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Fuller House’ satisfies ’90s nostalgia

Fuller House
Fuller House

The opening song plays, and instantly I am back in my childhood bedroom watching late night reruns again. Except for the first time since 1995, it's not a rerun.

“Fuller House” is the purest form of concentrated nostalgia. Netflix brought back the hit show of from the 80s and 90s. And it does not disappoint — if you were a fan the first time around. The characters have changed some, but the plot remains the same.

The show starts by reintroducing all the old characters, plus a couple new ones, and breaks the  fourth wall to “throw shade” at the one main cast member that decided not to return – Michelle Tanner (played by the Olsen twins). The opening scenes show the group getting reacquainted and explaining what they have been up to for the last 29 years.

They even take multiple shots at Donald Trump in the first five minutes of the show, using  "Trump" as a curse word at the family breakfast. The light humor that made the show great the first time around is clearly still intact.
Some key players from the original cast do not stay around long, and the writers do a great job of explaining why they won't be present for the whole season. To me, the first episode was the best because the family was whole again.

The main cast pops back in throughout the first season, so in a way, the creators of the show try to keep you engaged with old cast members while you slowly find new characters to love. The new characters are enjoyable, but it takes some time to get used to seeing them around the Tanner household.
Now, I won't spoil any of the details from the season. The plot revolves around D.J. Tanner, the eldest daughter in the original series. Much like the original where her father raises his kids after the death of his wife, she is tasked with doing the same after the death of her husband Tommy. And she gets help from her friends and family to do so. The family and friends who help are familiar faces, including two members of the original cast — Kimmy Gibbler and Stephanie Tanner. Without spoiling too much, D.J. soon ends up in a love triangle and must choose between a new love interest and an old one.

With humor and the ability to take you back to your childhood, Netflix seems to have another hit original show on its hands. Joining the likes of “Master of None,” “House of Cards” and “Orange is the New Black,” “Fuller House” offers a different speed from the other original shows as it is more geared towards a family friendly audience.

For someone who loved “Full House,” I believe that the reboot will be fully enjoyable, but I am not sure that it reels in newcomers. If you have never seen “Full House,” I would recommend you start with some reruns before you try out the new series. The show’s value is in the nostalgia.

The sitcom, however, only heavily dwells on the past in the first episode. After that, details from the past only occasionally pop up. So if you can make it through the first episode you will probably be fine. At times, I think the show does go overboard, slowing down the plot and the new characters’ development when they force catchphrases or take jabs at the Olsen twins.
Overall, the show served its purpose and sent me back to my childhood in a way that made me feel like I had done some growing up myself alongside the family. It was really nice to see a more modern version of the show with some of the same characters I grew up watching.


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