In this episode of How It Started, How It Ended, Angela and Bobby revisit the pilot and series finale of Everybody Hates Chris, the semi-autobiographical sitcom inspired by the early life of Chris Rock.

Before diving into the episodes, they look back at Chris Rock's rise from stand-up comedy and Saturday Night Live to films, HBO specials, and eventually one of television's most beloved family sitcoms. They also reflect on why they somehow missed the series during its original run—even though, after watching the pilot and finale, both realize it was exactly the kind of show they would have loved.

The conversation explores the show's authentic portrayal of family life, growing up Black in the early 1980s, attending predominantly white schools, and the emotional weight carried by Chris as he tries to find where he belongs. Angela shares how much of Chris's experience resonated with her own childhood, while Bobby highlights the show's humor, memorable narration, and surprising cinematic influences.

When they reach the finale, they discuss how remarkably consistent the series remained over five seasons, the show's homage to The Sopranos, and whether its famously ambiguous ending delivers a satisfying conclusion.

Verdict: They both agree that Everybody Hates Chris sticks the landing.

In this episode:

• Chris Rock's career before Everybody Hates Chris
• Why Angela and Bobby never watched the series during its original run
• How the pilot establishes Chris's struggle to fit in at school and at home
• Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold's memorable performances as Chris's parents
• The show's realistic portrayal of family, race, and adolescence
• Why the finale feels like a natural continuation of the pilot
• References to The Godfather and The Sopranos woven throughout the series
• Whether the open-ended finale works

Shows and people discussed:

• Everybody Hates Chris
• Chris Rock
• Terry Crews
• Tichina Arnold
• Tyler James Williams
• Saturday Night Live
• The Sopranos
• The Godfather
• New Jack City
• Boomerang
• Martin
• The Wonder Years

If you enjoy the show, follow How It Started, How It Ended wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for more conversations about the TV shows that got us hooked—and whether they delivered the ending they deserved.

In the premiere episode of How It Started, How It Ended, Angela and Bobby revisit the first and final episodes of Family Matters to answer one question: Did the series stick the landing?

They begin by exploring the show's origins as a spin-off of Perfect Strangers and ABC's effort to recreate the success of The Cosby Show during the TGIF era. Looking at the pilot, they discuss how Family Matters was originally conceived as a warm, multi-generational family sitcom centered on the Winslow family and the everyday challenges of living under one roof.

The conversation then turns to one of television's most unexpected pivots: the arrival of Steve Urkel. Originally intended as a one-time guest character, Urkel became a pop culture phenomenon who transformed the series from a grounded family comedy into something far more outrageous.

After watching the two-part series finale, Angela and Bobby debate whether that dramatic evolution helped or hurt the show. They discuss everything from space travel and artificial gravity to missing cast members, changing networks, and whether the finale provided enough emotional closure.

Verdict: Bobby says Family Matters mostly sticks the landing, while Angela isn't convinced the series ever truly landed at all.

In this episode

• How Family Matters spun off from Perfect Strangers
• ABC's search for another family sitcom after The Cosby Show
• The original vision for the Winslow family
• Why Steve Urkel was only supposed to appear once
• How Urkel became the center of the series
• The surprising changes between the pilot and the finale
• What happened to several original cast members
• Whether the finale delivered a satisfying ending

Shows and people mentioned

• Family Matters
• Perfect Strangers
• The Cosby Show
• Jaleel White
• Jo Marie Payton
• Reginald VelJohnson
• Telma Hopkins
• Rosetta LeNoire
• Darius McCrary
• Die Hard
• Louis Armstrong
• TGIF

If you enjoy the show, follow How It Started, How It Ended wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for more conversations about the TV shows that got us hooked—and whether they delivered the ending they deserved.

“How It Started, How It Ended” is a monthly podcast hosted by Bobby Meadows and Angela Johnson Meadows, the couple that watches TV together. In each episode, they’ll revisit the first and last episodes of a classic TV series to answer one question: Did it stick the landing? From beloved sitcoms to iconic dramas, Bobby and Angela will share their reactions and perspectives on the characters, storylines, cultural impact and finales of programs that shaped generations. 

If you enjoy the show, follow How It Started, How It Ended wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for more conversations about the TV shows that got us hooked—and whether they delivered the ending they deserved.