The original “Full House” cast is reuniting and filming a spin-off series called “Fuller House.” When “Full House” cast member Candace Cameron Bure recently tweeted this exciting news to her followers, I was beyond thrilled.
The 13-episode series will begin with a one-hour premiere that will include everyone from the original cast and air on Netflix in 2016. The reboot will then move into the extended storyline of the eldest daughter, DJ, played by Bure. The exact release date is yet to be announced.
As a ‘90s baby, I grew up on “Full House.” Each episode carried a lighthearted tone that defined what it was like to be a ‘90s kid: playing outside with friends from the neighborhood block and watching home movies from VHS tapes. The show ran from 1987 to 1995 on ABC Family but still continues to air on channels such as ABC Family and Nick at Nite.
Over the years, I realized my family shared the bond that the Tanner family had. My parents even went so far as to name our golden retriever Comet, after the Tanner family’s beloved dog.
But the connections do not end there. DJ is my on-screen counterpart: I share the same household responsibilities, experience similar social dilemmas and am the “guinea pig” child as the eldest sibling. As a child, I loved watching her play the role of the big sister to her younger siblings, Stephanie and Michelle Tanner. DJ constantly teased them and joked with them, and her humor always made me chuckle to myself. Little did I know that I would grow up to be more like DJ than I would ever imagine.
I am blessed with two younger sisters of my own, Vivian, 13, and Sabrina, 7, and the three of us share the same age gaps as the Tanner sisters. Recently, I realized that we have developed personalities and habits similar to those of the Tanner sisters, such as foolhardiness and sassiness, and I laugh at the way we have all naturally embodied the show’s characteristics, even after it stopped airing on television.
In one episode, “Rock the Cradle,” Michelle, the youngest sister, played by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, points at her aunt Rebecca’s pregnant stomach and calls the unborn child “Big Bird,” the giant yellow bird from “Sesame Street.” When the episode re-played in 2007, my mom was also pregnant with my youngest sister, Sabrina. After watching the episode that day, I named the baby in my mom’s stomach “Big Bird,” and it eventually caught on with the rest of my extended family. Of course, nowadays we call her by her real name.
There are even parallels between my extended family and the Tanner family.
Take, for instance, Uncle Jesse, who is played by John Stamos. Many of my friends would agree that he is the most alluring male character on the show. He plays the guitar, is undeniably charismatic and often makes comical remarks that made me shake my head and smile. He is adored by many fans of the show, especially during his sweet scenes with little Michelle.
Though my Uncle Jeff admittedly cannot compare to Uncle Jesse in physical looks, I often saw traits of Uncle Jesse in him. I learned how to pluck my first notes on his guitar, and he took me to the ice cream shop whenever I seemed upset about some small ordeal.
As excited as I am to see the cast members of “Full House” return to their characters’ personas, I will have to accept the fact that things in “Fuller House” will not seem the same. Heartthrob Uncle Jesse will no longer be the handsome 30-year-old in a black leather jacket. The Tanner sisters are now adults and have dramatically changed their appearances, wearing new clothing styles and more makeup.
While I know the physical transformations will be considerable, I predict that the personalities on the show will be no different from the ones I grew to love as a child. Even if the new storyline cannot compete with the original storyline, I am eager to watch the show. I have no doubt that just seeing all of the characters in one place again will simply cause me to burst from excitement.
