I believe the most dedicated fans on the whole Sitcomsonline.com website are probably right here on the FOL thread. You can just look at the number of posts here and tell the passion the regulars have for FOL here.

That being said, I see that Pippa gets really buried here. It seems like nobody here cares for her much. I never had a problem with her. She was no Cindy or Sue Ann obviously, but I thought she was sweet with a cool accent. I was really looking forward to her starring alongside Julliette Lewis before NBC put the kibosh on that.

So, what's up with Pippa? No love?

She had a cool accent, and yes, she was sweet.

BUT.

I have a huge, huge problem with the network deciding there were "too many characters" in the first season, firing half the cast, and then inexplicably adding a bunch of new characters. Senseless. Why did there need to be a street urchin? And then another street urchin? And then an Australian urchin? Why?! What was the point? What did any of these characters add to FOL?!

Can anyone name ten things Pippa did on the show? She was there for most of a season, so it should be easy. But I don't think it is.

Can anyone tell us ten things about Pippa's personality? Or was she just a stand-in for Crocodile Dundee's popularity at the time? What's her favorite book? (Did she even read a book while she was on the show?) What's her favorite sports team? Did she have any pets back in Australia? Any love interests back in her home country?

We can answer most of these questions for the Original Girls, Mrs. Garrett, and Jo. But I don't think we can for Pippa. By then, the writers had given up. At this point, they were just lazily adding random characters they thought would make the show popular once more, in a desperate, but failed, attempt to revive ratings.

But since you like her, I wouldn't mind some Pippa threads around here. Plenty of space. :)

I believe the most dedicated fans on the whole Sitcomsonline.com website are probably right here on the FOL thread. You can just look at the number of posts here and tell the passion the regulars have for FOL here.

Why, thank you, Heenan.

FOL was something pretty special... at least the first four to six seasons, or so. They paid a lot of attention to details and continuity, they wrote and produced some amazing and funny shows, and they shaped the lives of a generation. FOL to me means happy memories, lessons learned, and wonderful characters who often felt very real, thanks to the acting and talent of nine wonderful ladies.

Tbh I really don't mind Pippa. I didn't mind Kelly that much either but in the grand scheme of things their characters weren't serving very much purpose.

Pippa is just "there" to me. She simply takes up space. Nothing remarkable or even remotely interesting resonates with me about her. :lookaroun

I didn't mind Kelly that much either

:eek:

[*quietly ushers Lorimar Television out the "Facts of Life" fandom door*]

Okay, okay. Kidding...but still... ;)

Why did there need to be a street urchin? And then another street urchin? And then an Australian urchin?

:lol:

They were clearly worried about the core four getting too old after Blair and Jo graduated, so they were always desperately searching for younger blood. And they also seemed to be concerned with adding male characters (Kevin, George, Andy), even though they were completely unnecessary. No man in the coveted 18-34 demographic was suddenly going to start watching FOL just because of those losers.

What made the show for me was the chemistry between the four young women, plus their older confidante. The final years of the show would have been better had they concentrated on the four young women instead of bringing in Beverly Ann, Andy, et. al. All those characters did was disrupt the chemistry of the show.

And Pippa? She sucked. I kept hoping that she’d be murdered, perhaps by some pack of wild dingoes wandering the streets of Peekskill. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

Pippa is just "there" to me. She simply takes up space. Nothing remarkable or even remotely interesting resonates with me about her. :lookaroun



:eek:

[*quietly ushers Lorimar Television out the "Facts of Life" fandom door*]

Okay, okay. Kidding...but still... ;)

:lol::eek:

:lol:

They were clearly worried about the core four getting too old after Blair and Jo graduated, so they were always desperately searching for younger blood. And they also seemed to be concerned with adding male characters (Kevin, George, Andy), even though they were completely unnecessary. No man in the coveted 18-34 demographic was suddenly going to start watching FOL just because of those losers.

I agree, but I'd add: once the new character was in place, it usually didn't take very long for the producers to see they had made a horrible, horrible mistake in adding the new character in the first place. Often, the new character was quietly dropped without notice or explanation. The viewer never even finds out what happened to the new character.

Then they'd add another new character. Their search for a new character was endless.


What made the show for me was the chemistry between the four young women, plus their older confidante. The final years of the show would have been better had they concentrated on the four young women instead of bringing in Beverly Ann, Andy, et. al. All those characters did was disrupt the chemistry of the show.

I'd add: and took away lines from characters we did like.

Charlotte Rae spoke several times in interviews how she felt she "wasn't needed" anymore. They had Kelly, Andy, Kevin, and/or George by then. Mrs. G's role was in decline...


And Pippa? She sucked. I kept hoping that she’d be murdered, perhaps by some pack of wild dingoes wandering the streets of Peekskill. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

Haha! While I didn't hate her that much, I can understand why her inclusion grates on many people's nerves.

I did like that the writers finally acknowledged the fact that the show had changed too much, and enrolled Pippa in Eastland, bringing the show a little bit back to its roots. Of course, they never bothered to show Pippa at Eastland (until the very end), but I think they at last realized that moving the show away from the school took away some of the show's distinctiveness.

They didn’t write the characters well in Season 9. The writers threw in Pippa because the girls were “too old”. Meanwhile, the storylines had to do with Blair going to law school and marrying off Jo and Tootie. And to boot, Beverly Ann was there to babysit them. Why? They were in their early twenties. There were plenty of other stories they could have written about the girls adjusting to adulthood. I think they got it right by moving Natalie to the city.

Pippa was not written to be liked by the fans or the core four. There were episodes when the girls would shun Pippa. Something in Common and The First Time are two episodes that really stand out how much the girls didn't like Pippa. She would try to join in on their girl talk but they would tell Pippa to leave. Mrs. Garrett never treated the girls like that when they were young so it was out of character for them to behave that way towards Pippa. It almost came off as the girls were too good to be around Pippa. I didn't like that.


And to boot, Beverly Ann was there to babysit them. Why?


I never saw Beverly Ann as a babysitter. She took over Mrs. Garrett's place in the store. Not to mention in season 9 the girls were dumping their work shifts in the store onto Beverly Ann. She was more like a person of convenience when the girls needed it.

They didn’t write the characters well in Season 9.

Very true.

The writers threw in Pippa because the girls were “too old”.

Yeah, but at the time the 9th Season first aired, Kim was 18, Mindy was 20, and Nancy was 20. Three of them couldn't even legally drink! "Too old" makes about as much sense as "too many girls". :lol:


Meanwhile, the storylines had to do with Blair going to law school and marrying off Jo and Tootie. And to boot, Beverly Ann was there to babysit them. Why? They were in their early twenties. There were plenty of other stories they could have written about the girls adjusting to adulthood.

They definitely could have dealt with more adult topics... Not sexual, though. Lisa would have boycotted that.


I think they got it right by moving Natalie to the city.

Ugh! That episode was horrible!

I never saw Beverly Ann as a babysitter. She took over Mrs. Garrett's place in the store.
Not just that: she took her room as well. And she was supposed to be a new confidante for the girls. Not that they often noticed... :lol:

Very true.

In season 9 they didn't write the stories well.


Ugh! That episode was horrible!

No it wasn't! It wasn't even the worst of the spin-off attempts! :lol: :p

(I know, we all have different tastes for what's the worst episode, lol)


Not just that: she took her room as well.

Too bad it was never seen...

Big Apple Blues was the best spin-off attempt, imo. I really do think the producers of FRIENDS watched it. Good thing they missed “Jo’s Cousin”.

I don’t think the writers had any choice but to write Pippa as a pest. The network obviously pushed the idea of a younger character and what could she have in common with the older girls? It’s not like she could advise them.

I don’t mean Beverly was literally a babysitter, but even the actors, including Cloris Leachman, said it made no sense for her to be there.

Big Apple Blues was the best spin-off attempt, imo. I really do think the producers of FRIENDS watched it. Good thing they missed “Jo’s Cousin”.

I don’t think the writers had any choice but to write Pippa as a pest. The network obviously pushed the idea of a younger character and what could she have in common with the older girls? It’s not like she could advise them.

I don’t mean Beverly was literally a babysitter, but even the actors, including Cloris Leachman, said it made no sense for her to be there.


I didn't care for Big Apple Blues. I thought it was stupid. I think it's ironic Mindy says she doesn't understand why the girls were still living together in the later years but was fine with Natalie going off to share an apartment with people she didn't really know. In reality, it makes more sense to split expenses with people you know you can trust than people you hardly know. I don't think it was far fetch the girls were still living together in the later years.

I think it could have been a great opportunity for the girls to be Pippa's mentor like Mrs. Garrett was to them. Mrs. Garrett shared so many of her life experiences with the girls. Mrs. Garrett looked at them as equals, not at their age. The girls didn't do that with Pippa. It was horrible writing.

Season 8 I felt Beverly Ann connected with the show. Her character went through a divorce and needed to find herself again. You had Tootie helping her date again, Natalie offering advice when she was going to adopt Andy, Jo and Blair showing Beverly Ann around New York, and other moments in that year where the girls help Beverly Ann bounce back. Part of the facts of life is going through divorce and recovering from it. I think it worked that year. Season 9 Beverly Ann was not part of the girls lives and made zero sense having her there. She should have been a one season character IMO.

Big Apple Blues was the best spin-off attempt, imo.

Ugh! Hate it. Hate it with a passion.


I don’t think the writers had any choice but to write Pippa as a pest. The network obviously pushed the idea of a younger character and what could she have in common with the older girls? It’s not like she could advise them.

She couldn't advise them, but she didn't have to annoy them. That was the writers' choice.


I don’t mean Beverly was literally a babysitter, but even the actors, including Cloris Leachman, said it made no sense for her to be there.

Indeed. These were girls who no longer necessarily needed a mother figure. Certainly not a woman they didn't even know, which was the case at first.

I didn't care for Big Apple Blues. I thought it was stupid.

Ugh! Hate it. Hate it with a passion.

Heehee, I don't. :) [needling you] ;) I still much prefer it over "The Big Fight". :) It actually stars one of our girls through the whole episode, unlike TBF. And it's fun seeing that 1980s NY "young people trying to make it big" apartment.

Hating it "with a passion"? Gosh...


I think it's ironic Mindy says she doesn't understand why the girls were still living together in the later years but was fine with Natalie going off to share an apartment with people she didn't really know. In reality, it makes more sense to split expenses with people you know you can trust than people you hardly know.

I think she meant it was contrived to keep this group of girls who grew up together still living together in adulthood. Story-wise, it did make sense for Natalie to want to "break away' and plunge into the big city and start a new life with new roommates. She felt that was the place where she could get her big break, and she looked at it as "adventure".


Mrs. Garrett looked at them as equals, not at their age.

I'd like to agree with that, but I can't 100%.


Season 8 I felt Beverly Ann connected with the show. Her character went through a divorce and needed to find herself again. You had Tootie helping her date again, Natalie offering advice when she was going to adopt Andy, Jo and Blair showing Beverly Ann around New York, and other moments in that year where the girls help Beverly Ann bounce back.

Good Beverly Ann points. :wave:

I think she meant it was contrived to keep this group of girls who grew up together still living together in adulthood. Story-wise, it did make sense for Natalie to want to "break away' and plunge into the big city and start a new life with new roommates. She felt that was the place where she could get her big break, and she looked at it as "adventure".


I'd like to agree with that, but I can't 100%.


To me it makes more sense living with people you know rather than someone, or a group, you don't know at all. That's my opinion based on horrible roommate situations :lol:


Mrs. Garrett spoke to the girls about heavy stuff in her life. She didn't hold much back. What do you feel she did that didn't treat the girls as equals?

