Did I Do That? A Look Back At Family Matters

Family Matters was one of the most popular American sitcoms of the 1990s, and is one of the longest running live action sitcoms with an African American cast. Check out what happened behind the scenes, catch up with the stars now, and learn about the biggest scandals that happened off screen.

The Success of Family Matters

Family Matters, created by William Bickley and Michael Warren, was a spin-off of Perfect Strangers, but the popular ABC sitcom, which was later sold to CBS, created a successful fan base of its own. The show ran for nine seasons, making it the second longest-running live action American sitcom with a predominately African American cast.

The show focused on the Winslows—a middle class family living in Chicago—but the introduction of their nerdy neighbor, Steve Urkel, proved to be key to the show’s success. Urkel (Jaleel White) became a breakout character on the show, and is still regularly referenced in popular culture.