What do you think of Jo's first love Eddie? Do you like him, dislike him, are you neutral? Why?

I like him but I cant believe he *gasp* got married!

Not a fan. Did you see the seedy motel he took Jo to?! That blanket alone...

Not a fan. Did you see the seedy motel he took Jo to?! That blanket alone...

Haha...hey, we agree! I'm also not a fan.

I don't like how he's so game to get Jo out of school to run off and get married. And there's one moment in particular I find him so contemptible. It's when Mrs. Garrett is trying to stop Jo from running off to get married, and Jo marches right past her, and Eddie cautiously slinks under/around Mrs. Garrett, slinking out of sight as best he can to follow Jo while Mrs. Garrett is yelling at Jo. And it's like, really? You're the reason Mrs. Garrett is stressing out over this and you just try to slink away and follow Jo out the door, when you hear her guardian trying to stop her?? :nonono:

Needless to say, when he comes back for "Sweet Sorrow", I'm totally Team Bob! :clap: :triplets Bob is awesome. Then Jo and Eddie break up and, sorry Jo, but I'm not sad to see him leave. Then when he visits Edna's Edibles and he got married and didn't tell her, it's like, eh, don't let the store door hit ya on the way out, lol.

That blanket alone...

That blanket's going to haunt you forever! :lol:

I wonder if you just never really registered the full extend of that motel room/blanket until you saw frozen screencaps of that set?

True I sort of was focusing more on his most recent appearance, and even then he wasn't that great.

That blanket's going to haunt you forever! :lol:

I wonder if you just never really registered the full extend of that motel room/blanket until you saw frozen screencaps of that set?

*shudders*

Who...? Who, in their right minds...?

Who would pick up that blanket from the highway, and return it to that motel, instead of dumping it in the trash, where it belongs?

What motel manager would say, "Glad they returned this blanket in good condition! Let's put this back on the bed?"

What motel maid would make a bed with that blanket?

And, for our purposes here, what boyfriend would rent a room with that blanket on the bed?!


:rotflmao:

I don't even remember this blanket

What motel maid would make a bed with that blanket?

If that motel even had a maid---it might just be "Uncle Angelo"! lol


And, for our purposes here, what boyfriend would rent a room with that blanket on the bed?!

A desperate young one on the run who dares slink away from Mrs. Garrett, that's who!

I don't even remember this blanket

:rotflmao:

I don't even remember this blanket

Well, then, let me refresh your memory:

Well, then, let me refresh your memory:

"fresh" not being the operative part of that statement!

Well, then, let me refresh your memory:

:eek2:

What do you think of Jo's first love Eddie? Do you like him, dislike him, are you neutral? Why?

I voted neutral. Why? Because I have no idea who he is :wave:

"fresh" not being the operative part of that statement!
:rofl:

I voted neutral. Why? Because I have no idea who he is :wave:
Jo's boyfriend, in Season Two.

Not a fan. Nothing against Clark Brandon the actor who played Eddie.
Eddie lied to Jo and treated her bad. He should have told her he was married. Not a fan.

Haha...hey, we agree! I'm also not a fan.

I don't like how he's so game to get Jo out of school to run off and get married.

Yes: she's supposed to give up this great opportunity to graduate from Eastland, and instead have his babies, shop at the PX, and do his laundry at the laundromat.


And there's one moment in particular I find him so contemptible. It's when Mrs. Garrett is trying to stop Jo from running off to get married, and Jo marches right past her, and Eddie cautiously slinks under/around Mrs. Garrett, slinking out of sight as best he can to follow Jo while Mrs. Garrett is yelling at Jo. And it's like, really? You're the reason Mrs. Garrett is stressing out over this and you just try to slink away and follow Jo out the door, when you hear her guardian trying to stop her?? :nonono:

Great point. I just reviewed the slinking moment. He's too young for marriage. Too immature to even face Mrs. Garrett.

:eek2:

:rofl:

I wish he would have come back for Jo. Looking at the end of the series, Tootie is the only character the writers got right for a proper ending. Eddie was such a huge part of Jo's personal life her first two years. He should have come back and started dating her again. It's dreadful that Jo's husband is a character that has zero backstory and only had like three episodes for fans to get to know before the wedding. It was so rushed. With Eddie, it would have made sense if he came back for a few episodes and they ended up getting married because they have a history together. I think he's her true love and always will be.

