show.
The more zany and outlandish parts of the show are what's remembered.
Urkel's shrink ray, the transformation machine, the ventriloquist dummy.

I wouldnt say he ruined it, just that his char took too much screentime after a while leaving little for certain members of the family.
Are you thinking about Judy? Because I repeat that her disappearance has nothing to do with Steve and his popularity.

(LANGUAGE WARNING)

4-rs8vPEuak
For being a person who claims to be in the middle, he does a lot of complaining.

Maybe there's a reason why people remember the zany parts the best?
If it had only been a run-of-the-mill realistic domcom about Carl and Harriette, what would have been special about it?
You have to admit that Steve made people notice that this show existed.
I have to agree that he treated Myra like crap though.

Generally I not mind a nerdy character, but sometimes the way it is played comes across as extremely annoying and irritating.

Such as Urkel saying: Did I do that? Awful, just awful.

Yes, I know the show lasted a long time and the character had lots of fans but IMO, Urkel DID ruin the show by totally overwhelming the original concept of a family interacting with each other despite their individual quirks, foibles and mishaps! I especially think that the developments of Judy and even Harriette's characters got shortchanged because they HAD to have Urkel hog the spotlight all the time!

P.S. He ALSO ruined 'Boy Meets World' via his existence because they mistakenly thought that that show's Minkus was too similar to keep for more than the First Season. One of the very few positive things 'Girl Meets World' did was have Minkus back and give him a happy ending but 'Boy Meets World' would have been a much more interesting show had they kept Minkus throughout. But, no, they had to get rid of him ALL because they stupidly thought he was too Urkel-like!

Yes, I know the show lasted a long time and the character had lots of fans but IMO, Urkel DID ruin the show by totally overwhelming the original concept of a family interacting with each other despite their individual quirks, foibles and mishaps! I especially think that the developments of Judy and even Harriette's characters got shortchanged because they HAD to have Urkel hog the spotlight all the time!

P.S. He ALSO ruined 'Boy Meets World' via his existence because they mistakenly thought that that show's Minkus was too similar to keep for more than the First Season. One of the very few positive things 'Girl Meets World' did was have Minkus back and give him a happy ending but 'Boy Meets World' would have been a much more interesting show had they kept Minkus throughout. But, no, they had to get rid of him ALL because they stupidly thought he was too Urkel-like!
Oy, such hatred...

I seriously have no idea how many times I have said this, but I repeat:

1: Most of the time, Steve would be in one sub-plot and other characters would be in another sub-plot. So he didn't take over as much as some people claim that he did.
2: Judy was brother chucked because the writers didn't know what to do with the character, and the actress's mother seems to have annoyed the wrong people. So it had nothing to do with Steve.

Oy, such hatred...

I seriously have no idea how many times I have said this, but I repeat:

1: Most of the time, Steve would be in one sub-plot and other characters would be in another sub-plot. So he didn't take over as much as some people claim that he did.
2: Judy was brother chucked because the writers didn't know what to do with the character, and the actress's mother seems to have annoyed the wrong people. So it had nothing to do with Steve.

Furienna,

The question posted was 'Do YOU think Steve Urkel RUINED Family Matters'- and I had to be honest and answer, yes I think he did. You don't have to agree with me or like my answer but you do need to accept that I personally DO think he ruined the show even if you and others like the character and/or disagree with the assessments of those who dislike the character and believe he ruined the show!

Yes, I know the show lasted a long time and the character had lots of fans but IMO, Urkel DID ruin the show by totally overwhelming the original concept of a family interacting with each other despite their individual quirks, foibles and mishaps! I especially think that the developments of Judy and even Harriette's characters got shortchanged because they HAD to have Urkel hog the spotlight all the time!


Yep. Judy and Harriet (actually the entire cast except for maybe Carl and Laura) got shafted.

Yep. Judy and Harriet (actually the entire cast except for maybe Carl and Laura) got shafted.
Sigh...

Again, whatever happened to Judy had nothing to do with Steve.

Eddie had interesting plotlines throughout the show's run. Even during the horrible last season, one of the few saving graces was his arc about becoming a police officer.

Oy, such hatred...

