Best Years of Our Lives (Season 7, Episode 10). At school Vice Principal Mallet asks if there is someone who would volunteer to create a homecoming float for their parade. Steve proudly volunteers and asks everyone else to join in which no one seems enthused to do so. He asks everyone to meet at the Winslow house that weekend but no one shows up. Laura goes up to Steve the next day and tells him everyone is too busy but Steve is broken hearted that no one seems to care. Laura starts helping Steve put the float together and Waldo and Maxine who were biking near by stop to help them as well. Soon, everyone is joining in to help. They create the float and it's beautiful but as Steve drives the float back to the school, he loses control and the float is destroyed. Everyone is really upset but Laura points out that despite the float being torn apart, everyone did create a special memory that day. She found out that a classmate has a crush on her, Waldo told Maxine he loved her for the first time and Myra made a new friend with Donna Santangelo. Everyone realizes there was something special that happened that day and decided to put the float back together. Mother Winslow hurt her ankle while she was in her kung foo class but assures Carl she'll be fine. Carl is getting worried that Mother Winslow is getting too old to be so active and gets her a motorized scooter. Mother Winslow tells Carl that if she slows down, that might shorten her life and to let her enjoy being alive which Carl realizes is true and apologizes.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

CARL: (RIDING MOTORIZES SCOOTER) Hi Ma, what do you think?

MOTHER WINSLOW: Oh my Lord, you've gotten so lazy you can't walk around your own house?

CARL: No, Mama it's for you.

MOTHER WINSLOW: For me?

CARL: Yeah

MOTHER WINSLOW: What on Earth am I gonna do with that?

CARL: Well lots of things, it'll take you shoppping, to the movies, to the park.

MOTHER WINSLOW: Carl, if I take that to the park, won't somebody steal it while I'm jogging?

CARL: Mama, that's my point, you shouldn't be jogging. Or kung fooing or roller blading or bungi jumping

MOTHER WINSLOW: Why not?

CARL: Well mama, Because you're too old.

MOTHER WINSLOW: Too old?!

HARRIETTE: I'm gonna get my camera

CARL: Oh, good, then you can take a picture of mom in her new motorized chair.

HARRIETTE: Yeah, as she runs over you!

FAVORITE MOMENT:

The opener where Steve is hosting a polka party and Carl comes in from work and clearly is not in the mood to polka and chases everyone out with the fire extinguisher.

OPINION:

Steve wanting to build the float seemed kind of funny to me that the vice principal really needed someone to volunteer. I don't know if this was every school, but our school had a group of people who took care of that stuff and it was considered a cool thing to do. But Steve only asking just the one class to volunteer seemed silly, why not post a banner around the school for the whole class to join in? For a Chicago public school, I guarantee you that their class is bigger than 12 students. But no one shows up and Steve is very sad about it. Honestly though, Steve really didn't have volunteers, he volunteered Laura and said there's a pretty girl so everyone should join in. So no, I really don't feel sorry for him. But it's nice when everyone does decide to join in the next day. Everyone gets a special moment with one of their fellow classmates which was nice. In your senior year of high school, you remember certain moments that make you look back and smile. Only thing is, who in the world thought it was a good idea for Steve to drive the float? These kids know Steve Urkel and still let him drive the float? Big mistake.

I actually do feel bad for Carl here in this episode. I'm in a similar situation, I'm getting older and so is my father. But my father remains very active despite having a heart attack in 2020 that required major surgery, has had back surgery and a hernia. I call him to see how he's doing and he's out painting the deck and I ask if I can help but he says he's fine. I ask him why he's not resting and he tells me the same thing every time "I'll rest when I pass away" and he reassures me that what's keeping him going is him staying busy. But I still worry very much about him. Carl loves his mother very much so I get why he is very concerned about her. But no, he shouldn't have assumed and got her a motorized scooter. He should have talked to her first about his concerns. I admire Mother Winslow for staying so active as well and as she points out she's an inspiration to other older women as well.

We have Fletcher Thomas #3, I always joke with my husband about this. There was this TV show in the 90's called Dinosaurs and they had this goofy kids show that the family would watch where the scientist would have a crazy experiment that would kill the kid and he'd just say "We're gonna need another Timmy". I always say after Arnold Johnson's last appearance as Fletcher, "we're gonna need another Fletcher". This one is played by Ed Cambridge, he really doesn't have too much to do or say, his scene is pretty short lived compared to the other 2 Fletchers. He just comes in when Mother Winslow needs help walking because she hurt her ankle and that's about it. This is the last official appearance of the character Fletcher which is a character I always enjoyed watching on screen. But it was Arnold Johnson who made it special. Still may all the actors who played Fletcher forever rest in peace.

Overall, not a bad episode. I would say I enjoyed yesterday's episode "Struck by Lightning" a little more with the laughs because this one doesn't have as many. But it's still a decent episode to watch despite the schmoozy lesson of "we weren't building a float, we were building a memory"...yeah, Steve but you still destroyed several hours of work. It's still a cute episode though.

GUEST STARS:

• Cherie Johnson as Maxine Johnson
• Fred Willard as Vice Principal Mallet (RIP in 2020)
• Brooke Marie Procida as Donna Santangelo
• Patrick Malone as Jeff
• Lorna Scott as Homeroom Teacher
• Ed Cambridge as Fletcher Thomas (RIP in 2001)

Hello to all Family Matters fans!

The game continues... yesterday’s elimination saw the pirate episode and the one where Steve becomes Elvis both get knocked out (a double KO, as they were tied in points).

Please vote in the comments for the moment you detested the most! The comment with the most votes over the next 24 hours will be taken into account—let’s see which one is the "least bad" (or rather, the worst)! Here is the list:

1 Judy disappearing from the show

2 The Paris episodes

3 Steve moving in with the Winslows

4 The return of Myrtle

5 ☠️

6 Steve transforming into Bruce Lee

7 ☠️

8 The finale in space

9 The cloning storyline

10 Urkelbot

11 ☠️

12 Carl and Steve shrinking

13 ☠️

14 The time machine

15 The introduction of Stefan via the transformation machine

16 Stevil

I think that The Paris Episode was The worst one in my opinion. If it comes on Television I will immediately turn it off.

Struck by Lightning (Season 7, Episode 9). It has been raining for several days including some thunderstorms and Steve is about to head out but gets struck by lightning. Later on there's another storm and Steve tries to head out again but once again he is struck by lightning. Steve stays inside for a few days and is nervous to leave the house. Carl points out there's no problem outside, just one cloud. Steve goes ahead and starts to leave the house but that one cloud produces lightning and strikes Steve again. Steve is now petrified to leave the house, Harriette tries to convince Steve to go outside by telling him what he'll miss with fresh sunshine and picnics and Carl tells Steve that scientist Steve would find out why he keeps getting struck by lightning which Steve accepts the challenge. Steve does find out why he is a lightning rod and it turns out his blood is high in iron and he filtered his blood and took some of the iron out so he can return to going outside and is successful. Too bad that he gave Carl the jar of iron who walks outside and gets struck by lightning. Meanwhile, Laura is thrilled because Harriette mentions there is a part time job at Ferguson's for a sales lady, Laura goes down to interview but finds out that Myra is up for the same position. Mr. Waxman, the manager, tells them he'll test them both out to see who is right for the position. Myra does sell a lot more than Laura, but Myra doesn't get the position like she thought she would, Myra had more returns than Laura did because Myra was lying to her customers telling them they looked good when they didn't. Laura is hired based on her skills and not just because Harriette works at the same store.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

EDDIE: Steve, forget about that cereal. I'm taking everybody out for breakfast this morning.

HARRIETTE: How can you afford that?

EDDIE: I can't, I'm not paying, I'm just driving everybody.

STEVE: No, thanks, you guys just go without me.

EDDIE: Oh, come on, Steve, you can even sit at the same table with us this time.

STEVE: No, thanks, me and the ol' outdoors just don't get along like we used to.

CARL: Oh, Steve.

STEVE: Look, my days of being a human lightning rod are over. Why let someone else get jump started by ten million bolts of direct current.

LAURA: But Steve, it's not even raining today.

EDDIE: Yeah, it's just two little clouds up in the sky.

STEVE: Just two?

EDDIE: Yeah, take a look for yourself.

(STEVE OPENS THE DOOR AND GETS ELECTRICUTED AGAIN)

CARL: Steve, are you ok?

STEVE: Houston, we have a problem.

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When Steve is trying to eat cereal with Carl but all the lightning that has struck him is spazzing him out and he can't even eat the cereal without spilling it all over the place.

OPINION:

I am more than certain we have had a least a couple episodes where there was thunder and lightning outside but Steve never had a problem of getting struck by lightning until now. Maybe he had more iron than usual lately? I love these TV shows where they treat being struck by lightning is like a cartoon where your clothes just burn and you get a little shock. If only reality was that way instead of being set on fire by millions of bolts of current. Still, does it make for a funny joke with Steve getting electrocuted three times in the episode? Yeah, I have to say that it does make me laugh, particularly the third time where there's just 2 clouds in the sky and he thinks he's safe but still gets struck. Of course he would figure out what was wrong with more iron than normal being in his body and taking it out, he hands the iron to Carl and you'd think he'd stop Carl from leaving the house with the jar of iron but nope and poor Carl gets electrocuted. But at least it's Hollywood where being electrocuted just causes a singe and you'll be fine in a few days.

Laura and Myra competing for the position was a pretty funny storyline. I'm curious if a store ever really did that though, test out a sales position for 2 people and see who did better? Usually you just get hired and if it doesn't work out, they just let you go and move on. But this was a different time, so I can't say for sure if that is a realistic situation. Still, I'm proud of Laura for not only telling Harriette not to say anything to Mr. Waxman about hiring her but that she did get the job based on her skills. Myra had more sales but more returns causing the store to lose money. I'm curious how bad these people looked that Myra was lying to them about how they looked amazing? I worked in sales and instead of giving up after something didn't look good on a customer, I would give them different options so I didn't lose the sale. But at least Laura has a discount on clothes now and maybe Myra will learn that you can't lie your way into getting what you want.

Overall, it's not a bad episode, I just think it's ok. While it has it's funny moments, this is one of those episodes I tend to forget about.

GUEST STARS:

• F. William Parker as Mr. Sidney Waxman

Hello to all Family Matters fans!

The game continues... yesterday’s elimination saw both 3J and the "new" Harriette get the boot (a double KO, as they were tied in points).

