Who was that Asian student that appeared in the below episode as well as an another episode?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyybAB2vhd4&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3Gtxymt5saBhxDW9LwA5Tvr56B-6bbEn-4MWg_HpK2mFrqMBVkqElZfms

Was she a perspective additional cast member? Her character in just two episodes offers more evidence that they cut the number of girls down way too much and were running out of ideas with just 4 girls.

One thing I've heard was that Nancy McKeon would throw a fit if they brought in another character to the show. I think Pamela Adlon mentioned something like this.

Was she a perspective additional cast member? Her character in just two episodes offers more evidence that they cut the number of girls down way too much and were running out of ideas with just 4 girls.


Almost every TV show made does episodes that focus on a guest star. It's not running out of ideas. It's creating stories which is what writers are supposed to do. Majority of these episodes are filler though since the network orders over twenty episodes a season.

Also, the ratings for the show after they fired the lost girls is more evidence they made the right decision with the direction they took. Blair, Jo, Natalie, Tootie, and Mrs. Garrett are The Facts of Life. The lost girls were just useless characters until they figured out what the show was supposed to be like. If they had kept the lost girls, the show wouldn't have been a huge success and lasted as long as it did.

Almost every TV show made does episodes that focus on a guest star. It's not running out of ideas. It's creating stories which is what writers are supposed to do. Majority of these episodes are filler though since the network orders over twenty episodes a season.

Also, the ratings for the show after they fired the lost girls is more evidence they made the right decision with the direction they took. Blair, Jo, Natalie, Tootie, and Mrs. Garrett are The Facts of Life. The lost girls were just useless characters until they figured out what the show was supposed to be like. If they had kept the lost girls, the show wouldn't have been a huge success and lasted as long as it did.

This episode was basically a rehash of the Overachieving episode showed just two years earlier. When you have to repeat the same plot from a show two years earlier, you are running out of ideas.

Majority of these episodes are filler though since the network orders over twenty episodes a season.

"Filler"? I can see episodes of a soap opera being filler, but not a sitcom. Sitcoms are individual episodes that stand on their own merit.


Also, the ratings for the show after they fired the lost girls is more evidence they made the right decision with the direction they took.

As Retro will point out (wait until he sees this thread, lol), that's not true, because of circumstances. Season 1 had terrible schedule slots. It was changed around, and it never even aired after its parent show "Diff'rent Strokes", which was such an incredibly stupid decision. How on earth they didn't think or try to air a spin-off immediately after its parent show is beyond me.

Season 1 did start to build a bigger audience in the summer reruns. And then when season 2 came around, voila, suddenly the show was airing right after its parent show, which is where it should have been all along.


The lost girls were just useless characters

Ouch.

They were characters in their own right (Nancy is the most debatable if this were going to be argued), and had such incredible potential. That's why I rewrote the series episode synopses plugging in all of the girls.

Retro will have more to say, lol.

I do find it interesting you profess this is your favorite TV series of all time, yet you don't even like the whole first season. I'm not saying you should, it's just interesting there's that aspect.

As Retro will point out (wait until he sees this thread, lol),

That's fine but to many millions of fans like myself, the show is Blair, Jo, Natalie, Tootie, and Mrs. Garrett. I know the lost girls have their fans, but they aren't what kept people watching. They didn't have the chemistry that the main four had.


Season 1 did start to build a bigger audience in the summer reruns. And then when season 2 came around, voila, suddenly the show was airing right after its parent show, which is where it should have been all along.

If airing after its parent show has an impact on ratings, why did the show do well at the start of its 3rd season at a different time slot without its parent show airing before it? In order to get a fan base, a series has to have the cast and writing. The Facts of Life didn't have this in season one.



Retro will have more to say, lol.

I do find it interesting you profess this is your favorite TV series of all time, yet you don't even like the whole first season. I'm not saying you should, it's just interesting there's that aspect.


That's fine Retro will have more to say. I respect his opinion but to me The Facts of Life didn't really begin until they minimized the cast to just the main four.

You can have favorite shows and not like every season. All of my favorite shows have weak seasons. Buffy with season 7. Desperate Housewives with season 5. Supernatural with season 8. Shameless with seasons 8 to current. The first season of The Facts of Life is a different show compared to what started in season 2. The first season is corny. The format started with season 2 is when The Facts of Life really begins for me.

If airing after its parent show has an impact on ratings, why did the show do well at the start of its 3rd season at a different time slot without its parent show airing before it?

Because it had aired in the time slot right after its parent show in season 2, so it was able to build up a bigger audience. If a spinoff is new it would really help it to be "connected" to its parent show either before or after ("Empty Nest" always aired right after "Golden Girls", which was wonderful for "the Miami hour"). Of course, yes, you do have to have good writing and a good cast, but to build up initially that "golden time slot" sure helps.


In order to get a fan base, a series has to have the cast and writing. The Facts of Life didn't have this in season one.

They writing definitely needed better balance to suit the cast.


You can have favorite shows and not like every season. All of my favorite shows have weak seasons.

I enjoy all seasons of "Fraggle Rock" and "Mama's Family" and "Mr. Belvedere" and "Who's the Boss", though with MB and WTB I tend to lean a little toward the earlier seasons. "The Golden Girls" really underwent some changes with the changeover of the show's staff in season 5, and it took me a long time to buy seasons 5 through 7 on DVD, but I finally did. There's still such gold in those years (no pun intended :lol:).

"Designing Women" though, I don't have the interest for the seasons after Suzanne and Charlene (I did love Jan Hooks on SNL). And I'm "eh" with a lot of "227" after Sandra was gone, thanks to the new cast members they brought on. And I don't know how good seasons 5-7 of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" are as I love the high school years so much, so I've just got those.

With "Facts" I enjoy the Beverly Ann seasons "enough", so while I won't skip seasons, there are just episodes I'll skip when I binge watch (always starting with "Best Sister" in the cafeteria era)---more in season 9 than any.

Hmm, I didn't realize until detailing here there are more favorite shows of mine where I favor some eras over others than I thought. :lol:

I definitely find my all time fav shows are shows I love though the whole series like Reba, The Middle, Friends.

Because it had aired in the time slot right after its parent show in season 2, so it was able to build up a bigger audience. If a spinoff is new it would really help it to be "connected" to its parent show either before or after ("Empty Nest" always aired right after "Golden Girls", which was wonderful for "the Miami hour"). Of course, yes, you do have to have good writing and a good cast, but to build up initially that "golden time slot" sure helps.

That's a weak argument that it needs the parent show right before it to help gain an audience. It's all about writing and the cast in order to have an audience. Once the new writers got rid of the dead weight in season one, stopped objectifying the girls as sex objects with the way they were dressed in season one, brought in an actress that was just as talented to bounce off Lisa with, and made the series a show people could relate to it became the hit it was supposed to be of the 80's.


And I don't know how good seasons 5-7 of "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" are as I love the high school years so much, so I've just got those.

I can tell ya :lol: Seasons 5 - 7 are nowhere near as good as seasons 1 - 4. The aunts really faded into the background to where they were completely gone in season 7. I'll always enjoy the high school years of Sabrina over the last 3 seasons.

This episode was basically a rehash of the Overachieving episode showed just two years earlier. When you have to repeat the same plot from a show two years earlier, you are running out of ideas.

I'd like to echo this because I think it's not only true, it's something that hasn't really been said on this forum before. Miko's father coming to Eastland, to frown on what she's doing and how she's being influenced by Eastland, was already done in "Overachieving", with Tootie's father coming to Eastland, to frown on what she's doing and how she's being influenced by Eastland. They just changed a few names around. Which isn't surprising, because it's the same thing they did when bringing Jo on, because that episode was totally ripped off from "Little Darlings": rebellious girl steals the school/camp van, lands everyone in hot water, rich girl is resentful, girl fighting ensues.

By the middle of the third season, it's clear that the writers were running out of Eastland ideas. The fourth season would be the last Eastland year. The writers knew they had erred in limiting the number of characters, and at various times tried to fix it with recurring characters like Miko and Alexandra, and later Kelly and Andy.

I think '80sSitcoms has covered the first season"bad ratings" myth pretty well, so I'll just verify that I have indeed read newspaper articles which state that the show's ratings significantly improved over the summer, when Fantasy Island and The Incredible Hulk went into reruns, demonstrating that people were starting to tune in, despite the bad timeslot.

And FOL season 2 instantly had better ratings, which wouldn't have been possible if people weren't already tuning in.

And '80sSitcoms is right: spin-off series should air after their parent series for a least a year, so that the audience from the parent series tunes in to the new show. The "fact" (heh!) that FOL did not, during its first season, just shows how careless NBC executives were with the 1979-1980 schedule.

I'd like to echo this because I think it's not only true, it's something that hasn't really been said on this forum before. Miko's father coming to Eastland, to frown on what she's doing and how she's being influenced by Eastland, was already done in "Overachieving", with Tootie's father coming to Eastland, to frown on what she's doing and how she's being influenced by Eastland. They just changed a few names around. Which isn't surprising, because it's the same thing they did when bringing Jo on, because that episode was totally ripped off from "Little Darlings": rebellious girl steals the school/camp van, lands everyone in hot water, rich girl is resentful, girl fighting ensues.

By the middle of the third season, it's clear that the writers were running out of Eastland ideas. The fourth season would be the last Eastland year. The writers knew they had erred in limiting the number of characters, and at various times tried to fix it with recurring characters like Miko and Alexandra, and later Kelly and Andy.

I think '80sSitcoms has covered the first season"bad ratings" myth pretty well, so I'll just verify that I have indeed read newspaper articles which state that the show's ratings significantly improved over the summer, when Fantasy Island and The Incredible Hulk went into reruns, demonstrating that people were starting to tune in, despite the bad timeslot.

And FOL season 2 instantly had better ratings, which wouldn't have been possible if people weren't already tuning in.

And '80sSitcoms is right: spin-off series should air after their parent series for a least a year, so that the audience from the parent series tunes in to the new show. The "fact" (heh!) that FOL did not, during its first season, just shows how careless NBC executives were with the 1979-1980 schedule.

The NBC execs showed how clueless they were when they only had one hit on the whole network in the late 70s. Of course, by 1982 that would change. Cheers, Family Ties, Facts of Life, etc.

People complain that the season 1 plots were lame, but several in season 3 were lame. Like how their probationary period for damaging the van ended and then they ended up damaging their room by fighting in the paint and had to continue to work in the cafeteria. Considering Tootie's age (who was 12 years old for 3 years straight), you would think Mrs. Garrett would be violating the child labor laws.

That's a weak argument that it needs the parent show right before it to help gain an audience. It's all about writing and the cast in order to have an audience.

True, but it just helps to get a boost right out the gate by being with the parent show.


I can tell ya :lol: Seasons 5 - 7 are nowhere near as good as seasons 1 - 4. The aunts really faded into the background to where they were completely gone in season 7. I'll always enjoy the high school years of Sabrina over the last 3 seasons.

Funny, that's exactly the impression I've gotten just from what I know about it. :lol: Yeah, love those early years. :)


Miko's father coming to Eastland, to frown on what she's doing and how she's being influenced by Eastland, was already done in "Overachieving", with Tootie's father coming to Eastland, to frown on what she's doing and how she's being influenced by Eastland

That's funny, I never ever made this connection. :lol:

Last year I did make that "carbon copy" connection of "Molly's Holiday" being recycled for Jo's vehicle "The Secret" -- and those were just 13 episodes apart!


several in season 3 were lame. Like how their probationary period for damaging the van ended and then they ended up damaging their room by fighting in the paint and had to continue to work in the cafeteria.

Hey, that's a fan favorite! Such a great episode! :D


Considering Tootie's age (who was 12 years old for 3 years straight), you would think Mrs. Garrett would be violating the child labor laws.

:lol:

Well, she was only 12 for 2 years. :crazy: At the start of season 3, she had just turned 13.

Tootie was 12 in the Girls School episode. Then she was still 12 late in season 2 during the Pretty Baby episode.

Tootie was 12 in the Girls School episode. Then she was still 12 late in season 2 during the Pretty Baby episode.

Oh that's right! "You're 12 years old!!" WOW :lol: :crazy:

So she was 12 years old for 2 years: by May 1979 until summer 1981.

The NBC execs showed how clueless they were when they only had one hit on the whole network in the late 70s. Of course, by 1982 that would change. Cheers, Family Ties, Facts of Life, etc.

Yes. It's crazy because during the 1978-1979 season, NBC's only top-20 show was Little House, at #14. Weirdly, NBC had nothing in the top 20 in 1981-1982. It wouldn't be until 1983 that NBC would even begin to recover from the disaster of the late 1970s. It was like they were asleep at the wheel.


People complain that the season 1 plots were lame, but several in season 3 were lame. Like how their probationary period for damaging the van ended and then they ended up damaging their room by fighting in the paint and had to continue to work in the cafeteria. Considering Tootie's age (who was 12 years old for 3 years straight), you would think Mrs. Garrett would be violating the child labor laws.

I don't mind the Season 3 plots, and don't mind Tootie being 12 for multiple years: Eastland time runs differently than time here on Earth. ;)

That's funny, I never ever made this connection. :lol:

Yeah, I think that 80s Dude hit the nail on the head with that one.


Last year I did make that "carbon copy" connection of "Molly's Holiday" being recycled for Jo's vehicle "The Secret" -- and those were just 13 episodes apart!

I can definitely see the similarities, but I also see some major differences.

I can definitely see the similarities, but I also see some major differences.

Oh sure, but it was the scene of Blair's heart-to-heart with Jo that I suddenly realized was largely a recycled scene of her heart-to-heart with Molly.

Oh sure, but it was the scene of Blair's heart-to-heart with Jo that I suddenly realized was largely a recycled scene of her heart-to-heart with Molly.

Yes, I totally see that that scene was recycled. And it was only after you first pointed it out. I was like, "Huh. He right!" :lol:

It's funny how blatant it was. Might as well rip up a black and white photo of Blair and Jo, and offer to put a flower in Natalie's hair, after something bad happens. ;)

Almost every TV show made does episodes that focus on a guest star. It's not running out of ideas. It's creating stories which is what writers are supposed to do. Majority of these episodes are filler though since the network orders over twenty episodes a season.

Also, the ratings for the show after they fired the lost girls is more evidence they made the right decision with the direction they took. Blair, Jo, Natalie, Tootie, and Mrs. Garrett are The Facts of Life. The lost girls were just useless characters until they figured out what the show was supposed to be like. If they had kept the lost girls, the show wouldn't have been a huge success and lasted as long as it did.


I agree with you that BLAIR, JO, NAT, TOOTIE and MRS G were the 'Facts of life', but without season 1 and the 'lost girls' the show wouldn't have made its entrance: face it, even though they were wearing sexy clothes (which was the fashion in the late 70 s) i think the season 1 looked more like a real school to me with so many girls running about!
On the other hand, it is true that once they reduced the cast, they became closer and the chemistry between our 4 girls and MRS G was tremendous! :wave:

without season 1 and the 'lost girls' the show wouldn't have made its entrance


If the lost girls have stayed in the show with the writers from season 1, the show wouldn't have lasted another 8 years. The simple fact is the lost girls and writers in season 1 was not worth it for fans to keep watching. The changes in season 2 were what kept the show going for 8 more years. Majority of fans prefer Blair, Jo, Natalie, Tootie, and Mrs. Garrett over anything from season 1.

I agree with you that BLAIR, JO, NAT, TOOTIE and MRS G were the 'Facts of life', but without season 1 and the 'lost girls' the show wouldn't have made its entrance: face it, even though they were wearing sexy clothes (which was the fashion in the late 70 s) i think the season 1 looked more like a real school to me with so many girls running about!


Yes, when they reduced the cast, they lost the feeling of a real school: there should be other girls in a girls' school. And there should be other faculty and staff. Eastland began to resemble a ghost town, especially in Season Four.

By limiting the number of characters, the producers drastically limited the number of stories that could be told, and just 36 episodes after the Lost Girls made their final appearances, the producers would jettison the school concept entirely, and start introducing new characters like Kelly and Andy. They clearly were running out of story ideas, and needed new sets and new concepts, because Eastland wasn't working well anymore, with a skeleton crew cast.

We can tell this not just from the change they made, but from the plots they recycled from previous seasons. We've mentioned a few of them, here, but a close examination of episodes would likely reveal more: the writers were desperate. They began bringing in "mini-me" versions of Blair and Jo in an attempt to keep the show fresh. But nobody liked Princess Alexandra or Kelly. They were too obviously clones of original characters.

The producers also began to lose sight of the fact that this show starred Charlotte Rae, and Mrs. Garrett was the heart of the show. Mrs. Garrett lost her bedroom, then her lines. Charlotte bowed out of the show, because it was no longer about Mrs. G. The producers thought adding a tacky gift shop would freshen ratings. And while it made the show "hip" for that era, it ended up dating the series, and Edna left for Africa. The show should have ended, at that point. Instead, it continued for two more seasons, a shell of its former self, the producers randomly adding Mrs. Garrett's sister and an Australian exchange student. By the end, almost nothing from the original concept remained.

Some people will tell you that it was a good thing that the show ran for nine seasons. It actually was a bad thing. The show was something entirely different during its last few years on the air. With a few exceptions, I can't watch the last few seasons of the show. Without Mrs. Garrett, the Facts of Life wasn't the same, and even the homey atmosphere of Edna's Edibles was gone. In were shoulder pads and huge hair, out was Mrs. Garrett's comfort food and good advice. We first saw Mrs. Garrett bring Cindy a cupcake and milk in "Rough Housing", but nine seasons later, there would be no comfort food.

Imagine The Golden Girls with no cheesecake, no Bea Arthur, no lanai... The Facts of Life had become The Golden Palace: a bad spin-off. :lol:

I also agree that the show ran a few seasons too long. Once Mrs. Garrett was gone, the show was over. The girls were grown and no longer needed her. And they shouldn’t have been living together at that point - it was ridiculous that these college-aged girls were living with their old housemother’s sister and two urchins.

The big problem with season 1 is not the concept; it was the writing and some of the casting. Season 2 had an overhauled writing staff. Had the same writers continued into season 2 (after the overhaul), I believe it would have been cancelled quickly. Some of the cheezy, corny writing from season 1 is just embarrassing. Bradley and Mahoney were poorly-conceived characters. And the actress who played Sue Ann was reading lines like she was in a high-school play.

Yes, when they reduced the cast, they lost the feeling of a real school: there should be other girls in a girls' school. And there should be other faculty and staff. Eastland began to resemble a ghost town, especially in Season Four.

By limiting the number of characters, the producers drastically limited the number of stories that could be told, and just 36 episodes after the Lost Girls made their final appearances, the producers would jettison the school concept entirely, and start introducing new characters like Kelly and Andy. They clearly were running out of story ideas, and needed new sets and new concepts, because Eastland wasn't working well anymore, with a skeleton crew cast.

We can tell this not just from the change they made, but from the plots they recycled from previous seasons. We've mentioned a few of them, here, but a close examination of episodes would likely reveal more: the writers were desperate. They began bringing in "mini-me" versions of Blair and Jo in an attempt to keep the show fresh. But nobody liked Princess Alexandra or Kelly. They were too obviously clones of original characters.

The producers also began to lose sight of the fact that this show starred Charlotte Rae, and Mrs. Garrett was the heart of the show. Mrs. Garrett lost her bedroom, then her lines. Charlotte bowed out of the show, because it was no longer about Mrs. G. The producers thought adding a tacky gift shop would freshen ratings. And while it made the show "hip" for that era, it ended up dating the series, and Edna left for Africa. The show should have ended, at that point. Instead, it continued for two more seasons, a shell of its former self, the producers randomly adding Mrs. Garrett's sister and an Australian exchange student. By the end, almost nothing from the original concept remained.

Some people will tell you that it was a good thing that the show ran for nine seasons. It actually was a bad thing. The show was something entirely different during its last few years on the air. With a few exceptions, I can't watch the last few seasons of the show. Without Mrs. Garrett, the Facts of Life wasn't the same, and even the homey atmosphere of Edna's Edibles was gone. In were shoulder pads and huge hair, out was Mrs. Garrett's comfort food and good advice. We first saw Mrs. Garrett bring Cindy a cupcake and milk in "Rough Housing", but nine seasons later, there would be no comfort food.

Imagine The Golden Girls with no cheesecake, no Bea Arthur, no lanai... The Facts of Life had become The Golden Palace: a bad spin-off. :lol:


Once again, you're absolutely right 'Retroguy2000': adding 'Over our heads' was the biggest mistake ever as well as letting MRS G head to Africa! She was definitely the heart of the show, and you see that pretty much from season 1 until season 6. (During season 7 & 8 she was just a clone).
Actually for me the best era were 4 to 6, because this is when you can see how close the cast has become: with JO & BLAIR almost off to college, the 4 musketeers become inseparable & MRS G turns into their hen mother!
And with 'Edna's Edibles' they all become the real family they never had! (MRS G as the mom, and the musketeers as sister sisters which made the episodes quite homey too!)

On the other hand, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA was a pain on the neck, but i liked KELLY and thought she was quite funny!
As for PIPPA, ANDY and BEVERLY ANN: they were the worst character ever, and i choose all the 'LOST GIRLS' over them!

PS: 'Rough housing' and 'Like mother like daughter' were actually great episodes from season 1 and my favourite! You see clearly what a great housemother MRS G is, by comforting CINDY in the first episode and BLAIR in the second. The girls immediately sought advice from MRS G, and she became the confidante of them all.
I actually always saw potential in the first season, which is why i am writing a story on the Fanfiction site on the 'FORGOTTEN GIRLS' that got kicked out of the set....:wave:

I really enjoy the years when Blair and Jo are in college, and they phased out Eastland, as blasphemous as that may be! And I’ve always liked the randomness of Over Our Heads, although I’m surprised it didn’t close after only one year. It seems like the girls were never working consistently or constantly drifting into the living room to deal with whatever crisis.

I also agree that the show ran a few seasons too long. Once Mrs. Garrett was gone, the show was over. The girls were grown and no longer needed her. And they shouldn’t have been living together at that point - it was ridiculous that these college-aged girls were living with their old housemother’s sister and two urchins.

The big problem with season 1 is not the concept; it was the writing and some of the casting. Season 2 had an overhauled writing staff. Had the same writers continued into season 2 (after the overhaul), I believe it would have been cancelled quickly. Some of the cheezy, corny writing from season 1 is just embarrassing. Bradley and Mahoney were poorly-conceived characters. And the actress who played Sue Ann was reading lines like she was in a high-school play.


So what if the girls were still living with MRS G? (A lot of mature adults in their 30 s and 40 s still live with their parents) and besides, they were working for MRS G. who was also like a second mother to those young adults.:cool:

I really enjoy the years when Blair and Jo are in college, and they phased out Eastland, as blasphemous as that may be!

Blasphemer!

Just kidding. I like reading other perspectives, even if I don't agree with them. To me, Eastland is the show, as much as Mrs. Garrett herself. But to each his/her own.


And I’ve always liked the randomness of Over Our Heads, although I’m surprised it didn’t close after only one year. It seems like the girls were never working consistently or constantly drifting into the living room to deal with whatever crisis.

Yeah, even Beverly Ann observes that, at one point, when she proposes closing the store. She's all, "You guys are never actually in the store anyway!" :lol:

I also agree that the show ran a few seasons too long. Once Mrs. Garrett was gone, the show was over. The girls were grown and no longer needed her. And they shouldn’t have been living together at that point - it was ridiculous that these college-aged girls were living with their old housemother’s sister and two urchins.

We definitely agree about that!


The big problem with season 1 is not the concept; it was the writing and some of the casting. Season 2 had an overhauled writing staff. Had the same writers continued into season 2 (after the overhaul), I believe it would have been cancelled quickly. Some of the cheezy, corny writing from season 1 is just embarrassing.

I agree that some of the writing for S1 was odd. For example, Tootie talking about her sciatica, like she's an old man. WTF?! But these WTF moments are scattered throughout all the seasons. Why, for example, are Tootie and Natalie allowed to move in with Mrs. Garrett and drudge away in her shop, instead of focusing on their studies at Eastland, as we know Tootie's father would demand? Why do we never hear of old characters once they've left the show? Why do characters suddenly show traits we never see before or afterwards, such as sudden photography interest, instant concerto piano playing, nunnery inquisitiveness, etc.? Why do we rarely see professors at Eastland? Why do the girls study in the cafeteria? Why does Natalie frame Mrs. Garrett for murder in the fifth season, and why does Mrs. Garrett forgive her? Do we really believe all four girls would remain virginal for nine years, all throughout junior high school, high school, college, and (for some) graduate school? :lol:

Once again, you're absolutely right 'Retroguy2000': adding 'Over our heads' was the biggest mistake ever as well as letting MRS G head to Africa! She was definitely the heart of the show, and you see that pretty much from season 1 until season 6. (During season 7 & 8 she was just a clone).

Yes, she was absolutely the heart of the show. I don't understand why the writers didn't understand this.


On the other hand, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA was a pain on the neck, but i liked KELLY and thought she was quite funny!
As for PIPPA, ANDY and BEVERLY ANN: they were the worst character ever, and i choose all the 'LOST GIRLS' over them!

Pippa only became a character because, at the time, Australian things were all the rage, in the US. Crocodile Dundee was big, this Aussie guy named Jocko was selling Energizer batteries... It was an era when the Facts of Life producers were all about following the latest trends. So, suddenly there was an Australian sidekick.

Imagine if the Golden Girls had suddenly acquired an Australian sidekick, and you will realize how weird this is.


PS: 'Rough housing' and 'Like mother like daughter' were actually great episodes from season 1 and my favourite! You see clearly what a great housemother MRS G is, by comforting CINDY in the first episode and BLAIR in the second. The girls immediately sought advice from MRS G, and she became the confidante of them all.
I actually always saw potential in the first season, which is why i am writing a story on the Fanfiction site on the 'FORGOTTEN GIRLS' that got kicked out of the set....:wave:

Please include a link, here, Valentina, when your fanfic finished. I'd love to read it. :)

One thing fans keep forgetting is that it's not cheap living on your own. These girls knew they could trust each other to help with expenses. It's very believable that they lived together in their early 20's. Natalie worked how many jobs to keep herself afloat to pay her way after high school? Plus she moved out of the house at the end of season 9 to go live with 4 other people in New York because in reality it's hard for a person to live on their own financially. Jo had to take a job and find a place to live because of her scholarship problems at Langley in the beginning of season 5. Tootie just didn't want to leave her friends. Blair is the only one who could have parted ways because she was financially stable to. With how she grew up, she wanted to be with family. During the Christmas episode in season 5, she gave up her ski trip to be with Jo and Mrs. Garrett. She wanted family because she didn't have it growing up and once she had it with Mrs. Garrett and the other girls, she didn't want to leave it. I find it very believable with how the girls stayed together after high school and don't look for nitpicks since it was worth watching.

One thing fans keep forgetting is that it's not cheap living on your own. These girls knew they could trust each other to help with expenses. It's very believable that they lived together in their early 20's. Natalie worked how many jobs to keep herself afloat to pay her way after high school? Plus she moved out of the house at the end of season 9 to go live with 4 other people in New York because in reality it's hard for a person to live on their own financially. Jo had to take a job and find a place to live because of her scholarship problems at Langley in the beginning of season 5. Tootie just didn't want to leave her friends. Blair is the only one who could have parted ways because she was financially stable to. With how she grew up, she wanted to be with family. During the Christmas episode in season 5, she gave up her ski trip to be with Jo and Mrs. Garrett. She wanted family because she didn't have it growing up and once she had it with Mrs. Garrett and the other girls, she didn't want to leave it. I find it very believable with how the girls stayed together after high school and don't look for nitpicks since it was worth watching.


You couldn't have put it in better words Christopher! I found it very normal to have the girls wanting to stay with MRS G for as long as they could: after all, she was like a second mother to them, and was really the only one to guide them through their adolescence: their biological parents were too busy to do it and especially BLAIR's ones, so no wonder they choose their 'Peekskill's family' over them lol!
I especially love the 'Edna's Edibles' era, because this is when MRS G truly became a mother to them with no interruptions from MR PARKER or other students. At this moment, the 4 girls were living under 'her roof' and it was just them!
I know some people like the 'Over our heads' era, but to be honest that had nothing to do with FOL anymore, and the new characters added had absolutely no chemistry with the 4 main girls in my opinion.:wave:

Yes, she was absolutely the heart of the show. I don't understand why the writers didn't understand this.



Pippa only became a character because, at the time, Australian things were all the rage, in the US. Crocodile Dundee was big, this Aussie guy named Jocko was selling Energizer batteries... It was an era when the Facts of Life producers were all about following the latest trends. So, suddenly there was an Australian sidekick.

Imagine if the Golden Girls had suddenly acquired an Australian sidekick, and you will realize how weird this is.



Please include a link, here, Valentina, when your fanfic finished. I'd love to read it. :)


Hello Retroguy2000!

I have posted the first chapter of my story on the FOL fanfiction site and it's called 'THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS': (I'v been trying to post it on the Sitcom online but i don't know how to do it):wave: maybe you can help?

Hello Retroguy2000!

I have posted the first chapter of my story on the FOL fanfiction site and it's called 'THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS': (I'v been trying to post it on the Sitcom online but i don't know how to do it):wave: maybe you can help?

Awesome, Valentina! I see it here (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13485933/1/THE-FORGOTTEN-GIRLS).

:read:

Once again, you're absolutely right 'Retroguy2000': adding 'Over our heads' was the biggest mistake ever as well as letting MRS G head to Africa! She was definitely the heart of the show, and you see that pretty much from season 1 until season 6. (During season 7 & 8 she was just a clone).
Actually for me the best era were 4 to 6, because this is when you can see how close the cast has become: with JO & BLAIR almost off to college, the 4 musketeers become inseparable & MRS G turns into their hen mother!
And with 'Edna's Edibles' they all become the real family they never had! (MRS G as the mom, and the musketeers as sister sisters which made the episodes quite homey too!)

On the other hand, PRINCESS ALEXANDRA was a pain on the neck, but i liked KELLY and thought she was quite funny!
As for PIPPA, ANDY and BEVERLY ANN: they were the worst character ever, and i choose all the 'LOST GIRLS' over them!

PS: 'Rough housing' and 'Like mother like daughter' were actually great episodes from season 1 and my favourite! You see clearly what a great housemother MRS G is, by comforting CINDY in the first episode and BLAIR in the second. The girls immediately sought advice from MRS G, and she became the confidante of them all.
I actually always saw potential in the first season, which is why i am writing a story on the Fanfiction site on the 'FORGOTTEN GIRLS' that got kicked out of the set....:wave:

If Charlotte Rae wanted to leave the show, what else could the writers do? You couldn't hold a gun to her head or get another actress to be another Mrs. G. It was like when Bewitch got another Dick to play Darren. Show wasn't the same.

If the lost girls have stayed in the show with the writers from season 1, the show wouldn't have lasted another 8 years. The simple fact is the lost girls and writers in season 1 was not worth it for fans to keep watching. The changes in season 2 were what kept the show going for 8 more years. Majority of fans prefer Blair, Jo, Natalie, Tootie, and Mrs. Garrett over anything from season 1.

I think new writers was all the show needed, the lost girls were finding their grove and improved quite a lot in their s2 appearances

I think new writers was all the show needed, the lost girls were finding their grove and improved quite a lot in their s2 appearances

They all did. Take Lisa's fake-sounding "Oh no...!" in the stable in "Flash Flood", for example. She vastly improved the following season.

They all did. Take Lisa's fake-sounding "Oh no...!" in the stable in "Flash Flood", for example. She vastly improved the following season.

Yes definitely all improved. Mindy is another

Yes definitely all improved. Mindy is another

Absolutely. And that isn't to take anything away from Mindy; here she was, literally brought in, with Kim explaining to Mindy what everything in the script meant. To go on stage like that, in front of millions of people, had to have been a HUGE leap of faith.

It paid off, as Mindy grew into quite the actress.

Once in a while in the early years, Lisa's Texas twang did show itself.

Absolutely. And that isn't to take anything away from Mindy; here she was, literally brought in, with Kim explaining to Mindy what everything in the script meant. To go on stage like that, in front of millions of people, had to have been a HUGE leap of faith.

It paid off, as Mindy grew into quite the actress.

MINDY as NATALIE was hilarious,:happyface and my favourite after BLAIR lol!

Here it goes in range from favourite to less favourite:

1. MRS G along with BLAIR
2. NAT
3. JO
4. TOOTIE

And from the 'Lost girls'

1. SUE ANN
2. CINDY
3. NANCY
4. MOLLY

Once in a while in the early years, Lisa's Texas twang did show itself.

"That's just 'tawhlk'!"

;)

("Rough Housing", during Mrs. Garrett's manipulation of Blair in the common room)

I just saw the first Cousin Geri episode. When Blair/Lisa comes in after Jeri is introduced to Mrs. Garrett and the other girls. Lisa says "Geri, Yo'all here already. Haw nice." and that is just one of the lines that show up (Starts at the 7:25 mark). I wonder if Lisa was as uncomfortable around Geri as Blair was. I know they became close later on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVMG5_unJvg

I just saw the first Cousin Geri episode. When Blair/Lisa comes in after Jeri is introduced to Mrs. Garrett and the other girls. Lisa says "Geri, Yo'all here already. Haw nice." and that is just one of the lines that show up (Starts at the 7:25 mark). I wonder if Lisa was as uncomfortable around Geri as Blair was. I know they became close later on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVMG5_unJvg

I think Blair was just jealous of the attention Geri stole from her.

From what I remember from Geri's book, Geri says that Lisa immediately took her under her wing from her very first episode, helping her rehearse the "Tea for Two" part, because Geri physically couldn't sing and dance at the same time, lacking the coordination. Very soon thereafter, Lisa and Geri became roommates. I absolutely LOVE this, because I feel like Lisa was totally being a real Christian.

Geri said that it was actually Charlotte who didn't always accept her, since maybe she reminded her too much of her disabled son. But that was Geri's interpretation, which Charlotte rejected.

Nice spotting of Lisa's Texas drawl!

I just saw the first Cousin Geri episode. When Blair/Lisa comes in after Jeri is introduced to Mrs. Garrett and the other girls. Lisa says "Geri, Yo'all here already. Haw nice." and that is just one of the lines that show up (Starts at the 7:25 mark). I wonder if Lisa was as uncomfortable around Geri as Blair was. I know they became close later on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVMG5_unJvg


BLAIR wasn't uncomfortable around GERI: she was jealous, because on the episode 'cousin Geri' she steals her limelight (by showing up exactly on her awards banquet) and you know how important this:talk: is to her.
The producers got that wrong too on the 'reunion movie': they made the same mistake by implying that BLAIR was uncomfortable because of her cousin's handicap, when all along she was just jealous of all the attention GERI was getting.

"That's just 'tawhlk'!"

;)

("Rough Housing", during Mrs. Garrett's manipulation of Blair in the common room)

'Rough Housing' is one of my favourite episodes, cos it shows the first interaction between BLAIR and MRS G (since the pilot 'The girl's school') and it totally break the ice between them ha ha!:lol:

I just saw the first Cousin Geri episode. When Blair/Lisa comes in after Jeri is introduced to Mrs. Garrett and the other girls. Lisa says "Geri, Yo'all here already. Haw nice."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVMG5_unJvg

I don't hear it in "You're here already", but I do hear "How nass" lol.

Lisa/Blair also broke into her Texas accent several times when she had her heart to heart talk with Mrs. Garrett in the girls bed room.