With the long-awaited resurgence of Full House in its new reunion series on Netflix, Fuller House has taken the Netflix-viewing world by storm. Fans desperate to relive their childhoods—filled with Mr. Woodchucks, Elvis impersonations, “You got it dude”’s, and Danny’s lemon Pledge—have all congregated online in support of the new series. The increased excitement has people gasping, laughing, and even crying over the features of the first episode. If you’re looking to relive the wonder that was the pilot of Fuller House, or you don’t mind spoilers and want to know what’s in store, look no further.
The theme song
Nothing compares to the rush of nostalgia and happiness that hits you as soon as the words “Whatever happened to predictability” play, and you immediately realize how embarrassed you are that you can sing along with every word of the theme song. The newly revamped theme song, sung by Carly Rae Jepsen, is adorable, whether you like the “Call Me Maybe” star or not. The side-by-side pairing of the old theme song’s video clips with the new ones were reason enough to tear up within the first five minutes of the show. Jesse Katsopolis… We love you.
The set
If the nostalgia of the theme song wasn’t enough to invoke flashbacks, then the physical set itself is. The kitchen is still the same, with the same chairs and paintings hung on the fridge and counter. As scenes take viewers into the living room and upstairs, it’s evident that the Tanners—now the Fullers—still have the same couch and bedroom layouts from the past. Well done, Jeff Franklin.
The actors
To say that the ladies of Full House still look nice would be an understatement. These ladies have kept it real through all these years, and came on set looking better than anyone could’ve imagined. The guys might look a little more aged, but their characters are still just as much themselves as in 1995, and that’s all anyone could’ve hoped for. John Stamos might even look better than ever, and it’s hard to tell if that should come as a surprise, or if nothing less should have been expected from the Elvis-impersonating heartthrob.
The tribute to the Olsen twins
There’s no doubt that Michelle was absolutely crucial to the original Full House series. Without her there, viewers are upset and feel as if the new series could never be complete without her. Franklin and the show’s actors were clearly affected by the Olsen twins’ absence as well, and decided to use the mutual sadness to have a little fun. After Steph asks where her little sister is, amidst the reunion of the entire rest of the family, Danny humors her, saying, “Well Michelle sends her love, but she’s busy in New York running her fashion empire.” Following this statement, the reunited cast turns and glares at the camera for nearly a full minute, leaving viewers only to hope that the twins will see the show and understand how sad their fans are that they wouldn’t come back to fulfill our Fuller House dreams.
Nicky and Alex’s comeback appearance
A little outside research reveals that Nicky and Alex Katsopolis, who rejoined the Full House cast now at twenty-six years old, haven’t even been acting all these years; but they still came back! The realization of this fact makes fans want to shed a happy tear, and also makes them a little more bitter about the fact that the Olsen twins, who have gained more acting experience since the end of Full House and are still as much in the spotlight as ever, were unwilling to rejoin in the same way. Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit, who plays Alex Katsopolis, has been involved in the production of Game of Thrones, though he isn’t an actor himself. His twin brother, Blake, who plays Nicky, is a fireman. The Tuomy-Wilhoit boys deserve more praise than they’ve received for their eager willingness to rejoin the show for their fans, when it must have been a nerve-wracking experience for them to return after a full twenty-one years have passed.
The parallels between the characters
This is arguably the best part of the show. Jeff Franklin has tossed in innumerable parallels between Full House and Fuller House, and they’re so tiny that you might not even pick up on them. To name a few:
- DJ now lives in her old room, which she shares with her son. Her bed is in the same place where it was when she was younger.
- Stephanie, who has now returned from London as the very popular “DJ Tanner,” mimics Uncle Jesse’s once youthful, party-going, playful energy—as well as his love for music.
- Kimmy Gibler, the appropriately goofy best friend, has risen her way up to the place of Joey Gladstone. While Gibler isn’t quite as intentionally funny as Joey, it still seems only fitting that the best friends play the same role in the house.
- A pair of twin baby boys plays Tommy Fuller, DJ’s youngest son, in the same way that Michelle was played by twin girls. When you see their names come up in the theme song, you’ll want to thank Jeff Franklin personally for all the thought he put into making the show as similar to Full House as possible.
- A subtle observation: DJ, who has blonde hair, has three sons with dark hair. Danny, who has brown hair, had three daughters with blonde hair. The little differences make all the impact.
- The late significant others passed away in noble ways, and are still honored and missed by the family that survived them. Whereas the girls’ mother, Pam, had passed away in a car accident at the hands of a drunk driver, DJ’s husband passed away while working as a fireman.
- DJ’s middle son, Max, is a younger characterization of Danny. Max is energetic in all of the lines he delivers, and of course is exceptionally interested in school, as well as in cleaning.
The list could go on and on, but at the risk of spoiling the show too much, I’ll leave the enjoyment of discovering the rest of the hidden parallels to you.
The characters haven’t changed
Danny’s still a sensible father who makes goofy jokes and is obsessed with cleaning; Joey still emerges with Mr. Woodchuck, Uncle Jesse showcases his love of Elvis right away, and he and Aunt Becky are as in love as ever. The best part, however, might be seeing how the girls have grown and stayed true to themselves. DJ, who loved hanging with her friends and her dog, Comet, now works as a veterinarian and a sensible, loving mother of three in the same way her father was. Steph, who always loved dance and music, became an internationally renowned DJ. Kimmy’s style is as hilarious—and unwelcome in the house—as ever, and her party-planning endeavors are about as awkward as expected.
The fact that Michelle’s absence works out perfectly
As sad as it is that Michelle couldn’t rejoin the cast in Fuller House, it’s clear that the show couldn’t have worked out any other way. Without Michelle there, DJ has the opportunity for her sister and best friend to rejoin her to help raise her three children in the exact setup of the old series. Not only does the storyline now involve an obvious coincidence, but the impact of it really sets in when you realize that it was basically fate.
The emotion
If the theme song didn’t get you first, and you still weren’t impacted by DJ’s story of her husband or her audible worries to Tommy, then Jeff Franklin made sure to hit home with Uncle Jesse’s serenade of his song, “Forever,” to Aunt Becky. If somehow you don’t have a soul and still weren’t choked up by that time, you were undoubtedly fighting back tears through the family’s serenade of the Flintstones theme song to Tommy, and the side-by-side comparison to a time when, over twenty years younger, the same family sang to the former baby of the family.
The new family and what’s to come
The end of the first episode leaves you wanting more information about the antics that will go on in the life of the newly formed family—foremost of which, of course, is if DJ and Steve will be getting back together. This is followed by wondering what will become of Kimmy and Fernando, and the hopeful reappearances of the older generation of the Tanner family.
Twelve more episodes are waiting, but not for long.