Top 20 Times Full House Tackled Serious Issues

“Fuller House”

The premise of this timeless sitcom revolves around Jesse and Joey moving in with Danny and his family after the death of his wife. As happy as everyone is when these two move in, we know it’s really only temporary. No one takes it harder than Michelle when her Uncle Jesse decides to move in with Becky. This resonates with anyone who has had a family member leave home. It’s an emotional time for the family, and even though they all know Jesse won’t be far, they also know it won’t be the same. Luckily, he has a change of heart. Aunt Becky and Uncle Jesse’s attic oasis allows them to stay in the Tanner household.

“Breaking Away”

After Jesse and Becky move into Danny’s home as a married couple, it isn’t long before they expand their family. Twins Nicky and Alex bring a lot of fun, relatable moments to the series. One that hit home for parent viewers everywhere was the episode in which they start preschool. Becky gets emotional at the thought of her boys growing up and going to school. Jesse takes the twins, and they cling to his leg, causing all kinds of commotion. Every member of the family reacts to this differently, from sadness, to excitement, to resistance, and all of these feelings are totally fair. Moms and dads everywhere – we see you, and so does the “Full House” family.

“Educating Jesse”

One of the many things we love about Jesse Katsopolis is his character growth throughout the show. He starts as a young playboy musician. By the end of the show, he’s a devoted father and husband who never stops working on himself. In season six, he goes to night school to complete his high school education and finds himself back with the same English teacher who made him drop out in the first place. Not only does Jesse stick with it. His determination helps Michelle learn to tie her shoes. It’s an important lesson to all of us about how it’s never too late to finish what you started.

“Goodbye Mr. Bear”

Anyone who has ever had a beloved stuffed animal they couldn’t live without as a child knows how precious that relationship is. So, in this episode when we see Stephanie lose her prized possession, Mr. Bear, it gets us right in the feels. When Stephanie thinks her bear has been donated, she’s beyond upset, especially because the bear was a gift from her late mother. While the family does what they can to cheer her up, like buying her replacement bears, she’s unable to cope with her best friend being gone. It all works out in the end, and Mr. Bear even makes an appearance in the reboot, showing just how invaluable this stuffie is to her.

“All Stood Up”

Through the later seasons of the show, we get to see DJ navigating dating. In the final season, we see her younger sister Stephanie ease into the dating world. Stephanie gets stood up by a boy she had a date with for the school dance and retaliates by standing him up when they plan another date at the mall. She learns that while it’s tempting to hurt someone the way they hurt you, it’s better to forgive and start fresh. Starting to date is never easy and it’s challenging to have your feelings hurt in the process, but it’s necessary to go through as you grow into adulthood. “Full House” portrays this perfectly.

“Comet’s Excellent Adventure”

Comet was a great furry companion to the Tanner girls as they grew up. In this episode, he’s got big main character energy. After running away from Michelle on their walk, he explores San Francisco, chasing hot dog cars, and meeting a hot girl dog. While he’s off having the time of his life, Michelle, Stephanie, and Jesse have to come to terms with what happened. Michelle walking alone with the dog is Jesse’s fault. Stephanie takes matters into her own hands as she helps her little sister search for their pet. It’s an emotional roller coaster for all involved, and we’re thrilled that Comet came home after his day off.

“Back to School Blues”

As scary as it is for parents when their little ones start school, it can be just as challenging for the kids themselves. With DJ being the oldest of the three girls, she always hits the milestones first. While that’s exciting when it comes to things like dating and driving, some can be daunting. When she starts junior high, she feels out of her element when she doesn’t have many classes with Kimmy and she finds herself in a matching outfit with a teacher. Because of this, DJ does a total 180, trying to look as mature as possible to appear cooler. It’s something that teenage girls can relate to as they grow up.

“Danny’s Very First Date”

While Jesse, DJ, and Stephanie go through their own struggles in the dating world, Danny’s is the most complicated. As anyone would feel after losing their spouse, he battles with loneliness, wondering if and when it’s time to move on. This decision is especially difficult when kids are involved, and Danny is torn when he wants to ask out the leader of Stephanie’s Honeybee group. It leads to one of many heart-to-hearts between Danny and his girls, as he explains that him dating doesn’t mean he’s replacing their mom. It’s a poignant moment as the girls learn this lesson. It’s clear that Danny needs this talk and reassurance just as much as his daughters.

“Love on the Rocks”

Speaking of dating, the flip side of finding love is losing love. “Full House” doesn’t shy away from tackling this topic. Steve is a welcome addition to the Tanner household as he dates DJ for a few seasons in the later years of the show. We love seeing them go to prom together and say ‘I love you’ to one another. It breaks our hearts to see them eventually part ways. They both realize they are growing apart as they’re starting to enjoy separate activities more than the ones they share. They conclude that they are better off as friends – for now, that is.

“The Volunteer”

Dealing with serious illnesses is difficult at any age, but it’s definitely a foreign concept for a child. When DJ volunteers at a nursing home, she befriends a sweet old man named Eddie, and he accompanies her to a dog show. DJ doesn’t know that he isn’t allowed to leave on his own, but does so anyway, learning that this is prohibited because he is showing early signs of Alzheimer’s. DJ not only has to come to grips with her mistake, but also with the fact that this man is going to get worse. She knows that will be hard to witness.

