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What Do You Know? is the nineteenth episode of the eighth season in this television sitcom on Family Matters, which was aired from ABC on February 28, 1997. It was directed by Richard Correll written both by Fred Fox Jr. and Jim Geoghan.

Plot[]

In order to win big on a game show, Eddie uses Urkel's transformation chamber to gain Urkel's smarts, only to have Urkel as an opponent. Meanwhile, in the backstory, Laura faces a dilemma when a Blackstreet concert is on the same night she promised Carl to spend time with him making ice cream.

Synopsis[]

After Urkel refuses to attend a game show called "What Do You Know?" in Eddie's place and tells him off to study for the show, he (claiming that he has to be at the TV studio the next day) pays Urkel back by getting into the transformation chamber to transform Eddie Winslow into Eddie Urkel to gain Steve's smarts to clean up on the show.

Meanwhile, Maxine invites Laura to see Blackstreet & Dr. Dre in concert but it just so happens to be on the same night that Laura promised Carl that she would spend some time with him. When Carl finds out and his feelings are hurt, Maxine wisely gives up her ticket so he and Laura can go to see Blackstreet together.

On the show "What Do You Know?, Eddie learns a hard lesson about studying and working hard when Steve shows up as one of his opponents to stop him. During the contest and despite matching wits in the science and other intellectual fields, Steve proves to be a tough but worthy opponent and exposes Eddie's lack of studying skills. This made the third contestant, Lyle, feel inadequate.

By the end of the show, both Steve and Eddie have 3970 points while Lyle got only 10. However, they answered the game's bonus question, which asked for the name of a model who appeared in a recent Sports Illustrated swimsuit magazine, incorrectly and bet all of their points, resulting in Lyle winning with a very low score.

Eddie then is more than happy to return to his normal self and has learned his lesson.

Cast and Characters[]

Main[]

Guest[]

Recurring[]

Cameo[]

  • Leo D. Frank III as Stage Manager
  • Monty Hoffman as Lyle
  • David Ruprecht as Lee

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • First and only appearance of Eddie Urkel.
  • Final appearance of the transformation chamber.
  • Bruce Lee and Elvis' liquefied genetic material can be seen in vials next to, ironically, Steve's own DNA.
  • The game show What Do You Know? combines elements of The Price is Right and Jeopardy!.
  • Eddie is the 3rd and final Winslow to adopt Steve Urkel's personality, physical appearance, quirks and interests, the 1st was Laura in It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel and the 2nd was Carl in To Be or Not to Be (Part 1).
    • However out of the Urkel alter egos of the Winslows, only Eddie's alter-ego is a villain and Steve is the protagonist.
    • Harriette, Richie, Rachel, Mother Winslow and Judy have never become Urkels, however.
    • Like Laura and Carl, Eddie does learn his lesson. That lesson is being the realization of the pitfalls of having such an unlimited genius and having to work hard for it, as he states earlier in the episode that after he got selected, he had to be at the TV studio the next day.
  • Laura proves she does show Carl respect and is willing to spend time with him at Blackstreet's concert. Eddie on the other hand often learns his lesson the hard way in blowing off his father for father/son activities whenever he's too busy hanging out with his own friends or going out on his dates with other girls.
  • If the first round of "What Do You Know?" starts with 25 points, which double with each round (i.e. 50 for Round Two and 100 for Round Three), it would have been impossible for Steve and Eddie to have the same number of points at the end of Round Three as the amount the former had would end with 35 or 85. It would also have been impossible for them to have 3970 points as that amount Eddie had would end with 10 or 60.

Goofs[]

  • No explanation is given to why Steve has a vial of Urkel elixir (which Eddie use to change into his personality) to win on a game show.
  • The transformation chamber always required someone from outside the chamber to pull the lever, yet Eddie Winslow was able to transform himself without any assistance at all.

Quotes[]

  v - e - dFamily Matters Season 8
Paris Vacation (Part 1)Paris Vacation (Part 2)Paris Vacation (Part 3)Movin' On3J in the HouseGetting BuffStevilKarate KidsHome AgainNightmare at Urkel OaksChick-a-BoomThe JuryIt Came Upon a Midnight ClearRevenge of the NerdLove TrianglesFather TimeBeauty and the BeastLe Jour d'amourWhat Do You Know?Odd Man InFlirting with DisasterPound FoolishThe Brother Who Came to DinnerA Pirate's Life for Me
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