Family Matters/In a Jam

In a Jam
Season 1, Episode 19
Airdate	February 23, 1990
Production Number	446019
Written by	Alan Eisenstock & Larry Mintz
Directed by	Richard Correll
Stream
← 1x18 Sitting Pretty	1x20 → The Candidate
Family Matters — Season One

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In a Jam is the nineteenth episode of the first season of Family Matters.

As Carl is auditioning for a spot as traffic reporter for a local TV station, Urkel is trying to evade a bully who is always stealing his lunch money. When Urkel tries to stick up for himself, the bully's threats grow increasingly dark, forcing him to turn to Eddie for help.

Starring: Reginald VelJohnson (Carl Winslow), JoMarie Payton-France (Harriette Winslow), Rosetta LeNoire (Estelle Winslow), Darius McCrary (Eddie Winslow), Kellie Shanygne Williams (Laura Winslow), Jaimee Foxworth (Judy Winslow), Joseph Julius Wright (Richie Crawford)

and Telma Hopkins (Rachel Crawford)

Guest Starring: Jaleel White (Steve Urkel), Randy Josselyn (Rodney Beckett), Ebonie Smith (Penny)

Guest Starring: Markus Redmond (Bull), Tom Henschel (Jimmie), Rick Scarry (The Reporter)

Plot Overview

Eddie balks at first when Urkel asks for help. When he goes to the teen hangout to defend Urkel, Bull isn't there, leading a frustrated Eddie to tell the nerd to to away. Moments after Eddie leaves, Bull shows up, and when Urkel declares he's no longer giving him any money, Bull grabs him and tells him the next time there will be very serious consequences. This is all witnessed by Laura and the Winslow children's friends, Rodney and Penny, and the others ... although they all stand by idly and are reluctant to help.

At home, Eddie vents to Rodney, who reveals that Urkel really was threatened and although he certainly is annoyed by him, he doesn't want to see him seriously injured ... or worse. (Bull is twice Urkel's size and it is implied that he could easily kill him.) Eddie then goes to Carl for some help, as Carl is trying a few bad jokes Rachel wrote for him to help audition for the TV traffic reporting job. Carl tells Eddie that often in his job, he has to help people that he might not particularly like, because that's doing the right thing. Eddie agrees to go to the teen hangout the next day and help defend Urkel.

At the TV station, the audition isn't going well with the cliched jokes, when he is told of an accident on one of the busy interstates and that a detour has been set along a set of streets. Carl realizes the announced detour is even more inconvenient for motorists and suggests several other better routes. Carl then gets comfortable and is able to give a good, informative report with ease and confidence.

Meanwhile at the burger joint, Urkel apprehensively waits for Bull, giving Laura one of his prized items – a hemmoroid(!) – as a keepsake, certain that he wasn't going to be leaving the teen hangout on his own two feet. Bull then shows up and demands Urkel hand over the money ... NOW! Urkel says, "Sorry Bull, but the bank's closed." Bull then grabs Urkel and cocks back his fist, ready to land a punch with so much force he could break his skull.

In the nick of time, Eddie shows up and tells Bull to back off. Bull balks, but then agrees the nerd is off the hook, "but you ... you're a dead man!" Bull swings ... and misses. But Eddie's punch to Bull's stomach is perfect! Bull realizes he's been beat and agrees to leave Urkel alone. He leaves in defeat, and the others celebrate.

Carl shows up to see if everything is OK at the teen hangout, to which Eddie reveals that he ran Bull off. Carl then tells Eddie he got the job as traffic reporter!