Over the eight years that Full House ran on ABC, the Tanner family grew up before America's eyes and cemented the show as one of the best loved family sitcoms of all time. Full House told the lovable, gee-willikers story of three daughters and three father figures living under one roof. The girls, DJ (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) and Michelle (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen) each put the men's parenting to the test and ultimately grew into strong women with sturdy values. The men, Danny (Bob Saget), Joey (Dave Coulier) and Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) each brought to the table their own skills and approach on how to raise a family; Danny was the structured father, Joey was the comic uncle and Jesse was the cool uncle. Friends that became family came in and out of the house, making it fuller with love by the season. Full House promoted tried and true morality lessons, unconventional families and heartwarming laughs, so when the show came to an end with Season 8, the cast and fans knew it was the end of an era.
Recently, '90s nostalgia revivals have become relatively common. Full House also ended up getting a revival, Fuller House, on Netflix between 2016 and 2020, which allowed the story of the Tanner family to continue after its original sudden ending. However, there were several big reasons Full House originally ended with Season 8.
Full House's Curtain Call
By 1995, the kids of Full House were almost all grown up, with DJ being a young adult ready to go off to college. The last episode, "Michelle Rides Again Part 2," was originally just supposed to serve as the Season 8 finale. However, the show's sudden cancellation left no time to write a proper series finale, so the Season 8 finale had to stand in as Full House's final goodbye. In the episode, Michelle falls off a horse and hits her head, causing her to experience amnesia. The family scrambles to bring her memory back. When she finally remembers her family, it is a heartfelt moment as Uncle Jesse plays the group hug scene out on his acoustic guitar.
"Family Hour" Was on Its Way Out
Over the course of its run, Full House amassed a devout fan base and the cast was willing to keep making episodes. However, the shocking cancellation came down to pressure from the network. By the mid-90s, family centered sitcoms were on their way out, making room for more adult-centric shows like Friends, Seinfeld, and Frasier. Bob Saget, who played the father Danny Tanner, told US Weekly that they had no warning they were being pulled off the air. They knew that the show was asked to move to the WB network, but Stamos was adamant about staying with ABC. If Stamos had been willing to move the show to the WB, there might have been hope for a Season 9, but the chaotic negotiations left little room for continuation of a show that was no longer keeping up with the times.
Full House Got Expensive
According to the Los Angeles Times, the show still ranked in 25th out of 142 primetime shows, but the once popular "family hour" on Friday nights was more coveted by hip young adult programming that attracted more lucrative advertisers. In that same vein, Full House had become the most expensive sitcom on the air at the time, costing $1.3 million per episode, due to rising producer fees and cast salaries. ABC simply was not getting a return on its investment in the show any longer.
Although Full House was still in the upper rankings of prime time shows, the demographic it was reaching was primarily those in the age range of 2-11 years old. Brian McAndrews, vice president for series programs of ABC Entertainment stated that, although the network loved the cast and show, it felt Roseanne was a better choice, with its razor-sharp humor attracting a slightly older demographic. Negotiations were rushed, as producers agreed to take a pay cut, but the networks had already made up their minds. This, unfortunately, left no time to give Full House the send-off it deserved.
With the sight of that Victorian San Francisco home in the opening credits, Full House still stands unblemished in America's mind as one of the most iconic and endearing family shows on TV. Kids practically grew up with three extra dads teaching them to laugh and love with the ones closest to them. Full House may have ended in muddled circumstances, but message still touches our hearts.