"Family Matters" (1989) TV series 1989-1998

Creators:

William Bickley
Michael Warren

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | unknown

Release Date:

22 September 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Neighbor | Nerd | Spin Off | Chicago Illinois | Police Officer

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 8 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

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 'Steve' Quincy Urkel / ... (204 episodes, 1989-1998)
JoMarie Payton	...	Harriette Winslow / ... (201 episodes, 1989-1998)
Rosetta LeNoire	...	Estelle 'Mother' Winslow / ... (121 episodes, 1989-1997)
Bryton James	...	Richie Crawford (95 episodes, 1990-1997)
Telma Hopkins	...	Rachel Crawford (94 episodes, 1989-1997)

Runtime:

30 min (215 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G | USA:TV-G | USA:TV-G (some epiosodes) | USA:TV-PG (some epiosodes)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Bickley-Warren Productions

Trivia:

JoMarie Payton's Harriet Winslow originated in "Perfect Strangers" (1986) as an elevator operator. Reginald VelJohnson also appeared as Carl on the show.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first episode, outside of the front door is a little hallway leading out side. From the second episode on, the hallway was a porch.

Quotes:

Steve Urkel: I... I'm being born! My head pops out! I can see my dad! Whoa, I'm being pushed back in!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Critic: Sherman of Arabia (#2.7)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

As Days Go By

Like it or not, Urkel is king

The character Urkel gets a lot of trash thrown his way, but look at what the actor himself did: He stole a sitcom. It doesn't happen often. Now I'm not certain when he was first introduced on the show, but I believe it was during the first season. He was the "wacky neighbor" with a crush on Laura -- nothing more. Within two seasons, the show was his. He owned it. Huge plot lines revolved around him; he got as much if not more screen time and dialogue as anyone else, and in many cases, more than the entire cast. Some may not like him, but he stole the show out from under the original cast through pure energy and originality. He developed a dead-pan 'look' that rivaled Johnny Carson's and one-upped Mr. Roper's. His physical comedy was outrageous, sometimes slightly ridiculous, but ideally suited to a basic family sitcom. Anyone of-age who has watched some TV in their time knows who Urkel was -- because he was dominant. Like him or not, Urkel is a unique, unforgettable character in TV history, and for that massive achievement, he deserves credit.