Family Matters is one of those shows that was inescapable in the ’90s. (Debatably) Lovable nerd Steve Urkel’s shrill voice and quotable catch phrases ensured that the show would have a permanent spot in the TGIF lineup. With each week, viewers couldn’t wait to see what Urkel would do to the hapless Winslows.
Then 1998 hit, and nobody wanted to deal with a now-grown Jaleel White that was still playing a late-blooming teenager.
Fox ADHD decided that the gawky geek needed a bit of love. To bring Urkel into the 21st century, though, he’d need a bit of a makeover.
Enter Urkel-san: a 90-second short that places Urkel and the Winslows into a setting that would be right at home in Afro Samurai. Carl Winslow turns into a bloodthirsty demon, Urkel-san unleashes the power of Stefan as an Afro Samurai wannabe, and Laura well… Laura’s Laura.
It’s a silly, fun little parody that plays wonderfully on the nostalgia of ’90s kids everywhere.
