"Silence Is Not Golden" is an episode in the sixth season of Full House.
Stephanie discovers one of her classmates is a victim of child abuse but he makes her promise not to tell anyone. Meanwhile, Jesse and Steve struggle for a book report and decide to split their responsibility by each reading half of a book after finding out that they happen to be assigned for the same book. And Michelle and Denise share jokes to others, except it turns out the source where they hear the jokes from charges the callers.
Original air-date, February 16, 1993.
Tropes in this episode:
- Abusive Parents: Charles reveals his father abuses him at home.
- Accidental Public Confession: Michelle interrupts their interview and tells Stephanie that she forgot to take the garbage out, and that Danny will deal with her later. Charles mistakes the situation for abuse, which forces him to admit to her that his father beats him up all the time.
- And Knowing Is Half the Battle: On the original ABC broadcast, the episode closed with John Stamos explaining to viewers that they can prevent child abuse by calling a help number.
- Armor-Piercing Question: When Stephanie admits to Uncle Jesse that her classmate Charles admitted to being abused by his fatherStephanie: But what'll happen to Charles if we report it?Uncle Jesse: What'll happen to Charles if we don't?
- Armor-Piercing Response: Stephanie delivers one to Charles when he tells her not to tell anybody and to "swear on her mother's life".Charles: No. I don't care if you swear on your mother's life!Stephanie: My mother is not alive.
- Jesse and Stephanie have a similar moment when she's blaming him for Charles being taken out of his home. Jesse explains that that was CPS' doing, not his (even though it's obviously because he called them), but Stephanie still doesn't understand and asks why they had to take him out of the house. Jesse finally tells her point blank, "Because he wasn't safe there!"
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking:
- A guy Danny and Rebecca interviewed on "Wake Up, San Francisco" some weeks ago turned out to be quite unscrupulous, as he charged $1 million on other people's credit cards, used to carpool in a stolen car while trying to flee the country, and mooned Danny and Rebecca during the interview.
- After the moment of initial meeting with Charles proves unpleasant...Danny: Maybe there isn't good in everybody.
D.J.: What a brat.
Rebecca: Somebody needs to teach that kid manners.
Kimmy: I wonder if he's got an older brother.
- Change the Uncomfortable Subject: After accidentally letting slip that his dad hits him, Charles tries to change the conversation and get back to doing the homework assignment but now Stephanie is worried about him.
- Child Abuse Is a Special Kind of Evil: Stephanie learns that her classmate, Charles, is regularly beaten by his father. While Stephanie is horrified and wants to tell someone, Charles begs her not to, fearing that it'll only make the situation worse. Eventually, though, Jesse gets her to tell him what's wrong. Jesse, a loving father and uncle, is horrified and infuriated, saying he needs to call the police because otherwise "[he]'ll go straighten him out myself." The episode doesn't shy away from how child abuse is a terrible thing, along with delivering a message to the audience about how if they see or hear about someone being abused, they should always tell someone.
- Compliment Backfire: After Jesse and Steve confide to D.J. and Kimmy about their trouble with their book report assignment and discover that they happen to be doing the report about the same booknote , Kimmy suggests for them to each read half to lessen the workload. Jesse gives a compliment to Kimmy, but his choice of words makes it less than flattering, though Kimmy isn't witty enough to catch on and react, much less retort, in return — the only thing she exhibits is a Reaction Shot while trying to make sense of what he just said.Jesse: You know what, Kimmy? That's a good idea. You're not as dumb as you look.
- Cut Himself Shaving: When Charles does not show up for class, the teacher says she was told that Charles "had an accident" and "fell down the stairs", when really his father was the reason for it.
- Dating Service Disaster: Danny accuses Joey of racking up the phone bill, before it's revealed that the source Michelle calls for her jokes charges the caller. Joey's claim of innocence includes one incident he doesn't recall fondly.Danny: Joey, look at these charges! $2, $4, $8...Joey: Danny, I have never called a 976 number in my life!(Danny glares at him)Joey: Okay, once, I tried that dating service. But I stopped right after I got my Aunt Frieda!
- Despair Event Horizon: Charles being beaten by his father is one of the darkest moments in sitcom history.
- Domestic Abuse: The episode touches on this subject. This is a rare instance of a sitcom featuring a character who is beaten by a parent.
- Dude, Not Funny!: Even though Stephanie knows what really happened to Charles, she reluctantly decides to keep his abuse a secret, and lashes out at the Jennifers for making fun of it.
- Entertainment Above Their Age: Charles tells Stephanienote that she should think of a funny movie like Who Framed Roger Rabbit to distract herself from being beaten by her father Danny, revealing that he has an abusive father and he expects Danny to do the same.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Charles explaining to Stephanie how to block out the pain when he's getting punished for misbehaving, accidentally revealing that his father abuses him.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing: The expression on Charles' face changes when he hears Michelle tell Stephanie that she forgot to take out the garbage and that her father will deal with her later.
