Rumor Has It is the fourth episode of the third season of Family Matters, which aired on ABC on October 16, 1992. It was directed by Gary Menteer and written by Gary M. Goodrich.
Synopsis[]
Rumor has it that Ted went all the way with Laura on their date. Urkel knows this isn't true and tries to warn Laura about the fast-spreading rumor around school. Laura tells the nerd never to speak to her again, but then Maxine tells her she heard the very same rumors about her and Ted. Laura then enlists Urkel and Eddie to get the truth out into the open. When they do, Ted blames the rumors on his friend, Weasel, for starting it as Laura ends her relationship with him.
Plot[]
Carl and Harriette tries a new tactic in being good cop, bad cop to get Eddie to confess to his wrongdoing, which was not cleaning up his room and refusing to do homework.
Meanwhile at the school, Waldo is very annoyed by the poster clutter at the school and puts up his own poster with No Posters. He asks Urkel to help post it around school to bring awareness of the clutter it brings. Rumor has it that Ted "scored" with Laura on their date. Steve is stuffed in his locker trying to get Ted to talk to his friends, Weasel and Jim. He was asking Ted to do the right thing and explain the truth. Laura gets him out but when he tries to warn Laura about the fast-spreading rumor around school, Laura doesn't believe him and tells the nerd never to speak to her again.
Maxine later visits Laura, angered over how she treated Steve. She tells Laura off that she heard the exact same rumors from the basketball team, Instead of judging them, she asks Urkel what's going on. When Maxine learned that Ted's friends started the rumors, she was angered. Only then, Laura finally feels remorse for having misjudged Steve.
In the backyard porch, Laura is feeling guilt over how she treated Steve and Maxine defending him. Harriette and Rachel have come back from their exercise and are feeling great. This mood is soured when they notice Laura is depressed. After Harriette asks Rachel for a moment alone with her, the two have a discussion over what to do. Laura revealed she's at a loss when she tried to talk to Ted about what happened. Harriette suggests that she asks Eddie to help out and get the truth out from him.
The next day at school, the furious Eddie confronts Ted, Weasel and Jim. Urkel tries to calm him down, but he's too angry at Ted. Eddie demands that he tells the truth or he will be beaten up by him. Ted finally confesses that he had a normal date and nothing happened. He points out that it was both Weasel and Jim's idea to lie to the school and spread rumors about him and Laura going all the way. Before Eddie could cock his fist, Laura stops him and reprimands Ted for having not stopped the rumors before they got out of hand. She points out that they can't be in a relationship anymore because he betrayed her trust in him. After Ted and his friends leave, Laura apologizes to Urkel for having not listened to him.
Cast[]
Main[]
- Reginald VelJohnson as Carl Winslow
- Jo Marie Payton as Harriette Winslow
- Rosetta LeNoire as Estelle Winslow
- 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 Bryton McClure, credit only)
- Jaleel White as Steve Urkel
- Telma Hopkins as Rachel Crawford
- Shawn Harrison as Waldo Geraldo Faldo
Guest[]
Recurring[]
- Cherie Johnson as Maxine Johnson
- Shavar Ross as Alex "Weasel" Park
- Patrick J. Dancy as Ted Curran
Cameo[]
- Stacy Arnell as Stephanie
- Keri Johnson as Jim
Gallery[]
.jpg "Rumor Has It (2).jpg (25 KB)")
Trivia[]
- This marks the first appearance of Shavar Ross as Weasel, although he is referred to by his given name "Alex" in this episode.
Quotes[]
- Maxine: Laura, there's some rumors about you.
- Laura: Rumors?
- Maxine: Actually, it's just one rumor... but it's a doozy.
- Laura: Wait. Does this rumor have anything to do with me and Ted?
- Maxine: Yeah. Everybody says that you guys did it.
- Laura: I just found out that the first guy I ever really cared about is a creep.
- Harriette: Ted? What did he do?
- Laura: He told his friends that we did the horizontal polka.
- Harriette: Is that what I think it is?
- Laura: Yeah.
- Harriette: I see. Laura, did you have sex with Ted?
- Laura: No.
- Harriette: Whew.
- Laura: I mean, I thought about it... but I'm not ready for that yet.
- Harriette: Good, Laura. Very good. You did a good thing.
- Laura: What am I gonna do, Mom? Rumors about me are flying all over school.
- Harriette: First thing tomorrow, your father and I are gonna call Ted's parents.
- Laura: That won't do any good. They'll just ask Ted and he'll deny it. And the whole school will go right on thinking that I'm easy.
- Eddie: Tell me what happened on your date with Laura.
- Ted: Uh... We went to the movies, and then we grabbed something to eat... then I took her home.
- Eddie: Oh. That's it? You mean, you didn't score with her?
- Ted: No, I didn't score.
- Weasel: Yes, you did. You told us. We were standing right here.
- Ted: Shut up! Look, Eddie, I never said I scored, man. But I let them think I did.
- Eddie: So the truth is that nothing happened on your date with Laura. Right?
- Ted: Nothing. One kiss. And I kept my eyes open.
- Eddie: Ted, you do realize according to the Unofficial Code of Big Brothers that I should expose you and your friends' vital organs to daylight.
- Ted: True, but that code is unofficial.