https://deadline.com/2021/05/family-matters-didnt-welcome-jaleel-white-to-the-cast-he-claims-1234750751/
“I was not welcomed to the cast at all,” the Urkel actor says on TV One's Uncensored episode airing Sunday. “They know what it was…I didn’t think anything of it being cast to be on Family Matters, because it was supposed to be a guest spot, one and done.”
“Michelle Thomas became a very special person…I literally cannot say her name or I’ll cry,”
Awww.
I didn't read the article but I can only assume the entire cast were kissing his ass the premiere of season 3 onward
shareThelma Hopkins and even JoMarie Payton left the show.
So I don't believe that everybody was happy with him becoming the break-out star.
And that is even before we get into the mess surrounding Jaimee Foxworth being fired from the show.
I never saw any of Season 1 or 2 as a kid. So I didn't know the show started without Urkel as a character. Frankly I think the show is more entertaining with Urkel. I had a hard time watching the first season a few years ago for the first time.
shareIt needed a break-out character to stand out.
Before Steve, it was only an okay but rather unremarkable family sitcom.
I think everyone knows by now he was only supposed to do a one-off, but the audience loved him so much that the show became ABOUT him. I can understand some resentment. Christ, the show is called Family Matters and ends up being about the dorky neighbor.
shareThat is not entirely true though.
There would be two plots going on in most episodes: one that involved Jaleel White and one that didn't.
Everyone knows it was Urkel's show.
share"There would be two plots going on in most episodes: one that involved Jaleel White and one that didn't."
If 50% of storylines are going to one cast member out of an ensemble, that say A LOT though.
Jaleel used to share his plotlines and the spotlight with other cast members.
It is not like they weren't there!
There would be for example one story about Steve and Carl and another one about Harriet and Laura.
Another possibility was maybe one story about Steve and Eddy and another one about Carl and Harriet.
Or it could be one story about Steve and Laura and another one about Carl and Eddy.
It is not like no other characters existed!
Never said otherwise. Of course other characters have to be involved but if you drew up some Venn diagrams, Urkel would very likely be the common denominator.
share