S1.E4

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Rachel's First Date

Episode aired Oct 13, 1989
Not Rated
23m

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

207

YOUR RATING

Reginald VelJohnson in Family Matters (1989)

Adventure Comedy Drama Family Sci-Fi

Recently widowed Rachel is nervous about her first date since the death of her husband.Recently widowed Rachel is nervous about her first date since the death of her husband.Recently widowed Rachel is nervous about her first date since the death of her husband.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.9/10

207

YOUR RATING

3User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos

Top cast11

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Reginald VelJohnson

Carl Winslow

Jo Marie Payton

Harriette Winslow
(as Jo Marie Payton-France)

Rosetta LeNoire

Estelle 'Mother' Winslow

Darius McCrary

Eddie Winslow

Kellie Shanygne Williams

Laura Winslow

Jaimee Foxworth

Judy Winslow

Joseph Wright

Richie Crawford
(as Joseph Julius Wright)

Julius Wright

Richie Crawford
(as Joseph Julius Wright)

Telma Hopkins

Rachel Crawford

Jaleel White

Steve Urkel

Peter Fitzsimmons

Alan Smith

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
For ABC network summer reruns and later syndication airings, a new cold open featuring Steve Urkel was filmed at the end of Season 1 and appended to this episode (as well as episodes 1.07, 1.08, and 1.10) to help fill the eleven episode gap before his first appearance. As a result, this episode is the earliest appearance of Steve Urkel (whom Carl does not address by name in the brief cold open scene with Carl) in rebroadcasts of the series. However, he was not introduced until episode 1.12 ("Laura's First Date").

Goofs
Harriette says that Rachel even tried on the dress that Carl wears when he's undercover. This makes no sense. Carl is overweight. Rachel is skinny. They would not be the same size.

Quotes
Harriette Winslow: You look terrific! Fantastic! This is definitely the one. Yellow is the perfect color for you.
Rachel Crawford: You know, I think you're right. I love this dress.
Laura Winslow: He's here.
Rachel Crawford: I hate this dress.

Connections
Featured in ABC TGIF: Episode #1.4 (1989)

Soundtracks
Stop! In the Name of Love
Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland
Originally Performed by Diana Ross and The Supremes
Performed by Kellie Shanygne Williams and Jaimee Foxworth

User reviews3

Featured review

7/10

Family Matters version of a soap opera

This episode is a prime example of what "didn't work" at the beginning of the series. We are supposed to feel sorry for Rachel because she is recently widowed, and hesitant to start dating again. The problem was that all of these characters were still so new, at this point. Rachel had never been seen with her husband, so it wasn't possible to see her in the context of what her life was like, before the show started. This episode, like the three that preceded it, was more about the adults than the kids. That was the problem. Family Matters didn't really work on an "adult" level. The show started to resonate only when the episodes were centered more on Laura and Eddie. As for Telma Hopkins. Nice looking lady, but a better singer than she was an actress. She also wasn't quite believable as the mother of a one year old child. She was already an adult twenty years before this show, when she was part of Tony Orlando and Dawn.