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Family Matters (television)

Family Matters was a sitcom based on an middle class black family living in Chicago that ran from 1989 to 1998 on ABC and CBS. The show was an spinoff of Perfect Strangers focused on the character of Harriet Winslow and her family which included her husband Carl Winslow who was a police officer, her rebel son Edward "Eddie" Winslow, her smart daughter Laura Winslow and her youngest child Judy Winslow. They had opened their home to Harriet's sister Rachel Crawford and her son Richie and Carl's streetwise mother Estelle Winslow. One day a nerd named Steve Urkel came by and barged into the family and caused some trouble towards the family and had a major crush on Laura.

As time went by the characters and the stories have changed. Richie has been growing up. Steve has made incredible inventions. Eddie and Laura had good friends to hang out with. By 1993 Judy and Rachel left the show. Rachel however made guest appearances whenever possible. Steve has settled for Myra Monkhouse while he waited for a devotion for Laura.

During the final season the show has moved to CBS and in December 1997 the original actress Jo Marie Payton who played Harriet has left and actress Judyann Elder had took over. Family Matters ranks as one of the longest running African-American sitcoms along with The Jeffersons and The Cosby Show.

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