"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel" is the second Christmas episode of the ABC sitcom Family Matters, aired as the tenth episode of the show's fourth season (though it is actually the season's fifteenth episode in production order).
Synopsis[]
At the Winslows, Urkel tries his new invention in giving their tree fake snow. It blows up in Carl's face, much to his dismay.
While taking a break in handing out gifts to orphan kids, Laura buys an expensive Christmas ornament she put on layaway as her Christmas gift to her mother, Harriette. Urkel shows up in his car to take her home. Laura asks him to leave because she had already called Eddie to come pick her up. Steve wouldn't take any of it and reminds her it's freezing. He takes her bag and in the process he accidentally breaks the expensive ornament. Realizing what he had done, he tries to apologize to her. Just before Urkel could utter an apology, Laura is real infuriated with him for breaking her mother's Christmas gift. She tells him to get lost and wishes that he finds out what's it like to be her. A disheartened Steve leaves and Laura goes back to sitting down on the bench freezing and waiting for Eddie to pick her up. Minutes later, Laura's guardian angel, Tyrone P. "Ty" Jackson shows up in front of her. He stops the time all together which prevents the people from moving with his handy angel remote. Laura's real impressed with that, but Ty's not there for chit-chat and tells her that he's here to grant her wish. He changes the TV screen to her family's house and that they're watching the Angel Broadcasting Channel (ABC). Tyrone tells Laura if he can successfully convince her to change her ways and wish, he'll be able to get his angel wings.
In the alternate universe, Eddie begs his father for extra cash to finish off his Christmas shopping but Carl refuses and keeps his money. Then he tells him that he should be more like his younger brother, Steve, because he manages his money better than Eddie, never asked them for a penny and finished his Christmas shopping weeks ago. Steve comes down the stairs as the Winslows' second child and tells both his father and Eddie that he's heading down the mall to help hand out toys for orphaned kids. Carl is impressed and admires him because he is charming, responsible, handsome, and popular. He tells a jealous Eddie that Steve has all qualities of being a perfect son that Eddie himself lacks in spite of his popularity, being too narcissistic, irresponsible and childish.
Not taking any notice of the fact that what she is seeing is an alternate universe, Laura is upset to think Steve is her brother. However, Tyrone corrects her that he is Eddie's brother in this alternate universe. Tyrone proceeds to remind her that she wishes that Steve could find out what it's like to be her. He mentions to Laura that there's a catch in her wish and she'll find out what's it like to be Steve Urkel. Sure enough, Laura Urkel shows up and she's trying to impress Steve, who's clearly embarrassed by her. She speaks in her mousy voice and wishes them a Merry Christmas. In the main dimension, Laura is shocked and embarrassed by Tyrone's actions.
Minutes later, she recovers from her shock and asks if that "horrible-looking person" is her. Ty says yes and tells her that in this AU she's the Winslow family's annoying next door neighbor, Laura Urkel. He smiles at the idea and she's horrified by it. She tells him that she looks like a "total geek" and she demands he turn it off now. Tyrone refuses Laura's request and tells her that she needs to experience the emotions that Urkel goes through when she yells at him. He clicks his remote and transports her into Laura Urkel's body against her wishes.
She says hello to Carl and Eddie and asks Steve for a kiss after calling him a stud-muffin. He refuses and tells her to get lost. Laura refuses to leave, telling him that she'll win him over soon. Seconds later, Harriette shows up with a gingerbread house that she made for two whole days. Laura wants to be the first to lick the chimney, but Steve tells her to be careful with it as it's a work of art. She tells him that it's a "work of Harriette"; she laughs and snorts. Harriette is insulted by her comment and tells her to go home.
Laura tells her that she can't right now. Carl asks her why not and she explains that she was kicked out of the Urkel home because of her new invention. Laura had invented an Automatic Poultry Stuffer with intent to help alleviate the stress of cooking Christmas dinner there. Unfortunately her mother, Mrs. Urkel was mistaken for a Christmas goose by the dysfunctional machine that lead to Dr. Urkel kicking Laura out. She accidentally wrecks Harriette's gingerbread house by having the Winslow men fall on it after slapping Steve on the back, causing him to trip. She asks "Did I do that?" Harriette is upset, tells her yes and she'll do 'this'. She tries to chase Laura, but Carl and Eddie restrains her. Later on, Steve was still angry at her for wrecking Harriette's hard work on the gingerbread house. Using the same words Laura used on him in the real world, Steve tells her to get out of his life because of what she did to his mother's hard work on the gingerbread house and tells her that he never wants to see her again. He points out that he wishes that Laura went one day being in his shoes, then she would understand how he felt. She dejectedly leaves and he slams the door in her face, causing snow to fall on her hurt face.
Immediately, Tyrone uses his remote and brings Laura back to where they were watching the alternate universe. She tells him it was an emotional trip because she acted and looked like a nerd. However, she admitted that she had feelings like anyone else. She loved Steve with all her heart, but he hated her and it felt awful to endure the feelings. She tells him she wishes to be nicer to Urkel and that she never wants to yell at him like that again. Ty tells her that was the wish he was really here to grant and is relieved that he's finally getting his wings. He gives Laura a second chance, and before leaving he asks her to keep an eye out for the first lighted star. She makes good on it when Urkel breaks the expensive ornament. Instead of yelling at Steve, she tells him not to worry about it and that the important thing is that he's okay. He takes her home and asks him to spend Christmas with her family.
During the ending credits, Carl fumes about the star not lighting up as Steve walks into the living room with Laura. He tells her that he was expecting her to be mad at him for what happened to her mother's Christmas gift, not be nice to him. He asks her if she's suffering from a nervous breakdown or that her feelings towards him had changed. Laura mentions that she doesn't want to tell him what really happened to her, but tells him that it made her grow up. Richie tells them the star on the tree has been lit. They walk out and only Laura realizes that Tyrone has received his wings. Steve asks her who she's talking to and when she tells him, he concludes that she is suffering from a nervous breakdown.
The ending sequence shows the Winslow house converted into a Christmas card which opens that says "Family Matters wishes you and yours a happy holiday season".
Availability[]
The episode was made available on the Family Matters: The Complete 4th Season DVD set, released by Warner Home Video on February 4, 2010.
Cast[]
| Actor/actress | Character |
|---|---|
| Reginald VelJohnson | Carl |
| Jo Marie Payton | Harriette |
| Rosetta LeNoire | Mother |
| Darius McCrary | Eddie |
| Kellie Shanygne Williams | Laura |
| Jaimee Foxworth | Judy |
| Telma Hopkins | Rachel |
| Bryton McClure | Richie |
| Jaleel White | Steve Urkel |
| T. K. Carter | Ty |
| Mary Deese | Disgruntled passenger |
See also[]
- "Have Yourself a Merry Winslow Christmas"
- "Christmas is Where the Heart is"
- "Miracle on Elm Street"
- "Fa La La La Laagghh!"
- "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
- "Deck the Malls"