Season 1 (1989/90)
- Joseph & Julius Wright are absent for 9 episodes.
- Rosetta LeNoire and Jaimee Foxworth are both absent for 3 episodes.
| No. in series |
No. in season |
Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Mama Who Came to Dinner" | Joel Zwick | William Bickley & Michael Warren | September 22, 1989 | 445230 |
| Mother Winslow moves in and immediately begins to usurp Carl's authority. Eddie wants to go out with his friends, but he has a strict curfew that complicates things with Carl. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Two-Income Family" | James O'Keefe | Robert Blair | September 29, 1989 | 446002 |
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Harriette gets fired from her job as elevator operator at the Chicago Chronicle after she asks for a raise. When Carl frets over the family's mounting debts, Harriette returns to the Chronicle to apply for a position as head of security. Note: Jaimee Foxworth assumes the role of Judy Winslow with this episode, and will continue to appear as Judy through the end of Season 4. |
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| 3 | 3 | "Short Story" | Joel Zwick | William Bickley & Michael Warren | October 6, 1989 | 446001 |
| Rachel's short story has characters that hit too close to home, much to the family's disliking. Meanwhile, Carl investigates the family water bill. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Rachel's First Date" | John Bowab | Pamela Eells & Sally Lapiduss | October 13, 1989 | 446004 |
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Widowed Rachel is anxious about her first date since the death of her husband. Note: After the airing of episode 12, "Laura's First Date", the original cold open for this episode was replaced for reruns and syndication with a new cold open featuring Steve Urkel, making this Urkel's earliest appearance in the syndication run. On the Season 1 DVD, this is the only cold open Steve appears in before episode 12, though a few more cold opens were edited. |
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| 5 | 5 | "Straight A's" | John Bowab | Geoff Gordon & Gordon Lewis | October 20, 1989 | 446007 |
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Eddie's report card arrives full of straight A's. The problem is, he didn't get straight A's; unbeknownst to Eddie, his practical joking pal, Rodney, used his computer to create a fake report card with straight A's. How does Eddie break the news to his family when he finds out? Note: This episode marks the first appearance of Randy Josselyn as Rodney Beckett. Goof: In the first episode, Carl mentions he helped put his brother, Calvin, through college, but in this episode, he tells Eddie he wants him to be the first Winslow ever to have a college degree. |
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| 6 | 6 | "Mr. Badwrench" | John Bowab | Alan Eisenstock & Larry Mintz | November 3, 1989 | 446006 |
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Carl and Eddie try to renovate an unused downstairs room into a bathroom for Estelle, despite Harriette's admonition to hire a contractor while Mother Winslow is visiting Carl's brother, Frank. Meanwhile, Rachel unsuccessfully tries to get Richie to say "Mama," after she claims she heard him say it. Note: After the airing of episode 12, "Laura's First Date", the original cold open for this episode was replaced for reruns and syndication with a new cold open featuring Steve Urkel. |
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| 7 | 7 | "Body Damage" | James O'Keefe | Ken Kuta | November 10, 1989 | 446005 |
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Carl plans to drive a vintage police car in the upcoming Columbus Day parade. However, Rachel beats him to the punch, taking an unauthorized spin and getting into a minor accident as a result. She then makes a hurried effort to cover up the damage before Carl notices. Note: After the airing of episode 12, "Laura's First Date", the original cold open for this episode was replaced for reruns and syndication with a new cold open featuring Steve Urkel. |
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| 8 | 8 | "Stake-Out" | James O'Keefe | Pamela Eells & Sally Lapiduss | November 17, 1989 | 446010 |
| Harriette is jealous of Carl's new beat partner, an attractive female cop. She grows especially worried when the two spend a lot of time together on a stake out. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "False Arrest" | Peter Baldwin | Barry Gold | November 24, 1989 | 446008 |
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An egotistical actor that the family (everyone except Carl) loves named Buddy Goodrich (Ron Glass) wants to sue Carl for false arrest. The Winslow family find out that Carl arrested Buddy and get upset. Buddy comes to Winslows' house and asks to speak to Carl in the kitchen privately. Carl and Buddy talk about the incident. Buddy tries to bribe Carl so he will not have to pay his fine. Buddy soon lets the truth slip, unaware that the other Winslows have been secretly listening. Carl dismisses his bribes and tells him to leave. Buddy assures Carl he is making a big mistake and will win the case for sure. He spots the Winslows while he is leaving the kitchen and is happy. However, he does not know they know the truth. But, he leaves soon. The family congratulates Carl. The next day, Carl and Harriete go to Buddy Goodrich's trial. He has been found guilty after his manager testifies against Buddy. He then has to pay a huge fine as well as pick up trash off the interstate. Note: After the airing of episode 12, "Laura's First Date", the original cold open for this episode was replaced for reruns and syndication with a new cold open featuring Steve Urkel. |
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| 10 | 10 | "Basketball Blues" | James O'Keefe | Barry Gold | December 1, 1989 | 446003 |
| Wanting to live his dreams through his son, Carl pressures Eddie into working toward a professional basketball career. Harriette invites a professional basketball player to set Carl straight and wants him to let their son live his own dreams. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "The Quilt" | Peter Baldwin | David Scott Richardson | December 8, 1989 | 446009 |
