Release Date: 11/6/07

The Show

They really don’t make family entertainment like this anymore. Full House had it all. There was a compulsive neat freak father, an Elvis-wannabe brother in law, a live-in comedian friend, and 3 wacky daughters. Every episode reeked of a saccharine-like quality and was neatly wrapped up by the end with a nice moral note. Cue that piano music! The Complete Eighth Season carried on the fun with D.J. (Candace Cameron) gives the family a scare by running off to a Vegas chapel, Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) finds out that making out is hard to do, and the series conclusion with Michelle (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen) battling a bout of amnesia after falling off a horse!

The basic premise of the series was that Danny Tanner (Bob Saget) was a recently widowed father of 3 girls, D.J. (Cameron), Stephanie (Sweetin), and Michelle (Olsen). In order to get help with the house and family, Danny gets help from his brother-in-law Jesse (John Stamos) and childhood friend Joey (Dave Coulier). Each week, there would be a new jam the family had to get out of, and each week the family would pull through to make it out as a single unit.

The combination of characters really propelled the show into 8 full seasons. Sure there are plot holes and sometimes the episodes didn’t fully mesh with other episodes, but who really cares? It was never meant to be groundbreaking, just wholesome family entertainment. Besides, I grew up on this stuff, and I turned out okay!

The set includes all 24 episodes from the eighth season spread across 4 discs with a Play All option on each disc.
Disc 1
1. Comet’s Excellent Adventure
2. Breaking Away
3. Making Out Is Hard to Do
4. I’ve Got a Secret
5. To Joey with Love
6. You Pet It, You Bought It
Disc 2
1. On the Road Again
2. Claire and Present Danger
3. Stephanie’s Wild Ride
4. Under the Influence
5. Arrest Ye Merry Gentlemen
6. D.J.’s Choice
Disc 3
1. The Producer
2. Super Bowl Fun Day
3. My Left and Right Foot
4. Air Jesse
5. Dateless in San Francisco
6. We Got the Beat
Disc 4
1. Taking the Plunge
2. Up on the Roof
3. Leap of Faith
4. All Stood Up
5. Michelle Rides Again Part 1
6. Michelle Rides Again Part 2

THE DVD

The main menu is pretty simple with options laid out neatly. The show’s opening theme plays throughout. Submenus are silent with still backgrounds.

The video transfer is offered in 1.33:1 Fullscreen Format. The picture looks just as clear if not better than the original broadcast. The details and color levels are on pint with only a few spare moments of blocky/pixilation.

The audio is offered in English Dolby Digital Mono. The dialogue and voices are crisp while the canned laughter comes through strong and loud. Subtitles are also offered in English.

THE EXTRAS

The 4 DVDs this time around come in 2 slimline cases with a disc found on each flap. The episode descriptions and original airdates are found on the cases as well. It’s unfortunate for the last season on DVD that we still get no bonus options.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While this isn’t quite on the level of The Sopranos final season on DVD, Full House – The Complete Eighth Season still holds a warm spot in my heart. No doubt, it will get picked up by fans who already own the previous seven seasons on DVD. However, that doesn’t speak for the complete lack of bonus options found on the set. Non-fans should stick with a rental.

- Morris Tang