I seriously have no idea how many times I have said this, but I repeat:

1: Most of the time, Steve would be in one sub-plot and other characters would be in another sub-plot. So he didn't take over as much as some people claim that he did.
2: Judy was brother chucked because the writers didn't know what to do with the character, and the actress's mother seems to have annoyed the wrong people. So it had nothing to do with Steve.


I think what people are trying to say is that later on in the show Steve was one of the main focuses of virtually every episode. No other character got such treatment. And that's a problem, because Family Matters was meant to be about the Winslow family.

I know why it was done like that, because Steve was far more popular than any other character. And the more Steve wasn't in center stage, the more people tuned out. So, the show was in a sticky situation.

I think what people are trying to say is that later on in the show Steve was one of the main focuses of virtually every episode. No other character got such treatment. And that's a problem, because Family Matters was meant to be about the Winslow family.

I know why it was done like that, because Steve was far more popular than any other character. And the more Steve wasn't in center stage, the more people tuned out. So, the show was in a sticky situation.
But I can't see it that way. Because the Winslows (especially Carl) were there in every episode and did have their own arcs, even during the terrible last season.

Actually, I believe that this comes down to whether you liked Steve or not. So if you just found him annoying and obnoxious, you would of course feel that too much focus was on him. However, I happened to really like him (until the moron decided to change himself and dump Myra for Laura). So that is probably why I can't agree with the popular opinion on this.

But I can't see it that way. Because the Winslows (especially Carl) were there in every episode and did have their own arcs, even during the terrible last season.

Actually, I believe that this comes down to whether you liked Steve or not. So if you just found him annoying and obnoxious, you would of course feel that too much focus was on him. However, I happened to really like him (until the moron decided to change himself and dump Myra for Laura). So that is probably why I can't agree with the popular opinion on this.

I bet you most people these days when asked about Family Matters couldn't even tell you the name of any of the other characters on the show aside from Urkel. Urkel is what people were watching the show for.

As far as the Myra/Laura debate it was a fitting conclusion to the show that Steve would wind up with the girl that he had been pining for his entire childhood. FM wasn't intended to be a serious show at all and the characters actions weren't intended to be overly dissected. If we were talking about a show that was meant to be a serious drama than I would agree with you. But not when we are talking about a show that was basically just thirty minutes of physical comedy.

I bet you most people these days when asked about Family Matters couldn't even tell you the name of any of the other characters on the show aside from Urkel.

No, regular Family Matters viewers remember the names of the characters. In fact, the #1 reason viewers give for the show jumping the shark is Urkel. When asked what made the show go off the rails, viewers overwhelmingly said Urkel (http://web.archive.org/web/20160413073844/http://bonethefish.com/viewtopics.php?356).

No, regular Family Matters viewers remember the names of the characters. In fact, the #1 reason viewers give for the show jumping the shark is Urkel. When asked what made the show go off the rails, viewers overwhelmingly said Urkel (http://web.archive.org/web/20160413073844/http://bonethefish.com/viewtopics.php?356).

Well that is not saying much considering there are only about 5 to 10 people who post in this forum. Page 11 of this very thread goes back about six months. The show is over twenty years old now and there aren't very many regular viewers of the show these days. As far as your poll there were fewer than 200 people that even voted for something that looks like has been around for almost a decade.

Well that is not saying much considering there are only about 5 to 10 people who post in this forum. Page 11 of this very thread goes back about six months. The show is over twenty years old now and there aren't very many regular viewers of the show these days. As far as your poll there were fewer than 200 people that even voted for something that looks like has been around for almost a decade.

As if thousands of people were needed for a poll. That's the point of a poll: it's a sample. You don't need every viewer to weigh in. It wouldn't matter, anyway. Polls with more than 200 people showed the same thing: viewers overwhelmingly felt like Urkel overexposure ruined the show (http://web.archive.org/web/20060307082113fw_/http://www.jumptheshark.com/f/familymatters.htm).

I bet you most people these days when asked about Family Matters couldn't even tell you the name of any of the other characters on the show aside from Urkel. Urkel is what people were watching the show for.
I suppose that some people maybe didn't care more than that. But in that case, they were not real fans of the show.