Since many people enjoyed the Halloween episode "Dark and Stormy Night" (which, for the record, I don't like at all!), I’ve decided to swap it out to make the challenge more interesting—replacing it with the return of Myrtle, a moment that truly epitomizes a "jump the shark" point for the series. Please vote in the comments for the moment you detested the most! The comment with the most votes over the next 24 hours will be taken into account—let’s see which one is the "least bad" of the bunch!! Here is the list:

1 The disappearance of Judy from the show

2 The Paris episodes

3 Steve moving in with the Winslows

4 The return of Myrtle

5 The pirate episode

6 Steve transforming into Bruce Lee

7 Steve becoming Elvis Presley

8 The finale in space

9 The cloning storyline

10 Urkelbot

11 ☠️

12 Carl and Steve shrinking

13 ☠️

14 The time machine

15 The introduction of Stefan via the transformation machine

16 Stevil

Inspired by a ranking from a few months ago that ordered the characters from worst to best, I decided to do the same for those moments that marked the show’s "jump the shark" point and its subsequent decline! (I should add that, as a kid, I loved this stuff, but looking back as an adult, it’s all a bit cringey.) Please vote in the comments for the moment you detested the most! The comment with the most votes over the next 24 hours will be taken into account—let’s see which one is the "least bad"!! Here’s the list:

1 Judy disappearing from the show

2 The Paris episodes

3 Steve moving in with the Winslows

4 The Halloween episode "Dark and Stormy Night"

5 The pirate episode

6 Steve transforming into Bruce Lee

7 Steve becoming Elvis Presley

8 The finale set in space

9 The cloning storyline

10 Urkelbot

11 The introduction of 3J

12 Carl and Steve shrinking

13 The recasting of Harriette

14 The time machine

15 Stefan via the transformation machine

16 Stevil

Talk's Cheap (Season 7, Episode 8). Eddie and Waldo are watching a trashy daytime talk show called Tiffany where they are casting for anyone with "crazy love problems", Waldo gives them a call. On the show, Tiffany brings on Steve and talk about his love triangle with Laura and Myra. Tiffany also asks about his transformation chamber and he turns into Stefan to show the other love triangle between Laura wanting Stefan but Myra wanting Steve back. Tiffany then brings on Eddie who she tells him that there's someone backstage waiting for him that has a huge crush on him, Eddie is excited until Tiffany mentions it's someone from Biloxi, Mississippi and he realizes it's the one and only Myrtle Urkel. Myrtle goes onto the show asking to go out with Eddie but he turns her down. Then Myra starts arguing again that she wants Stefan to turn back into Steve and Laura gets upset that Myra is bothering Stefan. They all start fighting on stage and Waldo, who's in the audience, yells at them to stop fighting. Tiffany asks who Waldo is and he says he's their friend and they need to stop fighting because they are friends. They all calm down and make up and Stefan turns back into Steve. At home, Harriette has been wanting to have a romantic evening with Carl but he keeps ignoring her to watch TV. But Harriette comes home one day and sees candles lit and Carl comes down dressed in a tuxedo and sings (They Long to Be) Close to You to her. She is smitten with Carl and they embrace for a romantic evening together.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

MYRTLE: Oh, hello, delicious! How about a big juicy kiss?

EDDIE: In your dreams, Myrtle!

MYRTLE: Why you been having them too? What was I wearing?

EDDIE: A toe tag!

FAVORITE MOMENT:

I don't know if it's a moment, but I love all the writings under the names when the talk show is airing like the daytime talk shows used to do. Myra
"Cranky cuz her man is gonna change his genes", Myrtle "Heart is pounding", Eddie "Stomach is churning".

OPINION:

Watching this episode now is like a time machine to such a fun and trashy time with daytime TV shows. I was a kid in the 90's and used to watch all the daytime talk shows when I was home sick from school or had days off like Jenny Jones, Sally, Jerry Springer, Maury...you name it. Those were the days of crazy love triangles, I was ugly in high school but hot not, whose breast are the best?, Someone Has a Crush on You, Who's my baby's daddy?, Are you cheating on me?, sexy decoys and drill sergeants.... come to think of it, I was probably way too young to watch that trash but it was fun seeing what I wasn't supposed to when I was a kid.

So we have the Winslow clan on television again, it's kind of funny when you think about how many times they have been on TV, let alone TV where apparently it's aired live for family members at home to watch. We have Citizen's Court, American Gladiators, Dudes and now Tiffany. Speaking of Tiffany, we have Melanie Wilson who played Jennifer, Larry's girlfriend on Perfect Strangers, so this was a fun role for her to have on Family Matters, the spin off of Perfect Strangers. Plus another fun fact I didn't realize until looking into the guest star roles, the guy who plays the Paul McCartney look-a-like is Robert Axelrod, or us 90's kids will always remember him as Lord Zed from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. I had no idea that was him and thought it was pretty cool since we already had Walter Jones who played the black ranger on an episode earlier this season and we will have Jason David Frank, the green ranger, on in a future episode. Robert unfortunately passed away from complications of a spinal surgery he was having on September 7, 2019 at age 70, may he forever rest in peace.

Back onto the episode, this is one of those, like the daytime talk shows, what I would call a guilty pleasure. This episode is so over the top and silly with our characters not acting like themselves. It's interesting how we go from the last episode where Laura, Steve and Myra are all good friends to randomly bringing up the "love triangle" just to get on TV. You'd think that even a family member would try to talk them out of going on TV and making a fool of themselves would be a bad idea, but we wouldn't have a show then. Eddie was kind of a random guest on the show, it would have been more fun if they had him and Greta and then they bring on Myrtle. As usual, Stefan comes out and somehow manages to make every woman around him appear stupid and boy crazy. Laura even gets a little "sister" in this episode with Myra when she's demanding that Stefan turns back into Steve and Laura says "yeah, girl, don't go trashin' my man". It always feels surreal when she does that. However, I don't know why, but yes, this episode always has me laughing. I think because it's just so out there and absurd for our characters but it makes me laugh, it's just a very random filler episode.

Carl and Harriette do feel a bit shoehorned into the episode. The first scene they have together is Harriette wearing a sexy negligee and asking Carl to cuddle with her but he's busy watching TV and won't even bother to look at her. She gets mad and hits him with the pillow and goes upstairs. Then the next scene with them is Carl singing (They Long to Be) Close to You by The Carpenters to Harriette. Did I miss a scene where Carl realizes he was being a jerk to Harriette? Was there a deleted scene somewhere? BTW does anyone else think of The Simpsons when they hear that song Carl sang? It was a nice scene where Carl sang to Harriette, but felt very random and out of place for the episode.

Other than the Carl and Harriette being randomly shoved into the episode so we can give them something to do, I really do enjoy this episode. Like I mentioned, it is a weird one, but it does make me laugh. Plus it was very surreal to see Jaleel as all three characters: Steve, Stefan and Myrtle. I think this might be the only episode where Stefan and Myrtle are together. I wonder if Myrtle asked who that was and where her cousin Steve was?

GUEST STARS:

• Lira Angel as Audience Member
• Robert Axelrod as Paul McCartney (look alike) (RIP in 2019)
• Melanie Wilson as Tiffany
• Julie Uribe as Audience Member
• Sanetta Y. Gipson as Audience Member
• Leo D. Frank III as Stage Member

In my opinion, there was a major improvement compared to Season 8 (the weakest season of the series).

The sci-fi plotlines were kept to a minimum—practically non-existent—and I really liked how Steve’s character developed, as well as how they built the storyline regarding his engagement to Laura.

I could have done without the final episodes set in space, but even so, by that point, I would have liked to see the series continue...

Hot Rods to Heck (Season 7, Episode 7). Laura is excited to see her crush Curtis drive up to the restaurant that her, Steve and Myra are having ice cream at. Curtis talks to Laura and offers for Laura to take a ride with him in his car which he likes to race in. Steve tells Laura it's not a good idea and Laura declines. But later on when Laura is upset with her good girl reputation she takes Curtis up on that offer. Steve is worried about Laura and dares Curtis to race him against his Isetta, if Steve wins, Curtis won't let Laura into his car, if Curtis wins, he gets Steve's Isetta and $500. Steve shows up at the race and has souped up his Isetta, it has a turbo charge on it now and can go at high speeds. He and Curtis race and Steve wins the race but he crashes his Isetta. Thankfully Steve is ok, but this makes Laura realize how dangerous racing is and won't get into Curtis's car. At home, Eddie is getting used to living with his parents again and is still hanging out until 3am with his friends. His friends come over and are eating Carl and Harriette out of house and home and when they come over late, they make a lot of noise. Eddie tells Carl that he will move out since Carl is upset with the situation but Eddie can't find his own place at his price point. Eddie asks Carl if he can start paying rent to him and if he can have his friends over late, but Carl says that's not the solution, it's just about being courteous to one another. Eddie offers the rent still but tells Carl that he'll call first and make sure it's ok to bring his friends over which Carl accepts.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

CARL: Good evening, or is it good morning?

WALDO: Oh, lordie a pop quiz and I didn't study.

EDDIE: Sorry, dad. We just accidentally knocked over some stuff, we cleaned it up.

BONE CRUSHER: Classic robe, Mr. Winslow. Very much in vogue.

CARL: Well, thank you for the early morning fashion critique. Now, beat it!

WALDO: Sorry, Mr. Winslow, he can't leave without me cuz I drove.

CARL: Couldn't you both leave at the same time Waldo?

WALDO: Uh, is that a trick question?

EDDIE: Waldo, Bobby, maybe you guys should boogie.

WALDO: OK. (DANCES OUT THE DOOR) Come on, man, get with the program! (WALDO AND BONES BOTH DANCE OUT THE DOOR)

FAVORITE MOMENT:

The race between Steve and Curtis was a lot of fun to watch.

OPINION:

Juan Lamont Pope who plays Curtis has had quite the history with Family Matters. He was in season 2's Born to be Mild as a gag leader named Chain, in season 4 he was an army recruit in An Officer and a Waldo and also an orderly in Number One with a Bullet. Now he's playing Curtis Williams, Laura's new crush. This role he'll keep for a few episodes, so we will see him return but at least as the same character. This isn't the first time where we've seen Laura question her good girl reputation, she got a fake ID and went to a strip club in season 4's A Walk on the Wild Side to prove she could be daring.

