Full House

Almost anyone who lived through the 90s has heard of Full House, an American family TV show that follows the lives of the Tanner family from San Francisco. I think Full House is a very good example of what most Americans think of when they think of the American Dream. It has a family that works hard and reaps rewards for their efforts, which is what every person thinks of and hopes to achieve when thinking of the American Dream.
It is even better than other family shows because the family itself if not typical. It consists of a father (Danny), three daughters (DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle), an uncle (Jesse), and a family friend (Joey), all living under one roof. The three men raise the children by themselves and I like it because it proves that you do not need the stereotypical two parents, two children, and one dog to have a successful and happy family life.
The show depicts the events of their lives throughout a span of almost ten years. Nothing amazing or unbelievable happens to them, they just deal with the common everyday problems that many families go through. It started with the tragedy of Danny's wife's death but the family pulled through it with each other's help and support and they came out strong in the end.
I believe that is the appeal of the show – many people can relate to it and I think it kind of brings hope to it's viewers that if you stick it out, things will inevitably get better. Eventually, everyone on the show seems to be content with their lives and thankful for what they have. They do not have any extravagant possessions and, as cliché as it sounds, it is the love and the closeness of the family that is the root of their happiness. I find that this is one of the more meaningful aspects of the American Dream that leads to true happiness compared to the materialistic side of the American Dream and this is also probably why this show was so popular.