The Neverending Top Ten Thread

THE 10 BEST FULL HOUSE EPISODES
(by order of air date)

Kimmy aged horribly.

If you grew-up in the late `80s and 1990's, you watched Full House. It was a silly family-friendly sitcom about three guys raising children in San Francisco that spawned ABC's very popular TGIF line-up. In an era before the Internet, smartphones, and advanced video games, families actually watched TV together. And during that particular time-period, Full House was arguably the best show there was for that specific audience. So, in honor of it's 25th anniversary, here are my 10 favorite episodes ranked by the order in which they aired:


#10 - OUR VERY FIRST SHOW (9/22/1987)



Jeff Franklin created Full House. His screenplay for Three Men and a Baby, directed by Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy, was 1987's top-grossing film. I s--t you not, folks. So, it should come as a no surprise that he would create a TV series with a similar concept: Three men raising children. Although it is very amusing to note that the show's pilot is actually a lot more serious than the movie that inspired it. Here we are introduced to Danny Tanner (Bob Saget), a widow that seeks the help of his brother-in-law and best friend to help raise his children. These kids having a dead mother was the elephant in the room throughout the entire series, but with the pilot, they couldn't ignore it and addressed it head-on. It's also amusing to watch Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) and Joey (Dave Coulier) adjust to parenthood. There is a great set-piece involving them trying to change Michelle's diapers for the first time. Overall, it's a strong pilot and one can see why the series attracted a mass audience.


#9 - JUST ONE OF THE GUYS (3/4/1988)



Candance Cameron, who played DJ, the oldest daughter, is the sister of `80s teen heartthrob Kirk Cameron. And the producers wasted no time in getting him on the show. And, really, there's nothing else special about the episode other than his gust appearence. But, heck, it's Kirk Cameron in his pre-religious nut days, so it's a must-see episode.


#8 - THE SEVEN MONTH ITCH, PART II (3/18/1988)
Uncle Jesse is arguably the best character on the show. John Stamos brought charm and appeal to the role of a local rock musician who suddenly becomes the co-guardian of his dead sister's children. Throughout the first season he was a ticking time bomb because it was only a matter of time before his two lifestyles clashed with one another. In the first half of this two-parter, he finally gets fed up and abandons the family. But it is here where he has to come to terms with his decision and whether or not he's gonna return. It's a pretty heavy episode for what's generally a tongue-n-cheek program.


#7 - STAR SEARCH (11/3/1989)



As a kid, I thought Joey Gladstone was hilarious. As an adult, whose also a fan of stand-up comedy, I find him to be ridiculous. His entire act consists of doing cartoon voices. So, an entire episode consisting of Joey Gladstone doing stand-up on Star Search is like watching a trainwreck. And yet, the episode works. Why? Because I get the impression that the writers were secretly mocking Dave Coulier. In the episode, Joey's 10-year plan to become a successful stand-up is coming to an end. The entire future of his career will be determined by his appearence on Star Search... and he loses to Steve Oedekerk. I wonder if he got the hint.


#6 - SECRET ADMIRER (12/7/1990)



Rusty, a prankster that drove the characters crazy for a number of episodes, pulls his best hijink by writing an anonymous love letter that gets passed around and watching as everyone suspects one another. It's also fascinating to watch Full House pull-off a high-concept episode.

#5 - STEPHANIE GETS FRAMED (1/25/1991)



Crossovers were very common in the `80s and `90s. To the point that Seinfeld, Mad About You, and Friends take place in the same TV universe. Or a more extreme example would be Star Trek and Knight Rider. But one of the oddest crossovers is Full House and Family Matters. On the surface, it makes sense, but it was handled so randomly that it just comes across as very weird. Here's the plot of the episode: Stephanie gets glasses and is then teased about it as school. And so, Steve Urkel shows up to help her get through it. Could this premise have been any lazier and uninspired? An awesome idea could have been Carl Winslow in California visiting John McClane and then he bumps into the Tanner family. But to give the producers some credit, this is definitely one of the more memorable episodes.


#4 - THE WEDDING, PART 2 (2/15/1991)

This episode will always be remembered for John Stamos' EXCELLENT cover of The Beach Boys' Forever.






#3 - THE LEGEND OF RANGER JOE (10/22/1991)



Did someone say..... wood? Oh, Mr. Woodchuck. You have definitely earned your place in the hearts of an entire generation. Just like Kevin the Robot from Saved by the Bell.

#2 - THE LAST DANCE (2/8/1994)
Jesse's grandfather passes away and it's the first time Michelle is old enough to feel the emotional pain of losing a loved one. It's a very touching episode.

#1 - MAKING OUT IS HARD TO DO (10/11/94)



As the series got into its later years, and Uncle Jesse was softened from a Ripper to a Rush Hour Renegade, a new "edgy" character had to be introduced. That honor would go to Gia (Marla Sokoloff). She was a bad girl who befriended Stephanie in middle school and constantly got her into trouble. One of her shenanigans was tricking Stephanie into attending a make-out party, which is the subject of this episode. And I love how they handled the awkwardness of the situation.