User Reviews

Who doesn't love a bit of good old fashioned 90's family fun. Well I certainly do. I even enjoy watching this show after more than 20 years have past. The themes will always be the same because technically family dynamics never really change. I'm sure most people can relate to the Fosters and Lamberts in one way or another which makes it more enjoyable to watch.

Step By Step has the perfect mixture of stupid and serious moments held together with sappy love and understanding. Cue awww moment. Not to mention the cast all fit together well and each take on a separate personality. They may be slightly extreme but their differences make it really comical.

Ignore the IMDb rating for this one as it will certainly give you a few chuckles and will take you back to a simpler time.

Step by Step was a show ran from 1991-1998. The premise of the show is based on Frank and Carole spontaneously got married in Jamaica. They had to introduce there kids quickly and have a step family. The show is like the Brady Bunch but at first the 2 families hated each other. Lamberts (Frank, Brandon, JT, Al(icia)were rugged, dirty, outdoorsy group whilst Fosters (Carole, Dana, Mark and Karen) were clean, smart, proper. Their personalities always clashed. By S1 E5, cousin of Lamberts Cody was introduced. Cody was the bridge that kept the family together. He was in love with Dana from day one while she rejected him, but eventually they became friends. Cody was a stereotypical valley boy people see as in idiot. But he is smarter then Dana on the SATs, loving nicest and more complex then people give him credit for. He was my favourite character because of that, and like Steve Urkle of Family Matters, he was the star of the show.

Step by Step was a great family show, season 1-5 was really good. But by end of Season 5, the cast changed. Sasha (Cody) got fired for his legal issues, and they introduced Lily, the biological child of the union. Rich Halke was introduced as full-time cast to replace Cody. Brandon left by season 7, Mark less time as well. By season 7 the show was unrecognizable.

The show could elaborate on the story of the exes of Frank Carole, tell about the genealogy of the kid, where they come from. Why they left because that is important. This is why instead of 10/10, i gave it 8/10.

Step By Step was a typical, TGIF, ABC sitcom of the era. Stereotypical characters run rampant on the show, but let us remember the REAL reason it lasted seven years. The show's creators knew that they had TV gold when they enlisted TV veterans Duffy (Dallas) and Sommers (Three's Company) to play the role of Mom and Dad. Now, parents of young preteens and teens could watch the show with their kids and have "adult" eye candy to gaze upon. One cannot discount both of their abilities as all-time television sex symbols. Nor the casting of Staci Keanan, the cute as a button girl from "My Two Dads". These three vets allowed for the creators to not worry about finding good writers or creative ideas, but ride the wave of the familiar faces. As for the characters, with so many kids, all stereotypes are fully represented. The "best" (or worst) has to go to Cody (Sasha Mitchell). He alone dropped the comedic IQ of this show from average to pathetic. His "dude", "whoah" and "wow" is more than 50% of his total dialouge. Although an idiot is found on nearly every sitcom post 1980, Cody may take the cake for the worst written. Besides not being a real child of the family (he's a cousin) and living in a van in the garage, Cody doesn't do much but walk in and marvel at something he finds interesting, say one of the three words, nod his head crazy, and move on. The writing/acting makes "Bill and Ted" (who had to help inspire the role) look like Mensa members. Keanan acts well for her part as the intelligent anti-male, with Angela Watson portraying the hot ditz with adequate flair and substance. Christine Lakin also acts well as the tomboy (AL), then Hottie in a tomboy's body in the later years. The women overcame bad writing with being gorgeous and actually acting the part they were given, knowing the roles they needed to fill. However, the guys in the show really didn't hold up to the bargain. Castille IS the biggest wimp in TV history as Mark, and Brendan (Josh Byrne) came across as nearly retarded in trying to get out his lines. Only JT (Brandon Call), the smart-witted, no common sense son actually gets what he is trying to convey as the "this is the way it was, and will be" attitude towards the family, as well as being a perfect beta-male in the house. I always wondered why NONE of the guys was an "IT" guy, like Karen the model, cheerleader-esquire character. All the guys seemed to be wimps, losers, and dorks who just could not get what they wanted. Had JT been the ladies man, Big man on campus guy, I feel the show would have added a nice dimension. Anyways, the characters in the show all live up to their strict gender roles, with Mom being a hairdresser, dad the construction man, etc. etc. Other characters came and went: JT had a perverted friend Rich (James Marsden) that Dana actually dated later, which will blow your mind if you see an early episode with Rich featured. Sommers had a sister helping cut hair, she left after season 1, Sommers decided to have MORE kids (original storyline) and at the end, Perfect Strangers alum Bronson Pinochet came in to string along another 52 weeks of paychecks for the show. I must also add that this is the one show with school-aged kids who, to my knowledge, were rarely shown actually IN school. (They did have the occasional school function, but the show was not normally set around an AT school problem) I do not doubt they went, but the show was so much more about the house, family, and their interactions. Even the Brady Bunch had some school scenes, but not on SBS. I think the viewer would have had a better understanding of characters had we see them interact with ANYONE besides their stereotypical family.

