For eight seasons Family values was a staple of ABC’s TGIF Friday lineup. spin-off premiere Perfect Strangers, the series focuses on the Winslow family and their annoying neighbor. Although it was never an Emmy-level show, it became one of the most popular shows in the country for years to come.

During its existence, the series has undergone major changes. There were pains of resentment between actors like Steve Urkel (Jalil White) quickly became the main focus of the show early on. After Season 4, the showrunners oddly removed one of the Winslow children, making Judy Winslow (Jamie Foxworth) will disappear as if it never existed so that more time can be devoted to Urkel’s antics. In season 9 Family values spent his final year on CBS after the network bought him from ABC. And then, in the last episodes, the Winslow clan matriarch Harrietta was remade, when Jo Marie Payton left the series. Amidst the chaos of their last days, Family values went above and beyond for a truly touching series finale.

Steve Urkel goes into space, but almost never returns home

Steve Urkel in Lost in Space
Image via CBS

Family values came to an end during the two-part series finale, which ran for over two weeks and concluded on July 17, 1998. For many years Family values has long since become the Steve Urkel Show, which focused on the antics of the bumbling nerd who lives next door. While the finale kept Urkel as the main star, it also gave a fitting end to all the contestants. The episodes titled “Lost in Space (Part 1)” and “Lost in Space (Part 2)” focused on how Urkel went into space when NASA acquired one of the patents for his many inventions. The guy turned into a young man who seemed to always make mistakes and fail, finally getting what he deserved when an astronaut showed up at Winslow’s door and told Steve that he would be the first student in space. Of course, because it’s Steve Urkel, things go wrong. Of course, there are the usual ludicrous antics of clumsy Steve, but with Family values coming to an end, they also gave it their all.

The space shuttle Urkel went off course when a satellite crashed into it. The rest of the astronauts are knocked out and Steve is left alone. He must save the lives of those on board and return safely to Earth. Steve is understandably worried, but Mission Control tells them that they will walk him through the stabilization technique step by step. Urkel, relieved, asks, “Well, how many steps are there?” 3672, they tell him. Steve can solve one problem, but now he must put on his astronaut outfit and leave the ship to remove the satellite stuck in the ship. Before he can celebrate, he begins to fly off into space.

News of the crash reaches the Winslows, who are sitting on the couch watching the news, where the serious anchor says, “The situation is really dire. Drifting into space with only a few minutes of oxygen left and no way to return to the Explorer. .” Of course, because it Family values and not Breaking Bad, our hero is in time, as he can get to the shuttle. The serious news anchor becomes elated and exclaims, “I can’t believe this. The botanist is fine!”

Eddie Winslow became a cop and was shot dead in the line of duty

Winslow at the Family Matters finale
Image via CBS

Another serious plot point was found by Eddie Winslow (Darius McCrary) after graduating from the police academy and becoming a Chicago cop like his father Carl (Reginald VelJohnson). Carl is proud to salute his son for becoming the third generation of Winslow cops. His mother, however, is less than thrilled. In the last few episodes of Season 9, Harriette Winslow was recast and Jo Marie Payton left and Judiann Elder take on a role. A new face among so many acquaintances makes it difficult for viewers to connect emotionally with her, but still the show tried as Harriette interfered in Eddie’s business, leading to him being relegated to the level of a maid. Carl confronts Harrietta about this. The wife tells her husband, “I was worried about Eddie and I wanted him to be safe.”

However, as fate would have it, while Eddie roams the streets doing his job as a teller, he comes across an armed thief. Eddie chases him into an alleyway, where a cornered man shoots Eddie in the chest. Again, because it’s great Family values, Eddie is not dating his creator. It turns out that he was shot in a bulletproof vest. Mother and son later have a heart-to-heart in the kitchen, where Eddie tells Harrietta, “Mom, I have everything I need to be a good cop, except for one thing…your support.” With this, Harriet reluctantly accepts Eddie’s job.

‘Family Matters’ ended with Steve Urkel and Laura Winslow

Steve Urkel, Laura Winslow and Myra Monkhouse in Family Matters
Image via CBS

If Steve Urkel is obsessed with Laura (Kelly Shanin Williams), then this is exactly how his girlfriend Myra Monkhouse behaves with him. In execution Michelle Thomaswho tragically passed away just a few months after Family values ended, Myra refuses to let Urkel go, even though he broke up with her in the episode “Breaking Up Is Hard” and proposed to Laura. Who would have thought that Steve Urkel would end up in a love triangle?

Myra is so desperate that she sneaks aboard the shuttle, but Steve doesn’t want to. Mira is forced to leave the shuttle. A conversation with Stefan, also played by Jalil White, ends Myra’s false hopes when he tells her to let go of Steve and let him be happy with Laura.

Back on Earth, Steve Urkel is considered a national hero. He returns to the Winslow house and asks Laura, “Will I get a welcome kiss?” She says he will only do so if he promises never to fly into space again. “Only when we kiss, Laura Lee,” Urkel tells her. The newly minted couple, who have been fighting for years because love has killed a nerd and the girl is too cool for him, then kiss, and Family values comes to the end.