| Laura accidentally sells Estelle's heirloom quilt to an art dealer, then makes an impassioned, tearful all-out plea to get it back. When she does, Estelle tells the family about the quilt's history. Meanwhile, while going through things being sold at the garage sale, Rachel finds her old saxophone and tries to learn to play it despite the family's complaints. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Laura's First Date" | Richard Correll | William Bickley & Michael Warren | December 15, 1989 | 446012 |
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Laura is dateless for the upcoming school dance, so well-meaning Carl and Eddie (without consulting each other) set Laura up with three different dates. Carl's pick for Laura's date is a decision that would change their lives and one he would forever live to regret: Steven Q. Urkel. Note: This episode marked the first appearance of Steve Urkel during first-run broadcasts. This is also the one of only two episodes in which Steve calls Carl "Mr. Winslow". Throughout the rest of the series, he either calls him "Carl" or "Big Guy". |
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| 13 | 13 | "Man's Best Friend" | Richard Correll | Robert Blair | January 5, 1990 | 446013 |
| Carl won't let the kids keep the stray pooch that follows them home from school, but soon becomes attached to it. Carl then realizes he must give it away after realizing its nature. | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "Baker's Dozen" | James O'Keefe | Ken Kuta | January 12, 1990 | 446014 |
| Rachel persuades Carl to sell his secret recipe for lemon tarts to a local restaurant. The family then gets a huge order for the treats (12,000 tarts), and less than 48 hours to fulfill the contract. This results in a huge food fight, and in the end, it ends up not being a very good idea. The family only makes $24 in profits. | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "The Big Reunion" | Richard Correll | Alan Eisenstock & Larry Mintz | January 19, 1990 | 446011 |
| A nervous Carl attempts to lose weight for his high school reunion, but that's easier said than done. However, when he comes to the reunion, he is relieved to find that his friends have gained some weight as well. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "The Party" | Richard Correll | Ken Kuta | February 2, 1990 | 446016 |
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Carl tells Eddie "No Friends Allowed" while the adults are out. However, after dinner is ruined, Rodney comes over and brings pizza. Eventually, he invites some friends, which piles up into a huge party. Meanwhile, Carl cannot figure out directions to the wedding. Note: First appearance of Shawn Harrison; credited as "Guy in Towel" for this episode, though in subsequent episodes he assumes the name Waldo Faldo. |
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| 17 | 17 | "The Big Fix" | Richard Correll | Pamela Eells & Sally Lapiduss | February 9, 1990 | 446017 |
| Urkel agrees to tutor Eddie, who is failing his algebra class, under one condition that he set him up on a date with Laura. He holds Eddie's Prince concert tickets as collateral to ensure his wish will come true. His date with Laura is, well, a perfect disaster. Meanwhile, Carl makes a horrible attempt to fix a wobbly chair. | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | "Sitting Pretty" | Richard Correll | Ken Kuta | February 16, 1990 | 446018 |
| Laura wants to make some extra money and starts a babysitting business, but when her friends bail out for a concert, it's up to Laura, Judy, Eddie, and Steve to keep things under control while Carl invites Captain Davenport to dinner. Rachel ponders whether to tell her new boyfriend she is a mother. | ||||||
| 19 | 19 | "In a Jam" | Richard Correll | Alan Eisenstock & Larry Mintz | February 23, 1990 | 446019 |
| Urkel is being harassed by a huge thug named Bull, who intimidates the diminutive nerd into handing over his lunch money. When Urkel asks Eddie for assistance, he thinks he's merely seeking attention until Rodney sees the bully threaten Urkel with serious injury when he declines to give him any more money. Eddie realizes he needs to stick up for Urkel and fight off Bull. Meanwhile, after Carl busts up a bank robbery, he gets an opportunity at a part-time job as a traffic reporter. Rachel convinces Carl to incorporate some jokes into his first report, but he eventually realizes that Rachel's jokes are flat, and that he needs to be himself while giving the reports. He does, and ends up getting the job. | ||||||
| 20 | 20 | "The Candidate" | James O'Keefe | Barry Gold | March 16, 1990 | 446015 |
| Eddie runs for class president. He and campaign manager Laura make the bid one of style over substance, but when Rodney signs Eddie up for a debate, will Eddie's support beat the other candidate's reasons? Meanwhile, Rachel becomes a recycling addict after writing an article. | ||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Bowl Me Over" | Richard Correll | Robert Blair | April 6, 1990 | 446021 |
| After Laura beats Eddie in a video game, Carl decides to bowl for a Friday night. But when Steve comes, it gets competitive, and also when Harriette admits she let Carl win it turns into a bowling brawl: Carl, Eddie, and surprisingly good Steve versus Laura, Rachel, and Harriette. Soon, Estelle calls them out and reminds them it was God that called them to their senses with the blackout. | ||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Rock Video" | Richard Correll | Geoff Gordon & Gordon Lewis | April 27, 1990 | 446020 |
| Eddie's ego runs amok when he tries to enter a rock video for a contest. His narcissism eventually disgusts his band mates, who desert him, and causes his family to call him out for it. Wanting to salvage his hopes for winning the contest, he eventually calls on Urkel and his family to make a friendly rap video, "We Are a Family" with Estelle as the DJ. Also, Carl tries to settle the family's taxes to no avail. |
Read more about this topic: List Of Family Matters Episodes
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Into a pit of ink, that the wide sea
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And salt too little which may season give
To her foul tainted flesh!”
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