...The first eleven before Steve Urkel joined the show or the final nine with the new Harriet?

Like him or hate him, Steve Urkel was a huge part of this series and looking back, it's strange to think of there ever being a show without him. As for Harriet, JoMarie Payton played the role for eight and a half seasons and it was really bizarre seeing a new actress playing Harriet. It feels strange seeing Carl with her as we're so used to seeing him with the original Harriet.

I absolutely HATE the final 9 episodes. As far as I'm concerned, when the original Harriet left that was the finale.

I actually don't mind the first season episodes without Steve.

WB...hear this....we the fans had spoken and we want the complete series of "Family Matters" released on DVD!

I absolutely HATE the final 9 episodes. As far as I'm concerned, when the original Harriet left that was the finale.

I actually don't mind the first season episodes without Steve.

WB...hear this....we the fans had spoken and we want the complete series of "Family Matters" released on DVD!

I've bought all the episodes on Amazon Instant Video. Of course, I prefer the DVDs and will buy them as they continue to release them but I'm impatient and want to watch the episodes now. So anyways, I watched the final episode with the original Harriet and the last scene has a kind of send-off feel. Rachel and Mother Winslow return and the entire family (including Steve) are sitting around the living room together, with Rachel singing a Christmas tune. I imagine the two departed cast members returned knowing it was JoMarie Payton's last episode.

As far as the pre-Urkel episodes go, I'm still upset that they felt the need to add new Urkel opening scenes to four episodes in which he was NOT originally in. And I'm very upset that one of those made it into the DVD set (for the record, Amazon has all four Urkel openings, making the DVD the way to go for season 1 viewing).

I remember watching this show very early on before Urkel showed up, so the early Steveless episodes don't bother me at all. But seeing a different actress play Harriet after 8 and a half seasons? Get outta here with that!

Another strange thing about the last season is that Laura started to fall in love with Steve. I'm happy for Urkel but it's kind of like watching the "Tom & Jerry" cartoons where the cat and mouse are friends. ;)

I remember watching this show very early on before Urkel showed up,

Because it was a TGIF show, I watched it from the very beginning as I watched TGIF every week from the early Full House era up to the final Boy Meets World. I became a fan of this show before Urkel showed up but really enjoyed it when he did. Yes, they went overboard with the Urkel-Mania on the show but I'm still glad he was there. But there is really no redeeming qualities in a new Harriet for the last nine episodes of a nine season show - one who seemed like such an opposite character from the original.

^I agree that at times they did go overboard with the "Urkel mania" but I think it worked for the time and day it was airing. If it aired on a Wednesday night I don't think it would've survived but with it airing on Friday with other "fun" shows, it just seemed to fit.

I've been watching it some on centric and I just have to say that that channel sucks. They edit way too much and they give new meaning to the term credit crunching.

I absolutely HATE the final 9 episodes. As far as I'm concerned, when the original Harriet left that was the finale.

I actually don't mind the first season episodes without Steve.

WB...hear this....we the fans had spoken and we want the complete series of "Family Matters" released on DVD!
I totally agree. The series ends with "Deck the Halls". It's the last episode with the full FM cast I know and love together (except for Waldo and Judy). With new Harriet and the unpleasant direction of Myra's character, 1998 Family Matters is atrocious to me.

But I also don't like the first eleven episodes of season 1. The show needed Urkel as it just felt like another bland 80s family sitcom to me. But the show is best when it's Urkel and the Winslows. You can't have one without the other which is why seasons 2-6 are the true FM to me. Second half-Season 1, Seasons 7-8 and first half-Season 9 are OK though.

But overall, I prefer the first half of season one (which isn't bad just bland) to the second half of season nine (which is bad).

I stopped watching after they brought Urkel on, if they would never have brought his character on I would have continued watching the series.

Okay... So you have only watched the first half of the first season? Way to miss out on a great sitcom, dude.

I just watched two of the pre-Steve episodes last night, and I find them alright, even if they're nothing ground-breaking. As for the last season, I was more bothered by Steve dumping Myra for Laura than by the new Harriette. But still, oh yeah, it was like the whole show was on its last breathes at that point. So if you have to make choose, I have to go with the first episodes. Because as much as I like Steve until then, he was really awful in the last season.

To me, the beginning of the show is better compared to the end because in the end, so many of the original characters are not even a part of the show anymore by then.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

P.S. In my opinion, getting rid of Waldo was most definitely a stupid move. To me, him being the way that he was only added to the show!

Season 9 is awful. I never watch it in repeats. The only thing of value in that season was Eddie trying to be a cop like his dad. Everything else stunk.

Jo Sweet Heart: Yeah, Waldo should have stayed on. We have no idea why they cut the character, except for that the actor's contract wasn't renewed.

Spark of Spirit: Yeah, Eddy becoming a cop was one of the highlights to me too.