Family Matters

23min

Comedy

Family

A long-running dramedy centering on the Winslow family, a middle-class African American family living in Chicago, and their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers.

Production Companies

Bickley-Warren Productions

Lorimar Television

Miller/Boyett Productions

Warner Bros. Television

Episodes

Cast

The Mama Who Came to Dinner

1. The Mama Who Came to Dinner

24min

22nd Sep 1989

Mother Winslow moves in and immediately begins to usurp Carl's authority. Eddie wants to go out with his friends, but he has a strict curfew that complicates things with Carl.

Two-Income Family

2. Two-Income Family

24min

29th Sep 1989

Hariette loses her job to automation, forcing the family into austerity measures while Carl stews over the family debts.

Short Story

3. Short Story

24min

6th Oct 1989

Rachel writes a short story with characters that seem all too familiar; Carl becomes obsessed with the family's out of proportion water bill.

Rachel's First Date

4. Rachel's First Date

24min

13th Oct 1989

The Winslows finally get to be alone together when Rachel accepts a date with a man from the church choir.

Straight A's

5. Straight A's

24min

20th Oct 1989

Eddie comes home with straight A's on his report card and the whole family is proud of him. Rodney comes over and tells him that he changed the grades on the report cards on the school computer. Eddie doesn't want to tell the truth because he fears that he will hurt Carl's feelings.

Basketball Blues

6. Basketball Blues

24min

3rd Nov 1989

Carl's efforts to get Eddie psyched for a pro basketball career is enhanced by a visit from basketball star Bolton.

Body Damage

7. Body Damage

24min

10th Nov 1989

Rachel takes an unauthorized spin in the classic automobile that Carl plans to drive in the Columbus Day Parade.

Mr. Badwrench

8. Mr. Badwrench

24min

17th Nov 1989

Self-proclaimed handyman Carl decides to install a shower in Mother Winslow's quarters while she's out of town.

Stake-Out

9. Stake-Out

24min

24th Nov 1989

After Carl is on an all-night stakeout with his attractive new partner, Harriette finds a room key to Louie's Love Grotto in his pocket.

False Arrest

10. False Arrest

24min

1st Dec 1989

The Winslows are aghast to discover that their TV idol has been arrested for assaulting a police officer - Officer Carl Winslow.

The Quilt

11. The Quilt

24min

8th Dec 1989

Laura sells a quilt Grandmother Winslow considered an heirloom.

Laura's First Date

12. Laura's First Date

24min

15th Dec 1989

Laura wants to go to an upcoming dance with a good-looking boy. Carl and Eddie try to find Laura a date. Carl asks Steve Urkel to take Laura to the dance, while Eddie asks one of his friends to take her out. When Laura finds out what happened, she is humiliated.

Man's Best Friend

13. Man's Best Friend

24min

5th Jan 1990

Carl has a rule he intends to enforce not pets in the house until he meets a big, playful puppy who follows the kids home from school.

Baker's Dozens

14. Baker's Dozens

24min

12th Jan 1990

Thanks to Rachel's brainstorm, Carl could become the "king of tarts" if he shares his secret recipe for lemon tarts, which were a big hit at a local restaurant.

The Big Reunion

15. The Big Reunion

24min

19th Jan 1990

Carl decides to lose weight before going to his high-school reunion.

The Party

16. The Party

24min

2nd Feb 1990

A "No Guests" rule spells no fun for Eddie, who's left in charge of the house while the adults are away for the weekend.

The Big Fix

17. The Big Fix

24min

9th Feb 1990

Eddie persuades Laura to date a guy he's indebted to.

Sitting Pretty

18. Sitting Pretty

24min

16th Feb 1990

Laura's babysitting service floods the house with children at a bad time on the night Carl has invited his captain over.

In a Jam

19. In a Jam

24min

16th Mar 1990

Eddie wants to do the right thing when faced with protecting Steve from a bully who threatens to beat him up, which could get Eddie creamed as well.

The Candidate

20. The Candidate

24min

23rd Mar 1990

Eddie places image over integrity in his class president bid when image-maker Laura offers a thousand points of light to illuminate his campaign.

Bowl Me Over

21. Bowl Me Over

24min

13th Apr 1990

The men vie with the women in a bowling match and Carl's philosophy about accepting defeat gracefully ends up in the gutter when Harriette aces him out.

Rock Video

22. Rock Video

24min

27th Apr 1990

When Eddie's big ego threatens to disband his group during the making of a rock video for a contest, the rest of the Winslows offer some ideas.

First air date

22nd Sep 1989

Last air date

17th Jul 1998

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks