Okay, maybe not "ripped off", but definitely "borrowed heavily from".

So tonight, I watched Little Darlings, the 1980 film which I had long known was the inspiration for the "Jo" character, after NBC exec Brandon Tartikoff saw the movie. (It's free to view on YT).

I was of course aware that Jo was based on Kristi McNichols' tough-girl-from-the-city character (named Angel). But I wasn't aware of how much of LD the writers/producers pulled into FOL. "The New Girl", parts 1 and 2, are loosely based on the film, with the rich and snooty Blair character (Farris) meeting tough delinquent Angel, and they immediately clash.

Then they break curfew to meet up with guys (in Ferris' case, a much older man), and at one point, Angel hot-wires a school bus so that she can take "the girls" for a ride into town (there are about eight girls). There, they break into a men's restroom to steal condoms. Later, they go back to the cafeteria, and a food fight ensues. After weeks or months of fighting, they slowly become friends.

Even the casting of Nicholas Coster, as Blair's dad, seems to have been inspired by him playing Farris' father in Little Darlings.

(One of the ironies of this movie is that one of the eight girls in Little Darlings is Simone Schachter, Felice's younger sister. So while Felice's role on FOL was being whittled down to nothing, Felice's sister scored a role in a feature film, then FOL steals storylines and characters from the film her sister just appeared in... it's a bit bizarre).

Anyone else see this film? What are your thoughts? BTW, this movie perfectly encapsulates the late 1970s in so many ways; not just the fashions and the hair, but also how people thought back then. I was kind of shocked at how much I was reminded of stuff that happened back in that era, often little stuff I'd completely forgotten about.

Guess nobody's seen this?

Nobody but you! (so far, lol)


RetroGuy2000 when Little Darlings is on: popcorn:

Nobody but you! (so far, lol)


RetroGuy2000 when Little Darlings is on: popcorn:
Haha! Very cute!

(I actually just watched on YouTube, so no popcorn.)

Never knew about this! I watched the first half on YouTube and I already see the inspiration for season 2. There’s definitely borrowed material, one girl even says Chug A Lug in the film :eek: I’m actually shocked they didn’t sue The Facts of Life as I feel there were lots of character and plot similarities here.

I've seen the movie several times over the years, back in 80's I watched anything McNichol was in.

Never knew about this! I watched the first half on YouTube and I already see the inspiration for season 2.

Oh good! It's not just me.


There’s definitely borrowed material, one girl even says Chug A Lug in the film :eek:

YES! I noticed that, too! GREAT comment!


I’m actually shocked they didn’t sue The Facts of Life as I feel there were lots of character and plot similarities here.

Definitely. I don't know that a lawsuit would have been successful, but they definitely borrowed a ton of stuff. Because I've only seen FOL up until now, when I got to scene where Angel hot-wires the school bus, I had to catch myself from thinking, "They stole that from FOL!" :lol:

I've seen the movie several times over the years, back in 80's I watched anything McNichol was in.

Yeah, she was a big star in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, before she developed some mental health issues. I loved her as Barbara on EN.

Any thoughts on LD vs. FOL?

I loved her as Barbara on EN.

I preferred Dinah Manoff as Carol a bit more, but I did enjoy KM as Barbara, and wish she hadn't left.

Yeah, she was a big star in the '70s, '80s, and '90s, before she developed some mental health issues. I loved her as Barbara on EN.

Any thoughts on LD vs. FOL?


I love "Little Darlings" !! It's one of my all time favorite movies!!:) I was SO in love with Matt Dillon after seeing it, and Kristy was really cool!!:) I loved her in the show" Family" a lot too !:)

Similarities of LD and FOL ? I never thought about it before , but maybe a little bit!! ;):wave:

I preferred Dinah Manoff as Carol a bit more, but I did enjoy KM as Barbara, and wish she hadn't left.

Dinah Manoff, as the neurotic Carol, was in a class by herself. Seriously! :lol:

What I was most sad about is we never got an episode with all three daughters at the same time. Just Carol and Barbara, Carol and Emily, and then Carol by herself. That was weird. It was like the Westons were in some dimension where they couldn't all be in the same plane of existence at the same time.

I love "Little Darlings" !! It's one of my all time favorite movies!!:)

I was too young to watch it, when it was released in 1980. After I heard of the FOL connection, it was always going to be one of those movies I meant to see. I'm glad I've seen it, now.


Similarities of LD and FOL ? I never thought about it before , but maybe a little bit!! ;):wave:

Seems like more than a little bit to me, but to each his/her own. :)

Dinah Manoff, as the neurotic Carol, was in a class by herself. Seriously! :lol:

lol, yup, and she was great. But I couldn't believe it when I was a teenager and realized one day while watching Grease that the same woman who was the neurotic Carol Weston was the sex kitten Pink Lady Marty Maraschino! I was like, "That's the same woman who was CAROL ON EMPTY NEST?? :eek:" lol


What I was most sad about is we never got an episode with all three daughters at the same time. Just Carol and Barbara, Carol and Emily, and then Carol by herself. That was weird. It was like the Westons were in some dimension where they couldn't all be in the same plane of existence at the same time.


Haha, yeah...and you know what else is really weird? Guess who was the first daughter recognized on the show? Emily! Harry was on the phone with her in the opening scene of the pilot, but we wouldn't meet her until season four??? That's crazy!

lol, yup, and she was great. But I couldn't believe it when I was a teenager and realized one day while watching Grease that the same woman who was the neurotic Carol Weston was the sex kitten Pink Lady Marty Maraschino! I was like, "That's the same woman who was CAROL ON EMPTY NEST?? :eek:" lol

Yep crazy!


Haha, yeah...and you know what else is really weird? Guess who was the first daughter recognized on the show? Emily! Harry was on the phone with her in the opening scene of the pilot, but we wouldn't meet her until season four??? That's crazy!

I know, I just watched that scene, haha!

I always liked it that they referred to Emily during the first few seasons. Made it so much more believable when she showed up, as we'd heard about her for years, instead of having a third daughter pop up out of the blue, as most shows would do. I only wish they would have stuck with the continuity going forward, but Barbara and Emily couldn't exist in the same universe at the same time.

I always liked it that they referred to Emily during the first few seasons. Made it so much more believable when she showed up, as we'd heard about her for years, instead of having a third daughter pop up out of the blue, as most shows would do. I only wish they would have stuck with the continuity going forward, but Barbara and Emily couldn't exist in the same universe at the same time.

lol, well, I like how they mention her in the first few seasons, but I don't like how we never see her until the 4th season. Not so much as a Christmas or other holiday appearance in those years.

lol, well, I like how they mention her in the first few seasons, but I don't like how we never see her until the 4th season. Not so much as a Christmas or other holiday appearance in those years.

I agree, and wish they'd had her visit for the holidays or at the beginning or end of a season, when she could have been home for the summer.

I saw Little Darlings when it came out in theatres. It was a good movie. Tatem O'Neal was a big star back them.

Another person with a major role in the movie with an FOL connection was Alexa Kenin. She was Jessie, Jo's former street best friend in addition to being a main character in Coed Fever and being in Pretty in Pink.

Now you guys make me wanna watch LITTLE DARLINGS (i had never heard of it until FOL): i only hope YouTube has it, cos if i have to watch it on my mobile phone on a tiny screen (which is where i downloaded 'Daily motion', then it'll be hard to watch)!!!!

Now you guys make me wanna watch LITTLE DARLINGS (i had never heard of it until FOL): i only hope YouTube has it, cos if i have to watch it on my mobile phone on a tiny screen (which is where i downloaded 'Daily motion', then it'll be hard to watch)!!!!

You can find the full movie here. See if you can find Felice's sister in it.
https://tubitv.com/movies/519080/little_darlings?utm_source=google-feed&tracking=google-feed

I didn’t really like “Litttle Darlings” at all.

