Family Matters Season 1 Episodes

Episode 1

The Mama Who Came to Dinner

Fri, Sep 22, 198923 mins

In the pilot episode, viewers meet the rest of Chicago Chronicle elevator operator Harriette Winslow's family. The first plot centers around her husband, Carl, a police sergeant with the Chicago Police Department. He's uptight when he learns that his mother, Estelle (aka Mother Winslow), is moving in - especially since his position as the family's "Head Kahuna" is threatened.

Episode 2

Two Income Family

Fri, Sep 29, 198923 mins

Harriette loses her job as elevator operator at the Chicago Chronicle when she asks for a raise. The lack of a second income into the Winslow household puts additional strain on the budget, prompting Harriette to apply for an opening as head of security. Initially, she's turned down, but her impassioned speech about what skills she has makes quite the impression.

Episode 3

Short Story

Fri, Oct 6, 198924 mins

Harriette's widowed sister, Rachel Crawford, is a budding freelance writer who has just written a short story. She's really excited when Tomorrow's Woman magazine wants to buy the story, but no one else (except Eddie) wants to celebrate. It seems they've read the story, see negative representations of themselves in Rachel's characters and are offended that she's using her story as a way to express her frustrations about them.

Episode 4

Rachel's First Date

Fri, Oct 13, 198923 mins

Recently widowed Rachel is nervous about her first date since the death of her husband.

Episode 5

Straight A's

Fri, Oct 20, 198923 mins

To everyone's surprise, Eddie comes home with a report card with straight A's. Eddie's even more surprised, since he knows his academic performance has been what could be best described as marginal. Eddie later finds out his buddy Rodney Beckett was behind the scheme. Things soon become a matter of conscience: Don't say anything and have his parents be proud of him, or tell the truth?

Episode 6

Basketball Blues

Fri, Nov 3, 198923 mins

Carl wants Eddie to become a big-time basketball star, and invites star player Will "The Thrill' Morgan over for encouragement. But Morgan sees through Carl's desire to live out his dreams through Eddie and helps set him straight.

Episode 7

Body Damage

Fri, Nov 10, 198923 mins

Episode 8

Mr. Badwrench

Fri, Nov 17, 198923 mins

Carl wants to build a bathroom for Mother Winslow. Ignoring Harriette's plea to call a contractor to do the work properly, Carl recruits Eddie in an inept attempt to renovate one of the unused rooms downstairs.

Episode 9

Stake-Out

Fri, Nov 24, 198923 mins

Carl and his attractive new partner, Vanessa, are involved in a stake-out in a hotel room. Harriette worries (over nothing, as it turns out) that Carl will put aside his professionalism and try to woo Vanessa.

Episode 10

False Arrest

Fri, Dec 1, 198923 mins

Carl is working security at a television station where Buddy Goodrich, an actor, tapes a hit show that the rest of the Winslow family loves to watch. Carl asks him to move his car from a front of a fire lane, where he illegally parked, and finds out that the "real" Buddy Goodrich is rude and arrogant. Buddy assaults Carl, taking a swing at him. Carl arrests him. When his family finds out, they believe he was in the wrong and ignore him, and urges him to apologize to Buddy. It is only after Buddy Goodrich visits Carl at his home, unbeknownst to both of them, the rest of the Winslows overhear the conversation in which Buddy admits what he did and tries to bribe Carl, saying he will have have his assistant lie at the hearing, that the Winslow family sees him for the type of person he is. Buddy is thrown out of the house.

Episode 11

The Quilt

Fri, Dec 8, 198925 mins

Estelle shows off an heirloom quilt that's been in the Winslow family for more than 200 years. Despite being told not to sell the quilt at the family's garage sale, Laura accidentally does so when a museum curator offers $200 for it. Laura then goes all out to get the quilt back, using a tearful speech to soften up the stubborn curator. Estelle is impressed and lets Laura keep the quilt until it's her turn to pass it down a generation.

