The premise of Full House lends itself perfectly to eight seasons full of life lessons and cute family moments. Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) enlists his pals Jesse (John Stamos) and Joey (Dave Coulier) to help him bring his three daughters up after his wife dies. The guys don't always know what they're doing, but they always care a lot, which makes for a sweet batch of episodes.
The sitcom had some heartbreaking episodes along with some funny jokes that are admittedly fairly cheesy. Since most of the storylines on the show are about teaching the girls a lesson, it makes sense that some make a lot of sense and others should never have been part of the sitcom.
Too Corny: Don't Steal
Sure, Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) is still pretty young in the second season of Full House, but it seems like she knows right from wrong and would know not to steal clothing from a store.
It's strange when Stephanie steals a sweater in the episode "Little Shop of Sweaters" because she thinks that people can take something and pay for it another time. The lesson in this episode is not to shoplift, but wouldn't the girls already know that? This ended up seeming very corny and was just one confusing thing that Stephanie did.
Great Lesson: Lying Isn't A Great Idea
In the second episode of season one, "Our Very First Night," Stephanie and D.J. (Candace Cameron Bure) get caught in a lie: they swear that they don't have an early bedtime and can stay up as much as they want. Jesse is looking after them and since he's new to this whole parenting thing, he totally falls for it.
Uncle Jesse is one of the best characters on the show and it makes sense that he would just want to make the girls happy. This is a great lesson because, of course, lying is never a smart idea. Stephanie and D.J. had to learn that telling the truth is the best policy, as the old saying goes.
Too Corny: Michelle Hates Sharing
In the season three episode "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (in 22 Minutes)," Michelle (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) has a play date that doesn't go very well as she hates sharing.
The other characters attempt to teach her to share, but this is an incredibly cheesy lesson that didn't seem necessary. Many toddlers hate sharing (in fact, most of them do), and this storyline wasn't funny or interesting.
Great Lesson: Never Skip School
In the season one finale "D.J. Tanner's Day Off," D.J. skips school to see the singer who she idolizes at the mall. This is definitely a very 90's TV storyline and while some parts of D.J.'s character are confusing, it makes sense that she would rebel sometimes.
This is a Full House storyline with an important lesson because skipping school will only get a student in trouble. Their parents won't be happy, they could get suspended, and they should understand that it's necessary to attend all classes and try hard in school.
Too Corny: Michelle Isn't A Princess Anymore
The season four episode "Crimes and Michelle's Demeanor" is incredibly corny, and while the lesson is about not acting conceited and spoiled, it definitely gets lost in translation.
The other characters realize that Michelle has always been a princess and she should start acting differently. Danny gives her a time-out, which many people feel is a pretty outdated parenting choice, and everyone gets sad about Michelle growing up. It's just too much.
Great Lesson: Don't Grow Up Too Fast
D.J. wants to make money and be an adult, but she learns the hard way that she can't really handle the pressure in the season four episode "Working Girl." She's only 14 but she wants to be more independent.
D.J. gets an F for the first time after getting a job and realizing that she can't do it all. Danny talks to her about how it's perfectly fine to embrace childhood and not worry about acting too old, which is a nice thing for any teenager to hear.
Too Corny: Danny Says D.J. Can't Date Steve
Sure, there are some weird and awkward things about D.J. and Steve's romance, but many Full House fans still love this couple.
D.J. becomes obsessed with her relationship with Steve in the season six episode "Lovers and Other Tanners." Danny is super harsh when he says that they can't see each other anymore. Why would a parent think that would work and that their kid wouldn't rebel? Danny definitely does the wrong thing here.
Great Lesson: Don't Give In To Peer Pressure
Of course there was going to be a Full House episode about not smoking and giving into peer pressure. But instead of seeming cheesy, this was another important lesson for a young adult like Stephanie to learn.
She faced this problem in the season 7 episode "Fast Friends" when her new friend Gia (Marla Sokoloff) tries to get her to smoke. Even though peer pressure comes up time and time again, it's still a crucial thing for pre-teens and teens to think about because it will never go away.
Too Corny: Stephanie Gets Grounded For A Make Out Party
There are some storylines from 90's TV shows and movies that stick out in fans' minds, and one of them is the famous make-out party. This didn't necessary happen for many people IRL but pop culture would act like this was a rite of passage and just part of growing up.
Stephanie attended one of these by accident in the season 8 episode "Making Out is Hard To Do." She phoned Danny to pick her up and asked, "So, does good judgment cancel out 'shameless lying'?" He replied, "Steph, let me put it this way: Before it can soar like an eagle, the young baby bird must stumble and fall, and spend two whole weeks grounded in the nest with no TV." This was a really corny storyline and Danny made it even worse with this quote. It wasn't one of the funniest jokes on the show.
Great Lesson: Michelle Is Loved Despite Not Having A Mom
In the season five episode "Matchmaker Michelle," this adorable character gets really upset about her mom being gone. She wants to set up her dad with her teacher, who she loves.
Of course, it isn't a great match, which fans probably guessed at the beginning of the episode. Danny has a great discussion with Michelle about how everyone in the family loves and cares about her and that it's sad that she doesn't have a mother, but it's going to be okay. This is a moving moment and a good lesson that many viewers were able to relate to. There are many things about Danny that would be a big problem today but he can be a very compassionate father.