Did they do that? A retrospective podcast on classic sitcom “Family Matters” is coming soon, in the latest project looking to mine nostalgia for TV hits of yore.
“Welcome to the Family With Telma and Kellie,” from iHeartMedia‘s podcast division, is co-hosted by cast members Kellie Williams (who played middle daughter Laura Winslow) and Telma Hopkins (Aunt Rachel). On each episode of the podcast, the duo will share their personal reflections in making “Family Matters,” one of the longest-running sitcoms with a Black cast, and discuss their favorite episodes and characters — as well as bring some other fellow cast members into the conversation.
Guests on “Welcome to the Family” will include series producer Bob Boyett, Reggie VelJohnson (Carl Winslow) and Shawn Harrison (Waldo Faldo). Hopkins and Williams also will answer listener questions about the show. In the first episode, the hosts will discuss their personal journey to being cast on the series, their favorite moments from filming the pilot and the episode’s storyline.
The podcast will premiere Nov. 5 on iHeartRadio app and across all major audio platforms. New episodes will be available weekly on subsequent Wednesdays. (Listen to the trailer below.)
Williams said in a statement, “To this day, ‘Family Matters’ is one of the most-streamed sitcoms and it is an honor for me to be able to go back in time and remember what it was like as a kid to grow up on the show and go through some of the same things my character, Laura Winslow, did. Not to mention doing it with my surrogate mom, Telma, who’s become one of my closest friends and is really another member of my family, as well as reconnecting with fans and hearing how the show impacted them. We hope fans enjoy listening to these episodes as much as we have enjoyed making them!”
Hopkins added, “My time on ‘Family Matters’ was one of the highlights not just of my career, but my life, the friendships I made have lasted decades, so it is incredibly gratifying to relive these episodes with Kellie, who I consider to be one of my ‘kids,’ and talk about each episode — from the storylines you know to the behind-the-scenes stuff you don’t. The fun for me is that I can truly watch as an ‘audience member’ now, and I’m loving it! Welcome to the family, y’all!”
“Welcome to the Family” is produced by Audiation, a New York-based podcast company that produces commissioned and original series in partnership with brands, celebrities and creators. Audiation originals include “Gender Spiral with Ally Beardsley and Babette Thomas,” “Leaving the Island” and “Four Strings and the Truth.”
ABC aired nine seasons of “Family Matters” from 1989-1998. All episodes of “Family Matters” are currently available on Disney’s Hulu.
“Family Matters,” which was a spinoff of “Perfect Strangers,” followed the Chicago-based Winslow family. Its breakout character was nerdy boy genius Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, whose famous catchphrase was “Did I do that?” (Steve Urkel, who lived next door to the Winslows, had a crush on Laura.) Per Hulu’s description of the show: “The extended Winslow family redefines the word ‘togetherness’ as their home splits at the seams with chaos, confusion and laughter.”
Williams, born and raised in Washington, D.C., began her acting career at the age of 4. Her breakout moment came with a home video audition, filmed by her father, that secured her the iconic role of Laura Winslow on “Family Matters.”
Hopkins is an actress and singer who first gained fame as a member of pop group Tony Orlando and Dawn. She got her start as a teenager in Detroit singing background vocals on some of Motown’s most memorable hits like “Reach Out,” “Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “That’s The Way Love Is,” as well as Isaac Hayes’ classic soundtrack from the movie “Shaft.” After her singing career, Hopkins appeared in sitcoms including “Bosom Buddies,” Gimme a Break!” and “Family Matters,” earning multiple NAACP Image Award nominations and a BET Comedy Award. Her film credits include “The Wood,” “Running Out of Time” and “The Matrix Resurrections.” She recently appeared in “Brewster’s Millions: Christmas” and has been featured in Netflix’s series “Dead To Me” as well as “Family Reunion,” “The Family Business” and soap opera “The Young and the Restless.” She also starred in Amazon series “Clean Slate,” alongside George Wallace and Laverne Cox.
The ensemble cast of “Family Matters” also featured Jo Marie Payton, Rosetta LeNoire, Darius McCrary, Kellie Shanygne Williams, Valerie Jones, Joseph and Julius Wright, Telma Hopkins, Jaimee Foxworth, Michelle Thomas, Orlando Brown and Judyann Elder. Bryton James, who played Richie Crawford on eight seasons of “Family Matters,” recently said he is working on an idea for an animated reboot of the sitcom.
Listen to the trailer for “Welcome to the Family”:
