At this point I am wondering whether I missed something somewhere. Up on "Youtube" there is the episode in which we meet Tootie's aunt who is married to an Anglo man. I remember this early episode quite well. One thing that I do not remember however is this aunt ever being mentioned again until the fifth season. Let us fast-forward to the episode in which Tootie's cousin asks out Natelie and she accepts. Tootie mentioned how when her aunt married a white man the whole family was upset and when they got divorced everyone was happy that there were no children. This was the first that I was hearing about the divorce! Might anyone know if somewhere in between the two episodes there was some mention of the aunt getting a divorce? It surprises me that that marraige did not last being that the aunt was committed to the point to where she would give up a dream job in New York because her husband felt strongly about staying in Bufalo!

I don't think it was ever mentioned until that particular episode. I think the writers added this small bit of info about these pervious characters for dramatic effect.

I've actually only watched the episode Brian and Sylvia once. In my opinion it is one of the most boring episodes of FOL. Right up there with Jo's Cousin. I hate the episodes that were obvious spin-off attempts for series that never made it. Boring!

I do like Crossing the Line though, but I have not watched it in a long time.

I don't think it was ever mentioned until that particular episode. I think the writers added this small bit of info about these pervious characters for dramatic effect.

I've actually only watched the episode Brian and Sylvia once. In my opinion it is one of the most boring episodes of FOL. Right up there with Jo's Cousin. I hate the episodes that were obvious spin-off attempts for series that never made it. Boring!

I do like Crossing the Line though, but I have not watched it in a long time.


The first thing that I would like to do is thank you for reminding me of the titles of those two episodes! Now let us move to the topic of spin-off attempts. One that comes to mind is "Big Apple Blues". Because of how much of a crush I had on Natelie, I would have liked to have seen this one make it to series! Now do you know for certain that the two episodes that you mentioned were spin-off attempts? I can understand why you might hypothosise about this, but I would be very interested in whether you have any documented fact.

Now, if in fact, Tootie's aunt's divorce did not get mentioned until that particular episode, that really surprises me! Given how emotional a person Tootie tended to by, I would think that, she would need a lot of support and counciling to deal with such a thing. Because of how close she was with the other girls and Mrs. G. I would expect her to discuss the situation with at least one of them.

The first thing that I would like to do is thank you for reminding me of the titles of those two episodes! Now let us move to the topic of spin-off attempts. One that comes to mind is "Big Apple Blues". Because of how much of a crush I had on Natelie, I would have liked to have seen this one make it to series! Now do you know for certain that the two episodes that you mentioned were spin-off attempts? I can understand why you might hypothosise about this, but I would be very interested in whether you have any documented fact.

I do not have any documented proof that "Brian and Sylvia" or "Jo's Cousin" were spin-off attempts. However, the set-up of those episodes along with the introduction of unknown characters as the focus while the main characters became obsolete in these episodes, makes me believe they were.

Now, if in fact, Tootie's aunt's divorce did not get mentioned until that particular episode, that really surprises me! Given how emotional a person Tootie tended to by, I would think that, she would need a lot of support and counciling to deal with such a thing. Because of how close she was with the other girls and Mrs. G. I would expect her to discuss the situation with at least one of them.

I think that in real life, a person like Tootie would be hurt and need to talk about her aunt's divorce. However, on a show like Facts of Life, writers often forget things that have happened in the past. The only reason they brought up Tootie's aunt and uncle in the "Crossing the Line" episode is because they needed a similar story to fit in with the one they were telling of Natalie and her African-American boyfriend.

I do not have any documented proof that "Brian and Sylvia" or "Jo's Cousin" were spin-off attempts. However, the set-up of those episodes along with the introduction of unknown characters as the focus while the main characters became obsolete in these episodes, makes me believe they were.



I think that in real life, a person like Tootie would be hurt and need to talk about her aunt's divorce. However, on a show like Facts of Life, writers often forget things that have happened in the past. The only reason they brought up Tootie's aunt and uncle in the "Crossing the Line" episode is because they needed a similar story to fit in with the one they were telling of Natalie and her African-American boyfriend.


I am very impressed at your insite into this subject! Thank you very much for taking the time to respond to my post!

I do not have any documented proof that "Brian and Sylvia" or "Jo's Cousin" were spin-off attempts. However, the set-up of those episodes along with the introduction of unknown characters as the focus while the main characters became obsolete in these episodes, makes me believe they were.



I think that in real life, a person like Tootie would be hurt and need to talk about her aunt's divorce. However, on a show like Facts of Life, writers often forget things that have happened in the past. The only reason they brought up Tootie's aunt and uncle in the "Crossing the Line" episode is because they needed a similar story to fit in with the one they were telling of Natalie and her African-American boyfriend.

I agree with everything you said in this post.

I like the way they brought Tooties aunt and uncle back into the mix-perfect-tying in action from a previous episode to the current one. As for Tootie discussing the divorce perhaps she discussed it off screen so to speak-the episodes don't show every single movement the girls make.

Brian and Sylvia was boring but I did like Jo's cousin. Both were spin off attempts that didn't fly. Jo's cousin could have made for a good TV series.