To me it makes more sense living with people you know rather than someone, or a group, you don't know at all. That's my opinion based on horrible roommate situations :lol:

Oh, I agree with that for sure. It's just that Natalie thought her future (or at least the key to it, it seemed) was in The Big Apple itself.


Mrs. Garrett spoke to the girls about heavy stuff in her life. She didn't hold much back. What do you feel she did that didn't treat the girls as equals?

I can kind of see that in the later seasons, but in the earlier seasons she was the guardian helping to raise the girls, and authoritatively admonish/punish/discipline them.

What about a storyline for season 9 in a new setting, kind of like I Love Lucy in Hollywood? Tootie goes to London to study acting (she ended up there anyway). Natalie follows to experience life in a new country. Blair takes a year off to follow them and relax. Jo finds some kind of educational job, like teaching at a British girls’ school. They could have developed in those scenarios.

I think it’s ironic that writers (and network) thought the girls were too old so they wrote storylines about engagements and weddings and law school, things that skew a bit older. But maybe that’s a 2019 point of view?

What about a storyline for season 9 in a new setting, kind of like I Love Lucy in Hollywood? Tootie goes to London to study acting (she ended up there anyway). Natalie follows to experience life in a new country. Blair takes a year off to follow them and relax. Jo finds some kind of educational job, like teaching at a British girls’ school. They could have developed in those scenarios.

I think it’s ironic that writers (and network) thought the girls were too old so they wrote storylines about engagements and weddings and law school, things that skew a bit older. But maybe that’s a 2019 point of view?

Anything would have been better than "Natalie goes to 'find herself' in NYC with a bunch of eccentric roommates."

I can definitely see the potential in them visiting another country, but they'd already done that with the Australia movie. Still, maybe over the course of a season, they would have had time to develop meaningful stories. But I think by then, the producers were so cheap they wouldn't have wanted to pay for new sets (Nancy McKeon once said the S9 wrap party was just beer and pretzels, or something to that effect).

I vaguely recall Family Ties doing a vacation in London, and a lost jewel... or maybe I'm mixing that up with FOL or Romancing the Stone or some other crazy jewel heist film.

It could be one main set, maybe a revamped Over Our Heads. If you watch Golden Girls, you can see that they reused sets all the time, even going back to Soap.

But...Mrs. Garret could have had an excuse to visit them. Maybe Cindy, too, because she was a model and might be working in Europe. Beverly Ann might bring Andy over for a visit.

I think family Ties in London had an espionage story.

Big Apple Blues was the highlight of season 9 for me. Sorry, I like it!! :-P But I admit that it was low energy, like the rest of the season.

Big Apple Blues was the highlight of season 9 for me. Sorry, I like it!! :-P

It's definitely a breath of fresh air for a new setting away from Peekskill in the heart of NYC, and it's, like, so totally in the '80s---and with a couple of them starving/desperate artists, it has that "Fame" touch.

And the scene with Natalie and David-Spade's-character out on the balcony is quite poignant.

It's definitely a breath of fresh air for a new setting away from Peekskill in the heart of NYC, and it's, like, so totally in the '80s---and with a couple of them starving/desperate artists, it has that "Fame" touch.

And the scene with Natalie and David-Spade's-character out on the balcony is quite poignant.

I did enjoy that scene but not much else

I did enjoy that scene but not much else

Well Lorsie, let me blow your mind away with something that a friend of mine who's in New England blew mine away with this weekend:

The girl who's the dancer in that episode? She's the same girl who played Mojo of the hard rock group The Bone Crushers in the "Mama's Family" episode "Bubba's House Band"! ("Here's your big solo, Moj!")

I was BLOWN AWAY! I had NO idea!! :eek:

That means that with Stacey Q having been Ciji of The Bone Crushers, and then Cinnamon on FOL, TWO-THIRDS of The Bone Crushers on MF were on FOL!!

