The Sappy Music That Always Played...

[TMC]

Whenever somebody was delivering a speech/lecture, what was the point in that (and while we're at it, who thought that was a great idea)? That's of course, one of the things that people like to make fun of Full House (the overly preachy, cheeseball, unsubtle, saccharine nature it resolved its storylines with) over. It's like the actual emotion of the situation isn't enough so they had to hit you over the head (it's so damn manipulative) that we're watching a serious scene.

[Schmoopie]

I do remember the melancholy music they played but it was just supposed to add to the dramatic effect of the series. People make fun of Full House all the time but I found it adorable and hilarious and there were many scenes that moved me to tears. Soaps use music like that all the time and even more dramatic music to make their scenes more effective. It was particularly useful when Friday came around and there was a huge cliffhanger that had to wait until Monday to be resolved.

[PrettyinPink55]

I just can't imagine Full House without that music!!

[Furienna]

I'm pretty sure "Full House" wasn't the only show, that used that sappy music.

[PrettyinPink55]

Originally Posted by Furienna

I'm pretty sure "Full House" wasn't the only show, that used that sappy music.

It wasn't, but it seemed like Full House used it in every single episode!! You could almost predict when the music would start playing before it started playing at the end of an episode when one of the characters learns a lesson, makes a realization, laments, shares an epiphany, etc.

In fact, I wonder if there was a Full House episode without that music?

[Furienna]

I think you're right. But I think "Family Matters" hardly had an episode either during the first half of its run, that didn't have a "sappy music moment". "Full House" might have been the worst though.

[DJM77]

I was watching Full House today. I changed the channel as soon as the sappy music started.

[PrettyinPink55]

Originally Posted by DJM77

I was watching Full House today. I changed the channel as soon as the sappy music started.

I have a friend who gets emotional when she hears the sappy music and watches those scenes!!

[missy's pop pop]

I don't know of any sitcom that didn't--or doesn't--use sappy music for a serious scene. "Leave it to Beaver" used a slow, sad arrangement of the main title music when Ward talked with Beaver about what he did that got the Beav into trouble. So did "Bewitched," "Hazel," "I Love Lucy" and many more.

Of course, with all those cute, adorable children on "Full House," there were oh, so many opportunities to get weepy...

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Furienna

I think you're right. But I think "Family Matters" hardly had an episode either during the first half of its run, that didn't have a "sappy music moment". "Full House" might have been the worst though.

Watching Step by Step on the Hub for the first time in like forever, I've noticed that during more serious/emotional moments they would play "sappy music" too. So it must be a trademark of sorts for all of the old Miller-Boyett produced TGIF sitcoms.

[Mace Dolex]

Originally Posted by TMC

Watching Step by Step on the Hub for the first time in like forever, I've noticed that during more serious/emotional moments they would play "sappy music" too. So it mush be a trademark of sorts for all of the old Miller-Boyett produced TGIF sitcoms.

I've noticed it's not used as often on Step By Step I guess mostly because it has teenagers and no smart alecky toddlers that make audiences go "ooh" and "ahh".

[TMC]

http://officialfan.proboards.com/thr...-fallon?page=1

Post by Red Impact on 10 hours ago

See, I think Growing Pains looked butch compared to Full House. Full House took the schmaltziness just a little bit further than most other shows of it's time. I don't even remember The Brady Bunch or Happy Days being that sappy, and they started when TV execs were even more strict.

Granted, I grew up on The Cosby Show, where the parents would call their kids out on their crap without an overly sentimental speech to sappy music.

Post by Red Impact on 9 hours ago

I'll say that it probably was great at appealing to the Seventh Heaven crowd before Seventh Heaven was a thing, but I don't think I'd go so far as great family show, because other shows just told family stories much better, even when they were trying to be inoffensive. It was a show I could watch as a kid without my parents thinking twice, but it's a show that doesn't have any episodes or moments that stand out to me, which most other shows, including shows of that time, do.

It was one of the best shows ever at being completely inoffensive, but to do that it had to sacrifice anything that actually made it memorable (for the right reasons at least). When you do the exact thing for "I dressed like a teacher my first day of school" as you are for "Why don't I have a mom?" then you really aren't telling an effective story. This isn't in comparison to reality shows or procedurals, just to other family sitcoms.

Post by Red Impact on 8 hours ago

It's not like those shows showed them being total dicks to their kids ala Family Guy. They supported them and praised them, but when their kids were out of line, they treated them like they were out of line. That's much more realistic for how the world works than trying to present a world where a heartfelt speech and a hug will solve all life's problems permanently. Parents in the real world do have to get stern sometimes, they do have real arguments and parents will throw their parental weight around. That scene where Theo tries to convince his dad that he shouldn't apply himself in school is much more realistic to me than how parenting works Full House.

[MacLeaper]

I LOVE that music on "Full House"- and I LOVE this series.

[Furienna]

Well, it's easy to get tired of it.

[MacLeaper]

I grew up watching the series in its original run and I still love watching it- haven't gotten tired of it yet- and I don't think I ever will. (But I do understand if others get tired of it- lol.)