The “Full House” reboot, “Fuller House,” debuted on Netflix on Friday. While the story may be nostalgic to fans, it lacks focus.
This isn’t the best reboot that has come from a former hit show. Netflix’s “Fuller House” takes the previous successful storyline of a widowed dad and his two friends who help raise three kids under one roof, but changed up the gender roles 29 years later.
History repeats itself through the oldest of the three, DJ Tanner-Fuller, played by Candace Cameron Bure. She is joined by her younger sister Stephanie Tanner played by Jodie Sweetin and longtime best friend Kimmy Gibbler played by Andrea Barber. “Fuller House” chronicles the life of newly widowed Tanner-Fuller, who now has three boys, near the same ages of the original three Tanner girls. Gibbler also has a 12-year-old daughter, the same age as Tanner-Fuller’s oldest son.
The pilot is a blast of cute Tanner family ‘90s nostalgia. You have to laugh at every catchphrase, not to mention the one liners added for comic relief from Joey Gladstone played by Dave Coulier, Uncle Jesse played by John Stamos, Aunt Becky played by Lori Loughlin and of course Danny Tanner played by Bob Saget. The new kids hardly establish their place in the plot until the nostalgia can shake itself off.
It wasn’t an ordinary pilot, some of it felt like the reunion episode negatively depicting Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The cast broke the fourth wall minutes into the show, to glare at their beloved Michelle Tanner formally played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen who unfortunately did not sign on to appear in the reboot. It was like one big inside joke that never ended.
The reality of it all is that the “Full House” cast isn’t present for a great deal of the reboot and the main appeal is somewhat lost.
The problem with this spin-off is they can’t just seem to find their target audience. It’s apparent that the direction isn’t there and it may take another season to work out the kinks. If they can water down their jokes and let this show happen, I wouldn’t give up on “Fuller House” just yet.
