How to Watch Family Matters Online

Family Matters is a comedy about an African American family living in Chicago. It follows Carl Winslow (Reginald VelJohnson), his wife Harriet, and their two children, Eddie and Laura.

The Winslows deal with various misadventures, including their next-door neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White). A genius and klutz, Urkel makes some really weird inventions and drives the Winslows crazy.

How to Watch

Family Matters is a cheesy but surprisingly wholesome sitcom about an African American family in Chicago. The main protagonists are Carl, an overworked police officer who enjoys taking it easy at home; his wife Harriet, a strong minded woman; and their children Eddie, Laura and Steve, the tiniest of which is not only the smallest but also the smartest (and he's not that old yet).

Although Family Matters is no longer on television, you can still catch a rerun or two on TBS Superstation or via streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO. The show is a tad dated and the ratings are down, but it's still a good time and you won't be disappointed. The show tries to tackle some of the more modern challenges of parenting like racism, family dysfunction, teen angst and school bullying, and it does so in a light-hearted and humorous manner.

Season 1

Family matters is a series about a Midwestern family dealing with life's ups and downs. They have a tough cop husband and a dry-witted wife.

But their lives are made more difficult by the show's wackiest side character, Steve Urkel (Jaleel White). A nerdy boy with a unique laugh, he is one of TV's most recognizable and memorable comedic characters.

He begins the season by breaking an unannounced visit to the Winslows' house, full of good intentions that always backfire. He soon becomes a focal point in the series, making regular unwanted visits and outright causing mischief.

He even invents a transformation chamber that allows him to change himself into ultra-cool Stefan Urquelle. He also falls for Laura and takes their friendship seriously, although he is constantly getting on the nerves of Carl and Harriette.

Season 2

A close-knit family is what matters most, and the Winslow family knows it. That’s why they’re determined to make sure everyone has a good time at the holidays and other special events.

Season 2 kicks off with Laura and Steve pushing for Black History classes in school, but things quickly turn ugly thanks to their racist classmates. Mother Winslow encourages them to continue fighting for what they believe in after revealing her own encounter with racism when she was young.

Meanwhile, Carl is haunted by a hostage situation gone wrong and snaps at his family when they tell him it wasn’t his fault. He also accidentally scatters Harriette and Rachel’s great aunt’s ashes into a trash can with chimney ashes thinking it’s a candy tin, which makes her angry. It’s a lesson Carl needs to learn.

Season 3

Season 3 of family matters was one of the wackiest seasons of the series. But it also has a lot of classic comedy moments.

When son Eddie (Darius McCrary) talks his sister Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams) into going on a date with ultra-nerdy Steve Urkel, the hilarity ensues. Known as the king of nerd comedy, Urkel's irrepressible spirit, not-so-smooth moves and undying love for Laura Winslow cause the Winslow family to deal with various misadventures throughout the season.

The season includes classic moments like a rope-climbing competition between Steve and a braggart classmate, and the equivalent of an entire '90s basketball movie squeezed into a half-hour. It also has some of the show's best scripted episodes, with a story that feels dense enough to sustain a feature film and several scenes that are downright cinematic. It's a great way to relive some of the show's most memorable moments.

Season 4

Family Matters is an action & adventure series that follows the Winslow family. They are a close-knit family that live in Chicago and deal with different misadventures.

The show also deals with issues like racism, sexism, family dysfunction and school bullying. But the show never glorifies these things and instead tries to find healthy ways to tackle them.

In season 4, the Winslow family tries to solve various problems that arise. Eddie becomes the laughingstock of his school when he pulls a classroom prank, and a teacher (Debra Jo Rupp) visits the family and finds it very chaotic.

Meanwhile, Laura is getting into a heated campaign for class president, and snobby Cassie Lynn takes photos of her kissing Steve, which she will then use to accuse him of cheating on her. Urkel tries to keep Laura from exposing the rumors, but it is not easy when she is a bit of a braggart herself.

Season 5

Family Matters is a sitcom about the Winslow family, which centers on their pesky next-door neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White). Though he may drive Laura and the rest of the Winslows crazy, Urkel is often the best person to turn to.

In season 5, the Winslows deal with a lot of misadventures, many of which are caused by Steve Urkel. He makes a habit of inventing technologically improbable gadgets, and his nerdy demeanor often gets on their nerves, but they always come to appreciate him.

This season also features some sexy teen dating plots, but they are never glorified or over-the-top. Instead, they teach a healthy message about treating others with respect. Some episodes even tackle racism, sexism, and school bullying, but they are usually done in a positive way. It’s a good show for kids and parents alike to watch together.

Season 6

Family Matters is a cult sitcom from the 1990s that originally aired on ABC. It starred Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow, Reginald VelJohnson as her husband, Carl, and Darius McCrary as their son Eddie.

During Season 6, Steve becomes a Big Brother to a smart-talking, streetwise nine-year-old named 3J (Orlando Brown). But his bravado is a cover for an embarrassing secret: The boy cannot read.

Meanwhile, Laura defends accident-prone Steve against a rival who framed him for blowing up his chemistry lab. The student's reputation is restored, and he soon gets into the honors society at school.

Season 7

Originally conceived as a spinoff of Perfect Strangers, Family Matters focused on the Winslow family of police officer Carl (Die Hard alum Reginald VelJohnson) and elevator operator Harriette (Jo Marie Payton), their son Eddie (Darius McCrary), and their elder daughter Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams).

Season 7 begins with the Winslows visiting a psychiatrist to air their grievances about their neighbor Steve Urkel. While Harriette and Eddie agree that Steve can be a nuisance at times, Carl and Laura point out all the good things about him.

During the season, the Winslows deal with various misadventures including a trip on a class bike ride with Urkel and Maxine's (Joanne Anderson) wish to become a hairdresser. Meanwhile, gang member Toni Procopio (Tracey Cherelle Jones) brutally beats Laura and she needs to buy a gun for self-defense. Steve and Carl also help a homeless man (Art Evans) get a job so he can afford to live at a halfway house.

Season 8

Family Matters is one of ABC's most popular shows during the 1990s, airing alongside Full House and Perfect Strangers as part of the network's legendary TGIF lineup. Unfortunately, its ratings fell rapidly after a network change and the departure of a major co-star, leading to its cancellation in 1998.

In Season 8, Steve and his cousin Myrtle Urkel are on a dating talk show (the host is Jo Marie Payton's Perfect Strangers co-star Melanie Wilson). Also on the show is Urkel’s alter ego Stefan, who turns himself into ultra-cool Stefan, but the Winslows find him irritating.

Meanwhile, Laura encourages her best friend, Maxine, to get back into dating after breaking up with Waldo. Maxine soon starts dating Curtis, her ex-boyfriend, and the two become jealous of each other. The two end up in a huge fight when Steve finds out that she was talking to Curtis.

Season 9

After a harrowing experience at school with a gang of tough guys, Laura is considering buying a gun. But Steve persuades her to reconsider.

Meanwhile, Harriette tries to organize a blind date for Laura, but she fears he will be a nerd and therefore won't want to go out with her. Carl also gets a skinflint haircut, but Harriette doesn't appreciate it.

After Steve's cloning machine can create exact duplicates of anything, it causes double trouble for the Winslow family. Laura gets Stefan back by putting the clone in the transformation chamber and making it a permanent human, and Steve and Myra's relationship is saved as well. The show was canceled in 1998 after 9 seasons, but you can still watch it on Hulu. It's currently available in a complete season pack. Thanks to our friends at Hulu!