Rank your order of the "Facts" films in the poll above. :wave:

"The Facts of Life Goes to Paris" (1982) - Mrs. Garrett and the girls go to France
"The Facts of Life Down Under" (1987) - The girls, Beverly Ann, and Andy go to Australia
"The Facts of Life Reunion" (2001) - Mrs. Garrett, Blair, Natalie, and Tootie reunite at Eastland

The Facts of Life Down Under, The Facts of Life Goes To Paris, The Facts of Life Reunion.

I know Down Under gets criticize for the jewel thief storyline but to me it was more believable than Mrs. Garrett allowing Natalie and Tootie to go venture in another country without supervision. I also couldn't believe that a borderline alcoholic writer would want to spend his time with two kids. Natalie had just ended her freshmen year at Eastland and Tootie finished the 8th grade when they were running around with the old guy. It's creepy to me.

The Facts of Life Down Under moves at a better pace than Paris. Down Under takes place over 3 days in the film while Paris they're there for a month. The girls don't go crazy over a guy in Down Under either like Jo did in Paris. I'm not much of a romantic drama fan and that's the genre the Paris movie went for. A lot of fans criticize Jo for wanting to marry Eddie who she knew for awhile but I don't ever see her get criticize for being head over heels in love with David who she only knew for a couple of days.

There's a lot from both movies that don't seem believable but for me, I prefer the Australia movie the best. The stories they do when they're older seem more realistic than when they were kids.

Paris is by far the best. The Australasian movie was lame. The reunion movie should have brought back Sue Ann as the 4th girl since Nancy M. didn't want anything to do with it. Julie Pie would have appeared in a heartbeat.

Paris is by far the best.

I agree. :nod:


The Facts of Life Down Under, The Facts of Life Goes To Paris, The Facts of Life Reunion.

I knew that was your vote when I saw it in the poll. ;)


Mrs. Garrett allowing Natalie and Tootie to go venture in another country without supervision.

I think we're supposed to assume she thinks the girls are gonna stay together? Maybe,


I also couldn't believe that a borderline alcoholic writer would want to spend his time with two kids. Natalie had just ended her freshmen year at Eastland and Tootie finished the 8th grade when they were running around with the old guy. It's creepy to me.

I don't find it "creepy" at all. They're two people helping out another person in need. I think that's nice to see. As for him being a grown man, he didn't seek the girls out to chase them down for anything. Poor guy, he kept trying to shake 'em off! :lol: Then when he realized they had helped him, he showed them some of the sights of Paris. I liked it. :)


A lot of fans criticize Jo for wanting to marry Eddie who she knew for awhile but I don't ever see her get criticize for being head over heels in love with David who she only knew for a couple of days.

I don't see why there would be any criticism. At that point she and Eddie were already dissolved. A part of me wishes that French boy had appeared on the show as a visit to Eastland to see Jo, but a part of me likes that he's kept apart, a special part of her life only in that time she was in Paris.

I agree. :nod:




I knew that was your vote when I saw it in the poll. ;)




I think we're supposed to assume she thinks the girls are gonna stay together? Maybe,




I don't find it "creepy" at all. They're two people helping out another person in need. I think that's nice to see. As for him being a grown man, he didn't seek the girls out to chase them down for anything. Poor guy, he kept trying to shake 'em off! :lol: Then when he realized they had helped him, he showed them some of the sights of Paris. I liked it. :)




I don't see why there would be any criticism. At that point she and Eddie were already dissolved. A part of me wishes that French boy had appeared on the show as a visit to Eastland to see Jo, but a part of me likes that he's kept apart, a special part of her life only in that time she was in Paris.

Why are some of those quotes are attributed to me when I didn't make them?

Sorry 80s Dude! I used your quote as the quoting template, and forgot to change the name to protect the non-quoted, lol. Fixed now. :)

Paris is by far the best. The Australasian movie was lame. The reunion movie should have brought back Sue Ann as the 4th girl since Nancy M. didn't want anything to do with it. Julie Pie would have appeared in a heartbeat.

I totally would have LOVED that. And I agree Julie Pie would have done the film.

I totally would have LOVED that. And I agree Julie Pie would have done the film.

At least a lost girl (Sue Ann) got a shout out in the reunion movie.

I agree with most of you!

PARIS one was the best, and i love how TOOTIE and NAT really helped that poor writer:it wasn't creepy at all, and they handled his 'drinking problems' in a very mature and adult way!
As for JO's romance: i liked DAVID a lot more than EDDIE, but it was a 'summer romance', so any chance for him coming to 'Peekskill' would be very remote....