“Empty Nest” tanked after Kristy McNichol left, because there was no one to balance out annoying Carol. Kristy was just one of those great, appealing TV actors whom you were happy to see each week. And yes, the creators were very smart to plant the seeds for the Emily character from day one. Too bad the character wasn’t really successful when she finally showed up.

“Empty Nest” tanked after Kristy McNichol left, because there was no one to balance out annoying Carol.

There was Emily in season 4. And I love Carol. She's my favorite EN daughter by far. I don't find her "annoying" at all, I find her hilariously neurotic. But I do agree she needed someone grounded to balance out her neurotic personality.


And yes, the creators were very smart to plant the seeds for the Emily character from day one. Too bad the character wasn’t really successful when she finally showed up.

Which was so odd. "Let's have Harry talking to a daughter in the very first scene but we won't shot her until 3 years later!" :lol:

“Empty Nest” tanked after Kristy McNichol left, because there was no one to balance out annoying Carol.

I never found Carol annoying; just hilarious. Barbara mostly played straight man to Carol's insanity, and I loved every moment of it.


Kristy was just one of those great, appealing TV actors whom you were happy to see each week. And yes, the creators were very smart to plant the seeds for the Emily character from day one. Too bad the character wasn’t really successful when she finally showed up.

Yeah, it was so cool to see a sitcom with actual family continuity: a sibling who was actually mentioned occasionally before she appeared, instead of, like, "Here's Cousin Oliver/Pam/KC/Roger/whatever!" :lol:

I don't know why Emily didn't work out.

I never found Carol annoying; just hilarious. Barbara mostly played straight man to Carol's insanity, and I loved every moment of it.

Whoa we said almost the same thing! :lol:

Whoa we said almost the same thing! :lol:

Haha! Just saw that, myself! :lol:

Haha! Just saw that, myself! :lol:


Are you and 80ssitcoms twins????:brent:brent:brent

Are you and 80ssitcoms twins????:brent:brent:brent
:lol:

No, he's taller.

:lol:

No, he's taller.


:bouncers:bouncers:bouncers

There was Emily in season 4. And I love Carol. She's my favorite EN daughter by far. I don't find her "annoying" at all, I find her hilariously neurotic. But I do agree she needed someone grounded to balance out her neurotic personality.




Which was so odd. "Let's have Harry talking to a daughter in the very first scene but we won't shot her until 3 years later!" :lol:

I'm watching EN on s3 right now but I find Carol to be the more prevalent daughter by far. Barbara is very Nancy O.

I'm watching EN on s3 right now

Oh you're that far along, nice!


but I find Carol to be the more prevalent daughter by far. Barbara is very Nancy O.

Yeah, which is always jarring to see "Barbara" first in the opening credits, when I feel it should be "Carol" (but like I said in my thread at the EN board, I know it was because Kristy had had the bigger career up until then).

Oh you're that far along, nice!




Yeah, which is always jarring to see "Barbara" first in the opening credits, when I feel it should be "Carol" (but like I said in my thread at the EN board, I know it was because Kristy had had the bigger career up until then).

It's definitely odd crediting her first. She's not only younger but featured far less. I love the new opening credits in s3 though using episode clips instead of just photos of the supporting cast.

It's definitely odd crediting her first. She's not only younger but featured far less. I love the new opening credits in s3 though using episode clips instead of just photos of the supporting cast.

I actually like the photos (I guess part of is nostalgia, remembering watching it since day 1), but yeah I always do love actual clips during cast credits. :)

I actually like the photos (I guess part of is nostalgia, remembering watching it since day 1), but yeah I always do love actual clips during cast credits. :)

Oh I liked the photos but after two full seasons of it, I was glad they updated. There's no excuse for shows not to update intros every season IMO :lol:

There's no excuse for shows not to update intros every season IMO :lol:

Hear, hear! I've always thought the same thing!! :singer: :rant:

Hear, hear! I've always thought the same thing!! :singer: :rant:

Especially a hit show!