TMC
10-26-2020, 03:04 AM
https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3633414/family-matters-stevil-one-tvs-horror-inspired-halloween-specials/
If you grew up in the ’90s, chances are the TGIF programming block on ABC every Friday night was part of your regular viewing rotation. Family-friendly sitcoms like Full House, Family Matters, Boy Meets World, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Dinosaurs heralded in the weekend with shows for all ages. As with most television sitcoms, you could expect these shows to offer holiday-themed episodes, especially for Halloween. Among them, few induced nightmares quite like Family Matters‘ infamous episode “Stevil.”
This creepy episode came during season eight, the second to last of the show’s near ten-year run. By this point in the series, pesky neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) had long transitioned from supporting character to a series lead and become an honorary member of the Winslow family. Airing on October 25, 1996, “Stevil” sees Urkel desperate to protect his beloved neighbors from his ventriloquist dummy that has come to life. A description alone that reads as horror. Granted, from an adult perspective, “Stevil” isn’t exactly terrifying, but this Halloween special borrows many cues from horror that make it a standout episode of ’90s television.
If you grew up in the ’90s, chances are the TGIF programming block on ABC every Friday night was part of your regular viewing rotation. Family-friendly sitcoms like Full House, Family Matters, Boy Meets World, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Dinosaurs heralded in the weekend with shows for all ages. As with most television sitcoms, you could expect these shows to offer holiday-themed episodes, especially for Halloween. Among them, few induced nightmares quite like Family Matters‘ infamous episode “Stevil.”
This creepy episode came during season eight, the second to last of the show’s near ten-year run. By this point in the series, pesky neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) had long transitioned from supporting character to a series lead and become an honorary member of the Winslow family. Airing on October 25, 1996, “Stevil” sees Urkel desperate to protect his beloved neighbors from his ventriloquist dummy that has come to life. A description alone that reads as horror. Granted, from an adult perspective, “Stevil” isn’t exactly terrifying, but this Halloween special borrows many cues from horror that make it a standout episode of ’90s television.