I was rather disappointed that BLAIR didn't meet anyone special though (she kept bumping into 'strange' and 'creepy' guys!).

But, i was delighted to see MRS G having a 'little friendly date' with the humble french cook (not ANTOINE though ha ha ha!).

About the AUSTRALIA movie: the only thing i liked was to see BLAIR and JO interacting more and spending time together (they hardly did in the PARIS one) but the story plot was weird and pretty lame!

The REUNION 2001 was very weak and the 3 girls/women didn't bond the way they used to on FOL: maybe the fact that JO wasn't there didn't help, and in that case i'd vote for SUE ANNE to have been part of it! (the movie would have definitely have another dynamic!)

I totally would have LOVED that. And I agree Julie Pie would have done the film.
Exactly, she and Blair had a good dynamic too.

I agree with most of you!

PARIS one was the best, and i love how TOOTIE and NAT really helped that poor writer:it wasn't creepy at all, and they handled his 'drinking problems' in a very mature and adult way!

Interesting you say that, because the writers of the series were actually told to write the characters like women in their 20s. And yeah, I think it's sad that innocent things can be too easily looked at as "creepy". Some YouTube posters even found it "creepy" that Mr. Bradley kept stopping by the dorm.


I was rather disappointed that BLAIR didn't meet anyone special though (she kept bumping into 'strange' and 'creepy' guys!).

I wasn't; I liked that we got to see her have a different perspective and experience. :) (and I might say "sleazy" or "inappropriate" instead)


But, i was delighted to see MRS G having a 'little friendly date' with the humble french cook (not ANTOINE though ha ha ha!).

I did like him a lot. :)

Exactly, she and Blair had a good dynamic too.

Yeah, there could have been a lot of back and forth there.

Yeah, there could have been a lot of back and forth there.

But are you a big fan of the movie?

But are you a big fan of the movie?

The third one? No. Blair was a walking stereotype, Natalie had that ridiculous storyline of two models begging to date her... I did love seeing the re-created Eastland cafeteria, and the mention of Sue Ann was a nice bit of continuity. Getting to see Mrs. Garrett again was also nice.

But why did they need Mini-Jo?

I voted for Australia, Paris, reunion. I just thought Australia was a better movie overall

The third one? No. Blair was a walking stereotype, Natalie had that ridiculous storyline of two models begging to date her... I did love seeing the re-created Eastland cafeteria, and the mention of Sue Ann was a nice bit of continuity. Getting to see Mrs. Garrett again was also nice.

But why did they need Mini-Jo?


You're absolutely right on that one retro!

That MINI JO looked more like 12 to me: way too young to even play the original JO who was supposed to be a 16 year old teenager at the time. :mad:

And yes, i was really delighted to see that at least 'our' MRS G was still the same (unlike the girls who were just clones of themselves!):lol:

You're absolutely right on that one retro!

That MINI JO looked more like 12 to me: way too young to even play the original JO who was supposed to be a 16 year old teenager at the time. :mad:

And yes, i was really delighted to see that at least 'our' MRS G was still the same (unlike the girls who were just clones of themselves!):lol:

Yeah, it was definitely nice to see Mrs. Garrett regain her spot at the center of the girls.

Mini Jo was Jo's daughter so she took after her mother. The actress playing her was 13, almost 14 at the time of filming.

Mini Jo was Jo's daughter so she took after her mother. The actress playing her was 13, almost 14 at the time of filming.

If that's also the age of the character that means Jo was pregnant in the final season of FOL! :eek:

If that's also the age of the character that means Jo was pregnant in the final season of FOL! :eek:

Well, Jo was married in the final season.

Well, Jo was married in the final season.

Wow. Did we see the wedding? Did Mrs. G return for it? I shouldn't be asking if I hate being spoiled but i'm now curious! I don't remember any of that! All I saw of that last season was Blair going back to Eastland to run things at the very end.

I think Jo marrying so soon and having a kid seems odd though. She spent all those years struggling to get through college to have a career, just to get married and pregnant soon afterwards. It's like they made her such a modern 1980's girl for years and the writers decided "let's toss her back to a good little 1950's woman" at the very end. :eek:

I think Molly would have smoke coming out of her ears over that! :lol:

Wow. Did we see the wedding? Did Mrs. G return for it? I shouldn't be asking if I hate being spoiled but i'm now curious! I don't remember any of that! All I saw of that last season was Blair going back to Eastland to run things at the very end.

