Do the first four seasons of Family Matters feel like a totally different series compared to the rest of the series run? While the first four seasons felt more like a even balance between Urkel and the Winslow family, Seasons 5-9, it is the full on Steve Urkel show. Of course, there's also the obvious cast changes with Judy disappearing and Rachel's role reduced, but all in all the show feels different. To put things into perspective, it does feel like it was really dramatic at times such as that gun shooting episode in Season 6.

Do the first four seasons of Family Matters feel like a totally different series compared to the rest of the series run? While the first four seasons felt more like a even balance between Urkel and the Winslow family, Seasons 5- 9, it is the full on Steve Urkel show. Of course, there's also the obvious cast changes with Judy disappearing and Rachel's role reduced, but all in all the show feels different. To put things into perspective, it does feel like it was really dramatic at times such as that gun shooting episode in Season 5.

I agree with this. Not only that but the end theme music changes in s5 making the scene transitions change from pleasant, upbeat music to hip, funky music. The Gun was actually in s6 btw.

To me, getting rid of so much of the original cast the way that the writers got rid of them was wrong. The least that they could have done was explain the absences. The only one that really got any acknowledgement was Waldo when he was no longer shown after season seven.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

Yeah pretty much

Oh I do not like that music from seasons 5-9. It just sounds so cheap to me. An example of good "hip" music is the music they used on The Fresh Prince or even the Wayans Bros. For this show I much prefer the seasons 1-4 music.

Yeah I think for the first four seasons they tried to aim for the show being a bit like the Cosby show was. While the last half of the series totally latched on to the stereotype comedies that were popular in the '90's (similar to other shows like Married With Children and Saved By the Bell plus probably many others that just aren't coming to mind right now).

Yep s1-4 will always be the golden era to me.

Yeah, because while Urkel played a big part in season 2-4, there were still plenty of episodes where the main focus was not on Urkel, but one of the Winslows. By Season 5, episodes where Urkel wasn't the main focus became very rare.

Judy and Rachel being removed was the turning point, I would say.

Yeah, because while Urkel played a big part in season 2-4, there were still plenty of episodes where the main focus was not on Urkel, but one of the Winslows. By Season 5, episodes where Urkel wasn't the main focus became very rare.

Judy and Rachel being removed was the turning point, I would say.

Me too

Yeah I think for the first four seasons they tried to aim for the show being a bit like the Cosby show was. While the last half of the series totally latched on to the stereotype comedies that were popular in the '90's (similar to other shows like Married With Children and Saved By the Bell plus probably many others that just aren't coming to mind right now).

One thing that I recently realized and learned is that it's all but impossible for a family sitcom to not jump the shark when it is dominated by a "goofy" character. And once that character (in this case, Steve Urkel) gets older and his punchlines start to induce eye rolling, it's over.

Yeah, because while Urkel played a big part in season 2-4, there were still plenty of episodes where the main focus was not on Urkel, but one of the Winslows. By Season 5, episodes where Urkel wasn't the main focus became very rare.

Judy and Rachel being removed was the turning point, I would say.
There were plenty of non-Urkel plotlines even in the 9th and last season.
Like that Eddy was becoming a cop, and Carl and Harriet were adopting 3J.