The debut episode that set the tone for Full House, one of television's most beloved family situation comedies, begins as we meet Danny Tanner, a widowed 29-year-old father of three daughters, 10-year-old Donna Jo (D.J.), 5-year-old Stephanie and 6-month-old Michelle; his brother-in-law, Jesse Cochran (his last name for Season 1 episodes only, later changed and retconned to Kastopolis); and his best friend, Joey Gladstone, the latter two who move in to help raise the girls.
Danny's mother, Claire, had helped out with the family in the three months since his wife and the girls' mother, 28-year-old Pamela, was killed in a car accident (caused by a drunk driver, as will be revealed later in the series). The girls are reassured by their grandmother – and later, Danny, Jesse and Joey – that they will be one happy family.
Tropes seen in this episode:
- Big "SHUT UP!": Jesse and Joey try to figure out a way to stop baby Michelle from crying. Jesse attempts to do so by yelling a loud "Shut up!" at her. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't work.
- The Diaper Change: At one point in this episode, Jesse and Joey have to change Michelle's diaper. They change Michelle in the kitchen instead of her bedroom, put the used diaper in tupperware, spray her bottom with a faucet, and wrap her bottom in paper towels when they're unable to find any clean diapers (Stephanie reveals that she had them the entire time, but didn't give them to Jesse and Joey because they didn't ask her).
- Early-Installment Weirdness: First-season episodes have the "earliness" vibe, but in the very early going, Jesse's last name was Cochran and he had shoulder-length hair, Danny was not nearly as OCD about keeping a clean house, and the fact that the girls were very young – the Olsen twins were just a year old when this episode was filmed in the summer of 1987, and was mainly used for gags – are telltale signs.
- "Getting My Own Room" Plot: D.J. had her own room prior to Jesse and Joey moving in. Because of this, she has to share a room with Stephanie, which she's not thrilled about. Later on, she moves into the garage so she can have her own space. It's only when Danny have a heart-to-heart that she accepts having Stephanie as her roommate.
- Improvised Diaper: During Michelle's diaper change, Jesse and Joey are unable to find any clean diapers, so they resort to using paper towels. Subverted a minute later when Stephanie reveals that she had the clean diapers the entire time. When Jesse asks her why she waited until just now to give them to him and Joey, she tells him "Nobody asked me."
- Unseen Character: Pamela Tanner, the beloved mother of D.J., Stephanie and Michelle, and beloved wife of Danny.
- Welcome Episode: The main premise of the show – how Danny, not yet 30 years old, is now a widower struggling along with his daughters to cope with his wife's death – and that he has family and friends to count on to help with raising the family ... all of that is established in 22 minutes.