^---that is a nice way to look at it, especially if he had really turned out to be a great guy down the road after all

I wish he would have come back for Jo. Looking at the end of the series, Tootie is the only character the writers got right for a proper ending. Eddie was such a huge part of Jo's personal life her first two years. He should have come back and started dating her again. It's dreadful that Jo's husband is a character that has zero backstory and only had like three episodes for fans to get to know before the wedding. It was so rushed. With Eddie, it would have made sense if he came back for a few episodes and they ended up getting married because they have a history together. I think he's her true love and always will be.

Having Eddie come back would have been so much better than the random guy they got the play her boyfriend for a couple of episodes before they got married. That was handled sooo badly.

He was good looking but that’s about it. His character is questionable though taking Jo to that hotel and if it weren’t for the other girls and Mrs. Garrett, she would have been raped. Shocking I know, but it’s true. If he truly loved her, he wouldn’t have taken her to that cheap hotel in the first place. Something tells me he did it just as a cheap way to get laid. His behavior just screams child predator. I didn’t like him at all.

If he truly loved her, he wouldn’t have taken her to that cheap hotel in the first place.


With as little money as he had, where was he supposed to take her? Remember he bought his ring for her at K-Mart on a payment plan. He wasn't exactly rolling in dough. Rewatching the scene where he opens the door to the room, the look on his face wasn't "I'm getting lucky tonight". It was horrid and thankful for a warm place to sleep. The writers were trying to make it as realistic as they could on how troubling it is for teens who want to run off and get married. They don't live it up at places like The Hilton. They're in scuzzy places with dirty sheets like this episode represented, if they're even lucky at all to afford something like that for the night. Jo getting raped by him is something I've never gotten from this episode or from the character Eddie. He never forced her to be with him. He even walked away when he saw she was growing as a person and moved on from him. That's not what a rapist does.

:yeahthat

He was good looking but that’s about it. His character is questionable though taking Jo to that hotel and if it weren’t for the other girls and Mrs. Garrett, she would have been raped. Shocking I know, but it’s true. If he truly loved her, he wouldn’t have taken her to that cheap hotel in the first place. Something tells me he did it just as a cheap way to get laid. His behavior just screams child predator. I didn’t like him at all.

Wasn't Eddie supposed to be around the same age as Jo? I know in real life, Clark Brandon, who played Eddie, was 23, but I only know that because of IMDB. And Nancy McKeon was playing older than 14, which was her real age.

Wasn't Eddie supposed to be around the same age as Jo? I know in real life, Clark Brandon, who played Eddie, was 23, but I only know that because of IMDB. And Nancy McKeon was playing older than 14, which was her real age.

23? Wow :eek: kinda creepy when ya put it that way

23? Wow :eek: kinda creepy when ya put it that way

Nearly all the boyfriends from the early years were way older than the characters they were playing. Greg Bradford (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103029/?ref_=tt_cl_t10) was 25 when his character was dating Blair, who must have been around 15.

Nearly all the boyfriends from the early years were way older than the characters they were playing. Greg Bradford (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103029/?ref_=tt_cl_t10) was 25 when his character was dating Blair, who must have been around 15.

Yeah, its just weird when you think about it.

Yeah, its just weird when you think about it.
I was definitely shocked when I saw the ages of Blair's boyfriends in Season One. At the time Lisa was 16, Blair's boyfriends were about ten years older.

I was definitely shocked when I saw the ages of Blair's boyfriends in Season One. At the time Lisa was 16, Blair's boyfriends were about ten years older.

And Blair was 15!

And Blair was 15!
Yep. Why would they cast like that?!

...I suspect it's because they never considered that IMDB would be invented in a decade, where anyone could look up an actor's age at the click of a mouse or the swipe of a tablet. :lol:

Yep. Why would they cast like that?!