(and yes, I already checked the other Bone Crusher's IMDB to see if by some unbelievable chance ALL the Bone Crushers were on FOL as well, but alas, "Snake" was nowhere to be seen on FOL---although her name was shared by Natalie's boyfriend! :lol: )

Well Lorsie, let me blow your mind away with something that a friend of mine who's in New England blew mine away with this weekend:

The girl who's the dancer in that episode? She's the same girl who played Mojo of the hard rock group The Bone Crushers in the "Mama's Family" episode "Bubba's House Band"! ("Here's your big solo, Moj!")

I was BLOWN AWAY! I had NO idea!! :eek:

That means that with Stacey Q having been Ciji of The Bone Crushers, and then Cinnamon on FOL, TWO-THIRDS of The Bone Crushers on MF were on FOL!!

(and yes, I already checked the other Bone Crusher's IMDB to see if by some unbelievable chancel ALL the Bone Crushers were on FOL as well, but alas, "Snake" was nowhere to be seen on FOL---although her name was shared by Natalie's boyfriend! :lol: )
Well that IS pretty cool :D

I thought Pippa was awesome.

I thought Pippa was awesome.

:eek:

Something we've never heard anyone say before!

There’s always a first time for everything.

There’s always a first time for everything.

True...including learning the biggest "fact of life" of them all, which one of our girls finally learned in season 9! :lol:

The concept for Big Apple Blues was OK, but the execution was terrible. None of those characters were remotely realistic or likable, and the cast had no chemistry. It’s too bad they didn’t get a decent writer to develop a vehicle for the talented Mindy Cohn. Instead, they used the same writers who did the putrid last season or two of FOL.

True...including learning the biggest "fact of life" of them all, which one of our girls finally learned in season 9! :lol:

Controversial, and good episode.

I just watched the episode in which she was introduced and I don't really care for her at all. They certainly didn't do their homework when they were trying to make her Australian but her dad seemed authentic. She was just annoying to me. I'm no expert on Australia but I was there for a month and I never heard any of that 'slang' that she used on the show which makes me think that it might have been made up because they figured that the audience wouldn't know any better. It worked, I guess but the episode as a whole was kind of lame, IMO. Maybe she'll grow on me by the time the series ends but I won't hold my breath.

They certainly didn't do their homework when they were trying to make her Australian...I'm no expert on Australia but I was there for a month and I never heard any of that 'slang' that she used on the show which makes me think that it might have been made up because they figured that the audience wouldn't know any better.

I hate to think they would have just made up any language. I know "The Golden Girls" made up Rose's Scandinavian words at first, but soon they went to real words. Of course, that was in a foreign language, so we Americans couldn't tell, lol.

But I'm assuming if you Google Pippa's slang, it'll probably come up as real (I would hope).

Okay, so I mentioned before that I found the "Australian" slang to be unbelievable, but I'm changing my opinion since I saw that the actress really is Australian, so I guess she is believable. She's still not one of my favorites but she wasn't bad.

Okay, so I mentioned before that I found the "Australian" slang to be unbelievable, but I'm changing my opinion since I saw that the actress really is Australian, so I guess she is believable.

Oh, yeah, I assumed you knew she was Australian, lol.

FOL was something pretty special... at least the first four to six seasons, or so. They paid a lot of attention to details and continuity

Retro, just making sure you see something on another board, where you posted message #5:

https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=382667

;)

I thought Pippa was awesome.

I agree. I can't think of another show that added a character so late in a series that actually seems like a refreshing addition. I don't know if it's her accent or her whole being, but I have enjoyed her scenes since her episodes have been airing this weekend where I live. I vaguely remember her from watching the show years ago.

The one thing that I find a little over the top is all the supposed Australian slang. It's a little much, but I still like the character.

I agree. I can't think of another show that added a character so late in a series that actually seems like a refreshing addition. I don't know if it's her accent or her whole being, but I have enjoyed her scenes since her episodes have been airing this weekend where I live. I vaguely remember her from watching the show years ago.

The one thing that I find a little over the top is all the supposed Australian slang. It's a little much, but I still like the character.

No shame there. We're all entitled to our opinions, and what you like is what you like. Just as long as you don't like Kelly. :lol: