“We Tried to Help and Both Kids are Miserable. I Think Our Work Here is Done.”
My journey through 90’s sitcom Step by Step continues with season two. With when this show ended, I never watched it when it was originally on. I didn’t really begin to hear much about it until I started listening to some rewatch podcasts that mentioned it. So, I’m watching this show now blind. But I’m glad I am giving it a chance since I am really enjoying it.
If you’ve missed it, this was a 90’s take on a blended family sitcom. The parents are Frank and Carol (Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Somers) who each brought three kids into their second marriage. Frank’s three kids are J.T., Al, and Brendan (Brandon Call, Christine Lakin, and Josh Byrne) while Carol’s three kids are Dana, Karen, and Mark (Staci Keanan, Angela Watson, and Christopher Castile). Rounding out the main cast is the required goofy character, in this case, Frank’s nephew Cody (Sasha Mitchell).
Fans know that there is a cast change between seasons one and two. Carol’s mother and sister, regular characters in season one, aren’t back. And, in true 90’s sitcom fashion, they are never mentioned this season. Considering they worked with Carol in her beauty salon, that’s quite an omission. Honestly, with nine characters for the writers to juggle, they had plenty of characters to try to write for each week. And, with how underutilized these two characters were in the first season, it’s no surprise they didn’t return.
So, what does happen this season? Dana takes the SAT and is surprised to find Cody taking them as well. All the kids struggle to adjust to the new school year, with Al’s cooking being bad, Mark struggling in wood shop, and J.T. having an unfair English teacher. J.T. starts a Wayne’s World knock off on the local cable access station. (Truly, those two episodes are horrible.) Dana finds out being a boss is harder than she expected when she is hired as the manager of a 50’s themed cafĂ© with Karen and J.T. as her employees. An overdue video under Brendan’s bed prompts the family to cut down their spending. Cody inherits money from the resident of a retirement home he regularly visits. And the family wins a trip to Hawaii. Plus watch for a very fun storyline poking fun at Christopher Castile’s role in the recent (at the time) hit movie Beethoven.
While I did enjoy season one, I found the writing stronger here for the most part. Many of the episodes included some wonderful laugh out loud moments and some tender moments as well. Still, the writers are struggling to find things for all the characters to do. Even with two storylines per episode, the younger kids often get under served, especially poor Brendan, who somethings only has a line or two. While all the characters get at least one episode focused on them this season, you can tell who the writers favored by who has more. It’s definitely not even.
Not that I’m blaming the writers. There are twenty-four episodes this season, and that’s a lot of work. If there are characters it’s easier to come up with storylines for, it’s going to be natural to focus on them more. Still, I hope things even out a little going forward.
One thing that makes this sitcom stand out is that not all the characters like each other. Frank and Carol got married before the kids had even met each other, so they are trying to navigate that while all living under one roof. That makes for some great one liners and insults. And, we do see more evidence that those relationships and bonds are growing this season, which I appreciate. It’s more realistic than some shows while not being as spiteful as others.
The actors are all killing it this season. They are getting more familiar with their characters, and they are hitting the jokes well. I find everyone a joy to watch.
As I said earlier, the jokes are funny. Yes, it’s a typical family sitcom in that department, but I love sitcoms, so I’m really enjoying getting to laugh at these characters as I get to know them better. In addition to the dialogue, the cast does some great physical comedy, especially the adults.
The show is already diving into some very special episodes this season. I’m thinking especially of a couple this season involving teenage sex lives, and I appreciated how both were handled. Of course, I would have preferred they not be included at all since I cringed more than laughed, but if they had to be here, this was a nice way to handle the topics.
This season featured 24 episodes. The show doesn’t appear to be available for streaming, but I got it on DVD. We don’t have any extras, but the show looks and sounds great for a 90’s sitcom.
I’m so glad I found Step by Step. I’m truly enjoying getting to know these characters and watching what happens despite some minor flaws. Now that I’ve finished season two, I’m looking forward to diving into season three.










