10 Thoughts on Fuller House – A Giant Leap

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What a surprise! After many consecutive middling showings of Fuller House, we finally got something approaching interesting. Steph is now dating Hunter Pence, a player from the San Francisco Giants, who has gotten tickets for the whole family to the game! Meanwhile, DJ is trying to decide between Matt and Steve (Seriously? Easiest decision ever), but winds up going through some pretty wacky romantic hijinks. And of course Jackson continues his ill-advised courtship of Lola.

Here are some thoughts.

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1. Max should not be allowed to take care of baby Tommy

The first jokes of the episode are always throw aways. Often some crazy business that could potentially be very problematic, but are glossed over by the writers. In this episode, DJ asks Max why baby Tommy’s breath smells like sausage. He responds that he tried to feed him sausage, but he wouldn’t eat it. So he fed him Snausages. As in, the dog treat. And DJ just sort of shrugs it off. That baby should probably go to the hospital. Babies definitely should not be eating cured meat. Or dog treats.

2. “Did I get that right, Steph?”

Steph has started dating Hunter Pence of the Giants. She brings him over to meet the family. They of course freak out over the three-time All Star. They each lavish Steph with praise, then ask her not-so-discreetly if they got that right. It wasn’t funny until Hunter does the same thing. This show is finally starting to understand the rule of 3 as it pertains to comedy.

3. Hunter Pence’s golden pizza fork

Max asks Hunter if he eats pizza with a fork. He does. In fact, he keeps his pizza eating fork around his neck. It is gold. It is on a gold chain. I am a big fan of Hunter Pence.

4. The audiences “woos” sound deeply uncomfortable

There is a LOT of kissing this episode. First with Matt, then with Steve, then with Matt, then with Steve and Matt. And every time there’s a kiss, the audience does their arbitrary “wooo!” But as the kisses progress, their woos get more and more uncomfortable and shorter. Can you blame them? DJ is being, as she suggests, a floozy.

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5. God damn it DJ YOU MORON

In an attempt to let Steve down easy, DJ invites him to take a walk with her and the their dogs. Steve continues to drop hints that he basically wants to marry her. And instead of shutting him down, she gives him vaguely encouraging hints that she’s into him. Which is of course why he kisses her. BUT THEN SHE KISSES HIM BACK. C’mon, DJ, you gotta do better than that.

6. Jackson, that is a bad idea

At the baseball game, Jackson and Lola go off to the gift shop. Matt lets Jackson take his credit card. Which Jackson immediately uses to buy Lola a $247 signed Jersey. Jackson I get the idea of big romantic gestures, but that is not a good way to go about doing it. The worst part of this is that Jackson doesn’t get punished on screen. He just has to wash Matt’s car for two years, and doesn’t seem that broken up about it. It seems like for a family show, people get away with a lot of stuff. Shouldn’t there be more lessons or something?

7. Steph’s brutal singing experience

Hunter gets Steph a gig singing ‘Take Me Out To The Ball Game’ during the seventh inning stretch. But unfortunately a very terrible man sitting behind them identifies her as Hunter Pence’s jinx (he’s been unable to hit a ball since they started dating). So when she goes up to sing, she gets booed by the entire stadium. She asks in desperation if they want her to break up with him, to which they cheer. And so she does. Because she is weak. But he does hit a home run later. So maybe there is something to the jinx. Again, not the greatest thing to be teaching your kids. If people tell you to dump you boyfriend, do it. It’ll be good for him.

8. That is the only time a kiss cam gag has been funny

DJ and Matt wind up on the kiss cam before DJ can talk to him about what happened with Steve. She diverts by kissing Max instead. The kiss cam goes away, then comes back to them. Which is sort of funny on its own. So she lets Matt kiss her on the cheek. The cam cuts away, and comes back to them AGAIN. She finally gives in and kisses him. The rule of 3 thing is really starting to percolate for this show. But, of course, Steve is also at the game and sees the kiss. Everyone’s in for a confrontation now.

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9. That is the weirdest flashback device I have ever seen

Later, both Steve and Matt show up at the Tanner household to argue for DJ’s heart. Part of this is to do a flashback to each of their respective first kisses. But what’s weird is that all three of them go back into the flashback and make commentary on what’s happening. I’ll be honest, I’ve never seen anything like that on TV. So, you know. Bravo.

10. Once again, lying wins the day

Despite being dishonest with both men, they decide they’re willing to both date her. Which is a little icky, but to each their own. It does perpetuate this problematic theme that is running throughout this season: lying has its perks. Every time there has been major, deliberate lying or subterfuge on the part of any of the characters, there are never really any consequences. In fact, most of the lies turn out to work to the liars benefits. This is no different. DJ gets both men despite lying to both of them. That is not great.

 

A-

Hunter Pence

The writers use of ‘The Rule of 3’

Interesting flashback device

– DJ is acting like a terrible person

– The show continues to perpetuate problematic ideas

 

Check out previous reviews for Fuller House below!

Fuller House – Our Very First Show, Again

Fuller House – Moving Day

Fuller House – Funner House

Fuller House – Mad Max

Fuller House – The Legend of El Explosivo

Fuller House – Ramona’s Not-So-Epic Party

Fuller House – Secrets, Lies, and Firetrucks

Fuller House – The War of the Roses

Colin is a writer and actor based in Brooklyn, NY.