I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Bradley but it's sad they never mentioned him like he never existed

Not to mention that Eastland seems to have paid him so little that he couldn't afford his own television set so that's likely why he'd watched shows on the big console at the girls' dorm!

They never mentioned the Crok, Miss Mahoney, or Mr. Harris again either. They did feature Mr. Bradley in the flashback episodes so that is a little acknowledgement of him.

Not to mention that Eastland seems to have paid him so little that he couldn't afford his own television set so that's likely why he'd watched shows on the big console at the girls' dorm!

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

... Well, at least in "Emily Dickinson", he was trying to get the girls to turn off the TV.

They never mentioned the Crok, Miss Mahoney, or Mr. Harris again either. They did feature Mr. Bradley in the flashback episodes so that is a little acknowledgement of him.

Yeah, we do see him in the flashbacks, so it seems they must have mentioned him as they discussed the stories.

I'm not a huge fan of Mr. Bradley but it's sad they never mentioned him like he never existed

This was kind of weird, now that you mention it.

Yeah, we do see him in the flashbacks, so it seems they must have mentioned him as they discussed the stories.

Like when he walks into the classroom while Tootie is writing "I will not.." on the chalk board and says "Um, Tootie, dittles are not acceptable."

This was kind of weird, now that you mention it.

Yes. It was common on television in the 1950s-1980s for characters to become un-people when they left the show. They were never, ever mentioned again, and they simply ceased to exist. Chuck Cunningham, for example, just stopped existing.

FOL was a cut above other 1980s shows because some characters were phased out or at least mentioned after their last appearances. Howard left after Season 2, but gets a mention in Season 4. George fades away after Season 7, but still makes a few appearances in Season 8. The Lost Girls disappear after the first season, but make sporadic appearances in Seasons 2, 3, and 8, and one, Sue Ann, gets mentioned as late as the 2001 Reunion film. Mr. Parker still visits in Season 5. Mrs. Garrett is mentioned several times in Seasons 8 and 9. I do feel FOL was better about character continuity than most 1980s shows, but its continuity was less good than most of today's shows.

I don't remember Miss Mahoney or Kelly getting later shout-outs, but I think everyone else seen in the opening credits got a mention or a flashback appearance.

Like when he walks into the classroom while Tootie is writing "I will not.." on the chalk board and says "Um, Tootie, dittles are not acceptable."

Yep! He gets another one, too, when he's seen in one of the dorm rooms, in a flashback.

They should have brought Chuck Cunningham back for the final episode of Happy Days.

They should have brought Chuck Cunningham back for the final episode of Happy Days.

That would have been awesome!

"Mom, Dad! I'm back from Outer Mongolia!" :lol:

That would have been awesome!

"Mom, Dad! I'm back from Outer Mongolia!" :lol:

If I was a writer on the show, I would have had Chuck go off and join the military. At least explain his absence,

If I was a writer on the show, I would have had Chuck go off and join the military. At least explain his absence,

Yeah, I know back in the 1980s, a lot of people were claiming "Chuck died in 'Nam." Joining the military would have been a great way to explain why the character was no longer on the show. It could have even been a great way of explaining why he never came back. Heck, they could have even received phone calls from Chuck, and it wouldn't have cost the show a dime.

I think i must be the only one (or at least in the minority) who liked MR BRADLEY and the CROCK: those 2 characters were hilarious, and we don't see headmasters like them anymore....

Oh no valentina, I really like Mr. Bradley too! I think lots of fans like him. :) I would also like The Croc if he were an insane raving recurring character not the headmaster, not seen too often, just sometimes.

To me, this is one of the biggest mysteries of the show that is hardly ever discussed in depth. Why couldn't they have kept Mr. Bradley?? The school has to have a headmaster. They already had one who was really good in his role. Why boot him off and hire a new one for a whole season but just one appearance?

:confused:

Oh no valentina, I really like Mr. Bradley too! I think lots of fans like him. :) I would also like The Croc if he were an insane raving recurring character not the headmaster, not seen too often, just sometimes.

To me, this is one of the biggest mysteries of the show that is hardly ever discussed in depth. Why couldn't they have kept Mr. Bradley?? The school has to have a headmaster. They already had one who was really good in his role. Why boot him off and hire a new one for a whole season but just one appearance?

:confused:



Hi 80s!:wave:

From what i'v heard: it was the decision of JOHN LAWLOR (aka MR BRADLEY) to leave the show, but like you i was very saddened about his departure and absolutely believe he was the best headmaster!