Was Steve wrong in trying to interfere with Laura's chance to ride with Curtis? Yes and no. I think he should have been more reasonable and talk to Laura about how dangerous the ride could be instead of just saying he'll tell her parents if she does this. He comes off as a narc and like he just doesn't want her to have fun. But he did want to honestly protect her and I give him credit for that. He's always been an amazing friend when it comes to protecting the people he loves and cares about. The only thing is, he really risked his life this time in doing so. It's incredible that his Isetta didn't flip over when it crashed and he was very lucky. It was interesting to hear Myra tell Laura this time that Steve wasn't interested in her as more than a friend. But this literally changes a couple minutes later when Laura thanks Steve for showing her how dangerous the races can be and wants to give him a hug but Myra stops her saying for Laura to send him a card. What is with Myra and her mixed signals? But I'm glad that Laura does realize what Steve did to protect her and is grateful to him for it.

Eddie brining his friends over so late really was very rude. I wouldn't be so irritated with him if he at least apologized and realized what his actions were doing to his parents who both work full time and run a household. But he acts like Carl is inconveniencing him and how dare Carl get upset about being woken up at 3 in the morning to see Eddie's friends eating all their groceries. But at least Eddie does make the compromise with Carl at the end in not only offering rent but realizes that he should be more polite and ask Carl if it's ok to bring his friends over. Just as long as it's not 3am after a party that they are all still riled up from. I do get such a laugh when Waldo and Bone Crusher dance out the door though.

Overall, this is an ok episode. Nothing special but not bad either. I'd say it's down the middle. The race scene is exciting and there are jokes that I do get a laugh out of like Curtis's sidekick, Kevin, who constantly repeats everything Curtis says like a parrot. When Carl ducks out of working out with Harriette to go get pizza. And Steve and Myra going Dutch for their date...literally, they are dressed Dutch. But next time Steve races with a turbo charge Isetta, he may want to rethink that a parachute is the best way for him to slow down.

GUEST STARS:

• Juan Lamont Pope as Curtis Williams
• Lamont Johnson as Bone Crusher
• Jarrad Paul as Kevin
• Steven Rozic as P.J.

She's Back (Season 7, Episode 6). Steve is going to visit his parents in Russia and right as the Winslows are celebrating being Urkel free for a few days, in comes in Steve's cousin, Myrtle. That's right, she's back and still head over heels obsessed with Eddie. Eddie tries to distract Myrtle by showing him that he has a new girlfriend, Greta. Myrtle doesn't get the hint though and just looks at Greta as competition and will fight harder for Eddie. Greta offers to take Eddie to an island resort where they can have dinner together. When Eddie arrives he's surprised to see Myrtle and asks were Greta is. Myrtle messed with Greta's shampoo and there's a good chance that Greta won't be seen for a while. As Eddie is eating dinner, Myrtle wants to make out, Eddie says absolutely not and runs away from Myrtle and Myrtle accidentally falls in the water crying that she can't swim. Eddie takes his time getting his fancy clothes off and taking one more bite of dinner when he jumps into save Myrtle. Myrtle points out that he still saved her and asks for another kiss, Eddie says he might as well. Myrtle gets excited and puckers up, Eddie finishes and says he might as well swim to Chicago, it's only a few miles away. Myrtle laughs that he didn't know she could swim and swims behind him. At home, the garbage disposal breaks and Carl asks Harriette to get it fixed. When it's fixed, Harriette tells Carl it did cost them a couple hundred dollars due to a new motor needed and Carl gets really upset at this and tells Harriette she got swindled. Carl goes behind Harriette's back and gets an $800 garbage disposal saying that it's more cost efficient. But Harriette is hurt how Carl demeaned her and tells her that expensive items should be mutually discussed which Carl realizes he made a mistake and apologizes.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

MYRTLE: Who is this?

EDDIE: Myrtle, this is my girlfriend, Greta.

MYRTLE: (GASPS) Girlfriend?! (GOES AROUND GRETA AND KEEPS SNAPPING HER FINGERS)

GRETA: What is your problem?

MYRTLE: Oh, nothing. I was just wondering what Eddie sees in you.

GRETA: And I was wondering why you weren't home watching Hee-Haw?!

MYRTLE: I'm taping it, you tramp!

GRETA: Who you calling a tramp, Ellie Mae?

MYRTLE: You certified citified, floosie!

GRETA: (TRYING TO ATTACK MYRTLE) Put me down! I'm gonna put this woman in her place!!!

MYRTLE: My place is with Eddie, yours' is next to a trough, now go on girl!!!

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When Myrtle is drowning and instead of getting in the water immediately, Eddie takes his sweet time taking off his clothes, wallet and grabbing another bite of dinner.

OPINION:

Alright, controversial take here. I complain about Myra all the time and how toxic her love can be. But does Myra still make me laugh? Absolutely, it's the absurd situations that can make me laugh. And here's my controversial take, I love the Myrtle Urkel episodes. I know a couple months back there was a user on the reddit boards who was asking for a countdown to our favorite characters and I was surprised to see that Myrtle was eliminated so early. Are there problems with this episode? Absolutely. Myrtle is another psycho when it comes to love and actually crosses the line by going into the physical altercations with Greta. That is never ok and I don't condone it. Also, since when is Myra a cheerleader? Did they really need something for her to do so badly in the episode that randomly she's a cheerleader for one episode and one episode only? I don't picture Myra as a cheerleader. I picture more for debate or something more educationally challenging like the math team. She is perky, but not cheerleader perky. And even after Eddie finds out that Myrtle messed with Greta's shampoo, he still stayed for dinner? Not a good boyfriend move, Eddie.

Now complaints aside, I am 100% a full sucker for the Greta vs. Myrtle fights. I don't know what it is, but every time these two are on screen together and have a fight, it is one of the funniest things I have ever seen and there's a very good chance that all my favorite memorable quotes will be with them fighting when there's a Myrtle episode. Jaleel and Tammy's chemistry is off the chain and I don't know how they didn't break character, I'm sure there has to be bloopers somewhere. They are just too funny and sharp how they go back and forth. Plus I always get such a laugh when Eddie has to deal with Myrtle, again I know it's silly and toxic but his reactions to the situations are hilarious. I think it's just the craziness of the situation that makes me laugh.

Carl making such a big deal out of the garbage disposal repair cost to Harriette was out of line. While I agree, repairs can cost a lot and my husband and I have our disputes when something needs to be repaired in our house on how crazy expenses can be but usually it's due to labor fees. Carl asked Harriette to handle the garbage disposal, she did but he's upset at the cost and practically yells at her about it. Then he goes and spends $800 on another garbage disposal without talking to her about it. I do get such a laugh when Carl is saying how this disposal will make the sink smell lemony, Harriette grabs a lemon wedge saying "you know what makes a sink smell lemony, Carl? A lemon, Carl! A lemon!" and squeezes the wedge into Carl's hand. I'm glad Carl at least recognized what he did wrong and that Harriette stood up for herself. This was definitely a relatable plotline when you're on your own with your own place on what's worth money and not worth the money.

I can understand why Myrtle is not some people's cup of tea, but I love the Myrtle episodes. Like I said, I recognize the problems, but these episodes always get me laughing so hard. So yes, call me crazy, but I do really enjoy this episode.

GUEST STARS:

• Cherie Johnson as Maxine Johnson
• Tammy Townsend as Greta McClure

Walking My Baby Back Home (Season 7, Episode 5). Eddie and Greta come home a little late from their date and when Eddie drops Greta off, her dad comes out and is furious they are a few minutes past curfew. He tells Eddie he can't see Greta for a month. Eddie is heartbroken and wants to see Greta, Laura brings up an idea to have one of his friends take Greta out but he meets Greta later on and has his friend bring her home. Eddie asks Steve to do this for him, Steve does this for him and Greta, Mr. McClure is very happy with Steve taking Greta out and they leave. Eddie and Greta meet in the hallway and go out on their date with Steve telling them to make sure they are back within the time frame. Well, they are over a couple hours late and soaking wet, they got a flat tire and had to walk in the rain. But there's another problem, Steve is bone dry and it doesn't look good that she's soaking wet. He tries to drop Greta off without dealing with her dad but Mr. McClure comes right out and can tell something is up since Steve is dry and Greta is wet. He tells Steve that he's fired from Mighty Weenie, but Eddie walks in and tells Mr. McClure that he took Greta out and to not blame Steve. Mr. McClure says they are both fired and to leave but Steve stands up to Mr. McClure and tells him he's a horrible boss if he fires them for such a bad reason and he doesn't want to work for him. Mr. McClure realizes that he did overreact and tells Eddie and Steve they are hired back and Eddie to just wait the month for Greta. At home, Mother Winslow comes to Carl crying that she received a letter from the IRS informing her that she is being audited. Carl takes Mother Winslow to the IRS office to confirm if this was a mistake and it was, they got the incorrect Estelle Winslow. Mother Winslow is so relieved that she starts talking about how Carl doesn't claim some things on his taxes that he should and Carl now gets called back to speak to the IRS agent, Mr. Kincaid. They are going through Carl's spendings and Carl is about to owe a lot of money to the government, but when Carl brings up family at home, Mr. Kincaid mentions that Rachel, Richie and Steve are not mentioned in his tax form. Since Carl has people living with him, he actually gets a bigger write off in his taxes and he doesn't owe the government any money.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

STEVE: YOU! Why you're 2 hours late! What in samhill happened to you?

GRETA: We had a flat tire.

EDDIE: The spare was flat too. We had to walk 3 miles in the rain to the nearest gas station.

STEVE: Well, okay, accidents happen. But it's my butt that's in the ringer, now what do you expect me to do?

EDDIE: Well, can you do this for us again tomorrow night?

STEVE: Are you nuts?!

EDDIE: Please, little brother?

STEVE: Oh, shove that brother stuff in a diddy bag! And you, brush the foliage off your dress and try to look less rumpled! Now come on, come on!

GRETA: Bye.

EDDIE: Bye, baby.

STEVE: Alright, now with any luck your father is already asleep. And I'll be able to vamoose while the vamoosing is good. (MR. MCCLURE OPENS THE DOOR) My vamoose is cooked.

MR. MCCLURE: Get in here!

GRETA: Daddy, listen...

MR. MCCLURE: Now!

STEVE: Well, I'll be going now. (MR. MCCLURE PULLS STEVE IN THE HOUSE) Woah! Maybe I'll stay a while.

GRETA: Now, now I can explain everything.

MR. MCCLURE: You can start by explaining why you look like the swamp thing.

GRETA: We had a flat tire and we had to walk in the rain.

MR. MCCLURE: Well, then why isn't he wet?

STEVE: Vortex, drip dry?