I think Jo marrying so soon and having a kid seems odd though. She spent all those years struggling to get through college to have a career, just to get married and pregnant soon afterwards. It's like they made her such a modern 1980's girl for years and the writers decided "let's toss her back to a good little 1950's woman" at the very end. :eek:

I think Molly would have smoke coming out of her ears over that! :lol:


I think in the 'REUNION MOVIE' they ignored who the real FOL characters were: BLAIR ends up becoming a 'clone' of BOOTSIE; JO a 1950 s wife, NAT a 'sexy bomb' and TOOTIE a widow! (only MRS G remains her old self):lol::lol::lol:

And nope, MRS G never returned again until 2001: so she wasn't there for JO's wedding or even to see TOOTIE graduate! (she was vanished into the other continent):(:(:(

:violin::violin::violin:

I think in the 'REUNION MOVIE' they ignored who the real FOL characters were: BLAIR ends up becoming a 'clone' of BOOTSIE; JO a 1950 s wife, NAT a 'sexy bomb' and TOOTIE a widow! (only MRS G remains her old self):lol::lol::lol:

And nope, MRS G never returned again until 2001: so she wasn't there for JO's wedding or even to see TOOTIE graduate! (she was vanished into the other continent):(:(:(

:violin::violin::violin:

It's really sad to know she didn't make appearances for those 2 big deals at the end of the series. She must have really wanted out of the show when she left. :(

I'm so glad she made the 2001 movie though as crappy as it was. That really makes me happy and gives it a nice "happily ever after" ending. :)

"Sexy bomb" Natalie! I shouldn't laugh but :rofl:

It's really sad to know she didn't make appearances for those 2 big deals at the end of the series. She must have really wanted out of the show when she left. :(

I'm so glad she made the 2001 movie though as crappy as it was. That really makes me happy and gives it a nice "happily ever after" ending. :)

Nooo! That makes it sound like you "count" the movie in the continuity of FOL! :lol:

And just after Friday when most of us, including you, weren't! ;)

Also, interesting that someone voted who didn't like any of the movies. :lookaroun

Australia, Paris and then Reunion. The Paris one bored me to tears, the Australian one was over-the-top but fun and the reunion just plain sucked.

Wow. Did we see the wedding? Did Mrs. G return for it? I shouldn't be asking if I hate being spoiled but i'm now curious! I don't remember any of that! All I saw of that last season was Blair going back to Eastland to run things at the very end.

I think Jo marrying so soon and having a kid seems odd though. She spent all those years struggling to get through college to have a career, just to get married and pregnant soon afterwards. It's like they made her such a modern 1980's girl for years and the writers decided "let's toss her back to a good little 1950's woman" at the very end. :eek:

I think Molly would have smoke coming out of her ears over that! :lol:

You can see Jo getting married episode here. Not the clearest video, but we can't be picky. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6rsx41

It's really sad to know she didn't make appearances for those 2 big deals at the end of the series. She must have really wanted out of the show when she left. :(


She said they offered her millions to stay, but she wouldn't hear of it. I'd say she wanted out. :lol:

Nooo! That makes it sound like you "count" the movie in the continuity of FOL! :lol:

And just after Friday when most of us, including you, weren't! ;)

Also, interesting that someone voted who didn't like any of the movies. :lookaroun

True, the movie really shouldn't count, but i'll take Mrs. G any was I can...even in a crappy reunion film. And others have said she was the only character who stayed true to herself from the series. So if anything, Charlotte Rae saved that film from being a total disaster.

She said they offered her millions to stay, but she wouldn't hear of it. I'd say she wanted out. :lol:

Charlotte also said what good was the million of dollars would be if she was 6 feet under.

Charlotte also said what good was the million of dollars would be if she was 6 feet under.

It would pay for a helluva nice funeral? :lol:

You can see Jo getting married episode here. Not the clearest video, but we can't be picky. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6rsx41

LOL the video plays backwards! Like watching inside a mirror. It's actually pretty cool to see it like that. Everything is reversed in the picture. :lol:

LOL the video plays backwards! Like watching inside a mirror. It's actually pretty cool to see it like that. Everything is reversed in the picture. :lol:

It's done to try to avoid detection from automated systems looking for copyvios.

On some shows, it's bearable. But sometimes, it feels like the world has gone topsy-turvy. :lol:

It would pay for a helluva nice funeral? :lol:

Just be glad that Charlotte was around for 40 years after the show ended. She was able to do a few documentaries, town halls, that reunion movie.