MR PARKER was okay i guess, and he did have some kind of chemistry with MRS G (although he clashed with her too), and maybe the reason i do like THE CROCK, it's because as you all know: the pilot 'The girl school' is my favourite episode of them all! It's the root where it all starts and what would become....

:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

From what i'v heard: it was the decision of JOHN LAWLOR (aka MR BRADLEY) to leave the show, but like you i was very saddened about his departure and absolutely believe he was the best headmaster!

WHAT?! :eek: Valentina, WHERE did you hear THAT?? John did NOT want off the show. He was very upset to be cast out! He wanted to STAY on the show! He says so himself in documentaries about the show! :bash:


MR PARKER was okay i guess, and he did have some kind of chemistry with MRS G (although he clashed with her too)

Yes, he was comedic in his one appearance. I wish he had appeared more!

WHAT?! :eek: Valentina, WHERE did you hear THAT?? John did NOT want off the show. He was very upset to be cast out! He wanted to STAY on the show! He says so himself in documentaries about the show! :bash:




Yes, he was comedic in his one appearance. I wish he had appeared more!
Yep he said, "I dont want to be free"

WHAT?! :eek: Valentina, WHERE did you hear THAT?? John did NOT want off the show. He was very upset to be cast out! He wanted to STAY on the show! He says so himself in documentaries about the show!




Yes, he was comedic in his one appearance. I wish he had appeared more!





Oops! I guess i got it all wrong then???? I thought i read JOHN LAWLOR was wanting out of the show??? In that case i am even more upset now to hear he wanted to stay???? So why did they kick him out if he was so good????
Needless to say, the writers ONCE AGAIN made another huge mistake: they not only fired the 'Lost girls', but also the warm headmaster/great actor too????
I'm sorry, but there was no need for that MR HARRISON and later MR PARKER to replace our wonderful MR BRADLEY lol!!!!

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Yep he said, "I dont want to be free"

Yep!

I think that must have been the worst possible way to let someone know they've been "let go": "You're free." "Free? What does that even mean?" :eek:

Oops! I guess i got it all wrong then???? I thought i read JOHN LAWLOR was wanting out of the show??? In that case i am even more upset now to hear he wanted to stay???? So why did they kick him out if he was so good????
Needless to say, the writers ONCE AGAIN made another huge mistake: they not only fired the 'Lost girls', but also the warm headmaster/great actor too????
I'm sorry, but there was no need for that MR HARRISON and later MR PARKER to replace our wonderful MR BRADLEY lol!!!!

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

It was Jenny O'Hara, Miss Mahoney, who wanted out, and asked to be let out of her contract. She felt "a coldness" from Charlotte.

Yep!

I think that must have been the worst possible way to let someone know they've been "let go": "You're free." "Free? What does that even mean?" :eek:

Haha exactly! Just say I've been fired, dont beat around the bush!

I am more and more convinced about the writer's bad taste as we speak: first they fire the 'Lost girls' and then MR BRADLEY!!!!! (what did MR HARRISON and MR PARKER had that was so special lol???)

It was Jenny O'Hara, Miss Mahoney, who wanted out, and asked to be let out of her contract. She felt "a coldness" from Charlotte.

But also because she knew her character wasn't going anywhere.

But also because she knew her character wasn't going anywhere.

...Well, did she really even give it a chance? I mean, to leave after just four episodes when the show is just getting started doesn't seem like the best idea. Sure, she may not have liked the direction of her character, but at least she, unlike Felice, got lines in the episodes she was in. In fact, in "IQ", Jenny's got an important role.

Felice didn't quit after seeing her role "severely diminished". She continued in the role, without many lines, for the remainder of the season, and even graciously agreed to appear after she'd been unceremoniously axed, continuing in a recurring role to provide the continuity needed to maintain the illusion of other students at the school.

It's possible that Jenny's character may not have gone anywhere. It's possible, even likely, IMO, that her character might have been axed at the end of the season. But we'll never know, now, because she quit after just four weeks.

I am more and more convinced about the writer's bad taste as we speak: first they fire the 'Lost girls' and then MR BRADLEY!!!!! (what did MR HARRISON and MR PARKER had that was so special lol???)

I will never understand why they thought writing for a cast of nine was impossible when literally dozens of other shows managed similar-sized casts it before them, during the time they were on, and after FOL was off the air.

To me, it almost seems sexist to claim there were "too many girls" when shows like Head of the Class started off with ten mixed-gender students (and then added even more students in Season 4), and Degrassi had more than two dozen students. These shows managed large casts just fine.

