Full House has not been off the air for 35 years, as it’s lived on through syndication and streaming (with a Max subscription) and remains a fan-favorite. With nearly 200 episodes under its belt, the classic TGIF sitcom tackled quite a few socially relevant topics, including subject matter that was heavy for a comedy series. Andrea Barber and Jodie Sweetin have been digging into those subjects for their rewatch podcast, and they recently revealed a DJ Tanner episode that makes them “uncomfortable.”
Barber and Sweetin, who played Kimmy Gibbler and Stephanie Tanner, respectively, on Full House and its Netflix revival, Fuller House, rewatched and discussed the Season 4 episode, “Shape Up.” The installment sees DJ (Candace Cameron Bure) starving herself to look good for best friend Kimmy’s birthday pool party. During their podcast, How Rude! Tanneritos, the actress talked about the diet culture of the ‘90s. After Barber wondered if such an episode could be made today, Sweetin disagreed with that notion:
I can’t imagine [this episode airing today]. There were definitely parts of it that made me uncomfortable or where we were — discussing young women’s bodies, frames, health, all of that. We definitely didn’t do anyone any favors.
In the episode, DJ taped pictures of skinny models on the fridge, would only consume ice cube popsicles and gave her lunch to Kimmy and later Comet the dog. The teen even pushed herself so hard while working out that she collapsed in a gym. She was determined to have the perfect body for the pool party, despite the fact that she was perfectly healthy as is. Andrea Barber also didn’t care for the episode:
It was very uncomfortable to watch. It made me really feel for Candace, too, having to carry this storyline.
The podcasters talked about how the storyline was about something that every teenage girl dealt with, which is why it was so visceral to watch. Both stars also seemed to be under the impression that the subject matter could’ve been handled with more nuance. On top of all that, Jodie Sweetin also recalled how Candace Cameron Bure was sensitive about her body in real life:
‘Cause I know it was something [Candace] was sensitive about. It’s like, ‘Hey, we’re gonna make an entire storyline about the thing that you are the most [self-conscious about]’ … I really felt for her in this one, because it’s hard. It’s hard when it’s something that you’re really dealing with, to be like, ‘Oh, I’m going to pretend that this is fine, and I can resolve it.’
The episode was resolved by the end, with Stephanie telling everyone what her older sister was doing and DJ having a talk with her father. It’s interesting to think what it’s like for a young actor to perform a “very special episode” like this one, and Andrea Barber went on to discuss how the Bure family felt beforehand:
Well, I know that [creator] Jeff [Franklin] went to the Camerons. He went to the parents and Candace and said, ‘Is this OK?’ And they said yes, and they gave their blessing, but it doesn’t negate the fact that it’s a spotlight on a teenage girl and her insecurity.
The classic ABC sitcom handled a range of heavy topics throughout its run, including drinking and smoking, with the weight storyline arguably being one of the more memorable episodes. Such a topic is tricky to tackle, and some may agree that it could’ve been handled better here. On that note, I can completely understand the discomfort that Andrea Barber and Jodie Sweetin had while watching.
Should another another FH revival happen, I don’t imagine such a story would be produced. Though, if it did, I’d imagine the writers taking a deft approach and infusing the story with what we know about body positivity. If you’d like, you can check out the installment alongside the best Full House episodes on Max. You can also grab a Netflix subscription to stream Fuller House.