Family Matters (1989–1998)

Long-running "Perfect Strangers" spin-off series centering on the Winslow family and their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel.

Creators:

William Bickley, Michael Warren

Stars:

Reginald VelJohnson, Kellie Shanygne Williams, Darius McCrary

Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 8 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Reginald VelJohnson	...	Carl Otis Winslow (215 episodes, 1989-1998)
Kellie Shanygne Williams	...	Laura Lee Winslow (214 episodes, 1989-1998)
Darius McCrary	...	Edward 'Eddie' James Arthur Winslow (207 episodes, 1989-1998)
Jaleel White	...	Steven Quincy Urkel (204 episodes, 1989-1998)
JoMarie Payton	...	Harriette Winslow (199 episodes, 1989-1997)
Rosetta LeNoire	...	Estelle 'Mother' Winslow (121 episodes, 1989-1997)
Bryton James	...	Richie Crawford (96 episodes, 1990-1997)
Telma Hopkins	...	Rachel Crawford (93 episodes, 1989-1997)

Storyline

The Winslow family is a pretty normal family except for one thing, their neighbor Stephen Urkel. A genius and klutz Steve makes some really weird inventions while driving the Winslow's insane.

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Plot Keywords:

neighbor | spin off | nerd | friend | high pitched voice | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros. Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 September 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

8 sotto un tetto

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bickley-Warren Productions, Lorimar Television, Miller/Boyett Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (215 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

4:3

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the interiors of the Winslow house were stage sets, the exterior of the house was taken from a real-life house located on Wrightwood Ave in Chicago, and (as of 2009) still exists as it appears during the series run.

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Goofs

In the Winslows' home, guests would always walk out the front door and then to the left, but in the picture that is shown as the Winslows' home, there is no walkway to the left. There are a few stairs outside that lead up to the front door, but walking to the left after exiting through the front door would only lead into a wall.

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Quotes

[just got lemon tart filling thrown at him]
Steve Urkel: Can I have a glass of milk to go with my face?

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Connections

Referenced in Mad: Super 80's/Captain America's Got Talent (2011)

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Soundtracks

"As Days Go By"
Written by Jesse Frederick & Bennett Salvay
Performed by Jesse Frederick

User Reviews

SSSSSTTTTTTEEEEEEVVVVVEEEEE!!!!!!!

I watched this show for a long time, I watched in reruns and when it was on TGIF, that ABC Friday lineup (Thank God it's Friday) The truth be known this show would be absolutely nothing without Steve Urkel. The show was essentially a typical sitcom of the eighties that was goody two shoes and nothing ever really bad happened. In a way it remained that way even after the show but Steve Urkel made it so much funnier.

The show was about the Winslow family, the burly man of the house, Carl Winslow, his wife Harriot, an elevator operator, her sister, Rachel, Carl's grandmother, Estelle, and their children, Laura, the smart girl, Eddie, the cool guy, Judy, the average girl, and Rachel's little boy, Richie.

I was watching this show when Urkel became a phenomenon. There were Urkel dolls, toys, everyone was saying his catch-phrases, ‘Did I do that?' ‘Salutations,' and his pig-life laugh. I have to admit, he still cracks me up. He was incredibly clumsy too, he had a tendency to destroy almost anything he touched. And I remember ‘Do the Urkel,' the guest appearances by Shanice, Freddie Jackson, Donna Summer (as Aunt Una from Altoona), and I watched almost everyone of the early shows in first run. This was great stuff.

Many people do not know this, but this show was actually a spin-off of Perfect Strangers, where Harriot Winslow was an elevator operator at the Chicago Chronicle, where Balki and Larry worked. This show outlasted Perfect Strangers by five years. The show was hilarious. Early in the show there was Carl's boss, who was hilarious, Lieutenant Murtaugh. After he left, the show lost some of it's hilarity. Then there was the incredibly stupid Waldo Geraldo Faldo, a friend of Eddies. It was much funnier in it's first few seasons, but never seemed to capture the early years in it's later shows.

I think part of the reason it did was the early years with Urkel seemed to be a little more fun. There was the episode where Steve had a dream sequence where his computer destroyed the world. There were very good episodes about Urkel being a nerd and not being able to fend for himself. As the show went on it became a little off the wall, like Stefan Urkel, Steve's suave alter ego becoming a separate person. Still there were some great episodes all the way through.

The show was definitely on it's last leg in the 1995-1996 season. They just seemed to run out of stuff to do. The situation was not helped when soon after the show was moved to CBS. I actually watched one or two episodes on CBS, it was terrible. The best part of the show to me was watching Carl and Steve go at it. Carl was a great foil to Steve Urkel. It was always funny to watch Steve's futile attempts to go after Laura Winslow. You always wanted him to get with her, you know, pulling for the underdog.

This is a great show. If you ever get a chance to watch it in reruns watch it, it is very funny. On occasion there were some serious issues dealt with, like under-aged drinking, racism, gang violence, sexism and some other things. It was actually pretty cool, the show did not always have a happy ending either, something else that was pretty cool about the show. Anyways I think it's cool, and I think it is still funny.