MR. MCCLURE: Upstairs, young lady. Mr. Urkel and I are going to have a nice friendly little chat.

GRETA: Daddy, it wasn't his fault.

MR. MCCLURE: Go.

GRETA: Sorry, Stan.

STEVE: Steve.

GRETA: Right.

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When Eddie is trying to convince Steve to take out Greta out and calling him his brother. You can tell Eddie is just trying to butter Steve up, but Steve eats it all up.

OPINION:

Alright, we are back on track after yesterday's horrible episode. This episode is a huge pick up and needed. So we got Greta back showing that her and Eddie have continued dating and their chemistry is still very strong. We have a very cool Ziggy Marley performance in the beginning of the episode with the song "I got the power to move you" and is so good. This is our last appearance of Ron Canada as Dave McClure though he will be mentioned in the future. Mr. McClure is really a nightmare when it comes to his daughter having a social life. Greta and Eddie were just 13 minutes late and he grounds her for a month away from Eddie. Mr. McClure really needs to calm himself down or he'll lose Greta with the way he over controls her. There's a difference between being protective and being overbearing. Greta is assumingly around 17 years old, he needs to trust her more and I feel so bad for Greta. Mr. McClure seems like he's not pleasant at home either and I wonder if he's abusive in other ways. Even though Mr. McClure does give Steve and Eddie their jobs back at the end of the episode, Eddie and Steve could have had a lawsuit against him for wrongful termination. Greta being late had nothing to do with their jobs. How is Mr. McClure rich if this is the type of temper he has and flies off the handle so easily? I wouldn't be surprised if he has multiple lawsuits against him.

Even though Eddie hams it up for Steve, Steve really was an amazing friend to Eddie here and was so sweet to try to cover for him and Greta. I loved at the end when Steve was in trouble with Mr. McClure, Eddie came in and told the truth. He paid Steve back by being there for him as well and letting Mr. McClure not to blame Steve. It's moments like this where I really appreciate the friendship between Eddie and Steve. They really are like brothers at this point and I'm glad Eddie doesn't take his friendship with Steve for granted.

Steve Vinovich has his second appearance in Family Matters, he was also the judge in the dancing competition in season 2's Flashpants. So it was fun to see him again. This is an interesting plot with the auditing. First of all, Mother Winslow, you couldn't just take the win and walk out? You had to open your mouth about your son who was trying to help you in this situation? But we needed a B-Story. So this is a very surreal moment in the series because when Carl is talking about the extra people that live at his house, he brings up Rachel and that she still lives there at their house. Where? Is she in the same room as Judy? It's just very random that she gets brought up considering we haven't seen her since season 6 and her appearances are very random. But this is the last time we'll hear of her for a while. I loved the scene and it was very close for my favorite moment when Carl got the last laugh in knowing that he is actually getting paid in a tax return and asked for the same pencil that he was able to get Mr. Kincaid to mark that Carl was not in trouble. Now, Carl and Mother Winslow, take this win, do your taxes right and keep your mouths quiet.

I really enjoy this episode. Great music, fun performances, the comedy is on key and I love the storylines. This feels like we are getting back on track for a fun season with season 7.

GUEST STARS:

• Tammy Townsend as Greta McClure
• Ron Canada as Dave McClure
• Steve Vinovich as Simon Kincaid
• Ziggy Marley as Himself
• Cedella Marley as Herself

Teacher's Pet (Season 7, Episode 4). At school while Laura, Steve and Myra are taking poetry class and their teacher announces that he will be absent for a couple of days. Instead of hiring a substitute teacher, they have decided to let Steve Urkel teach the class. Steve has his first class and all the students are giving him a hard time, making fun of him and won't listen to the lesson. Steve feels that Stefan Urquelle will be better suited to teach this class, so he comes in as Stefan and all the ladies in the class are swooning. The guys are still giving Stefan a hard time, but Stefan teaches them that poetry can help them get dates. He has one of the students, Robbins, read his crush Donna a poem and she is touched and tells him that she'll go out with him. All of the students are intrigued and decide to pay attention to class. At home, Harriette is exhausted and the house is a mess. She asks Carl to help clean up, but he refuses to do so. Later on Harriette comes home and everything looks amazing, she thinks that Carl cleaned and cooked and is so touched, but it turns out he hired a very beautiful maid, Tawny, to do all this. Harriette is upset that Carl hired such a pretty lady to do the work instead of himself and decides to teach him a lesson and hires her own butler named Geoffrey with a G. Carl is really upset about this and tries to throw Geoffrey out but Harriette reveals Geoffrey and her work together and she was just goofing on Carl to show him how it feels to have such an attractive person working on their house. Carl apologizes and tells Harriette he was wrong to hire Tawny and they make up.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

CARL: But you know I could be your Geoffrey.

HARRIETTE: I could be your Tawny.

CARL: Want a neck rub?

HARRIETTE: After I draw your bath. (CARL AND HARRIETTE HEAD UPSTAIRS, BUT CARL STOPS) Where you going?

CARL: Well, before I can truly be Geoffrey, I gotta be Carl and eat that dinner.

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When the student Kissel sees how Stefan helped Robbins get a date and asks Stefan for help to get one too.

OPINION:

We were starting so strong with season 7 and now we hit this episode. I'm sorry to say that a good majority of episodes that have Stefan in them, I don't like them. This was a very bizarre episode with situations that don't make sense and out of character moments. Let's start with Steve's storyline. I love these TV shows from the 90's that think that schools hired their students to teach their classes because in their world, substitutes are hard to find or pointless (Saved by the Bell and Buffy the Vampires Slayer did this as well). So does Mr. Ludke, the teacher, only teach the one class and that's all Steve has to teach? Wouldn't he miss almost all his classes? But ok, let's go with it for the sake of the storyline. Steve becomes Stefan to help get the class's attention which again what kind of lesson was this? Instead of Steve being patient and figuring a way to make poetry interesting to his fellow peers, he literally gave up after one class and just had Stefan do it? As usual, they have all the female students acting like horndogs in the classroom. Laura is moaning and asking Stefan if she was bad and Stefan says in front of everyone "not yet", real professional. Even Myra is out of character, she usually gets upset when Steve transforms into Stefan, but in this episode Stefan just smoothly tells her that Steve needed help and she plays with her hair and says "oh, ok". What in the world? Myra never acts like this again either towards Stefan. And Stefan instead of actually teaching poetry is just hooking students up on dates. This felt like a weird "spend time with Stefan" cheesy episode. I get they were giving Jaleel a break with his voice, but this was really forced and I feel there could have been other options or characters he could have been. Or how about they focus the story on someone else in the family and have Steve be on the back burner?

So back in season 4 we had the episode It's a mad, mad, mad house where Harriette begged everyone to help her out with the house. Carl felt bad at the end of the episode and said they would all pitch in and help from now on. All of a sudden, Carl forgot about that and hasn't been helping. Apparently with 5 other people living in the house not including Harriette, guess no one wants to help in general. Carl all of a sudden who has always been pro-women is a chauvinist, he's had moments where he thinks men are better at some things than women but nothing out of control or cringe, but here, this is not Carl. He's sassing back at Harriette telling her to clean the house and it's not his fault she waited too long to clean. He works full time so why should he clean and even though Harriette works full time, he just shrugs it off and tells her to work her "kitty cat gene" and clean. Instead of helping Harriette out or even asking the family to pitch in, Carl who is a tightwad with money, hires a maid. Not just any maid, but a beautiful woman who is wearing a French maid's uniform. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he liked Tawny to Harriette, not like "she does a great job cleaning" kind of like, you can tell he likes looking at Tawny and almost treats it as a lesson that Harriette needs to learn. Harriette gets back at Carl by playing a prank on him and get her co-worker to be her new hot butler. Carl quickly snaps back into himself and says "well, I should have done what you asked in the first place and cleaned". I don't like this at all, these are not our characters.

For the most part I really enjoy season 7 but this episode is really horrible. I think it's one of the rare episodes where if I'm on a Family Matter binge, I really don't pay attention to this episode and am distracted with something else. Is there anything I enjoy in this episode? Well, Walter Jones is in it and I'm a kid of the 90's, so my Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers geek mode goes into green or should I say "black ranger: Mastodon!". BTW, I love that Walter was just around 30 years old when this episode was shot and he's supposed to be a teenager. I also do get a giggle out of Robbins behaving like a jerk and how he learns to be more smooth with his crush, Donna. But other than that, no, I don't like this episode and never will.

GUEST STARS:

• Brooke Marie Procida as Donna Santangelo
• Renee Tenison as Tawny
• Walter Jones as Kissel
• John Patrick White as Robbins
• Tim Padilla as Poetry Student
• Sanetta Y. Gipson as Audience member #1
• Cary Brayboy as Geoffrey
• Eric Poppick as Mr. Ludke
• Julie Uribe as Audience Member #2

Bugged (Season 7, Episode 3). Steve has connected with another bug collector online named Bugs-N-Hugs and they are planning to exchange different bugs they have collected through the years. When Bugs-N-Hugs AKA Agnes comes over, Steve is expecting a nerd like him but is shocked when Agnes is a gorgeous woman. They exchange bugs and Agnes confesses to Steve she feels a connection to him, Steve says he feels it to and they share a passionate kiss. Well, actually that was just Steve's fantasy and he snaps out of it. Agnes thanks Steve for the bug exchange and leaves. Steve tells Laura he feels that he emotionally betrayed Myra and Laura tells Steve that he should just be honest and tell Myra and he'll feel better. Steve tells Myra and Myra takes the news terribly and throws the grill through the window telling Steve that he's going to get it and Steve is frightened. Well, actually that was what Steve thought Myra was going to do and snaps out of it and when he tells Myra about Agnes, Myra tells Steve it's ok that he was attracted to Agnes, just as long as he stays true to her. At home, Harriette tells Carl that she has a new boss, Nick Neidermeyer and wants to get on his good side and asks Carl if Nick can play poker with him and his friends. Carl lets Nick join, but turns out that Nick is a total jerk to him and his friends. Carl has had it and throws Nick out. Well, actually that's what Carl wants to do and snaps out of it realizing it was his fantasy. Harriette has been watching Nick insult Carl and his friends and be rude all night and she can't take it and tells Nick to get out. She thinks Nick will fire her, but Nick admits that he transferred departments so he has no power over her and both she and Carl throw Nick out of the house.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

HARRIETTE: Mr. Niedermeyer, the only thing that's gonna go by is you. Bye! Carl was nice enough to invite you into his game and you've been acting like a jackass.