True, the movie really shouldn't count, but i'll take Mrs. G any was I can...even in a crappy reunion film. And others have said she was the only character who stayed true to herself from the series. So if anything, Charlotte Rae saved that film from being a total disaster.


I'll take MRS G in any way i can too: well said cfr1970!:wave::wave::wave:

Actually: CHARLOTTE RAE is the reason why i decided to watch the 'REUNION 2001' (on YouTube of course)! I was so eager to see MRS G again, and yes, she definitely SAVED the movie!!!!;););)

True, the movie really shouldn't count, but i'll take Mrs. G any was I can...even in a crappy reunion film. And others have said she was the only character who stayed true to herself from the series. So if anything, Charlotte Rae saved that film from being a total disaster.

No thanks, I've got Mrs. Garrett on the actual show (and its parents how, DS); nothing extracurricular. :nonono:

After the travesties they did to Blair's marriage and Tootie's husband alone, this movie does not exist to me. For me, FOL pretty much ends after the season 8 season finale. :bash:

No thanks, I've got Mrs. Garrett on the actual show (and its parents how, DS); nothing extracurricular. :nonono:

After the travesties they did to Blair's marriage and Tootie's husband alone, this movie does not exist to me. For me, FOL pretty much ends after the season 8 season finale. :bash:


I kind of agree with you on that one 80sSitcoms: FOL ended right after MRS G's departure:(:(:( (

Just be glad that Charlotte was around for 40 years after the show ended. She was able to do a few documentaries, town halls, that reunion movie.

The interviews from Charlotte alone are worth their weight in gold!

...Okay, they're mostly in pixels, these days, which don't actually weigh much, but still! :lol:

No thanks, I've got Mrs. Garrett on the actual show (and its parents how, DS); nothing extracurricular. :nonono:

After the travesties they did to Blair's marriage and Tootie's husband alone, this movie does not exist to me. For me, FOL pretty much ends after the season 8 season finale. :bash:

So you personally don't count season 9 at all?! :eek::eek:

So you personally don't count season 9 at all?! :eek::eek:

Some of us (well, me) cut it off even further, with 7-01, 7-02, 7-03, 7-04, 7-24, 8-01, 8-02, 8-06, 9-23, and 9-24 making up an abbreviated "final season", with the side characters mostly cut out. (I could live with including enough additional episodes to preserve "season" continuity).

Australia, Paris and then Reunion. The Paris one bored me to tears, the Australian one was over-the-top but fun and the reunion just plain sucked.

My exact feelings

Some of us (well, me) cut it off even further, with 7-01, 7-02, 7-03, 7-04, 7-24, 8-01, 8-02, 8-06, 9-23, and 9-24 making up an abbreviated "final season", with the side characters mostly cut out. (I could live with including enough additional episodes to preserve "season" continuity).

Wow. That's interesting. I guess I can't really have an opinion until I see those seasons myself....and even afterwards, still really won't be able to fully since over 5 minutes is edited out of the broadcast showings.

I'll have to wait till I get the DVD to find out for myself. I just hope I don't hate those seasons as much as everyone else does!!

Some of us (well, me) cut it off even further, with 7-01, 7-02, 7-03, 7-04, 7-24, 8-01, 8-02, 8-06, 9-23, and 9-24 making up an abbreviated "final season", with the side characters mostly cut out. (I could live with including enough additional episodes to preserve "season" continuity).

Wow thats quite the pick Retro. I'd keep some more of s8 personally, and maybe a few of 9. I like 9-03 alot.

Wow thats quite the pick Retro. I'd keep some more of s8 personally, and maybe a few of 9. I like 9-03 alot.

I'm happy to negotiate the "Lorimar-Retro" collector's edition of FOL S 7/8/9. Let me know which episodes you'd include, in addition to 9-03, and we'll box 'em up! :lol:

I'll have to wait till I get the DVD to find out for myself. I just hope I don't hate those seasons as much as everyone else does!!

Oh, no. Not everyone hates them; there are several huge fans here who love, truly LOVE, those later seasons. You will have to make up your own mind.

IMO, the show gets.. weird. But even the worst season still has a few good episodes.

I'll have to wait till I get the DVD to find out for myself. I just hope I don't hate those seasons as much as everyone else does!!

Not everyone hates them. You're just getting a few people's loud opinions on the later seasons. It's all a matter of preference and hopefully the ones who constantly go from thread to thread here bashing the later seasons haven't made the decision for you.

