When Family Matters premiered on ABC in 1989, it quickly became a beloved part of the network’s iconic TGIF lineup. Born as a spin-off of Perfect Strangers, this sitcom distinguished itself by centering on a Black family, the Winslows, portrayed with depth and relatability, moving away from stereotypical representations prevalent in the 80s. Viewers were introduced to Carl Winslow (Reginald VelJohnson), a Chicago police officer known for his warmth, his wife Harriette (Jo Marie Payton), along with Harriette’s sister Rachel (Telma Hopkins) and her son Richie (Bryton James), and Carl’s mother, Estelle (Rosetta LeNoire). At the heart of the show were the Winslow children: the teenage siblings Eddie (Darius McCrary) and Laura (Kellie Shanygne Williams), and the youngest, Judy Winslow (Jaimee Foxworth). For four seasons, these characters navigated everyday family life with humor and heart, resolving conflicts in the feel-good manner typical of sitcoms. However, in a move that baffled audiences, Judy Winslow abruptly disappeared from Family Matters. The character was not recast or given a departure storyline. She simply vanished, never to be mentioned again, a decision that sparked confusion and anger among fans and even the cast.
Family Matters TV Poster
Judy Winslow: More Than Just the Youngest Winslow Child
Judy Winslow, though the youngest of the Winslow children at just nine years old when Family Matters began, was far from a minor character in the early seasons. She wasn’t always the focal point of storylines like her older siblings, but Judy Winslow was depicted as a typical child experiencing relatable childhood moments. She played with dolls, faced challenges at school, and shared a close, if sometimes turbulent, relationship with her siblings, especially Laura. As the youngest, Judy Winslow sometimes felt overlooked by her busy parents, occasionally leading to typical kid antics. However, the show consistently portrayed Carl and Harriette as loving and supportive parents to all their children, including Judy.
Judy Winslow had her moments to shine and demonstrate her personality. A notable example is the Season 2 episode “Ice Station Winslow.” In this episode, Judy Winslow proudly shares her good grade with her mother, Harriette, highlighting her academic struggles and subsequent achievement. However, Harriette is preoccupied with making a costume for Richie, the youngest family member at the time. Feeling overshadowed and jealous of the attention Richie receives, Judy Winslow acts out by tearing Richie’s costume. This leads to a tender scene between Judy Winslow and Laura, where Laura, drawing from her own experiences as an older sister, comforts Judy Winslow. Laura reassures her that the perks of being older, like staying up late, are something to look forward to. Feeling remorseful, Judy Winslow apologizes to Richie. This episode encapsulates the essence of Family Matters in its early seasons: lighthearted family situations leading to heartwarming resolutions and valuable life lessons, all within a tight thirty-minute format, and showcasing Judy Winslow as an integral part of the family dynamic.
The Shift to Urkel and the Unceremonious Exit of Judy Winslow
Midway through the first season, the episode “Laura’s First Date” introduced a character that would dramatically alter the course of Family Matters: Steve Urkel (Jaleel White). This nerdy neighbor, characterized by his oversized glasses, suspenders, and distinctive high-pitched voice, was an instant comedic sensation. Steve Urkel’s infatuation with Laura Winslow and his constant, often clumsy, interactions with the Winslow family, particularly his exasperation of Carl, became a comedic goldmine. Perhaps too successful, Family Matters gradually shifted its focus, increasingly centering on Steve Urkel and his comical escapades. The Winslow family, initially the heart of the show, began to take a backseat to Urkel’s antics. While the show retained its wholesome undertones, the humor became broader, relying more on slapstick and Urkel’s signature catchphrase, “Did I do that?” as he inadvertently caused chaos.