...I suspect it's because they never considered that IMDB would be invented in a decade, where anyone could look up an actor's age at the click of a mouse or the swipe of a tablet. :lol:

Haha, they thought computers were only for company headquarters and primitive "games". :lol:

But, to their credit, I would never have dreamed that some of these "boys" were actually "men"! They were very youthful-looking! lol

Haha, they thought computers were only for company headquarters and primitive "games". :lol:

Hey, Pong was very popular at the time! :lol:


But, to their credit, I would never have dreamed that some of these "boys" were actually "men"! They were very youthful-looking! lol

That's true, but still. It's not as if there were no 18-year-old guys in Hollywood looking for work at that time.

With as little money as he had, where was he supposed to take her? Remember he bought his ring for her at K-Mart on a payment plan. He wasn't exactly rolling in dough. Rewatching the scene where he opens the door to the room, the look on his face wasn't "I'm getting lucky tonight". It was horrid and thankful for a warm place to sleep. The writers were trying to make it as realistic as they could on how troubling it is for teens who want to run off and get married. They don't live it up at places like The Hilton. They're in scuzzy places with dirty sheets like this episode represented, if they're even lucky at all to afford something like that for the night. Jo getting raped by him is something I've never gotten from this episode or from the character Eddie. He never forced her to be with him. He even walked away when he saw she was growing as a person and moved on from him. That's not what a rapist does.

I disagree. I'm not saying it wasn't realistic scenario that teens would find themselves in, I just think it wasn't a very a believable storyline for this show and the way that they portrayed teenage marriage was poorly conceived. I mean, on the contrary, there's really no really good way to portray it, but it could have been better handled with the storyline and the Facts characters.

It felt like a forced "very special" episode. This is the first time we hear of Eddie, and already, he wants to marry Jo? To me, that tells me that Eddie wreaks of desperation and is really not concerned in Jo's best interests. Sure, Jo was a rebel in these early seasons, but it just didn't seem like something Jo would do. Her body language just told me that she didn't want to be there in that motel scene. I also didn't believe that Eddie really loved Jo, maybe it was the actor's performance, their lack of chemistry, or in general his behavior and actions that made me feel this way. Then again, it could have been that he was was much older than Jo, which is why I found his character to be predatory and pedophilic, so that's probably where it crossed my mind that this was not a consensual relationship.

I also don't care if he was low on money, that doesn't excuse for him to act like a total creep or act trashy and take her to a seedy hotel. That's not love, that's a desperate attempt to show affection.

I think if we got to know Eddie as a character better and could better understand and see that there was actual chemistry between them and also, had the writers chose an actor much closer to her in age, it would have been more more believable. Because let's be honest, the writers chose a 22 year old actor with a 15 year old actress? Really? At that point, it's no longer about teenage marriage or eloping, it's about a lack of consent and pedophilia.

I disagree. I'm not saying it wasn't realistic scenario that teens would find themselves in, I just think it wasn't a very a believable storyline for this show and the way that they portrayed teenage marriage was poorly conceived. I mean, on the contrary, there's really no really good way to portray it, but it could have been better handled with the storyline and the Facts characters.

It felt like a forced "very special" episode. This is the first time we hear of Eddie, and already, he wants to marry Jo? To me, that tells me that Eddie wreaks of desperation and is really not concerned in Jo's best interests. Sure, Jo was a rebel in these early seasons, but it just didn't seem like something Jo would do. Her body language just told me that she didn't want to be there in that motel scene. I also didn't believe that Eddie really loved Jo, maybe it was the actor's performance, their lack of chemistry, or in general his behavior and actions that made me feel this way. Then again, it could have been that he was was much older than Jo, which is why I found his character to be predatory and pedophilic, so that's probably where it crossed my mind that this was not a consensual relationship.

I also don't care if he was low on money, that doesn't excuse for him to act like a total creep or act trashy and take her to a seedy hotel. That's not love, that's a desperate attempt to show affection.

I think if we got to know Eddie as a character better and could better understand and see that there was actual chemistry between them and also, had the writers chose an actor much closer to her in age, it would have been more more believable. Because let's be honest, the writers chose a 22 year old actor with a 15 year old actress? Really? At that point, it's no longer about teenage marriage or eloping, it's about a lack of consent and pedophilia.


Teenage Marriage isn't the first time we hear of Eddie. Eddie was mentioned in Jo's first two episodes. He's the reason Jo was sent to Eastland. She was spending too much time with him and Rose was concerned about that. There's a scene in New Girl part 2 where Jo is holding his picture and Blair teases her about it. So there was a little hearsay backstory to Eddie and Jo before Eddie appeared.

I will give you this. The actor who played Eddie looked like a goofball :lol:I think it was his cheeks. He resembled a chipmunk at times. It was hard picturing Jo wanting to be with him, but she was a kid when she met him. At a young age, people are overwhelmed by their emotions. It's very easy for Jo to be head over heels about him, especially if he treated her nice.

Would it have been better if they spent the night at a bus station or a 24 hour store? Did they even have 24 hour stores back then? Thankfully I'm not that old to know :D Where would you have accepted Eddie taking Jo since he wasn't able to afford better conditions for her? That's one of the aspects teens face when they want to get married and try being adults at their age. I work at a high school and see this so many times. They have no idea the work it takes to be an adult and how easy it is to enjoy kid years without the stress of financial issues.

You and Retro bring up good points about the guys they had the girls date on the show. They were fine with getting female kids to play the parts of the four main, why didn't they feel fine to do so with their dates? I do find that aspect disturbing now that you guys have brought it up.

Nay. All those beautiful girls at Eastland, and he chooses Jo? This schyster was obviously working an angle.

Here you go cfr, you can cast your "nay" vote. :lol:

Wasn't Eddie supposed to be around the same age as Jo? I know in real life, Clark Brandon, who played Eddie, was 23, but I only know that because of IMDB. And Nancy McKeon was playing older than 14, which was her real age.

Jo would have been 15 or 16 at the time. Since Eddie was in the Navy, he would have been at least 18.

Teenage Marriage isn't the first time we hear of Eddie. Eddie was mentioned in Jo's first two episodes. He's the reason Jo was sent to Eastland. She was spending too much time with him and Rose was concerned about that. There's a scene in New Girl part 2 where Jo is holding his picture and Blair teases her about it. So there was a little hearsay backstory to Eddie and Jo before Eddie appeared.

I will give you this. The actor who played Eddie looked like a goofball :lol:I think it was his cheeks. He resembled a chipmunk at times. It was hard picturing Jo wanting to be with him, but she was a kid when she met him. At a young age, people are overwhelmed by their emotions. It's very easy for Jo to be head over heels about him, especially if he treated her nice.

Would it have been better if they spent the night at a bus station or a 24 hour store? Did they even have 24 hour stores back then? Thankfully I'm not that old to know :D Where would you have accepted Eddie taking Jo since he wasn't able to afford better conditions for her? That's one of the aspects teens face when they want to get married and try being adults at their age. I work at a high school and see this so many times. They have no idea the work it takes to be an adult and how easy it is to enjoy kid years without the stress of financial issues.

You and Retro bring up good points about the guys they had the girls date on the show. They were fine with getting female kids to play the parts of the four main, why didn't they feel fine to do so with their dates? I do find that aspect disturbing now that you guys have brought it up.

The actor who play Natalie's date on Sex Symbol was probably well in his 20s. He has no age listed on the internet, but IMDB has it where he appeared on Happy Days when he was in his 20s when he played a 17 year old.

A mini-autobiography from the actor Dan Spector.
"It all started when Dan took the stage as a Grandpa in a school production at aged 9. Then he moved onto doing Shelley Berman imitations at his Bar Mitzvah. Oh, then let's not forget a temple production of Man of La Mancha, in which he portrayed Don Quixote (the shortest Cervantes on record). During one performance, one of his 2 inch heels fell off, along with half of his beard. Yet he gamely continued singing and limping, all the while swiping his hands across his face in an attempt to re-adhere the darned thing. Now that's perseverance- something he learned from his Dad. So it was of course ironic that when he finally turned pro, after all those years playing mature gentleman, that he would end up playing teenage juvenile delinquents while he was well into his 20's. Now that he genuinely has matured, physically and otherwise, he's much happier playing villains (Hacker), and nasty dictators (Napoleon in Le Jeu Des Soldats and Last Days of Toussaint L'Ouverture). It's great being able to get up in the morning and not have to put white out under the eyes to look 17 in Happy Days. Dan believes that acting is a noble profession, especially in that moment of magical connection between the actor and the audience. And that is why he loves doing it for its own sake, for its own intrinsic value. He also maintains a strong commitment to his family, for when the chips are down, they are the ones you can truly rely on."