So you personally don't count season 9 at all?! :eek::eek:

Well, it's not that I "don't count it", lol, it's just that the time I binged it "two binges ago", lol, I realized, wow, the season 8 finale would just about make a great series finale.

Well, it's not that I "don't count it", lol, it's just that the time I binged it "two binges ago", lol, I realized, wow, the season 8 finale would just about make a great series finale.

I took a peek at the episode guide for season 8 finale---so this is Jo & Blair's college graduation. That does sound like it would make for a good series finale. And with Tootie & Natalie out of Eastland, it made sense to close up shop right about there.

I guess ratings were still good enough for another season?...Ah! Yes I see they were. It was still airing at 8pm on NBC's enormously popular Saturday nights with 227, Golden Girls, Amen & Hunter following....oh those were the days of great Saturday night TV!

I took a peek at the episode guide for season 8 finale---so this is Jo & Blair's college graduation. That does sound like it would make for a good series finale. And with Tootie & Natalie out of Eastland, it made sense to close up shop right about there.

:yeahthat

Time to close the 🚪 girls!


I guess ratings were still good enough for another season?...Ah! Yes I see they were. It was still airing at 8pm on NBC's enormously popular Saturday nights with 227, Golden Girls, Amen & Hunter following....oh those were the days of great Saturday night TV!

They sure were! And then when FOL was gone, it was 227, Golden Girls, Empty Nest, and Amen, baby! [and for a few years, Nurses!] (I never cared about that "adult" non-funny show Hunter :lol:)

:yeahthat

Time to close the 🚪 girls!




They sure were! And then when FOL was gone, it was 227, Golden Girls, Empty Nest, and Amen, baby! [and for a few years, Nurses!] (I never cared about that "adult" non-funny show Hunter :lol:)

Oh I loved them ALL and thought Hunter was great! From 8pm to 11pm my TV was set to NBC every Saturday night. I wish they'd bring Amen to one of the broadcast retro channels. That's one show I literally haven't seen in 30 years and would love to see those episodes again! I loved that character Thelma! :lol:

I enjoy the Australia movie more. It's fast pace and fun. I like Paris but I find the action slows down. Since Mrs. G is overprotective usually it's hard to know she let the girls get away from leaving the school and helping that guy. Her plotline is the best in that one but both movies play the culture well. I like Mrs G in the reunion movie and Tootie too. I don't mind she's a widow she handle her scenes as a single mother well. Natalie's plot is ridiculous and Blair won't be that cool toward her husband.

I enjoy the Australia movie more. It's fast pace and fun. I like Paris but I find the action slows down. Since Mrs. G is overprotective usually it's hard to know she let the girls get away from leaving the school and helping that guy. Her plotline is the best in that one but both movies play the culture well. I like Mrs G in the reunion movie and Tootie too. I don't mind she's a widow she handle her scenes as a single mother well. Natalie's plot is ridiculous and Blair won't be that cool toward her husband.


I hated BLAIR's husband the most in that 'REUNION 2001': he was such a wimp and nothing compared to the guys she dated before! I was actually hoping she'd end up with BEN or someone similar, but no, on top of that they cloned her into a BOOTSIE lookalike and that really sucked!!!!:mad:

MRS G was the only good thing in that reunion as far as i'm concerned...;)

I wish they'd bring Amen to one of the broadcast retro channels.

They did! I re-watched the whole series on there a year or two ago!


That's one show I literally haven't seen in 30 years and would love to see those episodes again! I loved that character Thelma! :lol:

"Reuuuubennnnn!" :lol:

They did! I re-watched the whole series on there a year or two ago!

I see that Get TV channel airs it but I can pull that on in so i'm hoping it eventually comes to Antenna TV, Decades or Cozi channels.




"Reuuuubennnnn!" :lol:


Oh that whiny voice LOL....Did she also say "Daaaaaaddddddyyyyy!"....30 years later I can still hear it in my head. :lol:

YES! :lol:

YES! :lol:

She was such a pathetic character but oh so funny. It was her patheticness that made her so loveable. :lol:

1. Australian

2. Paris

3. Reunion

Wow. That's interesting. I guess I can't really have an opinion until I see those seasons myself....and even afterwards, still really won't be able to fully since over 5 minutes is edited out of the broadcast showings.

I'll have to wait till I get the DVD to find out for myself. I just hope I don't hate those seasons as much as everyone else does!!

Actually, I love the later seasons. Seasons 7, 8, and 9 are my favorites. :wave:

:2bump