| Danny in Charge | |
| Season 4, episode 12 | |
 | |
| Air date | December 14, 1990 |
| Writer(s) | Stacey Hur |
| Director | Joel Zwick |
| Previous | Secret Admirer |
| Next | Happy New Year |
Full House - Jesse and Joey spot a skunk & "Happy Trails"
Danny in Charge is episode twelve in season four on Full House. It originally aired on December 14, 1990.
The guys put Michelle to bed on the night of her 4th birthday, but she is too anxious to sleep as she insists that it is still her birthday. But they insist that she is already tired out from all the partying. Once they are out of the room and the coast is clear (and unbeknownst to them), she gobbles up some birthday cake that she stashed under her bed.
Synopsis
While Jesse and Joey are in a forest to try to find a fox to film for a commercial, and Becky is out of town, Danny is at home by himself with the girls, and he sees it as an opportunity to prove that he is a "super dad." He promises to attend a school science fair that Stephanie has entered a project in. Later, he promises to see Romeo and Juliet, a school play where D.J. will play Juliet. Danny then realizes that he has a big problem – both events are happening on the same day and at the same time.
All three girls storm upstairs, and Danny wants them to try to talk it out. However, D.J. is tired of Stephanie ruining her life by getting Danny to go to the science fair instead of the play, so she decides to go sleep in Jesse's room across the hall. All three girls are absolutely "fine" with that and slam their doors in disgust. This leaves Danny completely speechless as to the dilemma he has just created, and the problem which he cannot find the solution to.
Stephanie and D.J. each try their best to get their dad to attend their event. Danny thinks that he has it figured out where he can be at both events. Unfortunately, D.J. points out that her role takes place in the first scene at 3:15, while he promised to be there at 4:18, when the second scene begins and Juliet is already dead. And Stephanie does not like it because he will miss the judging portion. But, at least he will be at both.
On the big night, Danny does not show up to the play or the science fair. After the events, D.J. and Stephanie go home and discover that he had fallen asleep on Michelle's bed (while Michelle played quietly by herself). While he admits the "single parent" thing is hard on him ever since Pam's death, they admit to Danny that it was selfish of them to try to pull him in both directions at the same time (as the inspirational music plays), and then explain to him how everything went. They then decide (as the music stops) that after all the events that have happened today, they would help cook dinner (see Quotes) instead of him, for a change (as the audience applauds and the EP credits appear).
Quotes
[The girls prepare for school.]
Stephanie: Michelle, check out my project for the science fair [a cauliflower representing the brain]. This is what the inside of your brain looks like.
Michelle: I got cauliflower in my head?
D.J.: [eating cereal] No, but once you put a Lima bean up your nose.
Kimmy: [entering the back door] Ah, buenos dias, las Tanneritas! [notices Stephanie's science fair project] Ew! Sad-looking breakfast.
Stephanie: Kimmy, this is what's inside your head: half a brain! [She laughs, then puts her 'brain' inside a container and puts it in the fridge.] I don't want Dad to see this until the science fair, so remember: You guys never saw my brain.
Kimmy: I never saw it used anyway [now she laughs at her own insult joke].
[Danny prepares to take Michelle to preschool in his 'Superdad' role.]
Danny: Impossible [to do all the things he said he would]? For the average father, yes. But not for me, because I'm... [singing:] Superdad! Flying out the door! Superdad! You can eat right off my floor! Superdad!
[After Stephanie, then D.J., irately go upstairs, Danny follows after (and even Michelle does too).]
Danny: [in the hallway, as Michelle enters her room] Girls, can we talk about this?
D.J.: [walking towards Jesse's room] Stephanie, I am sick of you ruining my life! I'm sleeping in Uncle Jesse's room!
Stephanie: Fine! [slams shut the door of her and her sister's bedroom]
D.J.: Fine! [slams the door of Jesse's bedroom]
Michelle: Fine! [slams the door of her bedroom]
Danny: Michelle? What are you mad about?
Michelle: [comes back out] I'm not mad. I like this game. Fine! [slams her door again]
[Sitting around the dining table...]
Danny: Okay, we've got two events and one parent. That's what I call a dilemma. And you know my motto: 'When life gives you dilemmas, make "dilemonade"' [smiles].
Stephanie: Dad, you're stalling. [...] [sticking a fork in the "steamed vegetables" and pulling it out of the pan] Aah! This was my science project!
Danny: You made a side dish for a science project?
Stephanie: It was a brain... and you boiled it. [...]
Michelle: I'm hungry. Can I have some 'brain', please?
[Danny has a "little chat" with his daughters over what he missed (see infobox photo).]
Danny: I must be the luckiest dad in the whole world.
Stephanie: You must be the greatest dad in the whole world.
Danny: Aw, shucks! So, what'd the greatest dad in the whole world sleep through today?
D.J.: Well, the play was great. But Romeo got the hiccups, so we had to cut the kissing scene short.
Danny: Gee, what a shame! [to Stephanie] How about you, sweetie?
Stephanie: My 'brain' [cauliflower] won a special prize: 'Most Biodegradable'!
Danny: Well, I'm gonna go get dinner started.
D.J.: [stops him] Dad, you do so much for us. Let us cook dinner for you.
Stephanie: Great idea! C'mon, Michelle. You can be our special helper.
Michelle: [wagging her finger] Okay, but I'm not setting that table, Mister!
Trivia
- The episode title may be a take on the 1980s sitcom Charles in Charge
- Danny singing "Super Dad!" is a take on the classic Superman jingle – possibly originating from the 1940s radio program
- Danny's remark of "When life gives you dilemmas, make dilemma-nade", is a take on the proverb "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade", which means to turn something bad (or sour, like lemons) into something good (or sweet, like lemonade)
- Songs:
- "Happy Birthday to You" – Michelle changes it to "Happy Birthday to Me"
- "Happy Trails" – sung by Jesse & Joey in the forest (shown in the video)