As far as the Myra/Laura debate it was a fitting conclusion to the show that Steve would wind up with the girl that he had been pining for his entire childhood. FM wasn't intended to be a serious show at all and the characters actions weren't intended to be overly dissected. If we were talking about a show that was meant to be a serious drama than I would agree with you. But not when we are talking about a show that was basically just thirty minutes of physical comedy.
And who says that pining for someone makes that person automatically derserving of your love?
Laura was terrible to him in the beginning and didn't give him a chance until he changed himself for her.
Which he did despite the fact that he already had a girlfriend, who loved him for who he was!
Seriously, what kind of sick message was this show trying to pull on us?
Myra was prettier than Laura too, so it was not even that!
And I don't see why a sitcom should be excused from having believable character developments.

As if thousands of people were needed for a poll. That's the point of a poll: it's a sample. You don't need every viewer to weigh in. It wouldn't matter, anyway. Polls with more than 200 people showed the same thing: viewers overwhelmingly felt like Urkel overexposure ruined the show (http://web.archive.org/web/20060307082113fw_/http://www.jumptheshark.com/f/familymatters.htm).


Oh a whopping 211 this time. And it was probably a lot of the same people that voted in the other poll you linked to. You are getting these polls from some stone-age sites anyways. THe first site you linked to wouldn't even let me go through all the comment pages as the site was so old.

And who says that pining for someone makes that person derserving of your love?
Laura was terrible to him in the beginning and didn't give him a chance until he changed himself for her.
Which he did despite the fact that he already had a girlfriend, who loved him for who he was.
Seriously, what kind of message is that?
Myra was prettier than Laura too, so it was not even that!
And I don't see why a sitcom should be excused from having believable character developments.

Comedies in general aren't trying to be believable and they aren't really intended to be over-analyzed. Both Steve and Myra were absolutely ridiculous characters that were nothing but one big '90's stereotype. However it doesn't matter because the show was just trying to make people laugh. It's better to try to give in depth analysis of characters from shows that were trying to be taken seriously.

Oh a whopping 211 this time. And it was probably a lot of the same people that voted in the other poll you linked to. You are getting these polls from some stone-age sites anyways. THe first site you linked to wouldn't even let me go through all the comment pages as the site was so old.

Yes, you're right and hundreds of other people are wrong. The data collection stopped in 2014, so it's positively stone age.

Yep. Judy and Harriet (actually the entire cast except for maybe Carl and Laura) got shafted.

Harriette (Jo Marie Payton) chose to leave at the end of her contract during the middle of season nine. She was not happy. Plus, she had some issues with Jaleel White according to Jaleel when he was interviewed by Andy Cohen.

Mother Winslow was gradually phased out.
Richie was phased out.
Rachel (Telma Hopkins) left twice. The first time was because she had a sitcom with Cindy Williams. The second time was because she told me that things were not the same anymore.

Carl, Laura and Eddie were permanent fixtures.

Yeah, Estelle seemed to show up less and less every succeeding season. It culminated in her making only one appearance in Season 9.

Just compare the first and last episode. Carl, Laura and Eddie are the only characters who appeared in both. Harriette doesn't count. That woman in the final episodes just isn't Harriette.

Yeah, Estelle seemed to show up less and less every succeeding season. It culminated in her making only one appearance in Season 9.

Just compare the first and last episode. Carl, Laura and Eddie are the only characters who appeared in both. Harriette doesn't count. That woman in the final episodes just isn't Harriette.

I agree that's definitely not Harriette. :eek:

Are you thinking about Judy? Because I repeat that her disappearance has nothing to do with Steve and his popularity.

No not just Judy. Estelle, Richie, Waldo, Harriette

Comedies in general aren't trying to be believable and they aren't really intended to be over-analyzed. Both Steve and Myra were absolutely ridiculous characters that were nothing but one big '90's stereotype. However it doesn't matter because the show was just trying to make people laugh. It's better to try to give in depth analysis of characters from shows that were trying to be taken seriously.
Yet again, I don't see why a sitcom should be more allowed to present a sick message than a drama series is.
This show did want to be taken seriously at times too and did some less light-hearted episodes about issues like racism and gang violence.
You were not meant to laugh at certain times, like when a criminal shot Laura's friend because she refused to give up her new shoes!
But what is most most important here is that they really did everything to make us feel that Steve ending up with Laura was a happy ending.
When we look back at their relationship though, it makes no sense at all that Steve would give up Myra for his supposed "real love".

What ruined the show was the last season. No one asked them to write out Waldo, for crying out loud!

What ruined the show was the last season. No one asked them to write out Waldo, for crying out loud!

He was written out in season 8 which was way worse than season 9 imo

What ruined the show was the last season. No one asked them to write out Waldo, for crying out loud!
In-universe, Waldo was accepted into a culminary school in another city and seemingly never returned to Chicago.
But in real life, it has never been explained why the people in charge of the show got rid of one of the funniest characters.

Considering that the Stefan/Urkel/Laura dynamic was some of my favorite moments I would have to say "No".

The problem with Urkel was that his goofy nerd character was really only funny in small doses. He's one of those "a little of him goes a long way" sitcom characters. But the producers and writers felt that they had to run his schtick into the ground.

Steve Urkel himself didn't ruin the show. His overexposure did. They could have just changed the name of the show to Urkel Matters later on, because it was clear he became the main star, and wasn't part of the Winslow family.

Urkel's increased focus was the main reason characters like Judy and Rachel were written out. By the end, the only original characters left were Carl, Laura and Eddie. Harriette doesn't count. I like to think of the new Harriette as Carl being divorced from the old one, and marrying another woman also named Harriette.

As the show (https://web.archive.org/web/20140404234624/http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/topic/3116067-family-matters-you-know-the-one-with-urkel/?view=getnewpost) went on (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031130718/http://www.jumptheshark.com/f/familymatters.htm), Urkel went from (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/YMMV/FamilyMatters) merely being the show (https://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/475586/hated-seasons-family-matters)'s breakout character, to essentially being the sole reason (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/AudienceAlienatingEra/LiveActionTV) for why the show (https://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/56015) still existed (https://officialfan.proboards.com/thread/587093/family-matters-years).

No, I don't care what anybody says Steve Urkel / Jaleel White saved Family Matters from cancellation. That first season is unwatchable and a total bore to get through. Extremely generic, too sappy and just plain dull. An unremarkable family sitcom. Nothing about the show stood out except the theme song. Steve Urkel came and brought some life to the show and made it memorable. With him the show would have been cancelled after one season and become another forgotten black sitcom.

Urkel DID ruin Family Matters. It was okay when we got a little dose of him here and there throughout every episode, but when we saw more Urkel than family, that was not a good thing, AT ALL. There was no reason for Stefan Urquelle, Jaleel White in a dress, high heels, earrings, lipstick, a wig, and a full face of makeup, and the rest of Steve’s kin folk. After Season 5, we should have seen less and less of Urkel instead of more and more.


No, I don't care what anybody says Steve Urkel / Jaleel White saved Family Matters from cancellation. That first season is unwatchable and a total bore to get through. Extremely generic, too sappy and just plain dull. An unremarkable family sitcom. Nothing about the show stood out except the theme song. Steve Urkel came and brought some life to the show and made it memorable. With him the show would have been cancelled after one season and become another forgotten black sitcom.
Yes, he did save the show, but he also turned around and destroyed it in the same breath.

Urkel DID ruin Family Matters. It was okay when we got a little dose of him here and there throughout every episode, but when we saw more Urkel than family, that was not a good thing, AT ALL. There was no reason for Stefan Urquelle, Jaleel White in a dress, high heels, earrings, lipstick, a wig, and a full face of makeup, and the rest of Steve’s kin folk. After Season 5, we should have seen less and less of Urkel instead of more and more.



Yes, he did save the show, but he also turned around and destroyed it in the same breath.

One comment (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/carl-winslow-talks-about-his-time-on-family-matters-bruce-willis-and-no-maam-urkel-tried-to-physically-fight-harriet.4935957/post-83061787) that I recently read hit the nail on the head so to speak. Urkel basically altered the fabric of Family Matters. And it may not have a lot of rewatch (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/who-else-besides-me-couldnt-get-into-family-matters.3083694/) value to some because of his character.

In fairness, Urkel in some ways, may have kept the show going for longer than it should've been. But in hindsight, maybe they should've just given Urkel his own show and called it a day.

Urkel DID ruin Family Matters. It was okay when we got a little dose of him here and there throughout every episode, but when we saw more Urkel than family, that was not a good thing, AT ALL. There was no reason for Stefan Urquelle, Jaleel White in a dress, high heels, earrings, lipstick, a wig, and a full face of makeup, and the rest of Steve’s kin folk. After Season 5, we should have seen less and less of Urkel instead of more and more.



Yes, he did save the show, but he also turned around and destroyed it in the same breath.

Yeah, once Judy and Rachel left, it became clear that the show was all about Steve Urkel, with the Winslows as supporting characters, when it should have been the other way around.

Season 4 had a surprising number of episodes revolving around Eddie and Waldo, while Steve kind of just tagged along, for example.

But let's face it, the vast majority of the show's population revolves around Steve. Without him, it would have probably just been a forgotten spin-off of Perfect Strangers.

Yeah, once Judy and Rachel left, it became clear that the show was all about Steve Urkel, with the Winslows as supporting characters, when it should have been the other way around.

Season 4 had a surprising number of episodes revolving around Eddie and Waldo, while Steve kind of just tagged along, for example.

But let's face it, the vast majority of the show's population revolves around Steve. Without him, it would have probably just been a forgotten spin-off of Perfect Strangers.

Yep, I like seasons 1-4 and that's it

Yes he totally ruined it for me. A little Urkel goes a long way. Once they made the show all about Steve Urkel I was done with it. It was sickening. I just couldn't stand him.

Ed.

Miller-Boyett Productions always did this. When they found a likely breakout character on one of their shows, they put more and more emphasis on said character at the expense of others.

They also did it with Jason Bateman's character on The Hogan Family despite the series originally intending to be a vehicle for Valerie Harper. When Valerie was fired from the series that bore her name, the notion that Jason was main "drawing" point (even though, Sandy Duncan was now technically or officially, the "star") became even more transparent.

It also happened with Full House and Michelle, Step by Step with Cody, and Fonzie on Happy Days (and arguably, also Joanie and Chachi in the post Richie/Ron Howard years) back when Miller-Boyett worked at Paramount under Garry Marshall.

Like I've said so many times before, I'm totally fine with Steve's character and how he didn't change much (until we reached the last season, that is). But I have a problem with that he could never stop drooling over the snooty Laura, even by the time when he had dated Myra for years.


That's a common misconception, but it's not fair. Most of the episodes would have two plots going on: one that would be about Steve, and one that would be about other characters. And that is true even in the last season, as far as I can remember.

I've said this several times before that Urkel's character (https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/06/25-beloved-tv-shows-that-havent-aged-well/family-matters) in certain (https://www.cbr.com/sitcoms-that-aged-poorly/) areas (https://screenrant.com/beloved-tv-shows-havent-aged-well-ranker/) (in my humble opinion) has (https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/r2410f/family_matters_those_story_lines_have_not_aged/) aged horribly (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/why-did-they-force-us-to-sympathize-with-steve-urkel.2550564/). The way that he conducts himself (https://www.resetera.com/threads/i%E2%80%99ve-been-rewatching-family-matters-and-damn-steve-urkel%E2%80%99s-behavior-towards-laura-totally-counts-as-harassment-right.627619/) around Laura is downright (https://www.reddit.com/r/TrollXChromosomes/comments/7yo4as/cw_sexual_assault_steve_urkel_is_a_creep_episode/) creepy (https://www.themarysue.com/steve-urkel-was-a-creep/) and dare I say, stalkerish (https://www.nickiswift.com/154592/things-only-adults-notice-in-family-matters/).

I don't think the character ruined the show per se, but making him THE WHOLE SHOW sure did. Why did they even bother to keep the title Family Matters? Most of the family was just pushed aside. I missed Mother Winslow, Rachel, etc. I think there were several characters much more interesting than Urkel.

I've said elsewhere that Urkel is a classic example of a supporting character who should've stayed a supporting character. ABC and Miller/Boyett (also responsible for turning Happy Days into The Fonzie Show) never learned that there CAN be too much of a good thing.

This comment by Robert Boyett from 1991 (https://web.archive.org/web/20101130111446/https://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972641,00.html) pretty much sums it all up in terms of their philosophy/method (http://zvbxrpl.blogspot.com/2007/09/retoolers.html) towards (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?p=6119365#post6119365) producing (https://www.macleans.ca/uncategorized/the-20th-anniversary-of-the-most-awesomest-tv-contract-dispute-ever/) television shows (https://www.manic-expression.com/2012/03/18/a-look-at-sitcom-production-companies-millerboyett-productions/):
But they have gained a reputation in TV circles as expert fix-it men, skilled at tinkering with shows and playing up the elements that work. Their legendary success was boosting the role of Fonzie, the greaser with a heart of gold, in Happy Days. "Basically, the concept of a show is merely a vehicle to get it launched," says Boyett. "What keeps it going is the ability to present characters people want to follow."

I've said this several times before that Urkel's character (https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/06/25-beloved-tv-shows-that-havent-aged-well/family-matters) in certain (https://www.cbr.com/sitcoms-that-aged-poorly/) areas (https://screenrant.com/beloved-tv-shows-havent-aged-well-ranker/) (in my humble opinion) has (https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/r2410f/family_matters_those_story_lines_have_not_aged/) aged horribly (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/why-did-they-force-us-to-sympathize-with-steve-urkel.2550564/). The way that he conducts himself (https://www.resetera.com/threads/i%E2%80%99ve-been-rewatching-family-matters-and-damn-steve-urkel%E2%80%99s-behavior-towards-laura-totally-counts-as-harassment-right.627619/) around Laura is downright (https://www.reddit.com/r/TrollXChromosomes/comments/7yo4as/cw_sexual_assault_steve_urkel_is_a_creep_episode/) creepy (https://www.themarysue.com/steve-urkel-was-a-creep/) and dare I say, stalkerish (https://www.nickiswift.com/154592/things-only-adults-notice-in-family-matters/).
But it seems that he was annoying than threatening to Laura, so I don't find it creepy.
Then again, my sympathy for Laura was always limited anyway.

But it seems that he was annoying than threatening to Laura, so I don't find it creepy.
Then again, my sympathy for Laura was always limited anyway.

With all due respect, that's the problem (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/tv-shows-that-would-not-do-well-today.3096653/post-57369179) right there. We're just supposed to view Steve (https://thedailyfandom.org/stefan-urquelle-family-matters/) as essentially harmless (https://whatculture.com/tv/10-minor-tv-characters-who-became-fan-favorites?page=9) to Laura (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/was-steve-urkel-the-original-incel-who-couldnt-get-a-laura.4312788/) (despite still not respecting her boundaries (https://www.newsweek.com/family-matters-steve-urkel-cancelled-1514856) and constantly invading (https://screenrant.com/steve-urkel-ruined-lives-on-family-matters/) her and her family's personal space) since he's just a scrawny, nerdy (https://www.mylot.com/post/3134768/family-matters-and-rape-culture) kid on the surface. But just for a moment, imagine if Steve was say, a tall, athletic looking kid like like Eddie or Cody Lambert from Step by Step acting like that (i.e. very obsessive and harassing (https://www.themarysue.com/steve-urkel-was-a-creep/)) around the girls in his neighborhood (https://www.vice.com/sv/article/ppm7a7/what-makes-a-creep-a-creep), school, or any other close vicinity. Then, it wouldn't exactly be considered as funny, now would it?

With all due respect, that's the problem (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/tv-shows-that-would-not-do-well-today.3096653/post-57369179) right there. We're just supposed to view Steve (https://thedailyfandom.org/stefan-urquelle-family-matters/) as essentially harmless (https://whatculture.com/tv/10-minor-tv-characters-who-became-fan-favorites?page=9) to Laura (https://www.lipstickalley.com/threads/was-steve-urkel-the-original-incel-who-couldnt-get-a-laura.4312788/) (despite still not respecting her boundaries (https://www.newsweek.com/family-matters-steve-urkel-cancelled-1514856) and constantly invading (https://screenrant.com/steve-urkel-ruined-lives-on-family-matters/) her and her family's personal space) since he's just a scrawny, nerdy (https://www.mylot.com/post/3134768/family-matters-and-rape-culture) kid on the surface. But just for a moment, imagine if Steve was say, a tall, athletic looking kid like like Eddie or Cody Lambert from Step by Step acting like that (i.e. very obsessive and harassing (https://www.themarysue.com/steve-urkel-was-a-creep/)) around the girls in his neighborhood (https://www.vice.com/sv/article/ppm7a7/what-makes-a-creep-a-creep), school, or any other close vicinity. Then, it wouldn't exactly be considered as funny, now would it?
As weird as it may sound, it all depends on who the person is.
And it also helps that Steve never hurt the Winlsows, but did lots of good things for them.

