The story of the only 'Full House' episode filmed in San Francisco

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https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/ar...e-19361650.php

SFGATE contributor Allison McClain Merrill interviews the "Full House" showrunners about their iconic SF episode

By Allison McClain Merrill
March 25, 2024

Some 30 years ago, a golden retriever named Comet fell in love with a collie in San Francisco. They cuddled on a cable car and trotted up Coit Tower for some alone time. This doggie date drove the plot of the opener of the eighth and final season of “Full House,” called “Comet’s Excellent Adventure,” which aired in September 1994.

Up until then, the crew had filmed main title footage — but never an actual episode — in the show’s San Francisco setting. Establishing shots of an off-white Victorian home on Broderick Street in Pacific Heights served as the “Full House” house, while the interior set was at Warner Bros. in Burbank (after relocating from Culver City). For Bob Saget, Lori Loughlin, John Stamos and the rest of the cast, “Comet’s Excellent Adventure” was a chance to temporarily leave the soundstage and tell a story making use of the real San Francisco.

“We weren’t sure if this was going to be the last season or not. So everything was kind of up in the air,” Warren recalled. “They wanted to do something special. And we also were going up there, I think, to reshoot some of the intros.”

“Comet’s Excellent Adventure” was directed by Joel Zwick. The episode’s cold open shows Comet finding a missing TV remote, then in a meta twist, a literal fourth wall appears and the “Full House” logo flashes across the family’s TV. “By the last season, we were able to play around a little bit more and bend the rules a little. They kind of trusted us, so it was fun,” Warren explained.

Comet’s escape is set in motion by Uncle Jesse, who is sullen and distracted after being kicked out of his band, Jesse and the Rippers. He gives Michelle permission to walk Comet alone, but the smallest Tanner daughter can’t keep pace with the golden retriever when he runs after a Funky Franks delivery car, built specifically for the episode.

Stephanie finds a distressed Michelle sitting at the perimeter of Alamo Square Park, and the sisters hoof it all over town looking for the pooch. Technically, they would have had to walk at least an hour and a half to get to D.J., who is busy breaking up with her boyfriend Nelson at Lands End’s Eagles Point overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.

“This was pre-internet, so we knew nobody would actually be looking,” Warren said, explaining the liberties taken with the route. “You’d have to pull out a map or something. There was no logic to either the geography of the city or the geography of the house. The house was gigantic. Sometimes the backyard was, like, 4 acres. Sometimes it was, like, a narrow little strip of grass. Whatever served the story.”

Production negotiated a deal with Hyatt for the cast and crew’s lodging, which earned the hotel chain a brief cameo. Despite the breakup, D.J.’s wealthy ex-boyfriend lends her his limo to help find Comet. The sign is seen in the background during their drive through the city before they spot the Funky Franks vehicle at Lombard Street. Everyone jumps out of the car to look for Comet, who sneaks past them on a cable car with the collie. It turned out to be one of the episode’s more challenging scenes to shoot.

“You have to wait maybe two hours for the car to come around the whole route, and you have one shot to get it,” Rinsler recalled. He had recruited family members who lived in the Bay Area to be extras. “I said, ‘All right, Aunt Betty, come sit on the cable car. Don’t move. Be still. We don’t want to distract from the stars, the two dogs. Don’t even look at them.’” A cheerful Betty looks out and lifts up her hand, holding her glasses, as if to give the camera a little wave. Executives weren’t happy, but Rinsler smiles while telling the story: “Betty burned me bad.”

In writing the episode, Warren and Rinsler prioritized “the classic landmarks” throughout San Francisco, so long as they could gain access to them. “‘Can we bring two dogs up to the top of Coit Tower?’” Rinsler mused. “We had to get them in the elevator there, that was not easy. It was a small elevator, they got a little claustrophobic, they didn’t like it.”

Jesse drives to Coit Tower with Joey, Nicky and Alex, since Joey often walks Comet there. The boys try to point out Comet and his special collie friend, but Jesse and Joey are oblivious to the cozy canines, who steal a romantic moment and a view of the Transamerica Pyramid.

Jesse, Joey and the girls then derail Danny and Becky’s live “Wake Up, San Francisco” segment at Aquatic Park, and Michelle makes an on-air speech that’s a callback to the lyrics of the “Full House” theme song.

“Comet, if you’re lost, remember, we live on Girard Street, right next to your favorite hydrant,” she begins. “Gee, boy, I hope you’re not out there scared and alone, ’cause we love you and miss you. And we want you to come home as soon as you can, OK, boy?”

Comet sees Michelle on a TV in an electronics store window, then bids the collie farewell, gently patting her with his paw and dashing off to reunite with his owners.

Though the series was quite popular by that time, the showrunners and cast still went out in public and had dim sum while in San Francisco. Three decades later, sentimental fans can plan their own Comet-inspired adventures, but to cover all that ground, they had better wear sturdy sneakers for the trek, catch the cable car like Aunt Betty or find Nelson’s limo.

[JO Sweet Heart]

I love how the final season theme song character clips were filmed out there on the San Francisco streets. My favorite one actually might be Andrea (Kimmy). She looks so pretty when she is shown.

God bless you and her and the other remaining cast members always!!!

Holly

P.S. I still can't believe that Bob (Danny) is gone.