Fuller House came to an end on Netflix recently, closing the door on this extended family's stories for the second time. It was an emotional journey for all involved, but two former Full House stars that never got involved were twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Fuller House made one final jokey reference about Michelle Tanner's continued absence from the sequel spinoff, and Candace Cameron Bure had some thoughts.
It sounds like Candace Cameron Bure took absolutely no issue with Fuller House’s Olsen twins joke in the final season. When asked whether she was still holding out for the former actresses to appear, Bure told US Weekly:
There was no part of me that was wanting that. They just were clear in the early seasons. I do love that there is quite a funny line in the second to last episode that addresses it. It’s, of course, all in fun. Everyone respects their decision and where they are in their lives now. But it’s still fun to kind of throw it out there!
For context, the joke in question occurred during Fuller House’s second-to-last episode (ever), and the scene features Kimmy, Stephanie, and DJ browsing through the Tanners’ attic while reminiscing along the way. When Kimmy came across Michelle’s old bike, she asked how long they were going to keep it, saying:
If she hasn’t come for it by now – [looks directly into the camera] – she’s not coming.
While it was the last time Fuller House broke the fourth wall with an Olsen twins joke, it definitely wasn't the first one. Anyone familiar with what has been going on with Fuller House over its five-season run knows that the Olsen twins' absence has been a recurring headline. When it came time for Season 5, Candace Cameron Bure previously revealed the spinoff had not even bothered to ask the duo back, considering all the previous negative responses.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have said their relationship is like a marriage, and when it came to appearing on Fuller House, the two were a united front. Unless both would have been fully on board together, there would never be any cameo by the twins, who rose to fame and prominence due to the Netflix show’s TGIF predecessor, Full House.
When Fuller House started out, the show explained Michelle’s not being around in San Francisco for critical Tanner family gatherings. It was said that Michelle was off in New York City living her life as a fashion mogul, just like the Olsen twins are in real life.
In that way, Michelle maintained a presence on Fuller House despite her never physically appearing on the show. Of course, one excuse after another had to be made throughout the series’ five seasons to explain her uncharacteristic absence from the close-knit family, but each season had at least one tongue-in-cheek moment that reflected on the character's absence.
Fuller House ended up never recasting the role of Michelle, and just went with her living life off-screen. (Probably a smart way to avoid a backlash.) The Olsen twins' absence from Fuller House's final episodes is a big difference between how the spinoff and flagship shows ended. Candace Cameron Bure shared other ways they different when recently comparing how both shows’ endings impacted her.
The Olsen twins' Michelle Tanner was not the only missing family member that Fuller House's final episodes had to explain away. Aunt Becky was also absent from the final season, what with Lori Loughlin's ongoing legal fiasco in the aftermath of the college admissions scandal. In the end, Fuller House decided to use a little humor to help each of the character omissions go down a bit better. Do you wish the Olsen twins would have appeared after all? Vote in the poll below.
Check out that Olsen Twins joke when you binge Fuller House’s last episodes on Netflix, with the back half of Season 5 being one of 2020’s most noteworthy premieres. If you need something else to consider watching to help lift your spirits after bidding the show farewell, peruse this summer’s sizzling schedule.
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