Full House combined dysfunction with charm in eight seasons of sappy, uber-popular family television. The concept of three mismatched male friends trying to raise three rambunctious daughters in the aftermath of their mother’s death always seemed to strike the right cord with audiences of all ages. With over eight seasons to choose from, picking the best Full House episodes poses a challenge, but these are the best to rewatch for cozy nostalgia.
1. “Silence is Not Golden” (Season 6, Episode 17)
Stephanie comes to terms with a fellow classmate getting abused by his father at home, something the young Tanner daughter doesn’t quite understand at first. The severity of the topic seems out of place for Full House episodes, but the show handles it with flying colors, bringing awareness to the issue of domestic violence and how kids learn about the immorality of such an event at a young age.
2. “Fuller House” (Season 4, Episode 20)
Jesse’s life starts to change in bittersweet fashion after marrying Rebecca, such as realizing he needs to move out of the Tanner abode and into his own home. As can be expected, Michelle and the girls don’t take the news well, and Jesse and Becky find alternative living arrangements to make sure the family can stay tight forever!
3. “Shape Up” (Season 4, Episode 8)
D.J. struggles with body image when she finds out about a swim party she wants to attend with Kimmy. Eating disorders and exercise addiction are timeless issues that kids can learn about by watching this episode, and Full House handles the topic with incredible grace and awareness.
4. “The Last Dance” (Season 7, Episode 17)
Death comes for everyone, but grieving the deceased never equates to the same actions for individual people. Uncle Jesse’s grandfather passes away unexpectedly, and the Tanners must lean on one another to cope with the devastating loss. The last scene with Jesse and Michelle stands out years later for its sincerity.
5. “Goodbye, Mr. Bear” (Season 2, Episode 18)
The death of the Tanner family’s mother gets brought up on occasion throughout the series, and the best episode involving this plot revolves around Stephanie wanting to keep an old stuffed animal to remember her mother. Topics of coping mechanisms and healthy ways of grieving hit home here.
6. “Stephanie's Wild Ride” (Season 8, Episode 9)
The relationship between Stephanie and D.J. evolves in marvelous ways throughout the series. As Stephanie becomes much more volatile in adolescence, D.J. steps in to provide advice that the men in the house simply can’t convey in the same manner. The sisterhood helps Full House episodes remain rock-solid in its final season.
7. “Greek Week” (Season 4, Episode 1)
Full House never failed to throw in the occasional location shoot or set of guest stars to spice up the plot. The season four premiere introduces a whole bunch of Jesse’s foreign relatives from Greece, and the mashup of personalities provides plenty of laughs in the half-hour.
8. “The Wedding, Part 2” (Season 4, Episode 19)
Chaotic shenanigans on Jesse’s wedding day almost derail the event from happening. Nothing can stop the love birds from wedding, though. The marriage between Jesse and Becky certainly felt like one of the most anticipated events in the show up to the fourth season.
9. “Michelle Rides Again, Part 2” (Season 8, Episode 24)
While Full House works best as an ensemble, Michelle Tanner always seemed like the true star of the series. It would only be fitting her journey gets the spotlight in this fantastic series finale as she recovers her memory with the help of her family after falling off a horse.
10. “Honey, I Broke the House” (Season 3, Episode 20)
Several TV shows use driving a car through a house as a plot device (Everybody Loves Raymond comes to mind), but this season three affair on Full House deserves recognition. Stephanie and Jesse’s relationship holds up under the duress of the middle Tanner daughter crashing her uncle’s sports vehicle into the family kitchen.
11. “Happy Birthday Babies, Part 2” (Season 5, Episode 10)
Jesse and Becky finally meet their twin boys, Nicky and Alex, when Becky gives birth in this excellent two-parter. Jesse undergoes his own medical issues with appendicitis, all in all creating a memorable landmark moment in the show.
12. “Joey’s Place” (Season 1, Episode 10)
Joey Gladstone always feels like somewhat of an outcast in the show due to being a friend instead of a family member of the Tanners, but the clan builds a new living space for Joey to cement his place within the household further. The episode lays the groundwork for the relationships between Joey and the other characters.
13. “D.J.’s Choice” (Season 8, Episode 12)
D.J. dates many boys throughout high school, and this late-series episode sees two of them vie for her attention in zany ways, such as hiring Frankie Valli to sing to D.J. The show's ability to adapt to the age of the characters and incorporate recurring characters allowed it to age gracefully.
14. “Just Say No Way” (Season 3, Episode 21)
Even though Michelle and Jesse were the iconic pairing of one adult with one child in the show, D.J. and Jesse also could hold attention. The relationship hits a snag after Jesse unfairly accuses D.J. of drinking beer at a school event, but everything works out in the end in classic Full House episodes.
15. “Good News, Bad News” (Season 4, Episode 5)
D.J.'s best friend, Kimmy Gibbler, often ranks high on any list of cringe characters in TV history, but sometimes the show would give her a more serious plot thread. The best friends must work out their differences when D.J. must go behind Kimmy's back to improve her standing in the school newsroom.
16. “Educating Jesse” (Season 6, Episode 6)
More backstory on Jesse's pre-uncle life reveals he never graduated high school. The girls encourage him to go back and get his GED and inspire others to finish high school or return if they drop out. Another serious storyline is handled with maturity by the writers and actors.
17. “Middle Age Crazy” (Season 2, Episode 10)
Full House understands family dynamics better than most shows. Middle child syndrome affects kids who live in the shadow of their big and little siblings. Stephanie struggles with this problem and leaves the Tanner house to gain some attention from her dad and relatives. The storyline remains an adorable one!
18. “Tanner’s Island” (Season 3, Episode 1)
In one of the best on-location Full House episodes, Danny brings the Tanner clan to Hawaii for a family vacation, but things go awry at every turn of the calendar. Fans love seeing the group outside of the normal confines of their San Francisco home.
19. “Air Jesse” (Season 8, Episode 16)
Basketball fans love this episode where Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appears in a cameo. He teaches Jesse how to stick to his sweet spot on the court, forcing the cool uncle to get into sports more than ever before.
20. “The Seven-Month Itch, Part 2” (Season 1, Episode 20)
Uncle Jesse starts the show off as a bad boy who doesn't seem like the type of uncle who would be involved with his nieces. When he wants to embrace his youth and move away from the kids, it takes an illness in the family to reel Jesse back to the house.
21. “The Greatest Birthday on Earth” (Season 3, Episode 10)
Jesse helps to make the best out of a lousy situation when Michelle misses her birthday party. He gets creative at a rest stop and entertains the girls with what they have at their disposal. The episode stands out as one of the most emotionally satisfying episodes in the series.
22. “The Play’s the Thing” (Season 6, Episode 8)
Michelle gets very bratty as the series goes on. She thinks she deserves all of the attention, all of the time. Uncle Jesse and Joey teach Michelle a lesson when they don't automatically give her a part in a school production over her more talented classmate.