Episode 12

Laura's First Date

Fri, Dec 15, 198930 mins

The episode that ensured "Family Matters'" success. It all began with Laura bemoaning her inability to get a date with cute classmate Mark for the school dance. Eddie and Carl make well-meaning attempts to set Laura up with someone. It is Carl who - in a decision he'd live to regret - sets his daughter up with Steven Q. Urkel. The quintessential nerd drives everyone batty just being himself. Even though Laura eventually gets over her shyness and asks Mark out, Urkel decides to stay until 10 p.m. - the earliest his folks want him home - and makes himself at home!

Episode 13

Man's Best Friend

Fri, Jan 5, 199025 mins

Man's best friend isn't a dog, at least in Carl's eyes, when a stray pooch follows the kids home. Carl wants to get rid of the dog, but his feelings begin to change when the dog scares off unwelcome visitor Urkel. Carl soon becomes attached to the dog, but it isn't long before the canine disrupts the family routine.

Episode 14

Baker's Dozen

Fri, Jan 12, 199025 mins

Carl's lemon tarts - made using a secret recipe - is a big hit with Rachel's church group. One of her friends is a restaurant manager who wants to buy dozens of the tarts. Carl agrees to turn the kitchen into a makeshift bakery ... and with less than 24 hours to fulfill the contract, the results are disastrous.

Episode 15

The Big Reunion

Fri, Jan 19, 199025 mins

Carl tries to lose some weight in time for an upcoming class reunion, where he is expected to perform with his high school band.

Episode 16

The Party

Fri, Feb 2, 199030 mins

Carl leaves Eddie in charge of the household while the adults go on an overnight trip. There's one major rule: No guests allowed! Eddie obeys at first, but then Rodney comes over to deliver pizza. Then two pretty girls show up ... and things quickly spiral into a huge house party that Eddie quickly loses control over. Rival football players even play football with Urkel! Only when Carl and Harriette arrive home early does everything calm down ... that is, until Urkel utters from inside the sofa, "Party of the year!"

Episode 17

The Big Fix

Fri, Feb 9, 199030 mins

Eddie's flunking algebra and has nowhere else to turn but math-whiz Urkel. Urkel agrees to help Edd-o on one condition: He gets a date with Laura. And just so he'll get what he wants, he takes Eddie's Prince concert tickets for collateral. Laura reluctantly agrees to go with Urkel on a "non-date," which goes just as one would expect. In the end, Harriette assures Laura that Urkel is well satisfied - and then the phone rings!

Episode 18

Sitting Pretty

Fri, Feb 23, 199030 mins

Seeking a promotion, Carl invites no-nonsense Capt. Davenport over for dinner. Simple enough, except he doesn't know that Laura - who has opened a baby-sitting service - is looking after dozens of crazy children. Carl is sure his promotion (not to mention job) is down the drain, especially when Capt. Davenport is a little tied up thanks to the kids. But things turn out OK when Capt. Davenport moans, "You ruined the game" and admits he loves children.

Episode 19

In a Jam

Fri, Mar 16, 199030 mins

A bully named Bull Watson terrorizes Urkel into giving up his lunch money. Urkel wants Eddie to stick up for him, but gets no sympathy. That is, Rodney witnesses Urkel sticking up for himself and Bull threatening him with serious injury if he refuses to hand over his lunch money. After going to Carl for some advice, Eddie decides to fight Bull ... and easily defeats him.

Episode 20

The Candidate

Fri, Mar 23, 199025 mins

Eddie is persuaded to run for class president vs. Margie Flatman. Rodney - and later, Laura - decide that a campaign of style is better than substance, but Eddie eventually sees that Margie is simply more qualified for the job than he is and drops out.

Episode 21

Bowl Me Over

Fri, Apr 20, 199025 mins

It's the guys (don't forget Urkel) vs. the gals in grudge match at the bowling alley. The usual hijinks ensue, and a huge argument breaks out. Then a severe thunderstorm knocks out the power, and Estelle later points out that it was God calling everyone to their senses.

Episode 22

Rock Video

Fri, Apr 27, 199025 mins

Eddie wants to make a rock video for a TV contest, but finds himself in a bind when his band deserts him. No wonder, Harriette points out: "That was a love letter from Eddie Winslow, to Eddie Winslow!" Eddie decides he needs to change his narcissistic attitude and recruits Urkel and his family to make a rock video ("We Are a Family") that everyone can be proud of.