Initially, Fuller House made a conscious effort to include Michelle in its storytelling. Stephanie (Jodie Sweeting) and DJ (Candace Cameron-Bure) talked about her when they reminisced about their childhood. They even tried calling her at one point, albeit with no answer. Over time, however, the sitcom decreased their references to the character until they would only bring her up to either poke fun at her or make a meta-commentary about Michelle’s absence in Fuller House. Occasionally, the jokes made were distasteful since the Olsen twins’ decision not to join the show stemmed from their long-standing choice to retire from acting. Since pivoting to be fashion designers, the pair have become much more private, rarely doing interviews to promote their own brand. In any case, it isn’t like Netflix didn’t have a choice about the matter – they could have recast the role knowing that the chances of the Olsens participating were slim to none.
Michelle’s Fuller House absence undoubtedly affected the series’ early storytelling, and she was missed as a Full House fan favorite. That being said, the Olsens’ decision to not be involved should have been respected from the get-go and shouldn’t have been the butt of so many jokes in the series. Fuller House could have handled Michelle’s arc better without being crass, and the series made her absence way more awkward than necessary as a result.
*Fuller House* faced a significant challenge with the absence of Michelle Tanner, originally played by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. As one of the most beloved characters from *Full House*, Michelle’s absence was keenly felt, especially in the early seasons of the spin-off. The show attempted to address her absence through frequent references and jokes, often breaking the fourth wall to acknowledge the situation. However, these attempts sometimes backfired, making the absence even more noticeable and awkward.
Initially, the show included Michelle in conversations, with DJ and Stephanie mentioning her and even trying to contact her at one point. These moments seemed to acknowledge that Michelle was still part of the Tanner family, despite not appearing on screen. However, as the series progressed, the tone of these references shifted. The jokes became increasingly meta, with the show directly addressing the Olsen twins’ decision not to return, sometimes in a way that felt dismissive or crass.
This approach drew criticism from fans who felt that the series could have handled Michelle’s absence with more respect and subtlety. Instead of making light of the situation, the show could have simply written Michelle out with a plausible in-universe explanation, avoiding the need for recurring jokes that only highlighted the gap left by her character. Furthermore, the option to recast the role, while potentially controversial, could have allowed Michelle to continue being a presence in the Tanner family’s lives, preserving the dynamic that fans loved.
Ultimately, the repeated references to Michelle without a satisfying resolution made her absence feel more glaring and may have detracted from the overall experience of *Fuller House* for long-time fans. While the show did its best to reunite the core cast, the handling of Michelle’s character became a reminder of what was missing, rather than a tribute to the beloved Tanner sister.
