Family Matters Season 1 poster

Family Matters — Season 1

198922 episodes7.7/10 (21 votes)

About this season

A long-running dramedy centering on the Winslow family, a middle-class African American family living in Chicago, and their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers.

Episodes (22)

The Mama Who Came to Dinner
E1

1. The Mama Who Came to Dinner

7.3

Aired 22 September 1989 • 24 min

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.

Two-Income Family
E2

2. Two-Income Family

8.3

Aired 29 September 1989 • 24 min

Hariette loses her job to automation, forcing the family into austerity measures while Carl stews over the family debts.

Short Story
E3

3. Short Story

8.3

Aired 6 October 1989 • 24 min

Rachel writes a short story with characters that seem all too familiar; Carl becomes obsessed with the family's out of proportion water bill.

Rachel's First Date
E4

4. Rachel's First Date

7.0

Aired 13 October 1989 • 24 min

The Winslows finally get to be alone together when Rachel accepts a date with a man from the church choir.

Straight A's
E5

5. Straight A's

7.0

Aired 20 October 1989 • 24 min

Eddie comes home with straight A's on his report card and the whole family is proud of him. Rodney comes over and tells him that he changed the grades on the report cards on the school computer. Eddie doesn't want to tell the truth because he fears that he will hurt Carl's feelings.

Basketball Blues
E6

6. Basketball Blues

7.0

Aired 3 November 1989 • 24 min

Carl's efforts to get Eddie psyched for a pro basketball career is enhanced by a visit from basketball star Bolton.

Body Damage
E7

7. Body Damage

8.0

Aired 10 November 1989 • 24 min

Rachel takes an unauthorized spin in the classic automobile that Carl plans to drive in the Columbus Day Parade.

Mr. Badwrench
E8

8. Mr. Badwrench

7.5

Aired 17 November 1989 • 24 min

Self-proclaimed handyman Carl decides to install a shower in Mother Winslow's quarters while she's out of town.

Stake-Out
E9

9. Stake-Out

8.0

Aired 24 November 1989 • 24 min

After Carl is on an all-night stakeout with his attractive new partner, Harriette finds a room key to Louie's Love Grotto in his pocket.

False Arrest
E10

10. False Arrest

Aired 1 December 1989 • 24 min

The Winslows are aghast to discover that their TV idol has been arrested for assaulting a police officer - Officer Carl Winslow.

The Quilt
E11

11. The Quilt

Aired 8 December 1989 • 24 min

Laura sells a quilt Grandmother Winslow considered an heirloom.

Laura's First Date
E12

12. Laura's First Date

Aired 15 December 1989 • 24 min

Laura wants to go to an upcoming dance with a good-looking boy. Carl and Eddie try to find Laura a date. Carl asks Steve Urkel to take Laura to the dance, while Eddie asks one of his friends to take her out. When Laura finds out what happened, she is humiliated.

Man's Best Friend
E13

13. Man's Best Friend

Aired 5 January 1990 • 24 min

Carl has a rule he intends to enforce not pets in the house until he meets a big, playful puppy who follows the kids home from school.

Baker's Dozens
E14

14. Baker's Dozens

Aired 12 January 1990 • 24 min

Thanks to Rachel's brainstorm, Carl could become the "king of tarts" if he shares his secret recipe for lemon tarts, which were a big hit at a local restaurant.

The Big Reunion
E15

15. The Big Reunion

8.0

Aired 19 January 1990 • 24 min

Carl decides to lose weight before going to his high-school reunion.

The Party
E16

16. The Party

Aired 2 February 1990 • 24 min

A "No Guests" rule spells no fun for Eddie, who's left in charge of the house while the adults are away for the weekend.

The Big Fix
E17

17. The Big Fix

Aired 9 February 1990 • 24 min

Eddie persuades Laura to date a guy he's indebted to.

Sitting Pretty
E18

18. Sitting Pretty

Aired 16 February 1990 • 24 min

Laura's babysitting service floods the house with children at a bad time on the night Carl has invited his captain over.

In a Jam
E19

19. In a Jam

Aired 16 March 1990 • 24 min

Eddie wants to do the right thing when faced with protecting Steve from a bully who threatens to beat him up, which could get Eddie creamed as well.

The Candidate
E20

20. The Candidate

7.0

Aired 23 March 1990 • 24 min

Eddie places image over integrity in his class president bid when image-maker Laura offers a thousand points of light to illuminate his campaign.

Bowl Me Over
E21

21. Bowl Me Over

Aired 13 April 1990 • 24 min

The men vie with the women in a bowling match and Carl's philosophy about accepting defeat gracefully ends up in the gutter when Harriette aces him out.

Rock Video
E22

22. Rock Video

Aired 27 April 1990 • 24 min

When Eddie's big ego threatens to disband his group during the making of a rock video for a contest, the rest of the Winslows offer some ideas.

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