‘Full House’ Stars Think the Show Should Have Included More References to One Character

The classic sitcom ‘Full House’ still holds a special place in our hearts, but two of its stars recently shared a change they’d have loved to see. Andrea Barber and Jodie Sweetin, who played Kimmy Gibbler and Stephanie Tanner, think the show missed a chance to dive deeper into one character’s story. They opened up about this on their podcast, How Rude, Tanneritos!, and it’s got us thinking about what could have been.

Barber and Sweetin were chatting about the Tanner family when the topic of Pamela Tanner came up. For those who don’t remember, Pamela was Danny Tanner’s wife and the mom to DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle. She passed away before the show started, setting the stage for Danny to raise his girls with help from Uncle Jesse and Joey. But here’s the thing—after her brief mentions early on, Pamela kind of faded away as the series went on.

Sweetin pointed out how real families keep loved ones alive through stories. She felt the show could have done more of that with Pamela. Imagine the girls swapping tales about their mom over breakfast or Danny sharing a memory during one of his heart-to-hearts. It would’ve added a layer to their family bond, keeping Pamela’s presence felt even though she was gone.

Barber agreed, noting how quickly the show moved on from her. By season four, Pamela’s name barely came up. It’s almost like the writers decided to wipe her out of the picture completely. Sweetin even joked about how fast they dropped her, saying it was like, ‘You’re gone, bye!’ Both actresses think that was a missed opportunity to flesh out the Tanner world.

‘Full House’ ran from 1987 to 1995, giving us eight seasons of laughs and life lessons. Pamela did pop up once in a home video in the season two episode ‘Goodbye, Mr. Bear,’ played by Christine Houser. That moment gave us a peek at her, but it was fleeting. After that, the focus stayed on the living characters—Danny, played by Bob Saget, navigating single parenthood, and the girls growing up with their quirky extended family.

The show’s charm came from its mix of humor and heart. Think of Uncle Jesse, played by John Stamos, rocking his mullet and music dreams, or Dave Coulier’s Joey bringing the comedy with his impressions. But Barber and Sweetin reckon a bit more of Pamela’s story could have deepened those emotional beats without changing what we loved about it.

I can see their point. ‘Full House’ was all about family, and Pamela was a big part of why that family looked the way it did. Maybe a few more mentions—like DJ recalling her mom’s advice or Michelle asking about her—could’ve kept that connection alive. It wouldn’t have to be heavy, just a nod to the past that shaped them.

Years later, the cast brought us ‘Fuller House,’ which hit Netflix in 2016 and ran for five seasons. Even there, Pamela didn’t get much attention. The spin-off focused on DJ, now a widow herself, raising her kids with Stephanie and Kimmy’s help. It mirrored the original setup, but again, the past felt distant.

Barber and Sweetin’s podcast keeps the ‘Full House’ spirit going, letting them reflect on the show with us. Their take on Pamela makes sense—her absence was the whole reason Danny’s crew came together, yet she became a ghost in the story. A little more of her might’ve made those Tanner moments hit even harder. What do you think—would you have liked to hear more about her too?