Stephanie's "Special" Episodes: A Ranking

When a show stars an ensemble cast, it can often be hard to pick a favorite character. One episode, you might be positive which person is the best, but by next week, depending on their screen time, your preference might've changed to someone entirely different. Picking a true favorite is practically impossible in an ensemble, yet that doesn't mean we all still don't do it anyhow. Take Full House , for example, a show with at least seven main cast members in any given episode. Every fan has a favorite Tanner, yet while most people choose to go with Uncle Jesse (that hair!) or one of the Katsopolis twins (so innocent!), my pick is a bit unconventional: Stephanie, middle child, dancer, and the biggest trouble-maker in 1990's San Francisco.

Before you judge, hear me out: I'm fully aware that Steph had the most issues of any Tanner. In fact, that's exactly why she's my favorite; her tendency to make questionable choices, hang with bad influences, and generally take no responsibility for her actions made her the show's most entertaining character, season after season. What would Full House be without its issue-of-the-week plotlines, most of them caused by Steph? A terribly boring show, that's what. From smoking to car wrecks, ranking Full House's special "Stephanie-caused-a-problem" episodes:

11. Season 1, "A Pox In Our House"

Plot: Steph gives everyone the chicken pox, because somehow, despite living with three children, many of them have never got it. Itching and whining ensues.

10. Season 7, "Is It True About Stephanie?"

Plot: Mad that Steph got asked out by her crush, Gia spreads a rumor about Steph all over school. With Mickey's help, Steph gets revenge, but seeing Gia cry makes her feel really guilty and eventually, the two make up.

9. Season 3, "Aftershocks"

Plot: Steph has anxiety! Well, kind of. There's an earthquake, and Danny's late getting home, and now she's so worried that she refuses to leave his side, except when he drags her into therapy to deal with her problems. After approximately two minutes in therapy, Steph's problems are healed, and they all go home happy.

8. Season 8, "Stephanie's Wild Ride"

Plot: Steph and Gia meet two high school boys who drive them home from the mall. They drive super dangerously, going the wrong way on the road and nearly hitting a truck. Steph thinks it's awesome and wants to go again, but a worried DJ stops her. It's a good thing she did, because — surprise surprise! — Gia and the boys got into an accident.

7. Season 2, "Cutting It Close"

Plot: Steph gives Jesse a haircut, and as happens when an 8-year-old cuts your hair, it goes badly. Unfortunately, when he goes to get it fixed, he gets into motorcycle accident and breaks his arms. Steph feels very guilty, probably because Jesse totally blames her, but by the end, they make up.

6. Season 3, "Nerd for a Day"

Plot: Steph and her classmates bully a kid they call Duckface, but later she befriends him and stands up to the others. In return, they start teasing her, but she gives them a lecture and eventually everyone gets along.

5. Season 6, "The Dating Game"

Plot: Steph goes on her first date, and she's super excited, even reading gossip magazines to learn how to not make a fool out of herself. Inevitably, however, she does, and when she kisses her date at the episode's end, he goes, "what'd you do that for?"

4. Season 3, "Honey, I Broke The House"

Plot: Stephanie drives Joey's car into the house. That is all.

3. Season 7, "Fast Friends"

Plot: Steph's new friend Mickey is super nice, but her other friends aren't (including Gia! Hi, Gia!), and they try to get Steph to smoke cigarettes. When she refuses, they make fun of her, leading her to call into Joey and Jesse's radio show using a face name and accent to get advice on what to do when facing peer pressure. I'm not making this up.

2. Season 8, "Making Out Is Hard To Do"

Plot: Steph gets invited to a party at Gia's, but doesn't realize it's not just any party, it's a make-out party. All the seventh graders are paired up, including Steph and this kid Bobby, but after a few moments of kissing, she gets super uncomfortable and calls DJ to pick her up. But it turns out DJ is really Danny (laryngitis — just go with it) and, when he arrives, the party ends and Steph gets in trouble for lying.

1. Season 6, "Silence Is Not Golden"

Plot: Steph is forced to work on a project with her annoying classmate Charles, who she soon learns is being beaten regularly by his father. He makes her swear not to tell, but after he doesn't come to school because of an "accident," Steph decides to tell Jesse. The authorities are called, and Charles is removed from his dad's care.

Images: ABC (12)