“The Miracle of Thanksgiving”
“Full House” begins a few months after the tragic passing of matriarch Pamela Tanner. It goes without saying that grief and loss are a big part of the series, as her family copes with their new reality. When the Tanners have their first Thanksgiving without Pam, they’re forced to come to terms with their pain. After Stephanie accidentally drops the pumpkin pie, they have some serious talks. But it’s not just about the kids losing their mom, or Danny losing his wife. In a powerful moment, Jesse opens up to his brother-in-law about losing his sister. Their interaction is heartbreaking, uplifting, and truly unforgettable.

“Aftershocks”
This episode focuses on an earthquake’s unexpected aftermath. Notably, Stephanie becomes extra clingy and attached to her dad, but refuses to say why. The situation grows worrisome, so they take her to therapy. There, she draws an image that expresses her concerns. It’s only then that she’s able to fully explain what happened. We learn that not knowing Danny’s whereabouts during the quake deeply worried her. Needless to say, this episode is extremely important, as it promotes discussions around mental health, and normalizes taking children to see a professional when they need help.

“Slumber Party”
Despite being a rather comedic sitcom, “Full House” never loses sight of the fact that the Tanners are living without Pam. In this episode, Stephanie struggles with the monumental loss when she attends the mother-daughter slumber party with Joey. Things are visibly awkward, as nobody else is in a situation like hers. So she ends up storming off, and is understandably devastated. But later on, she and D.J. have an important talk about what it’s like to grow up without a mom. And her big sister touchingly reminds her that they can always rely on each other.

“The Apartment”
After learning that one of D.J. 's friends is married and pregnant, Danny starts to get serious about curfews. He wants to make sure his daughter doesn’t get into any trouble - especially after she asks to spend time at her boyfriend Steve’s new apartment! He lets her go, but freaks out and heads over there when she doesn’t come home on time. Predictably, chaos ensues, as Danny starts to get a little overprotective. Luckily, this culminates in an important and vulnerable talk between the father-daughter duo, and their trust in one another is beautifully restored.

“Stephanie’s Wild Ride”
When Stephanie and Gia get into a car with two boys named Jason and Barry, the ride is anything but safe, as the guys engage in all sorts of antics. Yet Steph doesn’t seem to realize how dangerous the situation truly is. Instead, she characterizes the experience as cool. Naturally, D.J. grows concerned and does everything in her power to prevent her little sister from going out with them again. This obviously doesn’t go over too well. But when Danny informs Stephanie that a car accident landed Gia in the hospital, she realizes that Deej was right all along.

“Nerd for a Day”
This season three episode sees Stephanie forced by Jesse to make amends with Walter, a kid she teased for being a nerd. As a result though, he starts to think of her as his girlfriend. When her friends find out, they start to make fun of them both. But Jesse’s earlier advice about doing the right thing - even when it’s hard - finally pays off. Stephanie ends up listening, and stands up for her classmate. She and her friends learn a pretty important lesson about how awful it is to be made fun of in the process!

“Fast Friends”
“Full House” tackles the topic of peer pressure on more than one occasion. Since we watch Stephanie grow up throughout the series, she’s at the center of many of these storylines. In season 7, she comes face-to-face with cigarettes for the first time. She’s encouraged to smoke, but makes up an excuse and refuses because she knows it’s a bad idea. However, she’s torn, as she wants to be accepted. So she ends up anonymously calling Jesse and Joey’s radio show for advice - which also leads to a great talk with her dad. When Stephanie is pressured to smoke a second time, she stands her ground. Amazingly, it enables her new friend Mickey’s decision to cut back!

“Just Say No Way” & “Under the Influence”
“Full House” addresses this important topic on two notable occasions. In season three, D.J. runs into some kids who are drinking. She grabs a beer from one of them while trying to put an end to their shenanigans. But when Jesse catches her, he incorrectly assumes that she was sipping on the beverage. She then has to convince him that it was just the opposite. Then, in season 8, we learn that Kimmy got inebriated at a party, and insisted on getting behind the wheel. The fact that D.J. stopped her causes some serious tension the next day. But when the eldest Tanner kid reveals that her mom’s fatal accident involved a drunk driver, Kimmy realizes the error of her ways.

“Shape Up”
This is by far one of the most shocking “Full House” episodes ever. It all starts when Kimmy wants to have a pool party for her birthday. But the prospect of wearing a bathing suit makes D.J. uncomfortable, because she doesn’t look like the women she sees in magazines. So she adopts some seriously unhealthy and dangerous behaviors, like not eating properly and overworking herself at the gym. In fact, she nearly passes out! Naturally, the truth comes out. And with a little help from her dad, D.J. comes to understand that who she is matters far more than what she looks like.

“Silence is Not Golden”
In this episode, Stephanie and Charles get paired up together for a project. The only issue is they don’t like each other much. But we soon learn that he acts out for a reason. As they work on their assignment, Michelle tells Steph that their dad is upset with her. Charles misunderstands, and reveals that his father mistreats him at home in the process. Stephanie initially agrees to keep what she’s learned to herself, but worries when he doesn’t show up to school. By the end, she tells her uncle Jesse the truth, which prompts him to step in and contact the proper authorities. Needless to say, the whole situation is absolutely heartbreaking to witness.

Which moment was the most memorable for you? Let us know in the comments.