In the same Sex Symbol episode, the actress playing Homerun Heaven was around 22 years old.

Jo would have been 15 or 16 at the time. Since Eddie was in the Navy, he would have been at least 18.

We know she was 16.

Blair: "She's 16 years old like me but much less sophisticated looking!"

:lol:

As for Eddie, that would be legally. But there's the possibility he could have lied about his age to get in.

After all, Jo was in with a really bad crowd before she got to Eastland, and she had to meet Eddie somehow, lol.

We know she was 16.

Blair: "She's 16 years old like me but much less sophisticated looking!"

:lol:

As for Eddie, that would be legally. But there's the possibility he could have lied about his age to get in.

After all, Jo was in with a really bad crowd before she got to Eastland, and she had to meet Eddie somehow, lol.

Probably in the streets. Jo's family did give off that Mafia vibe. Her father was portrayed by a real life mobster. Though Alex Rocco was in the Irish mob rather than the Italian mob in Boston.

To be honest, i didn't care much for the character EDDIE: i found him rather annoying and too goofy for JO!
On the other hand, i really think the rich guy JO falls for (on season 5) is a lot nicer and matches well with her!

My favorite guys for Jo were her high school "marriage" project classmate Bob, and that undercover detective in an Over Our Heads episode.

Here you go cfr, you can cast your "nay" vote. :lol:

Before a couple of weeks ago, I would've picked "I like him". But of course we know how I feel after seeing "Seems Like Old Times." He's dead to me. :smash:

But before that, I liked him. However, looking back now he was kind of a weird choice for Jo. You'd expect her first love to be a motorcycle riding, Marlboro smoking, leather jacket wearing, bad boy. Not some goofy looking, Popeye dressing baby faced boy in the Navy. He looked more Natalie's type of guy. :lol:

You'd expect her first love to be a motorcycle riding, Marlboro smoking, leather jacket wearing, bad boy. Not some goofy looking, Popeye dressing baby faced boy in the Navy. He looked more Natalie's type of guy. :lol:

25 and dorky? :lol:

But before that, I liked him. However, looking back now he was kind of a weird choice for Jo. You'd expect her first love to be a motorcycle riding, Marlboro smoking, leather jacket wearing, bad boy. Not some goofy looking, Popeye dressing baby faced boy in the Navy. He looked more Natalie's type of guy.

I never thought of that! :lol:

25 and dorky? :lol:

When he first came on the scene Natalie was still kind of dorky herself so I think they'd have made a better pair together. And we know from season 1 the writers loved hooking up 25 year old actors with those teen girls. It seemed like a fetish with them. :lol:

I never thought of that! :lol:

But it seems so obvious though right? You'd think Jo would've fell for a tough street kid since that's the kind of boys she most likely hung with in the Bronx. I can't even imagine where or how someone like Jo would even meet someone like Eddie to begin with? They'd have ran in completely different circles.

Unless Jo liked hanging down by the docks---the bad girl that she was. :lol:

^----No no, Mrs. Garrett said Jo met the wrong crowd who got her into trouble, but "not that kind of trouble". :lol:

^----No no, Mrs. Garrett said Jo met the wrong crowd who got her into trouble, but "not that kind of trouble". :lol:

And that's what brought her to Eastland right? I haven't watched it a zillion times like the rest of you so it's easier for me to forget what i've watched on Antenna TV.

She got caught with the wrong crowd, got into trouble and was sent to Eastland?

Still, i'm curious to know if it's ever told how she met Eddie. If not, i'm going to keep thinking she liked hanging down by the docks. It's the only logical way someone like her would cross paths with someone like him. :lol:

And that's what brought her to Eastland right?

Right! :nod:


I haven't watched it a zillion times like the rest of you so it's easier for me to forget what i've watched on Antenna TV.

:lol:


She got caught with the wrong crowd, got into trouble and was sent to Eastland?

