Par For the Course is episode seven of the sixth season in this television sitcom on Family Matters, that originally aired from ABC on November 4, 1994. It was directed by Richard Correll and written by Gary M. Goodrich.
Plot
Carl's sharp-tongued boss, Capt. Savage (Sherman Hemsley), invites him along on a golf outing. Of course, Urkel also gets invited by Savage to tag along (due to both of them being cheese fans), and the result is exactly what one would expect. Meanwhile, Harriette and Laura have it out when she starts coming in past curfew. The last straw came when Harriette showed up at a party, clad in a robe and curlers, to bring her daughter home.
Synopsis
Carl's boss Captain Savage invites Steve for dinner and to play golf much to Carl's chagrin. The next day, Caddy Urkel suspects that Savage is cheating in the game and tells Carl about it. This puts the portly cop in a serious dilemma in whether or not that he should tell his boss to stop gambling or tell Steve to buzz off.
Meanwhile, Laura is humiliated when she comes back home with a robed Harriette because she lost track of time. When she grounds her for acting like a child, Laura angrilly responds by not talking to her.
The next day, she complains to Maxine about Harriette being too overprotective of her. She admits that she's lucky that her mother doesn't butt into her life. However, an outraged Maxine sets Laura straight for her ungrateful and bitchy attitude towards Harriette for caring about her well being. She revealed that she came home from the party around 3:00, but her own parents didn't care that she came home late and never bothered to punish her. As a result Maxine even admits she relates to Steve because his parents are like hers, neglectful and uncaring of their well being. Before she leaves, she tells Laura that she would rather have Harriette as her mother because she would benefit from it. Maxine also wishes that Laura finds out what's it like to live with her uncaring parents, then she'll understand how lucky she is to have Harriette as a mother who cares about her.
At the golf course, Carl eventually takes Steve's advice and tells Captain Savage to stop cheating at once. He's given a stern warning by his captain if he tells him to stop cheating again, he'll fire him.
Later on, Laura apologizes for her shallow nature and Harriette compromises her curfew by bumping up an hour.
During the end credits, a frustrated Carl is at the golf course and he's still trying to hit the golf ball, but every golf club that Steve gives him fails. Urkel pulls out the one club that does the job. It turns out to be successful and high-fives Steve for that result.
Cast and Characters
Main
- Reginald VelJohnson as Carl Winslow
- Jo Marie Payton-Noble as Harriette Winslow
- Rosetta LeNoire as Estelle Winslow (credit only)
- Darius McCrary as Eddie Winslow (credit only)
- Kellie Shanygne Williams as Laura Winslow
- Bryton McClure as Richie Crawford (credit only)
- Jaleel White as Steve Urkel
- Shawn Harrison as Waldo Geraldo Faldo (credit only)
Guest
Recurring
Trivia
- Jaleel White who was reunite with Hemsley in the 1990 TV movie Camp Cucamonga (along with Full House/Fuller House member Candice Cameron Bure).
- It is revealed by Maxine that like Steve Urkel's parents, her own parents are neglectful and uncaring about her well-being.
Goofs
- After Urkel hits the ball that bounces around the trees, the ball lands on the ground and disappears just before cutting to the next shot.