I am more and more convinced about the writer's bad taste as we speak: first they fire the 'Lost girls' and then MR BRADLEY!!!!! (what did MR HARRISON and MR PARKER had that was so special lol???)

Mr. Parker definitely felt more like a realistic headmaster than Mr. Bradley. A headmaster would not be as involved in their students lives like Mr. Bradley was.

...Well, did she really even give it a chance? I mean, to leave after just four episodes when the show is just getting started doesn't seem like the best idea.

It sounded like it was more of the result of her meetings with the writers, and how eavesdropping Julie Pie (:lol:) commented that Jenny and the writers clashed over the direction of the character and that it (sadly) spelled the writing on the wall for Miss Mahoney.

Mr. Parker definitely felt more like a realistic headmaster than Mr. Bradley. A headmaster would not be as involved in their students lives like Mr. Bradley was.

Well, but when Mr. Bradley was on the show's main set was the girls' dorm common room. So he kind of had to be more involved.

It sounded like it was more of the result of her meetings with the writers, and how eavesdropping Julie Pie (:lol:)

My sources tell me Julie Pie was passed along that information by someone else! :lol:

My sources tell me Julie Pie was passed along that information by someone else! :lol:

:brent

But as a season 1 fan, I'm surprised you didn't go for the Blair-and-Nancy-listening-through-drinking-glasses-at-the-door bit! :lol:

:brent

But as a season 1 fan, I'm surprised you didn't go for the Blair-and-Nancy-listening-through-drinking-glasses-at-the-door bit! :lol:

I was going to, and then I couldn't remember which episode that was in! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

.

.

Haha! Way to not follow through on that, Sue Ann! :lol:


I was going to, and then I couldn't remember which episode that was in! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

Retro!! :eek:

"Overachieving"!!

Oh no valentina, I really like Mr. Bradley too! I think lots of fans like him. :) I would also like The Croc if he were an insane raving recurring character not the headmaster, not seen too often, just sometimes.

He would have made a GREAT Drama teacher, what with all his drama.


To me, this is one of the biggest mysteries of the show that is hardly ever discussed in depth. Why couldn't they have kept Mr. Bradley?? The school has to have a headmaster. They already had one who was really good in his role. Why boot him off and hire a new one for a whole season but just one appearance?

:confused:

It's just one of a long series of firings that just doesn't make sense.

It's possible they offered John a one-time role in "Gossip", but he turned them down. Certainly, actors have been known to do that on this show; Geri ended up doing it when the producers offered her one episode for Season 6. She felt it was an insultingly small number, and she wanted a bigger role on the show. John might have felt the same way: he was second-billed... to go to a guest appearance would have felt like a demotion. Molly certainly felt that way.

Retro!! :eek:

"Overachieving"!!

I even checked the episode on DM for the scene, and couldn't find it! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

It's just one of a long series of firings that just doesn't make sense.

It's possible they offered John a one-time role in "Gossip", but he turned them down. Certainly, actors have been known to do that on this show; Geri ended up doing it when the producers offered her one episode for Season 6. She felt it was an insultingly small number, and she wanted a bigger role on the show. John might have felt the same way: he was second-billed... to go to a guest appearance would have felt like a demotion. Molly certainly felt that way.

True, it's possible, but I don't think he was offered the chance. I just have this feeling the show washed their hands of him completely when they got rid of him. And the way he loved being on the show so much, I feel sure that if he were offered one guest turn to reprise his role, he would have jumped at the chance (and being a good deal more mature and objective than a 12-year-old Molly). Of course I don't have confirmation, but that's just my personal theory.

I even checked the episode on DM for the scene, and couldn't find it! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

How could you forget??

"I'M STAYIN'!!!!!"

:lol:

(besides the process of elimination: Blair and Nancy are at the door. Sue Ann, Cindy, Molly, and Natalie are huddled around Mr. Bradley behind them. That leaves only Tootie, who must be in the bedroom with Mrs. Garrett. This is like FOL Clue: "MRS. GARRETT comforted TOOTIE in the HOUSEMOTHER'S BEDROOM!" lol)

True, it's possible, but I don't think he was offered the chance. I just have this feeling the show washed their hands of him completely when they got rid of him. And the way he loved being on the show so much, I feel sure that if he were offered one guest turn to reprise his role, he would have jumped at the chance (and being a good deal more mature and objective than a 12-year-old Molly). Of course I don't have confirmation, but that's just my personal theory.

