Sarah Warsi

Okay, so I’ve been meaning to review season 2 of Fuller House since it was released on Netflix on Dec. 9. The fact that I haven’t gotten around to finishing the entire season yet says a lot already about my take on it, considering I had charged through the whole season 1 in two nights!

So here’s the deal so far after having only watched the first three episodes: I’m definitely entertained – but again – I think it has more to do with the loyalty factor than anything else. Had this been an entirely new sitcom from scratch, I have to wonder if I would have made it past the first show.

I’m not sure why I thought it would be any different this season, but the acting continues to feel contrived and over-done at times – as if the actors are trying more than they need to. I believe I have mentioned this before, but I feel like the acting from the veterans (DJ/Stephanie/Kimmy) came much more effortlessly in their earlier years. Now, although still very talented, at times it feels more forced to the point where the ‘cheese’ factor overtakes any humour.

On a side note: it was bittersweet having just finished watching episode 2 where Alan Thicke had made a cameo and then hearing of his passing two days later. I’m sure the entire Full/Fuller House family was grateful that he’d had the opportunity to appear on the show.

In Episode 3,  I enjoyed the throwback moment for Kimmy, Stephanie and DJ when they were consoling Ramona from a date gone bad and then began reminiscing on their own first kisses. It’s always nice to see those “blast from the past” moments.

This season has also seen the introduction of Jimmy Gibbler, Kimmy’s brother, played Adam Hagenbuch (who by the way bears a striking resemblance to Ashton Kutcher).

Jimmy is smitten for Stephanie which paves the way for something groundbreaking: a Tanner dating a Gibbler ! Who knew the day would come? Stephanie even calls herself out on that saying: “I’m dating a Gibbler and I like it!”

Now as a loyal Full House viewer, I distinctly recall Kimmy’s brother being named Garth, not Jimmy, so either Jimmy’s middle name is Garth (or vice versa), Kimmy has two brothers, or the producers have made a minor goof that they thought loyal Full House fans would not notice!

I have to also say that the set decoration is immaculate on Fuller House. It was evident in season 1 that the production team had made significant upgrades to what used to be the original look and feel of the set and that was even more prominent in season 2.

The vibrant use of colours is just breathtaking and really has that modern, trendy feel. Below is a still of Ramona’s room and the punchiness of all the colours and textures really brings the room to life – far beyond what is used to look like when it was DJ’s bedroom in the later years of Full House.

So major kudos goes to the Fuller House props department.

I’m on Episode 4: The Curse of Tanner Manor, and I’ve read that in later episodes Stephanie’s old friend Gia, played by Marla Sokaloff, makes a comeback, which I’m looking forward too. So far I have yet to see more of the original cast including Uncle Jesse, Becky, Danny and Joey but I’m sure they will resurface soon enough.

But overall, the anticipation I felt for season 1 has dwindled a bit with season 2 – a feeling that seems to resonate with the general public: According to Business Insider, overall ratings for season 2 have dropped quite a bit although perhaps the numbers should be taken with a grain of salt considering Netflix did not offer any commentary on the ratings as of the publication of the article.

And if the ratings have indeed widely fallen, it could just be that the novelty has worn off because season 1 meant the comeback of a classic sitcom 20 years later – but now that we’ve gotten that out of our system, we must ask ourselves, do we really care for more?

Could a feature-length film have been enough to fulfill our childhood dreams?

Or it could be argued that it’s because not enough time passed since season 1 aired. We technically have now seen two seasons of the show in the same year – something atypical of traditional sitcoms but I suppose more common with shows that debut on Netflix these days.

As a biased, loyal Full House-ian,  I would welcome a season 3 of Fuller House, but, in my humble opinion, the future of the series remains uncertain.

What are your thoughts on Season 2 thus far?

Feel free to check out my review of season 1 here.