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Family Matters

Family Matters is an American television sitcom that debuted on ABC on September 22, 1989, and ended on May 9, 1997. However it moved to CBS, where it was shown from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers, the series revolves around the Winslow family, an African-American middle class family living in Chicago, Illinois.[2] Midway through the first season, the show introduced the Winslows' nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White), who was originally scripted to appear as a one-time character. However, he quickly became the show's breakout character (and eventually the main character), joining the main cast.[3]

This article is about the American sitcom. For other uses, see Family Matters (disambiguation).

Family Matters

Family sitcom

  • William Bickley
  • Michael Warren

  • Thomas L. Miller
  • Robert L. Boyett

Jesse Frederick, Bennett Salvay & Scott Roeme
(first five episodes only: Bob Thiele, George David Weiss & George Douglas)

"As Days Go By,"
performed by Jesse Frederick
(originally in first five episodes only: "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong)

Instrumental theme,
composed by Jesse Frederick & Bennett Salvay (seasons 1–4)
Gary Boren (seasons 5–9)

Jesse Frederick &
Bennett Salvay (both; seasons 1 and 2)
Gary Boren (seasons 3–5, 8 and 9)
Steven Chesne (seasons 4–7 and 9)

United States

English

9

215 (list of episodes)

Film; Multi-camera[1]

24 minutes

ABC (1989-1997)
CBS (1997-1998)

September 22, 1989 (1989-09-22) –
July 17, 1998 (1998-07-17)

Running for 215 episodes over nine seasons, Family Matters became the second-longest-running live action U.S. sitcom with a predominantly African-American cast, behind The Jeffersons with 11 seasons and 253 episodes. Both have since been exceeded by Tyler Perry's House of Payne with over 334 episodes as of 2023. Family Matters is the last live-action scripted primetime show that debuted in the 1980s to leave the air; the only scripted show that started in the 1980s and lasts longer in continuous production is The Simpsons.[a]

Syndication[edit]

In September 1993, Warner Bros. Television Distribution began distributing Family Matters for broadcast in off-network syndication; most television stations stopped carrying the show by around 2002, though some stations in larger markets such as WTOG in Tampa, Florida continued to air Family Matters until as recently as 2005 and New York's WPIX as 2006. In 1995, reruns of the series began airing on TBS Superstation, where it ran until 2003. TBS would air two episodes of Family Matters each weekday afternoon from October 1995 to September 1999. From 1999 to 2003, TBS only aired the series once per weekday typically playing in the early mornings. The series returned to TBS in 2020.


From 1997 to 2003, reruns of the series aired on WGN America. In 2003, ABC Family picked up the series and aired it for five years until February 29, 2008. From 2004 to 2006, UPN aired the show for 2 years. BET aired reruns briefly in December 2009 and began airing the series on a regular basis on March 1, 2013; the series returned to BET in mid-February 2023. MTV2 also began airing reruns on September 7, 2013. The show aired on Nick at Nite from June 29, 2008, to December 31, 2012. ABC Family and Nick at Nite airings cut the tag scenes at the end of all episodes, despite the fact that many episodes during the series have tag scenes during the closing credits. The series also aired on TV One from 2019 to 2023. In Canada, the series also aired on CTV, CBC and currently airs on Family Channel.


On September 29, 2017, Family Matters became available for streaming on Hulu.[10] In the UK it aired on Sky One whilst Perfect Strangers aired on BBC One.


Reruns of the series aired on Cartoon Network's ACME Night block in 2021.


TruTV began airing reruns in 2023 as part of their "Comfort Food" block.[11]


On October 1, 2021, Family Matters began streaming on HBO Max after its streaming rights expired from Hulu, but has since returned to the Hulu platform.[12]

International airings[edit]

In France, it aired as La Vie de famille (Family Life) as part of the show Club Dorothée on January 1, 1995, and on RTL9 (from August 28, 1995), France 2 & M6 (from June 1, 2000).


In Italy, it aired as Otto sotto un tetto (Eight under one roof) on Canale 5, Italia 1 in 1992, with subsequent airings on Fox Retro & Sky Atlantic.

Urkel Saves Santa: The Movie![edit]

On September 1, 2021, it was announced an animated Christmas film Urkel Saves Santa: The Movie! (originally Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story) was planned to air on Cartoon Network as part of the block ACME Night in 2022.[23][24] It was set to be released on HBO Max. However, on August 22, 2022, it was announced the film will not be moving forward on HBO Max and would be shopped elsewhere due to the Warner Bros. Discovery merger.[25][26] Warner Bros. Discovery instead released the film on digital on November 21, 2023.[27]

A Family Matters Christmas[edit]

In 2022, a Christmas-themed movie titled A Family Matters Christmas was made and released direct-to-video on November 8, 2022. The plot focuses on blended family in which the children switch bodies and learn about the others, and must work together to switch back. Jo Marie Payton and Kellie Shanygne Williams appear[28] briefly. However, they play entirely new characters and the movie has no connection to the actual Family Matters show.

at IMDb

Family Matters

at epguides.com

Family Matters

Archived February 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine at Nick at Nite

Family Matters