why wasn't Diff'rent Strokes ever as big in the ratings like everyone remembers it as.

It's peak was #17 in 1980-1981, yet for a generation of us who grew up in the 80's, it's shocking the show wasn't a top 5 smash. Same applies with Facts Of Life.

How weren't these shows anywhere as big in the ratings as they should've been and like everyone remembers?

Oh man I can tell you that there are a lot of shows that were not top 10 shows but are truly popular today:

Different Strokes
The Facts of Life
Family Matters
The Brady Bunch (Duh, right?)
Martin
Living Single
Sister Sister
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Married with Children
Clueless
Moesha
Sabrina, the teenage witch
Gilligan's Island

and there are more. It seems once these shows hit syndication, people are more prone to watch them

I have to agree about the syndication helping. Diff'rent Strokes hit syndication fairly early in it's run (yet where is it today http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ubb/frown.gif ) so kids like me who were barely alive when it first hit in 78 were able to see the early reruns as a kid, and then see new episodes at night.

God I miss this show!!!

It may have never been a huge ratings winner, but I think it was consistently in the top 30 until the final 2 seasons which slipped badly.. The Facts of Life was in similar ratings spots - both had very long, successful runs..

Actually, the best rating that it ever had was #19...and FOL did alot better then DS for most of the seasons. Did you actually know that DS had top 50 ratings for it's last season...but then dropped down mid-way?

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Andrew Carden