In hindsight, was Family Matters not only hypocritical but downright sexist

[TMC]

It seemed like whenever Myra and Myrtle appeared on the show, Eddie, Steve and/or Laura had no problems calling them a stalker and a psycho. But you turn things around and nobody really bothered to call Steve himself out. It seemed like because Steve was the show's breakout star, they had to tread the line with his character. In effect, while they would try to give Steve a taste of his own medicine they still made sure to highlight the women as worse so people wouldn't equate them. I'm assuming that they came to the conclusion that they had to basically based the show around his interactions with the Winslows.

[Furienna]

I will never stop having sympathy for poor Myra.
They tried so hard make us dislike her and root for the Steve/Laura pairing, but I could only feel her pain.

[TMC]

This goes into another point about how the show often had a bad habit of guilt tripping in relation to Steve's character. For example, Carl could ask Steve to stop touching things in his house and instead of listening and respecting his wishes, Steve ends destroying something or other just as expected. And after Carl like any sane person, kicks him out of the house, the audience "awwwwwwwwwws" for Steve.

[Furienna]

Steve might have had a problem with understanding when to respect boundaries.
But he loved the Winslows and didn't destroy their things on purpose.

[JO Sweet Heart]

Originally Posted by TMC

It seemed like whenever Myra and Myrtle appeared on the show, Eddie, Steve and/or Laura had no problems calling them a stalker and a psycho. But you turn things around and nobody really bothered to call Steve himself out. It seemed like because Steve was the show's breakout star, they had to tread the line with his character. In effect, while they would try to give Steve a taste of his own medicine they still made sure to highlight the women as worse so people wouldn't equate them. I'm assuming that they came to the conclusion that they had to basically based the show around his interactions with the Winslows.

To me, Steve was called out during the episode when the family and him spoke to the counselor guy in season six I believe it was. Eddie, Laura, and Carl all gave examples of how Steve would rub them wrong in one way or another way and then at the end, Harriette was there to remind them of the good that Steve was towards them.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

P.S. One thing that I would love to know is why Steve's second rescue of Carl was not included. They talk about Steve getting Carl out of the water during Eddie and Carl's ice fishing trip and doing the CPR on Carl after Carl received a bad shock from a broken lamp, but it was never once mentioned that Steve also saved Carl from being shot in the hospital room that they shared during one episode in season four.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TMC

This goes into another point about how the show often had a bad habit of guilt tripping in relation to Steve's character. For example, Carl could ask Steve to stop touching things in in his house and instead of listening and respecting his wishes, Steve ends destroying something or other just as expected. And after Carl like any sane person, kicks him out of the house, the audience "awwwwwwwwwws" for Steve.