Yup! That's basically it. You'll see when you cycle around from the beginning of the series again. :)


Still, i'm curious to know if it's ever told how she met Eddie. If not, i'm going to keep thinking she liked hanging down by the docks. It's the only logical way someone like her would cross paths with someone like him. :lol:

lol, well enjoy thinking that cfr, because we're never told. :nonono:

But it seems so obvious though right? You'd think Jo would've fell for a tough street kid since that's the kind of boys she most likely hung with in the Bronx. I can't even imagine where or how someone like Jo would even meet someone like Eddie to begin with? They'd have ran in completely different circles.

Unless Jo liked hanging down by the docks---the bad girl that she was. :lol:

They both were from the streets. Not uncommon for teenage girls to like older men. Eddie probably joined the Navy to avoid the streets. NY was very crime ridden in the early 80s.

Wow, fans are speaking out---and clearly most of them do not like Eddie!

I do agree about his goofiness---he was too oddly goofy early on.

Wow, fans are speaking out---and clearly most of them do not like Eddie!

I do agree about his goofiness---he was too oddly goofy early on.

He was still less goofy than Neil. And more honest... until the end, at least.

He was still less goofy than Neil. And more honest... until the end, at least.

Well I have to say I strongly disagree, because Neil doesn't strike me as "goofy" at all. Eddie does with his big naive eyes and his goofy face (that sounds like I'm criticizing how his face, but I just mean he does look "goofy" to me as others have said) and his strange airy way of speaking. Neil looks more "focused" tha "goofy" to me lol.

My favorite guys for Jo were her high school "marriage" project classmate Bob, and that undercover detective in an Over Our Heads episode.


Yep, i liked him too, but he was only a project!:lol::lol::lol:

Before a couple of weeks ago, I would've picked "I like him". But of course we know how I feel after seeing "Seems Like Old Times." He's dead to me. :smash:

But before that, I liked him. However, looking back now he was kind of a weird choice for Jo. You'd expect her first love to be a motorcycle riding, Marlboro smoking, leather jacket wearing, bad boy. Not some goofy looking, Popeye dressing baby faced boy in the Navy. He looked more Natalie's type of guy. :lol:


HA HA HA lol! I think NAT had a crush on EDDIE: remember how she was always the one to hug him real tight saying "Eddie!!!!"

And yes, he was definitely 'POPEYE'! (even BLAIR refers to him like that on the episode from season 5 'Seems like old times' when she is talking to 'WACKO NELLY'):lol::lol::lol:

Yep, i liked him too, but he was only a project!:lol::lol::lol:

Well he was much more than "only a project" because Jo was torn over her boyfriend and her new interest growing in her project partner. After all, it's the episode where Jo realizes it's too soon to stay this involved with Eddie.

And Bog was so likable! If that guy had played Eddie, I probably would've really liked Eddie. :lol:


"HA HA HA lol! I think NAT had a crush on EDDIE: remember how she was always the one to hug him real tight saying "Eddie!!!!"

Oh that's right, that's so cute! :lol:


he was definitely 'POPEYE'! (even BLAIR refers to him like that on the episode from season 5

Ha, that's great.

Maybe I missed something but why were the girls so welcoming to him when he came back in season 5? He always seemed like a scheming snake to me. Then we find out he lied in season 5. Once a snake, always a snake!

I’m going to have to rewatch the other episodes he was in between his first and last appearances.

Maybe I missed something but why were the girls so welcoming to him when he came back in season 5? He always seemed like a scheming snake to me. Then we find out he lied in season 5. Once a snake, always a snake!

I’m going to have to rewatch the other episodes he was in between his first and last appearances.


His last appearance before 'Seems Like Old Times' was in 'Sweet Sorrow' from season 3 and he left on good terms with everyone, including Mrs. Garrett. In 'Sweet Sorrow', Jo had outgrown the girl she was when she first met Eddie over a year ago from that episode and was changing into a different person. They broke up, but he let Jo keep the ring to remember him by. It was a good episode. I preferred that ending for Eddie than what they created in season 5.

I preferred that ending for Eddie than what they created in season 5.

I do too, I wish they'd left us remembering him that way.

And I also much prefer Bob for Jo.