Family Matters 1989
What is Family Matters?
Family Matters is an American television sitcom that follows the lives of the Winslows, a middle-class African American family residing in Chicago. The series was created by William Bickley, Robert L.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1989
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 215
- Runtime
- 23 minutes
- First aired
- Sep 22, 1989
- Last aired
- Jul 17, 1998
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- ABC, CBS
- Genres
- Comedy, Family
- Updated
Where to watch
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 215 episodes and an average 23-minute runtime.
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
Family Matters is an American television sitcom that follows the lives of the Winslows, a middle-class African American family residing in Chicago. The series was created by William Bickley, Robert L. Boyett, Thomas L. Miller, and Michael Warren. As a spin-off of the program Perfect Strangers, the show centers on the family as they navigate various misadventures, many of which are caused by their pesky next-door neighbor, an ultra-nerd named Steve Urkel. The cast includes Reginald VelJohnson, Jaleel White, Darius McCrary, and Kellie Shanygne Williams. The production originally aired on ABC for eight seasons, beginning on September 22, 1989, and concluding on May 9, 1997. The series subsequently moved to CBS for its ninth and final season, which ran from September 19, 1997, until July 17, 1998. Described as a long-running dramedy, the show depicts the daily experiences of the Winslow household and their interactions with their distinctive neighbor throughout its nine-year broadcast history on network television.
Should you watch it?
“A middle-class African American family navigates life in Chicago with comedic chaos, largely stirred by their nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel.”
- Warm portrayal of family dynamics
- Iconic comedic character in Steve Urkel
- Blend of humor and heart
- Some episodes rely heavily on recurring gags
- Later seasons shift focus significantly
You enjoy classic family sitcoms with a mix of humor and relatable life lessons.
Suitable for general audiences with wholesome themes and mild physical comedy.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 22 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 The Mama Who Came to Dinner Sep 22, 1989
- E2 Two-Income Family Sep 29, 1989
- E3 Short Story Oct 6, 1989
- E4 Rachel's First Date Oct 13, 1989
- E5 Straight A's Oct 20, 1989
- E6 Basketball Blues Nov 3, 1989
- E7 Body Damage Nov 10, 1989
- E8 Mr. Badwrench Nov 17, 1989
- E9 Stake-Out Nov 24, 1989
- E10 False Arrest Dec 1, 1989
- E11 The Quilt Dec 8, 1989
- E12 Laura's First Date Dec 15, 1989
- E13 Man's Best Friend Jan 5, 1990
- E14 Baker's Dozens Jan 12, 1990
- E15 The Big Reunion Jan 19, 1990
- E16 The Party Feb 2, 1990
- E17 The Big Fix Feb 9, 1990
- E18 Sitting Pretty Feb 16, 1990
- E19 In a Jam Mar 16, 1990
- E20 The Candidate Mar 23, 1990
- E21 Bowl Me Over Apr 13, 1990
- E22 Rock Video Apr 27, 1990
Season 2 · 25 episodes
- E1 Rachel's Place Sep 21, 1990
- E2 Torn Between Two Lovers Sep 28, 1990
- E3 Marriage 101 Oct 5, 1990
- E4 Flashpants Oct 12, 1990
- E5 The Crash Course Oct 19, 1990
- E6 Boxcar Blues Oct 26, 1990
- E7 Dog Day Halloween Nov 2, 1990
- E8 Cousin Urkel Nov 9, 1990
- E9 Dedicated to the One I Love Nov 16, 1990
- E10 The Science Project Nov 23, 1990
- E11 Requiem for an Urkel Dec 7, 1990
- E12 Fast Eddie Winslow Dec 14, 1990
- E13 Have Yourself a Very Winslow Christmas Dec 21, 1990
- E14 Ice Station Winslow Jan 4, 1991
- E15 Son Jan 11, 1991
- E16 Do the Right Thing Jan 18, 1991
- E17 High Hopes Feb 1, 1991
- E18 Life of the Party Feb 8, 1991
- E19 Busted Feb 15, 1991
- E20 Fight the Good Fight Feb 22, 1991
- E21 Taking Credit Mar 15, 1991
- E22 Finding the Words Mar 22, 1991
- E23 Skip to My Lieu Apr 5, 1991
- E24 The Good the Bad and the Urkel Apr 19, 1991
- E25 I Should Have Done Something Apr 26, 1991
Season 3 · 25 episodes
- E1 Boom! Sep 20, 1991
- E2 Brain over Brawn Sep 27, 1991
- E3 The Show Must Go On Oct 4, 1991
- E4 Words Hurt Oct 11, 1991
- E5 Daddy's Little Girl Oct 18, 1991
- E6 Citizen's Court Oct 25, 1991
- E7 Robo-Nerd Nov 1, 1991
- E8 Making the Team Nov 8, 1991
- E9 Born to be Mild Nov 15, 1991
- E10 The Love God Nov 22, 1991
- E11 Old and Alone Nov 29, 1991
- E12 A Pair of Ladies Dec 6, 1991
- E13 Choir Trouble Dec 20, 1991
- E14 A Test of Friendship Jan 10, 1992
- E15 Jailhouse Blues Jan 17, 1992
- E16 Brown Bombshell Jan 31, 1992
- E17 Food, Lies and Videotape Feb 7, 1992
- E18 My Broken-Hearted Valentine Feb 14, 1992
- E19 Woman of the People Feb 21, 1992
- E20 Love and Kisses Feb 28, 1992
- E21 Stop, in the Name of Love Mar 13, 1992
- E22 The Urkel Who Came to Dinner Apr 3, 1992
- E23 Robo-Nerd II Apr 24, 1992
- E24 Dudes May 1, 1992
- E25 Farewell, My Laura May 8, 1992
Season 4 · 24 episodes
- E1 Surely You Joust Sep 18, 1992
- E2 Dance to the Music Oct 2, 1992
- E3 Driving Carl Crazy Oct 9, 1992
- E4 Rumor Has It Oct 16, 1992
- E5 Number One with a Bullet Oct 23, 1992
- E6 Whose Kid Is it Anyway? Oct 30, 1992
- E7 An Officer and a Waldo Nov 6, 1992
- E8 Just One Date! Nov 13, 1992
- E9 The Oddest Couple Nov 20, 1992
- E10 It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Urkel Dec 11, 1992
- E11 Muskrat Love Jan 8, 1993
- E12 Hot Wheels Jan 15, 1993
- E13 The Way the Ball Bounces Jan 22, 1993
- E14 A Thought in the Dark Jan 29, 1993
- E15 Tender Kisses Feb 5, 1993
- E16 Heart Strings Feb 12, 1993
- E17 It's a Mad, Mad, Madhouse Feb 19, 1993
- E18 Higher Anxiety Feb 26, 1993
- E19 Mama's Wedding Mar 5, 1993
- E20 Pulling Teeth Mar 19, 1993
- E21 Walk on the Wild Side Mar 26, 1993
- E22 Hot Stuff Apr 30, 1993
- E23 Stormy Weather May 7, 1993
- E24 Buds 'n' Buns May 14, 1993
Season 5 · 24 episodes
- E1 Hell Toupee Sep 24, 1993
- E2 It Didn't Happen One Night Oct 1, 1993
- E3 Saved by the Urkel Oct 8, 1993
- E4 A Matter of Principle Oct 15, 1993
- E5 Money Out the Window Oct 22, 1993
- E6 Best Friends Oct 29, 1993
- E7 Grandmama Nov 5, 1993
- E8 Dr. Urkel and Mr. Cool Nov 12, 1993
- E9 Car Wars Nov 19, 1993
- E10 All the Wrong Moves Nov 26, 1993
- E11 Christmas is Where the Heart Is Dec 10, 1993
- E12 Scenes from a Mall Dec 17, 1993
- E13 Rock Enroll Jan 7, 1994
- E14 Like a Virgin Jan 14, 1994
- E15 Good Cop, Bad Cop Jan 21, 1994
- E16 Presumed Urkel Feb 4, 1994
- E17 Father of the Bride Feb 11, 1994
- E18 Psycho Twins Feb 18, 1994
- E19 That's What Friends Are For Mar 4, 1994
- E20 Opposites Attract Mar 18, 1994
- E21 A-Camping We Will Go Apr 1, 1994
- E22 Nunsense Apr 29, 1994
- E23 Aunt Oona May 6, 1994
- E24 Stefan Returns May 20, 1994
Frequently asked questions
Is Family Matters a spin-off?
Yes, it originated as a spin-off of Perfect Strangers.
Who are the main characters?
The show centers on the Winslow family and their neighbor Steve Urkel.
Where is the show set?
The Winslow family lives in Chicago.
How long did the series run?
It aired for nine seasons, beginning in 1989.
What genre is Family Matters?
It is a dramedy, blending drama and comedy.