The second half of Fuller House's third season debuted Dec. 22 on Netflix, and there's one notable detail about the Part 2 premiere that's particularly somber. The newest episode of Fuller House is dedicated to Marsh McCall — a name that many not recognize right off the bat, but one that's been responsible for some of the highest quality comedy content of recent years.
McCall was an executive producer on Fuller House before his sudden passing due to natural causes in late May of this year, according to Deadline. "Our Fuller House family is heartbroken over the sudden passing of our co-executive producer Marsh McCall," the series creator and executive producer Jeff Franklin said, according to Deadline. “He was our brightest shining star, always smiling, and always there with the perfect joke. Beyond his immense talent, he was the happiest comedy writer we’ve seen, and his love of life was contagious. We will miss him dearly, and our hearts go out to his beautiful family and a universe of friends who adored him."
McCall had an impressive résumé that spanned years and included some of the most iconic television comedies of our time. According to Deadline, he began his career as a staff writer and then head writer on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The Hollywood Reporter even states that he was one of the original writers hired on O'Brien's show, alongside icons like Andy Richter and Bob Odenkirk. He then transitioned to work on the 1997 sitcom Just Shoot Me! and eventually became the executive producer, Deadline reports.
Following his death, there was an outpouring of grief from the comedy and television communities. Legends like Fred Savage and Jon Lithgow took to Twitter to express their heartbreak.
It's no secret among insiders the influence McCall had in the TV industry. Michael Jamin, a fellow television writer who has worked on shows like Rules of Engagement and Wilfred, said to Deadline that McCall changed his life as they worked together on Just Shoot Me!
"Marsh gave me the single most helpful piece of advice I’ve ever received in my career. He said that when everyone in the room is pitching on a joke, don’t come at it from the same direction as they are. They’re too funny, and you’ll never beat them to the punchline," Jamin said following McCall's death, according to the above Deadline article. "He told me to approach the joke from a completely different angle. Instead of climbing over the wall with everyone else, find a way to dig under it. It’s no exaggeration to say that Marsh’s advice changed everything for me."
Some of the Full House/Fuller House stars also took to Twitter to talk about McCall.
Another Fuller House writer, Craig Shoemaker, took to Facebook to express how much working with McCall on the program had meant to him. "In a world of chaotic egos, this is a man of balance, integrity, intelligence and grace, showing this newcomer to a writers room how it’s done the right way," he wrote, according to another Deadline report. "Marsh treats others with respect and kindness, while remaining passionate and focused on the work. He’s a guide without the title, simply being genuine, engaging and funny, while still banging out the work to be done."
It's clear what the writer and producer meant to those around them, and it is only fitting that Fuller House would give him a farewell nod as it returns for the second part of its third season. It'll be interesting to watch how the series will continue to progress without the help of someone who was apparently such a huge influence on that writers' room, but based on how he's been remembered since his death, it's safe to say his influence will linger on.
