Thursday, April 23, 2015

Full to Fuller House ......a tradition and a legacy continues


Three little cute girls, their widowed father, a rocking uncle and a goofy comedian friend were the much loved characters of the popular US tv sitcom "Full House". Their house was always "full" of laughter, friends, sibling rivalry and funny incidents. The program premiered in 1987 and aired regularly till 1995 in the United States. The legacy of Full House is very different from many other popular American sitcoms like Sienfield and Friends. It appealed to all members of the family.The high energy within the Tanner household and their ability to welcome everyone in their very happy Full House not only struck a cord with the American audience but was also able to attract  a large number of foreign viewers. The show introduced not only "me" but many teenagers like me, who enjoyed the moon walk of Michael Jackson and hip style of Maddona  in the 1980s to an " average American Family".  Full House" taught us( those living outside USA) that America is not just a funky place or just a dominating " super power" but it is a country whose people shares similar social values like people of any other country. It's a place where friends help friends and where neighbors drop by unannounced, at all sorts of odd hours. I guess this show was somewhat able to launch a very positive image of America all across the globe. It was created by Jeff Franklin, was on air for 8 seasons and broadcasted 192 episodes.

Sitcoms are short 30 minutes family shows aired on television around evening dinner time.Full House was watched by almost 11 million viewers per  episode  in 1995 the year when it aired the last episode. After cancellation, Full House went on to gain even more popularity in syndication, where it was said to be so popular that there would always be an episode of Full House airing somewhere in the world. Today in 2015,  Full House still airs in 11 countries, including the United States.

The show chronicles Danny Tanner who along with his best friend and his brother-in-law is raising his three daughters. DJ the oldest is the outgoing one, Stephanie the middle one is funny and outrageous and the youngest Michealle  is the adorable one. Their house is centre of all activities where school friends gather for  Girl Scout meetings and study sessions, where the sisters argue uncontrollably. Almost every episode had a very positive theme attached to it, it taught  a lesson of compassion and endurance. The laughs were always in abundance, may it be at the expense of DJ"s annoying best friend Kimmy Gibbler or the cute Stephanie or around Uncle Jesse"s obsession with his hair.

It's been almost 3 decades since the show premiered ......the teenagers of 80s have transformed into parents of teenagers in the year 2015. The passage of years has not diminished the attraction of "Full House", it is being watched by the school aged kids of today. Full House is that one show which does not has an ancient feel attached to it ......when I look at my own teenaged kids laying down on the couch, giggling as they watch the re-runs of "Full House" after dinner, I smile at them and think how dramatically our habits and our personality traits are transferred into our children.

It was announced on April 20, 2015 that the channel Netflix would broadcast a new 13 episode sequel of Full House rightfully named as "Fuller House", in 2016.

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