Get ready to party like it's 1992. Hulu is bringing back ABC's popular TGIF lineup for a whole new generation, according to a press release from the streaming service. Thanks to a new deal with Warner Brothers Television, every episode of Full House, Family Matters, Step by Step, Perfect Strangers, and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper will be available on Hulu starting Sept. 29. The best part of this news is that now every day of the week can be Friday for old-school sitcom fans.
Hulu's acquisition comes at the perfect time for nostalgic TV viewers. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Full House and the 25th anniversary of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. For many fans, the Full House landmark in particular is sure to stoke the desire for a rewatch of the Tanner siblings' younger years. It also helps that this is the first time most of the TGIF shows have been available to stream for free in the United States. Sure, Nick at Nite airs Full House reruns, but being able to queue up the Tanners go to Disney World episode whenever you want is so much better than being beholden to the whims of cable TV scheduling. And when was the last time you saw Step by Step in syndication? These classic shows have been gone for way too long.
Thanks to the wonders of streaming and Hulu, you will soon be able recreate the TGIF effect for yourself or the younger members of your family who totally missed out on this formative television block. Curling up on the couch with a bowl of ice cream and laughing when Family Matters' Urkel said "Did I do that?" is a tradition that should be continued for generations to come. If you've been looking for new family TV ideas, hosting a weekly TGIF night is a pretty good one.
True TGIF devotees will notice there are some notable absences from Hulu's lineup — namely, Boy Meets World, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Sister, Sister. Thankfully, Sabrina is already available on the site, but Boy Meets World and Sister, Sister belong to different distribution companies. It would be a true coup if the streaming giant could eventually add all of the TGIF shows to their library, but for now, knowing Full House, Family Matters, and Step by Step will soon be just a click away is enough to have '90s fans everywhere saying have mercy.
Come September, it will be easier than ever to take a break from 2017, and spend some time with the Tanners, Winslows, and one of TV's coolest teacher ever, Mr. Cooper. No one will judge you if you start planning your TGIF viewing party now.
