TV Review: Fuller House S1 E03, “Funner House”

By Tyler Hodg

In “Funner House”, the third episode of Fuller House, Stephanie and Kimmy treat DJ to a night out on the town, and the three leads head to a dance club–the type of place the eldest Tanner child hasn’t experienced in a while. The venue is packed with colorful characters, and includes the recurrence of Kimmy’s soon-to-be ex-husband and Ramona’s father, Fernando.

Fuller House is awkwardly current, with selfies, Uber, Instagram, and the term “on fleek” all mentioned in this episode. In a scene where Stephanie and Kimmy encounter each other in the living room before heading to the club, smart dialogue could have been the sequence’s driving force, rather than soon-to-be redundant references. Technology and culture are evolving exponentially, and the best option would have been to avoid anything that may seem outdated in however many years.

One question to consider: who flies from Las Vegas to San Fransisco to act as a babysitter for one night? Apparently, returning character Joey Gladstone would. This secondary storyline is a sorry excuse to bring an old cast member back, and proves there are behind-the-scenes apprehensions about the significance of the core characters. Seeing Joey interact with the kids is fairly fulfilling, but Fuller House needs to be given the chance to stand on its own without the superficial help of its predecessor.

With that said, Joey does reference Neil Degrasse Tyson after Max tells the family friend that he’s watching a livestream of Pluto. Science, bitch!

Meanwhile, at the club, Stephanie and guest star Macy Gray–yes, that Macy Gray–sing a duet of “Time of My Life” from Dirty Dancing to give DJ and an upset Kimmy inspiration to defeat womanizer Fernando in the club’s dance-off. Sometimes with television, it’s better not to question things.

There are some cheerful moments in “Funner House,” like Joey goofing around with the kids at home, but the majority of the scenes and jokes fall flat. DJ’s relationship with her children is an aspect that needs to be explored more, as the show has barely shown the extent of the full family dynamic. Hopefully, the subsequent episodes can deliver more laughs and character development than this installment.