saying goodbye: fuller house

Goodbyes have never been my strong suit. Not in real life and not on television. And yet, goodbyes are an inevitable part of life. Things change and nothing stays the same forever. I remember being very young and looking in the TV Guide (back in the days before Google, before there Internet was in our home, and before on-screen interactive guides existed). Next to Full House were the words, series finale. I remember reading those two words over and over again. What did that mean? So, I asked my mom. She explained that Full House, my favourite show, was ending that night. There wouldn't be any new episodes. Only the ones we had already seen. This was a devastating blow to my young life. It felt like I was losing a part of myself. Like I was losing my second family. Fast forward twenty five years and I have found myself in the same situation. Fuller House (the Full House reboot) has come to an end after a five season run on Netflix. It is the end of an era. Again.

Perhaps some people reading won't understand why I am so sentimental about a TV show. Or why it means so much. Growing up, Full House was that constant. It was safe, family friendly programming that made you laugh, smile, and feel like you were a part of something really special. I wasn't ready to give it up back then, that's for sure. After the show ended, I watched reruns and read the many Full House books that were released over and over again. Eventually, it would be one of the first television shows I purchased on DVD. So, you can imagine my joy and excitement when it was originally announced that the show was coming back. With the original cast! It was like having a piece of my younger self back again. It was magic.

Once the Full House cast had returned to the small screen, life was good. Every six months or so, there would be a handful of new episodes. There were noteworthy returns of beloved characters - and new and exciting adventures to enjoy. Then sometime last year, Netflix announced that the fifth season of Fuller House would be the last. I was devastated. (Actually, I was angry. I threatened to cancel my Netflix subscription and ranted and raved to any family member that was patient enough to listen to me.) Like I said, goodbyes have never been my strong suit. I simply wasn't ready to say goodbye to the show yet again. I wasn't ready to acknowledge the fact that these characters wouldn't be there anymore. Not like they had been.

On June 2nd, the final nine episodes premiered on Netflix. I watched all of them that day. (And have re-watched them since.) This was an emotional experience for me. And I'm not ashamed to admit that! Ready or not....it was time to say goodbye to the show once more. To accept the fact that no new episodes were coming. To understand that this incredible cast (including the stunning and always fashion-forward Candace Cameron Bure) may never again be together, filming in the same room. Was it easy? Not at all. It made me feel like a little girl again, endlessly puzzling over the words, series finale. I was losing that connection to my favourite TV family for the second time.

Despite not being ready to say goodbye, Fuller House has ended. It makes me sad to think about - but I know this show will continue to be a part of my life for a long time to come. It is my happy place. As the world continues to grow darker and more uncertain, this show remains my light. It represents hope, the importance of family, and stability. It brings safety, peace, and joy to all that watch it. To me, that is not just meaningful. It is timeless.

What does Fuller House mean to you? Have any television shows impacted your life?

Editing Note: Despite the fact that Full House is a long-time love of mine, I no longer support Candace Cameron Bure on a personal level, due to her exclusionary beliefs.