CARL: Now honey, it's really ok...

HARRIETTE: No it's not ok, Carl. I kept quiet last week and I haven't say anything tonight. This poker game is important to you and I messed it up by inviting this windbag.

NICK: Do I have to remind you who you're talking to?

HARRIETTE: No, you don't have to remind me of nothing. You may be my boss, but that does not give you the right to come into my home and be obnoxious to my husband and his friends. So go ahead, FIRE ME! But you'll never play in this game again.

ZOOHAIR: You go, girl!

FAVORITE MOMENT:

Steve's and Agnes meeting and his fantasy of kissing her. I always get such a laugh when she's describing how she found the one bug that landed on her chest and Steve's reaction of grabbing his magnifying glass and looking at the bug she's holding to her chest.

OPINION:

Between yesterday's episode The Naked and the Nerdy and today's episode, it feels like now we are getting on a good roll again. No crazy science experiments or insane situations, just the family reacting to tough situations. Steve having a fantasy about Agnes, was it wrong? Of course it wasn't, I think a lot of people who are in a relationship have had a moment where they were attracted to another person. It's impossible to meet so many people in life and never not wonder what it would be like if you and that person connected beyond friendship. It's just a matter of knowing that it's just an initial attraction, that's it, you're happy with your current partner and nothing will make you want to challenge your relationship. It's kind of funny that Steve felt guilty over this fantasy but has no shame that he's told Myra several times that he's in love with Laura and would leave her in a heartbeat if Laura indicated there was a chance they would get together. It's also interesting on Myra's reaction considering that she has fantasies of running Laura over with a bus but the fantasy Steve had with Agnes doesn't bother her. Is she growing up? Or is it because she knows Agnes was just a one off meeting and Steve hangs out with Laura on a regular basis? She does mention that she doesn't mind as much that Steve and Laura are friends and even at times tries to be Laura's friend. But you can tell she still has a side eye to Laura.

So we get to meet Nick Neidermeyer, this will definitely not be his last appearance and is kind of a nemesis to Carl and Harriette. Nick is definitely a big jerk and someone if you knew them in real life, you would want to tell off. I wish I could say there might be a deeper reason why he is the way he is, but some people in life are just miserable and want to make everyone around them miserable as well. Ron Orbach does a great job as Nick and really is such an unlikeable character. But this gives Carl more to do rather than just getting mad and annoyed with Steve. I'm so glad that Harriette stood up to Nick, she didn't even know yet that he didn't have any power over her job but still stood up because she recognized that despite them working together and Nick being her boss does not give him the right to disrespect her husband and his friends in their home. It's moments like this where I fall in love with Harriette all over. Plus at the end of this episode we see that Harriette is playing with Carl and his friends to take Nick's place and she's got some made poker skills as well. I wonder if we'll be seeing that again in the future?

This was a really good episode and a strong one for the season. It's funny and relatable. I know season 7 has it's problems, but Bugged is definitely not one of them and so far, I'm enjoying the season.

GUEST STARS:

• Ron Orbach as Nick Neidermeyer
• Amy Hunter as Agnes Pritzker
• Iqbal Theba as Zoohair Bhuto
• Joel Anderson as Charlie Sullivan (RIP in 2026)
• Marlon Young as Willie Tannen

Basically what clothing/outfit is best associated with the character. For example with Carl winslow it's the blue police shirt. Not white.

The Naked and the Nerdy (Season 7, Episode 2). Steve is getting ready to shower but has to leave the bathroom for a moment to get his loofa and Laura comes in the bathroom and thinks that someone just left the shower on and hops in. Steve comes back into the bathroom and takes his towel off and opens that shower curtain and both he and Laura see each other naked. This creates an awkward tension around the house and they are not sure how to act around each other. Eddie finds out what happened and tells them that if he could walk in on Carl and Harriette being intimate one night, they can definitely work this out and just talk instead of act weird. Laura and Steve talk to each other and say how embarrassed they were and it was just an accident. They work it out and put 7 locks on the door and a gate to double pad the door. Larry, the husband that Carl and Harriette helped counsel him and his wife Marilyn, drops by to ask Carl a favor and keep the present he got Marilyn for their anniversary until their date so it can keep hidden. It's a fancy diamond bracelet and it happens to be Carl and Harriette's anniversary of their first date and always like to get each other something nice. Harriette sees the present that is for Marilyn but mistakes it thinking it's hers and gets so excited at the diamond bracelet that Carl doesn't have the heart to tell her it's not hers'. Carl finally does confess to Harriette that the present was for Marilyn from Larry and at first Harriette is hurt but Carl tells her that the only reason he didn't say anything at first was because his present wasn't as fancy but gives it to her, it was a framed photo of their first date at the carnival and Harriette is so touched by this that they kiss and make up.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

EDDIE: Hey, how did the floor get wet? Oh, hi, Steve. Man, I'm starved I haven't eaten for 2 hours. Jackpot, fried chicken. Hey, there's enough for everybody, you want a breast Steve?

STEVE: No thank you, Eddo.

EDDIE: How 'bout a nice juicy thigh?

STEVE: Would you shut your filthy mouth!

EDDIE: What?

STEVE: All this talk of breasts, and shapely thighs and lean flat stomachs covered with soap.

EDDIE: Wait a minute, I didn't mention stomachs. What's going on here?

STEVE: Nothing.

LAURA: Nothing.

STEVE: Nothing, nothing, nothing.

EDDIE: What's happened? You see each other naked or something? (LAURA AND STEVE GASP) Oh, my God, you did! (LAUGHS HYSTERICALLY) You saw each other naked!!!

STEVE: Yes, we did. We saw each other nude, peeled, in the buff, in the raw, all natural, without a stitch, in our birthday suits, just wearing smiles.

LAURA: Yeah, and we expect you to keep it quiet.

EDDIE: Oh, I will, at least until I see somebody.

STEVE: Now, Eddie, this is very awkward and you're not making it any easier.

EDDIE: Oh, now come on guys, what are you going to do? Hide from each other until what you saw turns grey?

LAURA AND STEVE: EDDIE!!!

EDDIE: Work it oooooout! You know, when I was 8 I walked in on Mom and Dad and if I can get over that, you two can surely get over this!

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When Carl is trying to tell Larry that Harriette mistook the bracelet as her anniversary gift and Larry is laughing thinking Carl is going to tell him what Harriette's reaction was when he told the truth but instead Harriette comes in dancing and singing how she's got a new bracelet.

OPINION:

Contrived: an adjective that describes something artificial, forced, or too obviously planned out rather than happening naturally AKA The Naked and the Nerdy. Now, don't get me wrong, this episode makes me laugh very much but why does everyone act so strange here? Let's start with the A-Story Laura and Steve. First of all, I lived with family and yes this has happened where someone has walked in on me while I was in the bathroom. You know what the reaction was? I yelled "Close the door!" and covered myself up with the towel and hands and we laughed later saying "don't you know how to knock?". I think a lot of family or even roommates have dealt with this situation and it's a pretty universal reaction. What happens when Steve opens up the shower curtain and he and Laura are both in the buff? Laura slowly turns around and screams like Steve is holding a butcher's knife and runs to the other side of the show and Steve screams like he just saw a corpse on the floor and runs out of the bathroom like his life depended on it. Now here's the thing, I get being embarrassed, but the way they acted was as if someone was threatening their lives. Also, even though it was a drawing, Laura has seen Steve naked before when she was going through Myra's sketches and all she did was laugh at the situation and Steve was just embarrassed about the photo and both acted pretty normal. Granted this is different as they are both in the raw and it's real life instead of a picture, but seriously get a grip. Not to mention how weird is it that Steve literally walks out of the bathroom and not even 3 seconds later Laura comes in singing Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You", how did they not bump into each other in the hallway? Plus when Laura saw the shower was running, why didn't she just shout out to ask anyone in the house if anyone was going to shower or why they left the water on? Like Eddie said in that hilarious scene, they act so awkward around each other like they walked in on each other doing something else (you get where I'm going with this). I feel for Eddie, I walked in on my parents when I was 8 and that was scarier than any horror movie I saw. But I got over that and like Eddie said, Laura and Steve need to get a grip. Eddie was the only sane one with the right reaction, laugh it off and just be careful next time.

Larry brings over an expensive bracelet that he bought his wife Marilyn for their anniversary. Really? He doesn't have any decent hiding place in the house that he'd take to a man he's met once not knowing if he's got trustworthy family members that wouldn't take the bracelet? OK, sure, let's go with it for the show. Harriette sees the present and now we overhear the laughter of the audience so it's a good distraction, but imagine if this was real life and you see a present on the table thinking it was yours, would you really shake it like a 5 year old on Christmas yelling it's for you? Carl is clearly trying to tell her that the bracelet is not hers' but she won't be quiet and keeps opening it screaming like a crazy little school girl and just puts it on and won't stop yelling how she loves it when Carl is clearly trying to tell her again that that's not her present. Then Larry comes over to get the bracelet and Carl tells him how Harriette mistook the bracelet for her present and Larry asks Carl how she took the news and she comes in dancing and singing with the bracelet and shows off to Larry. Harriette has never acted this way, it's just very strange.

That being said, as forced as these plots were, did I laugh? Absolutely! Steve with the water dispenser bottle and how he knocked it over and couldn't get it back on was so beyond forced but again it's so crazy I had to laugh, when he told Myra how he saw Laura in the shower and she saw him and Myra asks how much did she see and Steve says "the whole enchilada". I also get such a laugh at Harriette's screams and when she overhears Carl practicing how he's going to tell her and she yells who's the bracelet for and Carl says it's Marilyn's and Harriet asks why he's buying presents for Marilyn. When Carl tells her that he was embarrassed because his present wasn't as fancy but gave her the picture, I thought that was really sweet and actually I liked the picture better because of the thought behind it vs just buying something expensive.

So overall, I forgive the episode's faults because as goofy as it is, I do laugh at this one. I think mainly Eddie's reaction to Laura and Steve's situation and Harriette getting Carl's real gift is what makes this episode a decent one to watch.