Re-watching this show may give you a different perspective, as previously stated this show was over-sexed and strangely written. (and I didn't notice at age 12, but age 22). The sexual overtones of this show, after watching again, is shocking. Duffy and Sommers reprise their sexual appetite from their former shows, always wanting to get the kids asleep for some fun under the covers. No show in history had more kids walking in as their parents were "asleep" than Step By Step. Some episodes had 5-10 minute scenes of Duffy "begging for sex" as Sommers contemplated one of their many kids' current problems. Their acting seemed so easy to them, I think they just acted as themselves the entire show. Other issues include a cousin, Cody, being in love with Dana (Keanan) and parents always wanting to sneak off for alone time, proving this show would not be thought of in the "family show mold" of 2004. I am shocked to see it on ABC Family, because the show rarely had the -aww, shucks- moments practically trademarked by ABC's TGIF. Where as Boy Meets World, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Family Matters seemed to always have a moral, lesson, or rule to be found, followed, and understood, Step By Step seemed to throw away any diverse message and just stuck with "love your family, it is the only one you have". That is a fine mantra to live by, but hardly revealing. Overall, a show with a permanent place in history considering its stars and placement as a 90's TGIF staple, and worth seeing on re-runs, just to see what television was putting in young minds from 1991-1998. 6-7 stars out of 10.

This is the story of another lovely lady who met a fellow and like in the Brady Bunch the two somehow formed a family. But most assuredly the Fosters starting with their mother Susanne Somers did not change their name. Somers was a woman who ran a family business albeit one that women are employed in, she ran a hair salon in an extension of their house. She and her kids kept their last name of Foster.

That was because unlike in the Brady Bunch where Florence Henderson's kids became so much Brady that the issue of blended families never came up. Not in Step By Step where the Lamberts were as much about the Fosters keeping their separate identity. Patrick Duffy may have loved Susanne Somers, but the kids resented the women invading their man cave.

Duffy brought two boys and a girl to the marriage and Somers had two girls and a boy. They were six different kid types as you could get. The only one who never made an impression was Duffy's youngest Josh Byrne. He had so few lines that he just disappeared in the last season and no one noticed.

The Foster kids were smart girl Stacie Keanan, teen princess Angela Watson, and nerdy kid Christopher Castile. Brandon Call tries hard to be an alpha male to impress dad and Christine Lakin was a tomboy also to impress Duffy. Living in a man cave will do that.

There were some extended Lamberts and Fosters, the most notable was Sasha Mitchell who was a good natured lunkhead with a good heart and Patrick Duffy's nephew. He parked his van in their driveway and lived there. He was key in a lot of episodes.

Step By Step was not The Brady Bunch, these episodes had a lot more bite.

Although without a doubt the best has its original version, more comedy hehehe

I love this show. It gets worse with every season, but the idea and the mood is that of the late 80s early 90s. Something John Hughes & John Candy portrayed in "Uncle Buck", "Home Alone", "Planes trains and automobiles". I'm sure it's a fictional world that never existed, but it hits home, reminds me of those rare moments in life when family was united, everyone was alive and you were happy and naive about the world around you.

If there was a kind of "Pleasantville" situation where you could magically step into this fictional place full of non sense - I wouldn't think twice, just walk through that tv screen.

I have always loved this show, it was one of my favorite TGIF shows along with Hangin' With Mr. Cooper, Full House, Perfect Strangers etc. Everything from the theme song to the comedy was amazing, it does have some Brady Bunch like esque to it, but this show has its own flow and is a little bit RAUNCHIER than the Brady Bunch LMAO That aside it's still a great 90's show to go back and look at every once in a while.

