Does anyone know why NBC gave The Facts of Life the opportunity to produce two TV movies during its original run? The only other sitcom I know that made two TV movies during its run was Sabrina The Teenage Witch. It's not very common for sitcoms to receive that kind of opportunity. I'm sure it cost quite a bit to produce. The Facts of Life was never NBC's highest rated sitcom, right? Wouldn't NBC and other networks want to give their top rated shows that kind of special treatment?

Well...another show that had Tv Movies were Saved by the Bell.

NBC had initially wanted the 1987 movie to take place in Rome. I just picked this out from a March 1986 broadcast magazine :

Family Ties had a movie where they went to Europe I think.

Family Ties had a movie where they went to Europe I think.
Yes they did. It was hilarious!

There was an elevated terrorism threat in Europe at the time, which is why they ended up going to Australia instead.