Joining the ranks among other nostalgia-fueled TV revamps is Fuller House. The original show, Full House, was a staple of the late ’80s/early ’90s, being the conventional and safe show that thrived in ABC’s Friday schedule. Since then, the show has lived a new life on syndication, increasing its already sizable fanbase.
Unlike the remakes before it, Fuller House delivers more of the same. In this case however, unless audiences are viewing the show through nostalgia glasses, this schmaltzy endeavor’s over-earnest approach will make for a grading experience.
It’s not fair to completely write-off the show. The team behind the project clearly put in a lot of time and love, with the Tanner household looking eerily similar as to when audiences last left it. Everyone in the cast is clearly having a blast, with extended cameos by Bob Saget and John Stamos in particular being highlights.
Most of the original cast however rarely occupies the screen, with the characters of DJ (Candace Cameron Blue), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber) being the focus. The dynamic between the three is a 50 cent version of the original trio, with Gibbler being an even more annoying Dave Coulier clone.
Like the original show, Fuller House features a rather mundane storyline each episode. Whether it’s a night on the town for the mothers or a son learning to lie, the show has never been about the plot, making it rather a vehicle for the humor. This method feels rather outdated and painfully done considering how lackluster some of the setups are.
Frankly, the laughs are just not on the page. There is an awkward concoction of silly pratfall bits along with more adult-oriented jokes that just comes off as queasy. Making the jokes even more painful is the constant laugh track, which feels like adding insult to injury.
While it may appeal to fans of the original, Fuller House feels like a rather unnecessary and outdated addition to the Netflix TV empire. It’s an overbearing blast of nostalgia that just does not equate into an enjoyable block of entertainment.
Rating: 3/10
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