- Freudian Excuse: Stephanie later learns that the reason Charles is kind of a bully is that since his mother died, his father has become abusive to him.
- Hypocritical Humor: After Joey returns with Nicky and Alex from a trip to a local playground, Joey empties out the sand from the boys' shoes and claims not to know what attracts kids to sandboxes... before emptying out the sand from his own shoe.Jesse: What is it with kids and sandboxes, huh?Joey: Jess, I have no idea what the attraction is.
- Ironic Echo: During his attempt to assuage Stephanie for having Charles assigned as her homework partner, Danny says "there's good in everybody", only to change his tune after meeting Charles for the first time, having endured his insulting words and rough demeanor.Danny: Maybe there isn't good in everybody.
- Missing Mom: Both Stephanie and Charles bond over having a deceased mom.
- Not Helping Your Case: While trying to assuage Stephanie's mood about having Charles assigned as her homework partner, Danny enlists Rebecca's help in remembering a guy they interviewed on "Wake Up, San Francisco" some weeks ago, but the example doesn't bring the desired result, because the guy in question charged $1 million on other people's credit cards, used to carpool in a stolen car while trying to flee the country, and mooned Danny and Rebecca during the interview.
- Nothing Is Scarier: When Stephanie goes to school, the teacher tells her that Charles will not be coming to school for a week because he "had an accident".
- Positive Friend Influence:
- One of Danny's attempts in cheering Stephanie up while she complains of having Charles as her homework partner is by expressing hope that she'd rub off on him and cause him to improve his attitude.
- Played for Laughs late in the episode when D.J. and Rebecca entertain the idea of Jesse being a good influence on Steve in their discussion.Rebecca: You know, Deej, I think that your Uncle Jesse's gonna be a really positive influence on Steve.
D.J.: Yeah. And even if his grades don't improve, his hair is gonna look great.
- Papa Wolf: Without even knowing Charles, Jesse instantly calls CPS when Stephanie tells him that he's being abused, "because if I don't, I'm going to go over there and straighten him (Charles' father) out myself."
- Saying Too Much: Overlaps with Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap! when Charles accidentally reveals his abuse when giving Stephanie some tips on how to "distract" themselves from the punishments inflicted on them.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: Per Kimmy's suggestion, Jesse and Steve decide to read one half of the assigned book each and relay the information to the other to lessen the workload. Unfortunately for Jesse, Steve doesn't remember the details of the half he read enough to disclose to Jesse, resulting in Jesse eventually deciding to skip the shortcuts and read the whole book instead.
- Shout-Out:
- The title comes from the old proverb: Silence is golden.
- The harmonica sound effect as Stephanie looks back at Charles is the opening music for Roseanne. Both shows feature a character who is beaten. Charles is beaten by his father in this episode, and, on Roseanne, Jackie is beaten by a boyfriend.
- After hearing a joke from Michelle and Denise, Steve says that they should go on Jay Leno, and Joey immediately follows up by impersonating his voice while pretending to present the girls.
- Charles references the movies "Home Alone" and "Roger Rabbit" as things he uses to distract himself when his father abuses him.
- Jesse and Steve's conversation late in the episode makes a mention of Tootsie.
- Tempting Fate: When Stephanie complains to Danny about having Charles assigned as her homework partner, Danny responds by asking her "How bad can that be?". The answer comes after meeting Charles and enduring his insulting words.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Stephanie's reaction when she learns that Charles is her homework partner and the Roseanne theme song is added for humor.
- Unsettling Gender-Reveal: Played for Laughs. During Jesse and Steve's conversation late in the episode, Jesse mentions having walked in the theater and seeing Tootsie late, resulting in him continually saying to himself "Who's that ugly woman?". He's less than thrilled to hear Steve clarifying that it's actually a guy Disguised in Drag.
- Very Special Episode: The episode tackles the subject of child abuse.
- Wham Line: When Stephanie and Charles are talking about her being punished for misbehaving.Charles:'' Well, how about you do what I do and just think of a really funny movie, like "Home Alone" or "Roger Rabbit" or something. That always works for me when I'm getting it.
Stephanie:...Getting what?
Charles: Well, you know, when your dad's pounding you. - Why Did You Make Me Hit You?: Charles believes that he gets hit because it's his own fault, and makes her promise not to tell anyone.Charles: Look, the truth is, my dad does hit me sometimes. But it’s my own fault for ticking him off. Boy, did he clobber me last week.
Stephanie: You mean that day you came to school with a black eye, and you said you ran into a door?
Charles: Yeah — a door named 'Dad'.
