Full House: 10 Best Danny Tanner Episodes

When news broke that Bob Saget passed away, millions of people flooded social media mourning America’s Dad. While Saget had several roles over his career as an actor and comedian, one of his most memorable was Danny Tanner, the patriarch of the Tanner family from Full House. For eight seasons, Saget played Danny and taught audiences valuable lessons on parenting.

Danny Tanner was known for his quirks on Full House like his obsessive need to keep things tidy and organized which often was at odds with his rambunctious household. His quirks are what made Danny such a hilarious character, while his lessons and bond with his girls are what made him a loving character.

“The Miracle Of Thanksgiving” (Season 1, Episode 9)

While Full House is a comedy at its heart, the series does have an emotional premise since Danny is raising his daughters alone after his wife’s unexpected passing. There is a handful of episodes when her absence is most evident, like the season 1 Thanksgiving episode.

This is a great Danny Tanner episode because it shows just how far Danny will go to make sure his daughters are happy and thriving. After his mom is unable to come down to cook, Danny ropes in Jesse and Joey to give the girls what they really want: a homecooked Thanksgiving meal.

“The Big Three-O” (Season 1, Episode 11)

For most of Full House Danny is well put together, calm, and collected which is why it’s so fun to see his character deviate from that in special episodes. One of the first times fans got a glimpse at Danny’s untamed side was in the season 1 episode “The Big Three-O.”

Despite not wanting any surprises for his big 30th birthday, his family throws him one anyway. But what really gets Danny all out of sorts is when he learns that his beloved car accidentally rolled into the San Francisco Bay. Not only is it fun to see Danny blow up, but it’s also one of the best sitcom birthday episodes ever.

“Beach Boy Bingo” (Season 2, Episode 6)

Fans of Full House know that the Beach Boys were basically a reoccurring character on the series and a favorite Full House storyline. One of the best episodes they appeared on happened in season 2 when DJ wins a pair of tickets to see them in concert.

While the main plot revolves around DJ, Danny did play a major part in it since he and Jesse end up in a feud of sorts as they compete for DJ’s spare ticket. It’s one of the few times fans see Danny be selfish and not think of his girl’s feelings first but he quickly corrects himself when realizes how much stress he’s causing his daughter.

“Fraternity Reunion” (Season 3, Episode 23)

“Fraternity Reunion” is another episode of Full House where fans get to see Danny Tanner’s wild side. It centers around Danny and Joey’s college reunion which quickly goes awry when the two decide to dress up as women to infiltrate their rival sorority and steal back their frat’s mascot. Of course, this goes terribly wrong and the two end up arrested and get bailed out by DJ.

While “Fraternity Reunion” might not be culturally correct by today’s standards — namely the way Danny and Joey dress up as women is played for laughs — the episode is still memorable and one of Danny’s best. It’s also a great reminder that even adults make mistakes sometimes.

“Danny In Charge” (Season 4, Episode 12)

Despite being the best dad on television for several years, Danny Tanner had a lot of insecurities about his ability to parent his girls on his own. While he relied on those around him to help out, it wasn’t until season 4 that he got a taste of what parenthood would look like if he did it entirely on his own. The episode proved that while Danny is a great dad, it really does take a village to raise kids.

The episode has Danny juggling work and parenting struggles while Jesse and Joey are on a commercial job elsewhere. While Danny starts out strong, he quickly finds himself stuck in the middle of his girls as they both have extracurricular activities going on at the same time.

“Ol’ Brown Eyes” (Season 4, Episode 15)

“Ol’ Brown Eyes” is a quintessential family sitcom episode that has Danny reeling from the fact that he might not be a “cool dad” according to his eldest daughter DJ. Determined to prove her wrong, Danny sets out to sing a song at the benefit concert she has arranged for her school.

Again, this is one of those Danny Tanner episodes where fans get to see him shed his “good guy” image, but it’s also a Full House episode that teaches viewers a valuable lesson. In the end, Danny realizes that he doesn’t need to change who he is to earn love and respect from his family.

“Bachelor Of The Month” (Season 5, Episode 12)

While Danny dabbled in dating in the early seasons of Full House, it wasn’t until season 5 that he began to pursue romance more seriously. This turn sort of began with the “Bachelor of the Month” episode when he is named San Francisco’s most eligible bachelor of the month by a popular local magazine.

The episode is a fun one because Danny goes on lots of dates with some being great and others disastrous. However, it’s really one of Danny’s best episodes because it’s the first time he and Vicky actually acknowledge that they might have feelings for each other that go beyond being cohosts.

“The House Meets The Mouse” (Season 6, Episode 23 & 24)

“The House Meets the Mouse” is arguably one of the most memorable Full House episodes and certainly one of the best TV episodes with a Disney Park vacation. While the episode really centers on Michelle and her wild adventures at Walt Disney World, Danny does get a memorable subplot line.

After dating Vicky for some time, Danny decides it’s time to propose and there’s no better place to do it than at the most magical place on Earth. He ends up proposing to her during the firework show and it’s as romantic as expected. The episode also features one of Danny’s best parenting speeches when he scolds Michelle for running away from her sisters.

“High Anxiety” (Season 7, Episode 7)

Every parent can relate to Danny Tanner at some point but one of his most sympathetic episodes happens in the season 7 episode “High Anxiety.” With all of his daughters getting older, Danny starts to smother Michelle with love and affection since she’s his baby. However, this causes problems with Michelle who feels like Danny isn’t giving her room to grow.

While Danny is usually the one teaching everyone else a lesson, he learns one of his own in this episode when he’s reminded that just because his daughters are getting older doesn’t mean that they won’t still need him in some capacity.

“I’ve Got A Secret” (Season 8, Episode 4)

Since Full House didn’t get a proper ending, there was no big, emotional season finale. But that didn’t mean the final season didn’t have tons of emotional moments — including great Danny episodes. In “I’ve Got A Secret,” Danny and Michelle find themselves at odds again when Danny accidentally lets it slip that he knows about Michelle’s secret club.

This episode is great because it once again shows just how far Danny is willing to go to make sure his kids are happy, even if it means wading into a crowded mall for the latest toy that her club wants.

About The Author

Danielle Bruncati
(298 Articles Published)

Danielle Bruncati was born and raised in Southern California and has been a story-teller for as long as she can remember. She is currently a freelance writer for ScreenRant and is also pursuing a Master’s Degree in Television Writing and Producing from a top 10 film school. When she’s not writing, Danielle can be found binging the latest sitcom or teen tv series with her dog by her side or walking around Disneyland with a Mickey-shaped snack in hand.

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