Steve Urkel transcended the show to become a full-blown pop culture icon. “Did I do that?” entered the popular vernacular. By Season 4, Steve Urkel’s popularity was so immense that it seemed to overshadow other aspects of the show. It was during this period that the showrunners made the controversial decision to remove Judy Winslow from Family Matters, reportedly to create more screen time for Steve Urkel. This wasn’t a gradual reduction in screen time, a common occurrence for characters in long-running series. Judy Winslow was simply erased. Actress Jaimee Foxworth was let go after Season 4, and when Season 5 began, Judy Winslow was gone without explanation. For the remaining five seasons of Family Matters, there was no mention of Judy Winslow. It was as if she had never existed. This abrupt removal was not only disrespectful to the character of Judy Winslow and the actress who portrayed her but also alienated a portion of the audience. It implied that Judy Winslow was inconsequential, that her presence didn’t matter, and that viewers were so engrossed in Urkel’s antics they wouldn’t even notice her absence.
In a 2017 interview with The Root, Jaimee Foxworth expressed her feelings about her dismissal:
“The producers felt that they could do it and no one would notice. They’d done it with previous shows they had. They figured no one would really care. My fans took notice of it. They figured they could just throw me away, no explanation at all. Some of my cast members knew before I did. It affected my self-esteem as an actress. And I started feeling like I wasn’t good at my job.”
Adding insult to injury, Foxworth was excluded from an Entertainment Weekly cast reunion photoshoot in 2017, further cementing her erasure from the Family Matters narrative:
“I was not invited at all. I wasn’t even contacted… It was a slap in the face from Entertainment Weekly. I don’t think there’s any good explanation.”
Cast Reactions to Judy Winslow’s Departure
Unsurprisingly, some of the Family Matters cast members were deeply unhappy with the decision to remove Judy Winslow. Not only was a member of their on-screen family dismissed, but it was also a young actress they had grown close to off-screen. Darius McCrary, who played Eddie Winslow, Judy Winslow‘s brother, offered a more pragmatic perspective in a 2019 interview with Comedy Hype:
“I just think that what happened to Jamie Foxworth, who is just a beautiful…multitalented individual…I think it was just a casualty of war, and all is fair in war… Whatever happened, whatever took place, it just didn’t work for the producers. In this game, it’s not about what works for you as a talent. It’s about what works for the producers.”
However, Jo Marie Payton, who played Harriette Winslow, Judy Winslow‘s mother, was vocal about her disapproval. In a 2022 interview with People, Payton expressed her strong feelings and recounted her conversations with the showrunners at the time:
“I said, You guys need to tell me something that is not only creative, but also politically correct to straighten out this situation because there’s nowhere in the world a family … You gave me three kids, you took away my baby. If you had taken away my oldest child, we could have always come up with [various excuses in the episodes] that she was at the mall or with her friends. You took away my baby, and when I asked you, ‘Why did you take away my baby girl?,’ you said, ‘Nobody would notice.’ I said, ‘You know what, when we’re walking down the street, nobody’s gonna notice you because they’re not going to ask you, they’re going to ask me what happened to Judy.'”
Payton has held onto the hope of a Family Matters reunion, envisioning a scenario where Judy Winslow makes a triumphant return. She stated:
“The very first episode has to be that [Judy] comes down those stairs. The worst feeling in the world for a parent is not to know where your child is, so if [a reboot were to happen], and Judy comes back, I will do Family Matters again!”
A Judy Winslow Reunion Remains Unlikely
Despite Jo Marie Payton’s hopes, a Family Matters reunion that includes Jaimee Foxworth, or any reunion at all, appears improbable. After leaving Family Matters, Foxworth stepped away from acting, later working in the adult film industry. In her interview with The Root, Foxworth suggested that her later career choices might have been a factor in her exclusion from the Entertainment Weekly reunion and would likely preclude her involvement in any potential Family Matters revival. This is unfortunate, as Family Matters, even as it became heavily focused on Urkel, was fundamentally about family and the importance of belonging. The removal of Judy Winslow as if she were inconsequential undermined the very essence of the show, even contradicting its title. Family was supposed to matter, but in the eyes of the showrunners at the time, it seems Judy Winslow did not.
Family Matters is currently available for streaming on Hulu.
