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Step by Step

Step by Step

1991–1998Ended7 seasons160 episodes~30 min/epTV-GMidcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

Step by Step is an American television sitcom with two single parents, who spontaneously get married after meeting one another during a vacation, resulting in them becoming the heads of a large blended family

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Step by Step?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Step by Step to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Step by Step?

Step by Step earns 1 badge: Feel-good.

Reception

Is Step by Step worth watching?

Step by Step's Midcredits score is the 40th percentile of all shows, from 19K ratings across 2 sources. 60% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

40th percentile

Better received than 40% of shows

38th percentile among Comedy27th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)50th
Approval (how many liked it)32nd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

50th percentile of all shows

50th percentile among Comedy37th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.9 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

60% liked it

32nd percentile of all shows

26th percentile among Comedy21st percentile among 1990s
60% rated it 7–1040% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

92nd percentile

18K ratings across platforms

87th percentile among Comedy85th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A lightweight, formulaic family sitcom built on recognizable archetypes that either charms or irritates depending on tolerance for 90s cheese.

Fans praised

  • warm nostalgic 90s family sitcom
  • Cody provides excellent comic relief
  • strong cast chemistry and ensemble dynamics

Detractors panned

  • derivative Brady Bunch clone with no originality
  • characters are shallow stereotypes
  • heavy-handed moral lessons and saccharine sentimentality

What stands out

ActingDivisive70

veteran leads moderate; child cast uneven; Sasha Mitchell effective for role

AtmosphereDivisive65

safe suburban 90s TGIF comfort zone

Emotional impactDivisive55

warm fuzzies and life lessons; detractors find them manipulative

HumorDivisive50

broad physical comedy and sibling banter; Cody and Dana chemistry high; lame for some

CharactersDivisive45

reduced to stereotypes; Dana divisive; Cody beloved despite simplicity

DialogueDivisive40

snappy insults by Dana; Cody's 'dude' wears thin; laugh track heavy

Plot and story30

thin premise, minimal story continuity, episode-to-episode

Originality15

Brady Bunch rehash; borrows Urkel-like breakout character

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Episodes

7 seasons

Season 7 · 1997 · 19 episodes

  • S7E1

    Making the Grade

    Sep 19, 199722 min
  • S7E2

    A Star is Born

    Sep 26, 199722 min
  • S7E3

    Your Cheatin' Heart

    Oct 3, 199722 min
  • S7E4

    Take This Job and ...

    Oct 10, 199722 min
  • S7E5

    Poetic Justice

    Oct 17, 199722 min
  • S7E6

    Can't Buy Me Love

    Oct 24, 199722 min

Watch experience

What is Step by Step like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
JoyfulWarmHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
WarmPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Resets each episode · 10% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show plays its family situations straight with sincere affection and gentle humour.
The rideThe series maintains a consistently light and upbeat emotional temperature across its run.
StructureEach episode follows a standard three-act sitcom structure.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained comedy story with a typical sitcom reset, where the family status quo is restored by the end.
Season formatSeasons are interchangeable batches: the family dynamic remains consistent, and any season is an entry point.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Feel-goodCozy · 5% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer with a comforting sense of family warmth and gentle laughs.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% (this title) · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of errors: Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.

12% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTypical episodes revolve around family misunderstandings and mishaps, fitting a comedy of errors structure.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% (this title) · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsCommunity: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Coming of age · 9% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series is about the forging of a new blended family and the various bonds that form between stepsiblings and parents.
StanceThe series celebrates the idea of a blended family and the bonds that form among its members.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
PopSupportive music · original score
SettingA blended family's suburban home and high school

Content guide

Is Step by Step okay for kids?

TV-G

Step by Step is rated TV-G. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (29/100), sexual content at moderate (44/100), language at mild (25/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (48/100) and frightening material at minimal (11/100). Its violence, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • Germany12
  • MexicoAA
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
heavy for a TV-G show
heavier than 96%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a TV-G show
heavier than 70%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (49 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Step by Step have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Step by Step?

Cast

4 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Patrick Duffy
as Frank Lambert
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Suzanne Somers
as Carol Foster Lambert
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Staci Keanan
as Dana Foster
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Brandon Call
as John Thomas 'J.T.' Lambert
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Angela Watson
as Karen Foster
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Christine Lakin
as Alicia 'Al' Lambert
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Christopher Castile
as Mark Foster
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Josh Byrne
as Brendan Lambert
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Sasha Mitchell
as Cody Lambert
Jason Marsden
as Rich Halke
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.

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What are shows like Step by Step?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Step by Step include Stuck in the Middle (2016), Life with Derek (2005) and Leave It to Beaver (1957).

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