I understand they had to ditch cody due to some legal issues in real life, I loved the replacement with jean-luc. wish they'd have kept him for the final season. Where I got lost and started to hate the show was the addition of lily. She ruined it for me completely. one season she's just born, next season she's 5-6?... How stupid was that move?!?... She was obnoxious, and just a terrible add on. I have a kid too and she wasn't nearly this snotty at that age so, no.. this is not "how kids act'..

I did skip the theme episodes however. I got sick and tired of how shows in the 90's would try and, and I'd think of as promotion of certain things ie; disney world.. family matters did it too and I skipped it. I also wasn't into the episodes where they had a dream and ended up in the wild west. theme episodes to me are boring.

The rest of the show was as good as tv could get, and I think more parents should really raise their kids on 90's shows.

I finally got to see again on Hulu, and I forgot just how awesome it is. Though it has 90's style elements to "The Brady Bunch", it is very much it's own show.

I grew up watching this show and it is a classic. It's filled with life lessons and family hijinks, much like it's cousin show Full House. It's rewatachable and lighthearted. The most 90's character is Dana, and she is the character with the most substance. Without Cody, many of the laughing bits wouldn't land. Put Cody and Dana together in a scene, comedy gold, and the series biggest strength. Susanne Somers is the shining star, and plays a great 90's version of a sitcom mom. However, it fails to hit the comedic timing or legendary status of a Denis the Menace, Golden Girls, Frasier, or Friends.

Yes, my summary just about tells it all.

If you haven't watched this, try it. But not for pleasure. For studies of one of the worst examples of trying to be politically correct, family-oriented and "cool" at the same time.

The men always think they know everything, are stupid, and finally loose to the magnificent women. Etc.. This is especially offensive, when all the characters are just as terrible and stereotypic. I mean, ok, "Cody" was funny one time or another, but unlike other "stupid characters(tm)" like Woody in Cheers or Joey in Friends, he doesn't get good lines. His stupidity is cast in a "duude" way, which gets quite annoying after a while.

The family morale is awful. Everything for the family. Mother and father are supreme dictators, who inbetween severe punishing and old-fashioned parenting, constantly say they "love" their kids, and then of course, in the end, the kids love them back *barf*.

And: There's always a "tender spot" like that squeezed into the "action", where american(c)(tm) morale lessons are forced upon the viewers, about sex (in a mature, you can't have sex before you're 18 (!!), kind of way), or drugs. Even church-habits are thoroughly described here. The whole concept is directly sickening, all made in a half-hearted way to make money. If there are people like Karen and Frank out there, please lock them up and desintegrate the key.

So, with themes ranging as far as revolting religious propaganda, I think it's fair to conclude as I did in my subject...

"Step by Step" was an updated Brady Bunch. It took a proven formula and tried to sneak it by viewers who didn't grow up watching "The Brady Bunch," but we did have reruns. The two parents who got married were Frank Lambert (Patrick Duffy) and Carol Foster (Suzanne Somers). Patrick Duffy was an unknown to me and he didn't impress. Suzanne Somers, of course, I knew from "Three's Company." The children were also unknowns and not one of them stood out enough to garner my interest. "Step by Step" was a show that benefited from being on a major network in an era when there weren't as many programs to watch.

I watched this show until my puberty but still I found it to reflex many situations that worry us when we're teenagers although it was a family oriented show. Until the mid 90's it focused more on the young adults and their situations.

That's why I loved "Step By Step". I mean, it offered situations for every age and unlike many shows of it's kind, it delivered expectations.

Let's be honest; this wasn't an extremely funny show, no, but it had some situations that you could feel related to but only funnier.

There was an extremely good charm between Patrick Duffy and Susan Sommers. Duffy rocked! Sommers was tender and actually funny. I was in love with Stacy Keegan because she was extremely sexy (loved her legs) and witty. But Sasha Mitchell stole the show with his Cody character. He was the man back in the day! Oh, the memories. Nowadays, this show wasn't been able to adequate correctly on the new generations and that's why it should be kept in the vault of memories. That's it, only memories.

Thank you Step By Step for making my puberty funnier.

The character of Dana almost makes me not want to watch this show. What a spoiled shellfish brat! If this was real life I would hope the mother would do something about her children constantly putting down her husband and new siblings.

"STEP BY STEP," is my opinion, is a pure ABC hit! I can't recall every episode, but I still enjoyed it. It's hard to say which episode was my favorite. However, I think it was always funny when a mishap occurred at school. I always laugh at that. As a matter of fact, I think just about every single one of J.T. (Brandon Call) and Cody's (Sasha Mitchell) lines were funny. It would have been nice if Penny (Patrika Darbo) had stayed on the show throughout its entire run. Everyone always gave a good performance, the production design was spectacular, the costumes were well-designed, and the writing was always very strong. In conclusion, I hope it never stops airing in syndication.

This new adaptation did not leave me a very good impression, without a doubt the classic version is the best

This has been one of my favorite TV shows. Why did those morons at the TV station have to take it off the air? It started off on ABC as part of TGIF. After that, they put it on CBS and had reruns of it on NBC. It's sort of like the "Brady Bunch" except that the kids don't get along at all, especially JT and Dana who are almost always bickering with each other. JT usually calls Dana "Barkey" and she makes a clever comeback by calling him "Greaseball." Let's see now, we also have Karen, Dana's vain sister and Mark, Dana's nerdy brother. Of the Lambert children we have JT of course, then sports-freak Al(short for Alicia) and carefree Brendan. Oh, let's also not forget the weird, but loveable Cody (JT, Al, and Brendan's cousin)who lives in a van in their backyard. I love this show very much. So please, God, bring this show back.

After Season One, it really hits it's stride. Season 6 is the weakest with the addition of Bronson Pinchot, who was completely unnecessary and out of place. I also didn't like that the younger brother completely disappeared and other main characters were seen less and less. The addition of the brilliant Emily Mae Young in Season 6 as "Lily" saves the show as things were getting stale. She is a star. If only she could have joined the show a season or two earlier. The last season still finishes strong with a perfect series finale. A great watch.

An updated version of The Brady Bunch (which was already old hat when that premiered) with construction worker Patrick Duffy and beautician Suzanne Somers as two imbeciles who spontaneously marry only to discover that their respective three children (each) despise each other already making the pitfalls of living together challenging.

Where to begin. Let's start with the good stuff. Patrika D'Arbo and Peggy Rea are both fine as Somers's sister and mother, but rarely are given anything of worth to say or do. Despite being handed some of the worst "Dude" lingo, Sasha Mitchell does have some appeal as a cousin, before his career was derailed due to false allegations of abuse from his drug addict wife.

I normally like Patrick Duffy and was a fan of Somers from her Three's Company days. They are both dreadful here. Duffy does not appear to have a comedic bone in his body and I do not believe he garners one legitimate laugh ever. Sommers also appears to have lost the knack for playing comedy and merely looks lost and blowzy. They have no chemistry together - we literally have no idea what attracted them to each other, what made them spontaneously marry, or why they stay together. As parents, they are equally disastrous. Neither really seems to know what is going on in their home or among their children. Duffy's kids are fairly good-natured. However, while Somers younger kids largely mix together, one of them seems to be a budding sociopath that no one is alarmed about (more on that below).

Unsurprisingly with these noxious types of family sitcoms, the adults take a back seat to stories involving the kids, so the shows can rise and fall on the young cast. Here. the gaggle of kids with two exceptions, largely make no impression. Brandon Call with smirk enshrined on his face really wears thin as Duffy's mischievous eldest son. He seems to have neither the charm nor the teeny bopper appeal to make the part memorable (no wonder why Mitchell was added as the cousin!).

By contrast, Staci Keanan, fresh off My Two Dads, is disturbing in every sense of the word. Not sure whether to blame the writers here, the actress, or both, but her character comes across as a psychopath. She actively seems to despise Duffy, Call and Mitchell, in fact she seems to despise every male (and a good number of females) that have the misfortune of spinning into her orbit. The scenes where she constantly goes out of her way to insult, undermine and humiliate her step-siblings are uncomfortable because not only is the writing not funny, but she plays it so seriously that we begin to worry for the safety of Duffy and his children. Keanan actually seems mentally unbalanced and certifiably hateful here. We could easily see her gleefully mixing up a bottle of arsenic into the lemonade and serving it to them all with a wicked smile. I have seen Bond supervillains less menacing than this girl. This is not a character who or a performance that should be frequenting a family comedy show.

The plots are dead on arrival, the cast largely a wash (with Keanan ostensibly auditioning for the role of a young Cruella DeVille) and the laugh track so jacked up that it would deafen a hard of hearing senior citizen. The real mystery is how this debacle skated by for 7 seasons. It makes Full House look like The Godfather.

I absolutely loved this show rarely do a show keep your full attention for 7 seasons but I loved every season of this show. Al and Dana was absolutely gorgeous women! Being a young boy I had a crush on both women lol.