Despite being off the air for decades now, most of the cast of Full House has remained positive and candid about their time on the hit ABC sitcom, which obviously factored into getting most of the band back together for Netflix's Fuller House. The cast member most vocal about their years on the show arguably continues to be John Stamos, who played the ever-suave and beloved Uncle Jesse. At least, beloved to fans like myself, since critics at the time were not so fond of the sitcom during its network run.
The beloved sitcom actor recently sat down with Willie Geist on Sunday TODAY to discuss his new memoir If You Would Have Told Me, as well as his time on the family sitcom. In a candid moment, Stamos opened up about what it was like starring on a hit show that critics were vocally disinterested in by and large. Stamos told Geist:
I had the critics in my ear for a long time, and the critics hated the show. But what they missed was, in lieu of sophistication, sweetness came in. And the brain moved aside, and it gave room for the heart to feel something. You know, it became everybody’s family.
Even if I didn't get a Full House tattoo to prove it, I'm a Tanner family fan through and through, and I’m so grateful that Stamos didn’t give in to letting the critics' negative opinions affect his role and time in the series. I dare say the show would have been nothing without Uncle Jesse. Stamos himself claims that Bob Saget’s Danny Tanner "was the glue" that kept the TV family together behind, but Uncle Jesse was the true heart of the series in my mind.
Besides, critics aren’t always tapped into what audiences are in need of. Not everything needs to be sophisticated and/or thought-provoking. Sometimes, TV audiences just want to sit down with characters they love and forget their own problems for a few hours out of the day. That’s exactly what Full House gave to its fans, which is a big reason why it continues to be culturally relevant even today.
As Stamos said, the Tanners really did become everybody’s family in a way so many other sitcom families often do. I religiously watched Full House reruns when it aired as part of Nick at Nite’s programming, and I can still recall my favorite episodes word for word. Sure, the series was never nominated for an Emmy Award, but critical acclaim can only take a show so far. The longevity lies in the fans’ minds, and since the TGIF classic continues to draw in viewers from around the world, it will continue to live on.
Despite being one of the more outspoken cast members in the current day, Stamos wasn’t always thrilled about his role. In fact, he recently opened up about how nervous he was filming the pilot, especially with two babies on set! Thankfully, just like the critics were wrong, so were Stamos's nerves. Though the cast has had some ups and downs in recent years, including a highly publicized feud between Candace Cameron Bure and Jodie Sweetin, it seems like nothing can tarnish Stamos's time on the sitcom. And for that, I am grateful!
Fans can revisit Stamos in all his Uncle Jesse glory by streaming all eight seasons of the sitcom with an active Hulu subscription. The series is also available to fans with an active Max subscription. If you can’t get enough of the Tanners, head on over to Netflix to catch up with the next generation with Fuller House. And don't forget to pick up Stamos's memoir available wherever books are sold.