GUEST STARS:

• Spencer Garrett as Larry Johnson

Little Big Guy (Season 7, Episode 1). Steve is officially moving in with the Winslow family and Carl is feeling the stress right now. Harriette recommends that the family goes camping while Steve gets settled in the house. Carl has one more thing to do for work and says he'll meet them at the campground. While he's at home he sees Steve bringing in the transformation chamber. Steve says he's been toying around with the chamber and now the chamber can make things bigger but he's still messing around with it because it can make things smaller as well. The chamber goes off by accident and Carl and Steve are in it's path and they worry they are going to get bigger, but they seem fine and hop on the countertop. But as soon as Steve mentions them getting smaller, they do so and shrink. With the family on vacation, they have to wait until they get home to help them get big again. They have to band together to keep protected from a runaway cantaloup and a stray cat that gets into the house. Eventually the family comes home and the chamber goes off again and Carl and Steve go back to normal.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

HARRIETTE: Come on, Carl. We have to let him in.

CARL: Do we have to, Harriette? Can't we just skip the middleman and check right into the mental institution?

HARRIETTE: No. We promised his folks that we look after him while they were in Russia.

EDDIE: Russia, what a place. War-torn, freezing cold, dark and gloomy, no food.

LAURA: Yeah. Steve's folks took the easy way out.

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When Steve brings in the box of his stuff and Carl is clearly in distress about Steve moving in and prays to God to help him and give him a sign what things will be like with Steve moving in and Steve's box explodes and Carl realizes that that's the sign.

OPINION:

Here we are with season 7. So Steve has officially moved in with the Winslow family and the very first episode is already a crazy science experiment gone wrong. You could tell someone was watching "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" and wondered if they could do the same with Carl and Steve? Even though it's not a strong opener and I'm not huge on the science experiment episodes, for some reason, this one has a soft spot for me. I think it's because for a 90's TV sitcom, this is actually pretty impressive with the effects. Any nitpicks? Of course there are. I love how we really haven't seen Carl and or Steve ever sit on the countertop, but when the plot needs it, they do so they can be surrounded by the food. And how is it the cat Mr. Buttons becomes huge at the end but the rest of the family doesn't when they are in the path of the chamber when it goes off again? Did the machine mess around with Carl and Steve's organs going small and big again? I'm probably thinking too deep on that one. So plot wise, there are things that don't make sense.

But what I love about this episode is the set. I'm a sucker for an amazing set. As crazy and unbelievable as this plot is, it was so much fun seeing Carl and Steve interact with the different food around the countertop. I loved the bread, marshmallow and cheese bed. I wonder how they would take care of their biological needs? Now that's gross and I need to remember this just a silly TV show. But as silly as it looked I did love the sequence with Mr. Buttons getting into the house and messing with Steve and Carl. Speaking of, I do love that earlier joke where Richie was begging Carl to keep Mr. Buttons because he loved him, Carl said he loved Whitney Houston but it doesn't mean she's living with them and Richie asked if Whitney Houston rubbed up on Carl's leg, would he give in? Carl smiles thinking about it. That was cute. I also love the opener of Carl praying to God for a sign that everything will be ok when Steve moves in, such a great and funny scene. Also I loved that Waldo came in and saw Carl and Steve were shrunk and thought that meant he was huge.

Not too much to talk about in this episode as it's a pretty basic one. But like I said, I'm not sure what it is, but this episode does make me laugh and I like watching it. I think it's the jokes and the set that impress me. I would have rather have had an opener where it was just about Steve moving in vs. having a science experiment gone wrong, but it's still not a bad one to start the season with. From what I heard, this is where Jo Marie Payton was getting a little aggravated with the show's direction and I get why, this is where you can tell the family is officially in the background to Steve's crazy inventions.

GUEST STARS:

Kellie Joy Beals as Park Ranger

Home Sweet Home (Season 6, Episode 25). Steve's dad has invented a new medical device that will require him to move to Russia. Steve is scared; this means he is moving to Russia with his parents. Steve asks Eddie if he can move in with him and Waldo instead, Eddie reluctantly agrees and lets Steve move in. While Steve is moving in with Eddie and Waldo, he shows them a new science experiment with super termites that can destroy and eat wood much faster than regular termites, as the guys go out to see a movie together, Waldo grabs his jacket which is under the bucket of termites and knocks them over. When they get back to the apartment, their place is destroyed and the neighbor above, Eddie's crush, falls through the roof into their apartment. They realize with their place destroyed, Eddie and Waldo have to move back in with their parents. Steve is now left without a home and will be moving to Russia. Back at home Laura has made straight A's and Harriette is so proud that she wants to buy Laura a new outfit and asks Maxine if she could help her pick out a dress. Laura tries the leopard print dress on and hates it not knowing Maxine picked it out. Laura and Maxine get into a tiff about their tastes in clothes and Harriette tells them it's more important than they're friends. Laura offers Maxine the dress and Maxine accepts. Eddie comes back home and asks Carl and Harriette if he can move back home which Harriette is very excited to accept him back. Carl asks where Steve will live and Steve comes in with heavy winter gear looking depressed, Eddie guilt trips Carl just like Carl did earlier about letting Steve move in with him and tells him that Steve worships Carl and to let him move in which Carl says yes, Steve can move in with them.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

WALDO: Mr. Winslow, isn't a little late to play baseball?

CARL: (CARRYING A BASEBALL BAT) Waldo, isn't it a little late to be in my kitchen?

WALDO: Hey, it's never too late for a nutritious snack. Pickle?

CARL: I hate to bring this up, Waldo, you don't even live here.

WALDO: What's your point?

CARL: The point is Waldo is that you should be eating at your own apartment.

WALDO: But I might wake up Eddie.

CARL: You woke me up.

WALDO: What does it matter? You're going out to play baseball.

CARL: So, Waldo, you walked all the way over here in your pajamas?

WALDO: Of course not, that would be stupid, I took the bus.

CARL: Well, you can take the same bus right back.

WALDO: You know, I'm starting to feel that I'm not wanted here.

CARL: Good Waldo, go with that feeling. See where it takes you.

WALDO: Well, you don't have to paint me a picture. I'll just have to finish my snack at home and if I wake up Eddie, it'll be on your head.

STEVE: Hey, Waldo, do they have any cold cuts?

WALDO: No, they're out.

STEVE: Oh, I'll just get some cheese.

WALDO: Cool.

CARL: I know this is my house, I pay the mortgage, my name is on the bills. I looked at them yesterday.

STEVE: Carl? Isn't it a little late to be playing baseball?

FAVORITE MOMENT:

When Carl guilt trips Eddie with "Think it over? Think it over? Edward, you are Steve Urkel's best friend, to Steve the sun rises and sets on you. You need to show a little compassion, a little humanity. Can you just picture poor Steve moving all the way to Russia? Away from all of his friends, away from the only home he's ever known? Can you really do that to Steve and look at yourself in the mirror? I think not" then when Eddie has to move back home and Steve needs a place to live Eddie guilt trips Carl right back "Think about it? Think about it? Why would you have think about it, Dad? Dad, you are Steve Urkel's hero, in his eyes the sun rises and sets on you. Can you just picture poor Steve moving all the way to Russia? Away from all of his friends, away from the only home he's ever known? Can you let that happen to poor Steve and still look at yourself in the mirror every day? I think not!". Nicely done, Eddie!

OPINION:

We have made it, Season 6 finale and what a crazy one it is. So for 6 seasons we have had Steve come over to the Winslow house so much that we wonder if he lives there at this point? Well, it's official, Steve is moving in with the Winslow family. From what I read, the writers were having a hard time figuring out excuses why Steve's parents were not more involved in huge events in his life, so they were going to write his parents moving away with a couple of different ideas on how this would work for Steve. One would be that he lived at his house still, just on his own, the second was having a place of his own and the third was living with Eddie and Waldo. But they writers decided it would be best if he moved in with the Winslow family.

It was fun to see some of the old memorabilia in Eddie and Waldo's apartment when Steve was moving in, did you see the Urkelbot and Laurabot heads on their countertop? It was kind of creepy. Now, why did Steve think it was a good idea to bring termites into their apartment? Why did Eddie not say no to Steve bringing termites into their apartment? And how did Waldo not notice that he knocked over the bucket of termites when he grabbed his jacket? I know the writers had to come up with some way of getting the apartment destroyed, it just seemed very contrived. I think I would have believed more if Eddie told Steve to get rid of the termites, Steve says there's a home for them at the lab that he'll take them to the next day and maybe Waldo's jacket was barely touching the container but when he pulled his jacket, it didn't knock over at first, but it wabbles and after Waldo leaves it then knocks over. Still talk about a crazy stunt with Eddie's dream girl falling through the roof. What a fun cameo from Lark Vorhees who is most famous for playing Lisa on Saved by the Bell. You know, I always love these shows where if someone is home just relaxing, somehow they look amazing. They're not wearing T-shirts, jeans, sweatpants, PJ's, etc. They are always dressed like they are going out on the town, shirts are tucked in, wearing a belt, fancy shoes and make up. All I can say is, thank goodness she wasn't about to shower. But I do love when she falls through and Eddie takes this wonderful opportunity to ask her out still despite her falling through is roof. I love Lark Vorhees, but her reaction is so hilariously unbelievable when she kind of giggles while she asks "what happened?". I think I'd be more in shock, but we gotta have comedy in out show.

It's funny, for the most part, I don't mind Maxine but as I'm writing these posts, I think I realize I'm not liking her character at all. So Laura got straight A's and Harriette wanted to do something nice and get her an outfit and asks for Maxine's input. Maxine picks out a dress that SHE WOULD LIKE and actually insults Laura for not liking it. I'm curious why Harriette couldn't pick something out herself? Laura says that Harriette has good taste, so I'm assuming on that line that she's picked out clothes for Laura before. They've also gone shopping together enough where I would think Harriette knows Laura's taste at this point. But as soon as Laura tells Maxine she doesn't like the dress, Maxine actually insults Laura's taste in clothes instead of saying "I thought you would like it". Nope, she picked that dress out for herself and was hoping Laura would give it to her. I don't like the "moral" of this story. Laura got straight A's, Maxine goofed off in school not getting good grades and then technically Harriette bought Maxine a new dress. How is that nice?

But do I like this episode? Absolutely. Despite the nitpicks, I really love this episode. There is a couple changes to note that will be noticed in the next season. We will no longer have the opening credits with song "As Days Go By" and Shawn Harrison is out of the main cast and will have guest appearances again. But still, this is a very funny episode. I loved Carl and Eddie guilt tripping each other, the couch falling through the roof was insane and fun to look at and I love Carl's lip quivering when he says yes to Steve moving in. Plus that ending credit sequence when Steve is ringing the bells and Carl uses his growling voice to make Steve stop. With Steve moving in finally, we now don't have to wonder where the heck his parents are all the time when something happens.

