Like so many people around the world, I was shocked by the breaking news of the passing of Bob Saget. After I let the news swirl around my mind for a few minutes, I couldn’t help but think about the generations of TV fans that he brought so much joy. I’ve seen every episode of Full House, and after analyzing the body of work it is safe to say that Saget will go down in history as one of the best TV dads ever.
A lot of television today is based on celebrity and reality culture. I certainly think there is space for these types of shows, but it is also safe to assert that the traditional family sitcom is something that is less prevalent on network TV today than in years prior. TV sitcoms is one of my favorite genres. I appreciate shows that are in syndication right now like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters, George Lopez, of coarse Full House among many others.
Saget’s death also made me reflect on the golden era of Nick-at-Nite with all of the classic shows it used to broadcast. My favorite of all time is I Love Lucy, but I also really enjoyed other comedies like I Dream of Genie and Taxi.
Saget’s role in Full House is legendary. He played the part extremely well. He was caring with his family and friends onscreen, but there were also many scenes where he had to be tough and make serious decisions. The inner conflict of his character was a unique juxtaposition that ran through all 192 episodes.
I think the importance of his character was one of the major factors why Netflix produced the reboot of the show. While I did not see all of the episodes of the reboot, what I saw was very funny and compelling; I almost couldn’t believe it, after decades, streaming a new version of the show was a great idea that went very well.
Saget’s work as a TV dad will never be forgotten. The new generation is still watching Full House in syndication and many people are also checking out the reboot. While he will be missed, he leaves behind some legendary TV content and people will always have his role as a father within their memories.
