Step by step

A domestic sitcom about bringing two families together and all the trials and tribulations that come with it. As I mentioned, and, as is blatantly obvious, this is the schtick from The Brady Bunch. However, Step By Step added a layer of 90s cynicism and sarcasm that drove a lot of the situations between family members. It took years for the show to find any real heart and sense of togetherness as a whole family, rather than a family that was constantly at war with each other.

Like most shows of its ilk, it was filled with the usual household and school related problems. However, upon rewatching it, it’s actually quite hard to find anything that stands out as a trademark other than the constantly squabbling siblings. Although, once you start getting into it a little more, an odd theme of sexuality and near incest starts to emerge.

For a family show who’s cast was mostly children, it was a little surprising to see how heavily sexualized many of the plots were. In fact, in Cody’s first episode, J.T. makes a bet with him that he can’t get a date with his step sister – Cody’s step cousin. Not blood related for sure, yet still a little high on the Ick-O-Meter. Cody’s crush on his step sister is a theme that would pervade the show for years. While it is played for comedic purposes, as the family grows closer over the seasons it’s a strange plot line to keep alive for so long. 

Despite it being a show about a large family, most episodes were driven by the older siblings’ antics, with the parents or middle kids only being involved in the secondary plot. Having teenagers provide the impetus for most of the shenanigans is probably a big reason for the amount of sexualization on the show. And rather then evolve over the years, in season 7 we still see J.T. prioritizing a bikini contest over babysitting his sister, and taking a job as a stripper to earn extra money. Even Frank and Carol get in on the action with a little bedroom role playing. Oh and lots of incidents of the girls getting rescued from overeager boys. Like really overeager.

After putting it all down in print I suppose then that the trademark of Step By Step is its sexuality. Nothing wrong with that, just a little odd for a show that is presumably about bringing two families together to love and support each other. Nothing says support like running off a would be rapist from your teenaged sister. Multiple times. 

Often a sitcom will have a “glue” character, there for the cheap laughs but also acting as a bridge between different groups of characters. Think Urkel in Family Matters, Kimmy in Full House or even Mr. Furley in Three’s Company. They will annoy everyone equally then have a moment of levity that makes the current warring factions see the error of their ways. And then hug.

For this role Step By Step had Cody, and while he was very much a one trick pony as a doofus surfer dude (in Wisconsin), he was one of the major reasons the two sides of the family would finally get along and appreciate each other (to an extent). When his character left for the final two seasons the patchwork replacements felt forced and the impact of his character leaving exposed how flat everyone else on the show was.

However, despite being complete archetypes, our blended family did learn it’s small lessons along the way. Dana, who is egotistical and snooty at the best of times, falls for Rich, the jock friend of J.T. At one point J.T. feels old enough to spend Christmas with friends, yet when he does he finds that he misses his family awwww. Karen loses a modelling job to tomboy sister Al, but ends up realizing supporting her step sister is more important awwww. And so on and so forth.

But actual character growth year over year? Meh, thin at best. By the end Frank is still the same dorky dad and Carol is still an annoying over-motherer (sharing baby stories with Karen’s classmates when Karen finally makes it to college in season 7).