Fuller House’s retread tale won’t set the world on fire
What is it? Fuller House, Season 1, 13 episodes on two discs from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment How much? $24.98 When? Tuesday I’m assuming this is connected to that show from the 1980s and ’90s? You assume correctly.
Full House, which ran 1987-1995, was a family friendly hit comedy and a staple of ABC’s TGIF lineup for four seasons (before being moved to Tuesdays). Now, Netflix has picked it up to reintroduce the Tanner family.
More than 20 years have passed and the Tanner girls have all grown up. Now, oldest child D.J. (Candace Cameron) is a veterinarian and is the recently widowed mother of three young boys (Michael Campion, Elias Harger and Dashiell and Fox Messitt).
When her father Danny (Bob Saget) gets a job in Los Angeles, he leaves the family’s San Francisco home to D.J. and her brood, and her younger sister, partying disc jockey Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), moves in to help out.
Not far behind is D.J.’s annoying best friend, Kimmy (Andrea Barber), a party planner who is recently divorced and raising a teen daughter (Soni Nicole Bringas).
The three women and collective four children help each other and learn life lessons under the same roof. So, basically it’s a gender-reversed version of the original series.
Is it good? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for. Fans who grew up on the original series will probably get warm fuzzies at seeing the original cast back together. After all, everyone but Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen (who played youngest Tanner sister Michelle) makes at least one appearance.
There’s a lot of hugging. A lot of family friendly joking. A lot of heart-to-heart talks.
For those who don’t have quite the same nostalgic feeling or taste for old-fashioned family sitcoms there’s not much to see or enjoy.
The studio audience is overactive with the laughs, cheers, ahhs and oohs. The jokes range from flat to downright bad, and the child actors mug shamelessly. Think Disney Channel.
It is harmless, and the original cast members have good chemistry and obvious real affection for each other, but it’s not the sort of series that’s going to set the world afire. So, if you want simple, gentle comedy, look no further. If you want smart, sharp and funny, pass on by. Extras? Nope New this week: A Place to Call Home, Season 4
Next week: The Untouchables, complete collection (Blu-ray); The Americans, Season 4; DCI Banks, Season 5; The Dick Van Dyke Show, in color; Kim’s Convenience, Season 1; The Librarians, movie trilogy; Suspects, Season 5; That ’ 70s Show, complete series (Blu-ray); Wentworth, Season 2; You Me Her, Season 1.