Pulling Teeth is the twentieth episode of the fourth season of Family Matters, which aired on ABC on March 19, 1993. It was directed by Gary Menteer and written both by David W. Duclon and Gary Menteer.
Synopsis[]
A five-way phone conversation between Eddie, Waldo, Urkel, Laura and Maxine results in the unlikeliest of couples – Waldo and Maxine. The two really hit it off! Meanwhile, Richie struggles with getting rid of a loose baby tooth, prompting Carl to help get it out. Unfortunately, he unintentionally ends up on the wrong due to Urkel's clumsiness, leading to Carl chasing him around again.
Plot[]
Richie struggles with getting rid of a loose baby tooth, prompting Carl to help get it out. This move is against Harriette's admonition who warns Carl to do things the right way and set him up for an appointment with the dentist to properly get it removed.
Maxine calls Laura to inform her that Roger broke up with her after getting his car fixed. She tells Max that she previously warned her not to give him the money, knowing that he was just using her to get what he wanted. Maxine tells Laura that she remembers hearing the warning several times. At the time, she didn't believe her friend thinking she was just jealous of her. As soon as Roger got his car fixed up, he was caught cheating on her with another girl and dumped Maxine. The call is interrupted by Steve who calls Laura in excitement over wanting her to his new yodels for her. She tells him that it's not the time and accidentally tells him about Maxine's break-up with Roger. After forcing him to not tell anyone, Laura resumes her call to Maxine. Urkel calls Eddie up and informs him about the break-up between her and Roger. He also tells him to inform Waldo that Maxine is now available for him to date. He thanks Steve for the information and asks him to stay on the line. Eddie immediately calls Waldo up and tells him about Roger dumping Maxine. He attempts to remind Waldo about his crush on her. He reminds Eddie that is between them, Urkel and the writing on the wall. He tries to convince Waldo to date Maxine now that she's available. He is unsure and fears her rejection if he asked her. The call is interrupted by Steve's incoming call, which Eddie answers. Urkel warns him not to tell anyone else about it because he has Laura on the other line. He mentions that he just told Waldo because they know how much he likes Maxine and is too afraid to ask her out. Steve asks Eddie to stay on the line and resumes his call to Laura. He mentions Waldo's crush on Maxine and wants to date her. However, he's too afraid to ask her. Laura is incredulous and asks Steve to stay on the line. Going back to her call to a crying Maxine, Laura informs her of Waldo's crush on her. At first, she is in shock about this turn of events. Laura asks Maxine if she's ever considered going out on a date with him. Maxine considers that option if Waldo asks her out. Laura goes back to Urkel and informs him that she may consider dating him. This turns into a 5-way conversation between them, Maxine and Waldo as they set up a date for the movies.
Carl has ignored Harriette's admonition to take Richie to the dentist and attempts to remove the tooth himself with a technique that his grandfather taught him. She catches this and is disappointed in him again for attempting the Door-Attached-To-The String trick again. Harriette reminded Carl of the previous years that he used that trick on Eddie when he was a kid. He was so traumatized by the door slamming that he kept his bedroom door opened all night. Hence it's why she always took their kids to the dentist to get their baby teeth removed. Carl refuses to take Richie to the dentist due to costs and is confident that he can get the baby tooth removed without problems. Harriette warns him that he will regret it one day. Carl attempts to teach Richie an old technique his grandfather taught him by putting the string on his own tooth. However, he unknowingly fall into his own trick as Steve comes over for a visit and closes the door, causing him to fall down. After removing the string off his tooth, Carl gets up and chases after Urkel again.
Waldo and Maxine calls their friends and tells them about the date. Despite some hic-ups, the two really hit it off very well. Laura and Eddie bid Waldo and Maxine goodnight, while ignoring Urkel's call to tell him what is going on.
While waiting for them call him back in the end credits, Steve hears his mother, Diane's voice. She yells at him by reminding him it's 3 am and demands to know why he's not in bed at the time she and Herb told him. Urkel explains that he's still waiting for Eddie and Laura's call and Diane tells him to go bed already.
Cast[]
Main[]
- Reginald VelJohnson as Carl Winslow
- Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow
- Rosetta LeNoire as Estelle Winslow (credit only)
- Darius McCrary as Eddie Winslow
- Kellie Shanygne Williams as Laura Winslow
- Jaimee Foxworth as Judy Winslow (credit only)
- Bryton James as Richie Crawford (credited as Bryon McClure)
- Jaleel White as Steve Urkel
- Telma Hopkins as Rachel Crawford
- Shawn Harrison as Waldo Geraldo Faldo
Guest[]
Recurring[]
Gallery[]
.jpg "Pulling Teeth (2).jpg (7 KB)")
Trivia[]
- This episode begins the Waldo Faldo-Maxine Johnson relationship.
- Urkel refers to his mother as "Mom" even though he's always referred to his parents (and mostly everyone else) by their first names.
- The phone conversation between the main teen cast had to be rehearsed carefully in the days leading up to principal photography. The five set pieces were placed next to each other in front of the live audience, shot simultaneously and lit up individually when a character was introduced into the conversation. Both phone conversations had to be shot in one single take, meaning that any mistake would require them to start over.
- This episode also marks the only appearance of Urkel's mother, Diane, as only her voice can be heard in the closing credits.
Quotes[]
- Maxine: Waldo said he was dying to see Malcolm Ten.
- Laura: Malcolm Ten?
- Waldo: [to Eddie] Yeah. Don't you know your Roman numerals? Malcolm X is Malcolm Ten.
- Maxine: Waldo, don't you think it's weird? I mean, we've known each other for years, and we never thought about going out together.
- Waldo: Well, actually I did. I thought about it a lot. And let me tell you, thinkin' ain't my thing.
- Diane: Steven! It is 3:27 a.m. Why in Sam Hill aren't you in bed?
- Urkel: Eddie and Laura promised to call me back. It would be rude of me to miss their call, Mom.