The door is always open at the Fuller house, but that doesn’t mean people should go in.
The third season of Netflix’s original series Fuller House premiered Friday, and it is below subpar. The Full House sequel follows DJ Tanner-Fuller (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie Tanner (Jodie Sweetin) and Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber) as they raise their children and lead adult lives.
Though sitcoms are usually not the source of the best acting, the actors in Fuller House should stick to the Hallmark Channel. The children try to act like adults, and the adults act like children — it’s an unusual dynamic. Everything about the performances seem forced, and the characters’ personalities are over the top and annoying. Combining the two elements makes for an obnoxious abomination of a show.
The show tries to hide the horrible production with cheap spectacles. There are song and dance numbers, a ridiculous food fight and even a Hibachi grill scene. Just because some of the cast can sing or has appeared on Dancing with the Stars doesn’t mean a performance is needed in every episode.
The majority of the show features the characters running amok and trying to be funny. The distracting laugh track would suggest the series is humorous, but in reality it isn’t funny at all. The dialogue falls flat, and the one-liners don’t deliver the punch needed to entice the audience.
The show’s biggest downfall is it’s stuck in the same era as its predecessor. The odes to the '80s are overwhelming, and the references to Full House prevent it from catapulting into this decade.
The show doesn't need to get rid of the Full House allusions — it wouldn’t be a sequel if it did. It just needs to blend the old with the new. If the show focused more on pushing the plot further and teaching the children life lessons, it would be significantly better.
Fuller House is still in a tug-of-war with its target demographic. In some scenes, it’s obvious the producers are aiming to attract the millennials who grew up watching the show. But in other instances, it wants to appease the younger audience.
The show does appeal to moms. It highlights some of the dilemmas mothers, especially single mothers, might face — from balancing a love life to work to taking care of children. That angle is one facet where the show succeeds, but that perspective needs to be more clear to stand out and propel the show forward.
With its proven track record, Netflix could be using the money spent on Fuller House to make more shows like Stranger Things, House of Cards or Orange is the New Black.
But for those who feel a strong urge to watch the newest season, just put it on in the background. Or put it on mute. Actually, just don’t watch it at all.
Rating: 0.5/5
