Fuller House: An Irrelephant Review

So far, my white knight Netflix has given the world some pretty solid programming: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, OITNB. The whole reason I even have Netflix at all is because they picked up Arrested Development for a fourth season. As a kid who grew up back when TGIF was a thing, Full House was 7 year old me’s favorite TV show (which would be eclipsed three years later by Matlock, but hey, that’s life). So when Fuller House was announced, I was pretty darn excited. So excited, in fact, I broke my internet fast a week early because I was too anxious to watch when it dropped on February 26.

Full(er) disclosure: I was a big fan of the original series, I’m a sucker for nostalgia, and lately I’ve been craving fluff that requires no brain power to suss out. Fuller House falls under all three of these categories.

Everyone seems to be upset by the premise of the show, which is the same as Full House but with women instead of men. I am confused, simply because from any of the promotional materials, I had thought that was fairly obvious. A lot of people on the internet also seem to be angry about how cheesy and fluffy the show is, which also confuses me, because hello, did you not see the original series? I love Full House, don’t get me wrong, but if that ain’t cheese, I don’t know what is.

Also, spoilers? Maybe? Game of Thrones and Walking Dead this isn’t, but still. You’ve been warned.

Pros:

1. Stephanie becomes a world-travelling, semi-famous DJ. As a fellow middle child, I revel vicariously in her success.
2. Kimmy freaking Gibbler. When I originally learned Kimmy would be one of the leads, I was a little nervous. I had Kimmy filed firmly under “Better In Small Doses.” Never in a million years would I have guessed she’d be one of my favorite parts of the show, but, hey, there it is.
3. All the dancing! I enjoyed the random dancing, from the NKOTB homage to the nightclub dance off. Perhaps because there was more of it in Full House than some people seem to remember, maybe because I just like dancing. But it was fun.

Cons:

1. As Ramona points out, the Fuller-Tanner clan is as white bread as white bread watching Frozen can possibly get. Even including a Latina child isn’t enough to dilute the glaring whiteness. As if to make it a point to be all the things people hate about white people, in episode 11 includes an Indian themed party, complete with a Bollywood music number. Now, I won’t deny I dig Bollywood dance numbers, but I just, I dunno, prefer it when my mindless entertainment isn’t mixed so heavily with cultural appropriation. Because really, what was the payoff? Kimmy’s business looks good, and she and Stephanie had a bonding moment? Not worth it, guys.
2. The love triangle between DJ, Steve, and newcomer Matt. Not only do I hate love triangles in general, but also, this one was super forced and, perhaps most sinfully, not entertaining. Steve was never a brain trust, but now he’s just creepy and insecure. Maybe it’s because DJ and Steve were never my OTP, but I was pretty meh about the whole arc.

   

3. Holy Chalupas. I get the appeal of cheesy taglines (“How rude” escaped my lips many a time as a youngster), but this one feels forced and never once made me so much as grin. Max is my favorite kid, and it’s downright disappointing he gets such a lame catch phrase.

Bottom line: if you’re a former TGIF kid who enjoyed Full House, and you’re not expecting art with a capital A, watch Fuller House. Laugh at the corny jokes. Take in all the cheese. Get a cavity from all the saccharine family sweetness. Enjoy! If you didn’t like Full House, Fuller House won’t be your cup of tea.

I do hope that, should it get a second season, Fuller House will rely less on the fond memories of my childhood. While the tributes, homages, and references to Full House make it feel like we’re all in on the joke, season two needs to be crutch-free. If the show is going to stand on its own two feet, it’s going to have to get used to its own weight.