As I mentioned this is the season finale. This season has been insane and not my favorite as it seems like there are a lot of up and down moments. That being said, I still love every season as each season has something different to offer, even the worst episodes have something good to talk about. My favorite episodes this season: Dark and Stormy Night, An Unlikely Match, The Substitute Son, My Bodyguard and They Shoot Urkels, don't they? My least favorite episodes are: To Be or Not to Be Part 1, Cheers looking at you, Kid and the Disney World episodes. And tomorrow will start season 7!

PROOF THAT STEVE'S PARENTS ARE EVIL (THAT WE KNOW UP TO THIS POINT):

1. They don't feed him
2. His dad questions his career choices
3. His dad questions his faith
4. They leave him alone on Christmas
5. They take separate vacations without him
6. They let him know that they take separate vacations, so they don't have a kid like him again
7. His dad lets him know he loves animals that eat their young
8. When Steve was being born, his dad tried to push him back in
9. His family sends him "stay away money"
10. His parents one time tried to move away and put themselves under an assumed name
11. Steve pays rent
12. Steve is not allowed to go home until midnight
13. They don't visit Steve much when he's in the hospital having surgery and even when he's recovering, they go to their "parents without children" meetings
14. They don't care their son is on the roof of the Winslow house during a blizzard
15. Steve's parents did not introduce him to his own grandparents until he was his "cool personality"
16. They were not there for his trial when he was threatened with expulsion
17. They were not home when their house was robbed and didn't offer Steve any help to deal with the trauma of 2 criminals tying him up while all their stuff was stolen
18. They obviously don't care that Steve threatens to become Stefan forever, at least they have a cool son now
19. Steve's father wants Steve to go fishing in the lake with sharks
20. They don't get involved when Steve's life is being threatened by the criminal he helped knock out at the grocery store
21. Steve is going to Disney World but his parents won't go because they refuse to travel with him or support the fact that his invention is up for a huge award
22. Steve's father, who assumingly makes decent money as a surgeon, bought Steve a plane ticket to Russia worse than 3rd class called "peasant"
23. Steve's parents don't put up much of a fight to have their son move with them and are willing to live in a different country than their teenage son

GUEST STARS:

• Cherie Johnson as Maxine Johnson
• Lark Voorhies as Dream Girl

They Shoot Urkels, Don't They? (Season 6, Episode 24). Carl and Eddie are arm wrestling and for the first time Eddie beats Carl. Steve comes in and wants to try arm wrestling with Carl, Carl thinking that this is an easy defeat accepts, but to his surprise Steve almost beats Carl. Steve is excited and bragging about how he almost beat Carl. Later on, Mother Winslow tells the family about how the senior citizen's center's funds are being cut. Harriette brings up an idea to do a dance marathon to help raise money for the center. Everyone is helping put the dance together, Waldo has even set up Laura with his cousin Bob as a date. Bob is a small person so Laura feels awkward and after saying an off handed comment about Bob's height, she apologizes immediately and Bob says it's not a problem, Laura is touched and still dances with Bob. Carl and Steve are competing with each other wanting to prove who has more stamina. As everyone is starting to drop out after hours of dancing, Carl and Steve refuse to stop. Even Harriette and Myra have had it and leave their men. Carl and Steve finally fall down together and Carl admits that he was acting like that because Steve had almost beat him in arm wrestling and that Steve may beat him one day. Steve is touched that Carl admitted that and they hug.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

CARL: I could do this all night.

STEVE: (SEES THE SUN RISING) We have!

CARL: Oh (CRYING) Oh. (CARL AND STEVE FINALLY FALL DOWN)

STEVE: Call it a tie.

CARL: Done.

STEVE: Oh, boy, are we pathetic or what?

CARL: Steve, I'm sorry. You know it's that just when you almost beat me arm wrestling, I guess I goot a little crazed.

STEVE: I'm sorry too, I guess I did kind of egg you on.

CARL: No, that's no excuse, Steve. Steve, it's just that, well, it's just hard to accept that you of all people almost beat me. Don't worry, some day you probably will.

STEVE: You know, it takes a big man to say that... I guess that's why you're the big guy!

FAVORITE MOMENT:

The dance montage with all the different dances, like the modern pop dance, the tango, polka and the hand jive. It was fun to see all those amazing dancers.

OPINION:

We have another recycled plot line. Season 2 we had Dance to the Music where Carl was so determined to beat his co-worker Charlie Carnelli at a dance contest, he didn't care that he had hurt his back and Charlie was also so determined to beat Carl that he didn't care that he sprained his ankle. Just switch Charlie with Steve and you have this episode. But as I mentioned, when a show has been on for so long, I'm sure we are bound to see storylines repeat themselves and I don't mind as long as the episode is still good and this one is a good one. This feels like a Family Matters episode again which I was missing. No crazy inventions or wacky adventures, just our characters growing and reacting to something relatable.

Carl is getting older, it's hard to accept or can be a shock that our bodies are not as energetic as they used to be. We also lose our strength as well. It's funny how shocked Carl is about Steve almost beating him, you can tell Jaleel was really in shape at this point in the show. If I remember correctly reading in Jaleel's book, the producers were begging him to stop working out because he didn't have the physique of a nerd anymore. But I get it, Carl is used to whipping everyone and is the alpha male of the house. Eddie beat him for the first time and now Steve almost beat Carl. It was a really wonderful moment at the end where Carl not only admits that Steve could beat him one day but that he took the fault of starting the petty fight at the dance marathon which was very adult. Laura is growing too, we usually see her with the typical good looking guy and when she sees Bob, Waldo's little person cousin, she freaks out and is worried she'll say something stupid and she does. Bob shows her that he's comfortable with who he is and he's a nice guy and Laura apologizes and tells Bob what a good man he is for not making her feel bad and they continue dancing.

Onto our little trivia, so I looked at Myra's outfit that Harriette compliments and Myra says that Steve had picked it out. Didn't I see this outfit earlier in the episode? That is the same vest that Laura is wearing in the opening credits scene where they are playing piano. I wonder if Steve took that vest out of Laura's closet? We also have Fletcher #2, now played by Whitman Mayo. Now Whitman did a lot of work and was a very prolific actor starring in the hit show Sanford and Son along with a lot of other TV and movies. But for me, he will always be DJ Tanner's senior citizen friend Eddie Johnson. That's where I had first seen him when I was a kid, so I always associate him with Full House. He passed away from a heart attack at the age of 70 on May 22, 2001. He was married and had 3 children, may he forever rest in peace.

The only thing about this episode that I laugh at is that majority of the women are wearing high heels, particularly Harriette. You're doing a dancing marathon and you're going to wear high heels? I don't care how practiced you are in heels, your feet are going to kill you at the end of the night. I could see more chunky heels, even Myra wasn't too bad with the 1 inch heels. I'm surprised there were not more women with blisters and sprained ankles. Only Maxine and Richie's date, Elizabeth, were the smart ones by not wearing heels. Plus I'm surprised no one kicked Carl and Steve out earlier. The center has to close sometime, they are not going to let these two crazy people dance until the sun rises to settle a bet. But show has to show.

Still, I really enjoy this episode. I love it when we have a great friendship moment between Carl and Steve. The dancing was awesome and the jokes were great. I didn't even mention how much it made me laugh when everyone is clearly exhausted around 3am but Waldo is still dancing like he has the energy of a ferret and Maxine asks if they can give up and it sounds like Waldo doesn't want to give up admitting defeat but Maxine says she wants to go and he says "cool" and walks out. What a great boyfriend moment. I really like this episode, this was a major step up from the previous episodes. Believe it or not, tomorrow is the season finale! We are almost at season 7.

GUEST STARS:

• Cherie Johnson as Maxine Johnson
• Whitman Mayo as Fletcher Thomas (RIP in 2001)
• Cerita Monet Bicklemann as Elizabeth
• Jabu Dinani as Bob
• Tony Borowiak as Himself (in All-4-One)
• Delious Kennedy as Himself (in All-4-One)
• Jamie Lamar Jones as Himself (in All-4-One)
• Alfred Nevarez as Himself (in All-4-One)
• Montae Russell as DJ
• Terri J. Vaughn as Eddie's Date

We're Going to Disney World Part 2 (Season 6, Episode 23). Myra wakes up and feels something is wrong in Disney World and is worried about Steve. She tells her mother she is going to Florida right away. Eddie and Waldo are still driving to Florida and pick up a female hitchhiker, India, who Eddie fawning over. India tells Eddie they should go skinny dipping but as soon as Eddie and Waldo get out of their car and are talking, India steals their car leaving them stranded. Back at Disney World Stefan asks Carl if it would be ok if he and Laura got married and Carl tells Stefan he has to think about it and talk to Harriette. As he, Harriette and the family are about to go on Tower of Terror, he mentions how happy he is in Disney World and feels amazing. In fact, he is so happy that he wants to quit the force and move to Disney World. Harriette talks to Carl later on and tells him how a case that he was working on in Chicago was missing some paperwork, Carl swears he did everything to make sure the case was closed and wants to go back to Chicago. He shortly realizes that Harriette tricked him and that he was too hasty to want to relocate to Florida and cancels the move. Laura and Stefan are walking around the park when they bump into Myra and they tell her about their engagement. Myra is broken hearted and leaves crying. Later on, Laura tells Stefan how awful she feels for Myra and finally confesses that she sabotaged the transformation chamber. Stefan is disappointed but forgives Laura and says maybe it's still ok that he stays as Stefan but Laura says he has to fix the chamber and turn back into Steve. The invention contest is back on and Stefan has fixed the chamber and turns back into Steve. Steve tells the judge that the machine can be dangerous and make people do crazy things so he's dropping out and Zoralee's microwave meal machine wins the contest. Eddie and Waldo arrive at Disney World just in time for everyone to leave and go home.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

INDIA: Thanks for giving me a ride, I really appreciate it.

EDDIE: Hey if I can make your stay on Earth happier, I've done my job. Eddie Winslow, baby.

INDIA: Hi, Eddie. I'm India.

EDDIE: India, such a lovely name for a lovely lady.

INDIA: Thank you! My real name is Becky but I went to India and loved it so much I just changed my name.

WALDO: You're lucky you didn't go to Turkey.

INDIA: And what's your name?

WALDO: Waldo. Want some summer sausage?

INDIA: No, I don't eat meat.

WALDO: Why not?

INDIA: 'Cause I have nothing to do with the slaughter of God's creatures.

WALDO: Right and I suppose that vest is fake calf.

FAVORITE MOMENT:

The Tower of Terror ride, again I know this is another commercial, but it was fun the way they filmed it and I loved that Mother Winslow rode the elevator more than Richie.

OPINION:

I wish I could say this episode is a step up from episode one, but I'm still not impressed with these sets of episodes. Like I mentioned, when Stefan comes into the picture he just brings the worst out in people. There's a part that really disturbs me is when Stefan is talking to Carl about getting married to Laura, Carl says that life is good because Stefan is here and Steve is gone. The audience laughs, how is that funny? Steve may be annoying and has flaws, but he saved Carl's life on a couple of different occasions and helped him out. Why does Carl all of a sudden dislike Steve so much that he's happier that Stefan is around? Because Stefan kisses Carl's butt? And speaking of the conversation that Carl and Stefan have, now I'm sure part of it is because Carl is happy in Disney World, but he acts like Stefan just asked if Laura can take a ride in his new car, not that they are getting married. Getting married is beyond a huge deal and Carl doesn't mention that they are too young, they're still in high school, don't have jobs and where will they live? And then when he's talking to Harriette about it, he says "Well, you were only a year older than Laura when we got married". Are you kidding me?! First off, in the 70's it was more common to get out of high school and get married, the 80's had changed where people went to college first at least and waited to make sure they were happy in their relationship before committing to marriage. Plus, Carl doesn't know Stefan that well, we haven't seen them bond other than Stefan just throwing compliments at Carl like they're baseballs. Gosh, this plot just drives me insane and makes me realize more and more how much I don't like Stefan.

So a few little tidbits to review. This will be Rachel's last episode for a couple of seasons unfortunately. So get used to not having her around or hoping for a cameo any time soon. This is such a bummer because I really love Rachel's character, but we'll do more of a tribute on her last episode which I hate to say is a few other cast member's episodes as well. Phynjuar Thomas who plays Myra's mother, Mavis, is Michelle Thomas's real life mother. I had no clue until looking into it today. I thought that was pretty cool. David L. Lander who plays Oliver, the man who invented the car in a suitcase, had a really amazing career with a distinct voice I'm sure you've heard before. He was Andrew "Squiggy" in Laverne and Shirly and made appearances in A League of their Own, Scary Movie and the weasel Smart Ass in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He passed away from multiple sclerosis on December 4, 2020 at the age of 73, may he forever rest in peace.

So again, why couldn't the writers have Eddie and Waldo just go to the park with the family? I live in the Chicago land area, my sister and her friends drove to Disney World one year. Do you know how long of a drive it is? It's almost a day's worth of driving, around 20 hours and that's none stop. They would have missed time with the family anyways so I will never understand why the creators didn't have them at the park. Not to mention that Carl and Harriette act so aloof when they do get to the park "where have you two been?" Wow. So they were gone for several days without word and you guys didn't ever call the police? I'm not into the melodrama of Laura's confession with her telling Stefan to turn back into Steve and running away. Then Steve's pulling from the contest because he JUST NOW realizes that his transformation chamber may cause some problems morally and ethically? And sorry to say, but I agree with Oliver on being angry that Steve/Stefan made them wait for 3 days just to drop out. Plus what kind of contest was this? There were no questions on how these machines work and how the inventors came up with the idea.

So no, I don't like these episodes at all. At most like I said I like the family touring the park, even though it was an advertisement for Disney, at least it was fun to see the family get outside of the house setting.

GUEST STARS:

• Telma Hopkins as Rachel Crawford
• Phynjuar Thomas as Mavis Monkhouse
• Anthony Franco as Vincenzo
• Tanya Wright as India
• Steve Witting as Martin
• David L. Lander as Oliver (RIP in 2020)
• Mike Guy as Science Fair Judge
• Shari Shaw as Zoralee Rasmussen
• Russel Sanderlin Sr. as Wedding Guest

We're Going to Disney World Part 1 (Season 6, Episode 22). Steve's transformation chamber has been selected for incredible inventions and he's been invited to Disney World. He wants to take the Winslow family and they agree to go with him. Only Myra isn't going and Eddie and Waldo are going to drive vs. fly to Florida to meet the family. In Florida, Steve shows his transformation chamber and transforms into Stefan Urquelle. Laura is there helping with the chamber and once she sees Stefan, she doesn't want him to go and she sabotages the transformation chamber. Stefan is staying and tells the host of the contest that he'll fix the chamber, just to give him a few days. Laura and Stefan tour around the park and are having such a wonderful time together. The family is also having a wonderful time, including Carl who feels that Disney has brought out the happy in him. Eddie and Waldo are still driving to Florida, but Waldo has actually been driving to Canada by accident and now have to turn around to drive back down south. Back in Disney World, Stefan surprises Laura at the Cinderella Castle where right before the fireworks show goes off, he proposes to her and she says yes. Myra is still in Chicago and wakes up from her sleep feeling something is wrong.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

EDDIE: Hey Waldo, how many miles did we go?

WALDO: About 250. We're coming up on a little town called Canyada.

EDDIE: Waldo, that's not Canyada, that's Canada! Yo, man, you've been driving the wrong way for the past 4 hours!

WALDO: Well, this is a fine time to tell me. What a doofus.

FAVORITE MOMENT:

The montage of Carl having a good time in Disney World, Reginald just looked so happy and excited to be there.

OPINION:

ABC is a Disney owned company and you could tell in the 90's they had some kind of deal with other sit coms where the cast would go to Disney World. Boy Meets World, Full House, Rosanne, Step by Step and Sabrina the Teenage Witch I can remember off hand. So now it's Family Matter's turn. So is this episode one of an epic masterpiece?

Let's start with Steve. Steve gets invited for this contest and it's weird that he says his parents won't travel with him, but we've heard of him traveling with his folks before for family reunions and other conventions. But we had to have the reason why he's taking the Winslow family instead of his own parents. It's funny that his parents wouldn't be excited for something like that and would want to go support their son for an exciting invention contest, especially his dad. But we wouldn't have an episode with our wonderful Winslow clan otherwise. Steve doesn't have too much going on other than just introducing his invention and turning into Stefan. Laura asks Steve if he can stay as Stefan for a "little while" but he tells her no, that they've been down that road and it's not meant to be. But when he turns into Stefan, he proposes to Laura. So, what does this mean? Is he staying as Stefan forever? Where in the world did Stefan/Steve think this was a good idea? They're still teenagers as well. The only thing I could think is that they are young and just so happy at Disney World they may have gotten swept off their feet, but all it took was 5 minutes to think about it. And not only that, Stefan didn't talk to Carl and Harriette first? Maybe want Laura's family to be there when he proposed?

Laura, again, how in the world I hate what they do to her character when Stefan is around. BTW small nitpick, whoever did her eyebrows in this episode needs to be fired, she looks angry. Laura really needs to respect not only Steve's decision but Stefan's as well that he's going to stay as Steve. Once Laura sees Stefan, she sabotages Steve's transformation chamber. I'm all for flaws with characters, but that was downright despicable. So, she's forcing Stefan to stay on a lie by telling others that the chamber was probably mishandled during shipping. I'm willing to give some grace as I know that Laura really likes Stefan a lot, but again, why does she act like a dog in heat when he's around? He brings out the worst in her and no, I don't like them as a couple and never will. Laura is one of the most level headed characters in Family Matters and they have her say yes to Stefan's proposal. Again, I always try to give leeway where it's due as she could have been swept up in the moment, but seriously, did she not think this through either? She and Stefan have spent a day or two together at Disney World and that equals spending the rest of their lives together?

It's weird how Myra says she can't go to Disney World. Why? Who knows? She literally says "Oh, I'm sad I can't go with you" and that's it, no reason given. I guess so we can have Stefan and Laura spend time together. This is our first glimpse into Myra's bedroom where we see her walls and furniture have Steve's picture all over them. Talk about YIKES. I get it, it's funny how obsessed she is, but again YIKES. Why couldn't Eddie and Waldo be at Disney World? Did the family have to pay for their own flight? If so, why couldn't Carl offer Eddie and Waldo the money to fly with the family? I'm curious why the creators didn't have Eddie and Waldo at Disney World.

Is there anything good about this episode? Well, I like the tour of the park scenes, even though it is a commercial for the park, it still has a very exciting vibe to it and you can tell the cast had a blast at Disney World. Plus, the invention contest was really neat. Personally I would have picked the car in a suitcase to win the contest. DNA alteration is too freaky and the microwave oven meal was really cool but how in the world does all the food heat evenly to where it won't give you food poisoning? And it's so nice to have Telma Hopkins back as Rachel and have the whole family together...except Judy. Is she fully retconned yet? She was in a flashback scene yesterday. But other than that, no, I don't like this episode. I don't like many episodes with Stefan in it. I know I sound like a grouch, but he's very bland and he brings out the worst in people showing their selfish and shallow sides.

PROOF THAT STEVE'S PARENTS ARE EVIL (THAT WE KNOW UP TO THIS POINT):

1. They don't feed him
2. His dad questions his career choices
3. His dad questions his faith
4. They leave him alone on Christmas
5. They take separate vacations without him
6. They let him know that they take separate vacations, so they don't have a kid like him again
7. His dad lets him know he loves animals that eat their young
8. When Steve was being born, his dad tried to push him back in
9. His family sends him "stay away money"
10. His parents one time tried to move away and put themselves under an assumed name
11. Steve pays rent
12. Steve is not allowed to go home until midnight
13. They don't visit Steve much when he's in the hospital having surgery and even when he's recovering, they go to their "parents without children" meetings
14. They don't care their son is on the roof of the Winslow house during a blizzard
15. Steve's parents did not introduce him to his own grandparents until he was his "cool personality"
16. They were not there for his trial when he was threatened with expulsion
17. They were not home when their house was robbed and didn't offer Steve any help to deal with the trauma of 2 criminals tying him up while all their stuff was stolen
18. They obviously don't care that Steve threatens to become Stefan forever, at least they have a cool son now
19. They don't get involved when Steve's life is being threatened by the criminal he helped knock out at the grocery store
20. Steve is going to Disney World but his parents won't go because they refuse to travel with him or support the fact that his invention is up for a huge award

GUEST STARS:

• Telma Hopkins as Rachel Crawford
• David L. Lander as Oliver (RIP in 2020)
• JD Roberto as Bellboy
• Russell Sanderlin as Wedding Guest
• Shari Shaw as Zoralee
• David Spates as Audience Member
• Steve Willing as Martin
• John Hagy as Patron in Shop