I agree that without Urkel it may have lasted a few seasons but it would not have been as popular and memorable. Again I am not disputing that Urkel helped the show alot. I just did not like how they did the later seasons thats all, and like you said it ran too long. The first season was slow but alot of other shows have weak first seasons anyway because they are trying to develop the characters and see what works and what doesn't.

It's addressed in Vice TV's Dark Side of Comedy (https://www.reddit.com/r/FamilyMatters/comments/184770k/darkside_of_comedy_on_vice_tvfamily_matters_this/) episode on Family Matters by Kim Coles of Living Single and Jaleel White (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G00zFoxZ7xU) himself. The writing rooms on sitcoms in those days, were predominately white. But sometime, especially post The Cosby Show, they found themselves writing for black sitcoms like Family Matters. Writing for the Steve Urkel character became a relief for them because his weirdness or eccentricities or whatever you want to call them, was easier to make comedy out of without necessarily worrying about race. Darius McCrary was also interviewed on Dark Side of Comedy and he admitted that he knew from the jump that Family Matters was for all intent and purposes, a "white show" (in that the producers and writers were for the most part, white) that just so happened to star black people.

Urkel DID ruin Family Matters. It was okay when we got a little dose of him here and there throughout every episode, but when we saw more Urkel than family, that was not a good thing, AT ALL. There was no reason for Stefan Urquelle, Jaleel White in a dress, high heels, earrings, lipstick, a wig, and a full face of makeup, and the rest of Steve’s kin folk. After Season 5, we should have seen less and less of Urkel instead of more and more.



Yes, he did save the show, but he also turned around and destroyed it in the same breath.

On the recent Dark Side of Comedy episode on Family Matters, Darius McCrary was upfront with the fact that Jaleel White was carrying the show while his character and the others were basically there to be straight-men. Jaleel in Darius' words, was Michael Jordan while the rest of the cast were the rest of the Chicago Bulls.

Like I said before, Jaleel himself said that Steve Urkel was a very easy character to write.

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Why the Cast of ‘Family Matters’ Didn’t Like Steve Urkel (https://collider.com/family-matters-cast-steve-urkel-behind-the-scenes-drama/)

For 'Family Matters,' the introduction of Steve Urkel was both the best and worst thing that could've happened to the show.

Like others have said, Steve didn't ruin the show. The overexposure of the character did. If you look at Seasons 2-4, Steve and the Winslows got roughly an equal amount of focus, and that's how it should have stayed.

I recently read an article stating that Jaleel White was like Michael Jordan, while the rest of the cast were like the rest of the Chicago Bulls, and that's actually a really good analogy.

Like others have said, Steve didn't ruin the show. The overexposure of the character did. If you look at Seasons 2-4, Steve and the Winslows got roughly an equal amount of focus, and that's how it should have stayed.

I recently read an article stating that Jaleel White was like Michael Jordan, while the rest of the cast were like the rest of the Chicago Bulls, and that's actually a really good analogy.
No, because the Winslows were always around and had plotlines that had nothing to do with Steve.
Even in the last season where I didn't like Steve anymore, that was true.

The problem with Urkel was that his goofy nerd character was really only funny in small doses. He's one of those "a little of him goes a long way" sitcom characters. But the producers and writers felt that they had to run his schtick into the ground.

Still without him the show is canceled after Season 1. ABC had cancelled three shows with black casts during 88-90(Robert Guillaume Show, Homeroom, and New Attitude). Without Jaleel Family Matters would have made 4!

Still without him the show is canceled after Season 1. ABC had cancelled three shows with black casts during 88-90(Robert Guillaume Show, Homeroom, and New Attitude). Without Jaleel Family Matters would have made 4!
Indeed, nothing about the show made it stand out until Steve arrived.