This May, Full House’s own Danny Tanner would have turned 70. Bob Saget passed away four years ago – and comedy just hasn’t been the same since. For anyone who grew up with Full House, losing Danny was like losing their ’90s TV dad – and for the show’s cast, losing Saget was an unexpected blow that forever changed the series’ legacy.
In a very emotional celebration of Saget’s life – and as a show of the impact he had on the lives of his co-stars – John Stamos (who played Uncle Jesse in Full House) posted a few pictures on Instagram of moments he shared with the late Saget. Of particular note is an exceptionally touching image, which Stamos labeled “Last Pic,” showing Saget and Stamos together with their wives, Kelly Rizzo and Caitlin McHugh. Stamos posted the pictures on May 17 – the day that would have been Bob Saget’s 70th birthday.
Despite their “drifting apart,” part of the Full House family reunited to honor the memory of their late companion this May. Candace Cameron Bure, Lori Loughlin, and Saget’s widow, Kelly Rizzo, gathered to celebrate what would have been Saget’s birthday. Bure posted the pictures on her personal Instagram account, with other Full House cast members joining in the comments. They also got Saget a chocolate cake with a heartwarming “Happy Birthday Bob” written on top. In the words of Kelly Rizzo, the reunion was “the most I felt that Bob was in that room with us.”
Full House: The ‘90s Sitcom That Became a Cultural Touchstone
From 1987 to 1995, you’d struggle to find someone who hadn’t watched Full House. It was the sitcom that encapsulated the era and became The Brady Bunch of its time. Having a nostalgia factor and outstanding syndication numbers, it came as no surprise that its sequel, Fuller House, was optioned by Netflix in 2016.
Saget passed away on January 9, 2022, from an accidental head injury. After a lifetime of memorable roles, Saget’s final performances appeared ready to welcome him into a new era – and a new generation of fans altogether. Besides reprising his role as Danny Tanner in Netflix’s Fuller House revival, the comedian was also very active in the podcast business, working on his interview series Bob Saget’s Here for You. The podcast took off during the COVID years, serving as a much-needed pressure valve for his fans during the trying times, and featuring fascinating interviews with celebrities such as Bill Burr, B.J. Novak, Tiffany Haddish, and Judd Apatow.
Why Fuller House Left Fans Without Closure
Compared to other Netflix shows, Fuller House had a good run, spanning 75 episodes across five seasons. However, it didn’t quite match the numbers of Full House, which ran for 192 episodes across eight seasons. More importantly, the series finale didn’t feel like the right ending for it. After all the teases and breaking of the fourth wall, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s Michelle still didn’t appear once on the show. How could this be a reunion without the undisputed star of Full House?
There have been conflicting reports over why the twins didn’t appear. From bad timing to miscommunications, it appears as if the biggest problem is that no one spoke to each other about the possibility of it happening. Even so, it’s criminal that the Fuller House producers couldn’t get the Olsens to show up for the series finale at all. That would’ve been better than no appearance across five seasons of, well, the house that the Olsens built.
Another major issue was the Full House lead cast being relegated largely to cameos. While it was welcome to see Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber elevate to starring roles alongside a new young cast, the sporadic appearances of John Stamos, Bob Saget, and Dave Coulier weren’t enough. According to IMDb, Stamos and Coulier appeared in 17 episodes, while Saget turned up for 15. Wouldn’t it have been better if the family had all been under one roof again?
Unfortunately, Fuller House encountered the same issue that most revival shows do: the cast isn’t as nostalgic for a return as the fanbase. While the audience at home writes up possible storylines in their heads, the actors moved on and would prefer to do something new rather than relive the past.
John Stamos Says the Full House Cast Drifted Apart After Bob Saget’s Death
Saget’s untimely death wasn’t just a massive hit for his fans: it also tore apart the close-knit Full House family like nothing ever could before. According to Stamos himself, the cast hasn’t been as “close” since Saget left us. In 2023, Stamos told InStyle that Saget “was the guy who really kind of kept us together,” confirming that he was a devoted family man even when the cameras weren’t rolling.
Netflix Owes Fans a Proper Goodbye
If Fuller House was to receive more seasons, it would’ve needed to change its format. The sitcom achieved what it could with the parameters it was given. Perhaps the solution would not be more of the same, but a limited series approach where the original cast—including the Olsens—could receive the one-time reunion they deserve, especially as a tribute to Bob Saget, who passed away in January 2022.
As the heart and soul of Full House, Saget’s passing left a void that a one-time reunion could help fill. It wouldn’t just be nostalgic; it would be the perfect way to honor Saget’s legacy and give fans the heartfelt goodbye they deserve. Whether it’s a holiday special, a tribute episode, or just a one-off reunion, this could be the closure the Tanner family (and audiences) never got.
Bob Saget’s Full House Legacy Is Bigger Than Danny Tanner
Whether he was hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos or telling his kids a very complex, nine-season retelling of how he met their mother, Bob Saget is an icon of American comedy whose sense of humor knows no borders. Still, as memorable and iconic as the rest of his career might be, for those of us growing up in the ’90s, he will always be Danny Tanner.
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