Has anyone else notice this show doesn't get acknowledged for being the longest running female lead series? I remember back in 2006 TV Guide was claiming Charmed was getting the title after beating Laverne & Shirley who held the title prior. (http://www.tvguide.com/news/charmed-hits-final-37377/) How Laverne & Shirley got the title, I have no idea. Charmed was only on for 8 years. Now with all the talk about Charmed getting rebooted, they're mentioning how that show became the longest running female lead series again. The Facts of Life is a multi female lead series that lasted 9 years. I don't understand why it didn't get recognized when throwing the title around back then. This show needs to be praised more and acknowledged for the milestones it accomplished during its run. If it did, maybe the young adults Lisa played with on Survivor back in 2012 would have known who she was.

Is it though? It could be considered the longest running female ensemble cast but definitely NOT the longest running sitcom with a female lead. Although One Day at Time had a mostly all female cast and it lasted 209 episodes as well.

That title should be going to Murphy Brown, which ran 10 seasons AND is going to be getting a reboot, so it will take the cake as the longest running sitcom with a female lead.

Alice is also very close with 202 episodes.

Is it though? It could be considered the longest running female ensemble cast but definitely NOT the longest running sitcom with a female lead. Although One Day at Time had a mostly all female cast and it lasted 209 episodes as well.

That title should be going to Murphy Brown, which ran 10 seasons AND is going to be getting a reboot, so it will take the cake as the longest running sitcom with a female lead.

Alice is also very close with 202 episodes.


When reading the article from TV Guide, they are talking about "longest running television series boasting all female leads". The Facts of Life was a multi female lead series the entire time it was on. Granted the first season did have a male lead, but they got rid of him and proved they can be successful without a man in the cast.

Laverne & Shirley, Charmed, and Murphy Brown had multiple male leads throughout the series. Also Alice never would have lasted 9 years without Vic there as Mel. Vic was the second lead of that show after Linda and he was needed to keep the show going. If they would have fired Vic after firing Polly, that show would have been a goner after a season or two. None of these shows were all female leads like The Facts of Life. The only other series I can think of that resembles The Facts of Life cast is The Golden Girls. It's all female leads.

Personally I think it's because of The Facts of Life's success as a female based series that networks took a chance on shows like The Golden Girls where the cast could be all females without a man. Unless I'm wrong, I don't think there was ever a show before The Facts of Life where the cast was all females.