Jodie Sweetin as Stephanie Tanner

The Awkward Years

There is no particular episode or, for that matter, season when we first detect a specific change of attitude in the character of Stephanie Tanner. It seems that all of the sudden, Stephanie was somehow a different person. Something had changed.

It is difficult to determine if the change was to Jodie Sweetin or the character of Stephanie Tanner. A number of contributing factors came into play at this time in Jodie's career. #1 - Full House was firmly established as one of ABC TV's top-rated shows.

#2 - Andrea Barber's character, Kimmie Kibbler, (seen in backgroung right) was greatly expanded, giving less time to the other characters.

#3 - Most episodes seemed to be centered about "Uncle Jesse," and the children were given little more than walk-on parts.

In episode 102 of Full House, however, Stephanie gets a bit more than her share of the spotlight in "Gotta Dance."  This featured spot on the show seemed to bring back that missing something to the bright character of Stephanie Judith Tanner and maybe even, Jodie Leanne Sweetin.