Yeah, and it's possible we'll never know. But you never know: we definitely have learned many obscure things over the years. I still can't believe Reelz reeled in Jenny O'Hara for the documentary, and got so much juicy info! Enough gossip to convince even Cindy and Sue Ann to invite her up to their dorm room, I bet! :lol:

Yeah, and it's possible we'll never know. But you never know: we definitely have learned many obscure things over the years. I still can't believe Reelz reeled in Jenny O'Hara for the documentary, and got so much juicy info! Enough gossip to convince even Cindy and Sue Ann to invite her up to their dorm room, I bet! :lol:

:rofl:

Oh thank you for that, Retro! With this election anxiety I needed that good out-loud laugh!

:rofl:

(and I know, what a fantastic font of information 'twas to get her!)

How could you forget??

"I'M STAYIN'!!!!!"

:lol:

(besides the process of elimination: Blair and Nancy are at the door. Sue Ann, Cindy, Molly, and Natalie are huddled around Mr. Bradley behind them. That leaves only Tootie, who must be in the bedroom with Mrs. Garrett.

I know, I know: I have to turn in my Facts of Life super-fan membership! ;)


This is like FOL Clue: "MRS. GARRETT comforted TOOTIE in the HOUSEMOTHER'S BEDROOM!" lol)

:lol: And that just reminds me of your FOL First Season Clue edition!

:rofl:

Oh thank you for that, Retro! With this election anxiety I needed that good out-loud laugh!


Glad I could help.

Speaking of laughing, we're getting dangerously close to the Holiday season, full of Christmas cheer and yuletide Facts of Life songs. I hope you've been saving your poetry skills for this year's Facts of Life Christmas Song Spectacular?

Well I haven't planned anything yet, but what's Xmas without Eastland?? :grouphug:


:lol: And that just reminds me of your FOL First Season Clue edition!

I thought of that too! :lol:

My sources tell me Julie Pie was passed along that information by someone else! :lol:

:lol:

I still can't believe Reelz reeled in Jenny O'Hara for the documentary, and got so much juicy info! Enough gossip to convince even Cindy and Sue Ann to invite her up to their dorm room, I bet! :lol:

-

-

:lol:

-

:brent

Nice!

I bet she mentioned something about "Only until curfew!" :lol:

:brent

Nice!

I bet she mentioned something about "Only until curfew!" :lol:

and "study for finals!" with a finger in their face! :lol:

Well, but when Mr. Bradley was on the show's main set was the girls' dorm common room. So he kind of had to be more involved.



Thank you 80s!:wave:

I still believe MR BRADLEY was warmer than MR PARKER and wish there were more headmasters like him (unrealistic or not): we could certainly use someone caring to look after a bunch of girls who managed to get quite often in mischief hee hee!!!!

I know we had MRS G as a maternal figure to nurture the girls and make sure they headed into the right direction, but it would have been certainly interesting to see a parental figure too, don't you guys agree????

party:party:party:party:party:party:party:party:party:party:party:party:party:

Thank you 80s!:wave:

I still believe MR BRADLEY was warmer than MR PARKER and wish there were more headmasters like him (unrealistic or not): we could certainly use someone caring to look after a bunch of girls who managed to get quite often in mischief hee hee!!!!

I know we had MRS G as a maternal figure to nurture the girls and make sure they headed into the right direction, but it would have been certainly interesting to see a parental figure too, don't you guys agree????



I think it would have been GREAT to have kept Mr. Bradley at least another season, either full-time or as a recurring character. They certainly needed a headmaster character in "Gossip", "The New Girl", and "Teenage Marriage".

But there's no way Mr. Bradley should have been in the girls' bedrooms in "Dieting" and "The Return of Mr. Garrett". There's "warm" and then there's "too warm".

I think it would have been GREAT to have kept Mr. Bradley at least another season, either full-time or as a recurring character. They certainly needed a headmaster character in "Gossip", "The New Girl", and "Teenage Marriage".

But there's no way Mr. Bradley should have been in the girls' bedrooms in "Dieting" and "The Return of Mr. Garrett". There's "warm" and then there's "too warm".


:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent:brent

I think it would have been GREAT to have kept Mr. Bradley at least another season, either full-time or as a recurring character. They certainly needed a headmaster character in "Gossip", "The New Girl", and "Teenage Marriage".

But there's no way Mr. Bradley should have been in the girls' bedrooms in "Dieting" and "The Return of Mr. Garrett". There's "warm" and then there's "too warm".

I would have liked to see him after the retooling, even as a semi-regular character (like Adelaide on DS, for example). Sometimes he was too warm, as you said, or "invasive". But if you have to hire two headmasters (three if we count the one before Blair) for a couple of episodes, keep the one you already have. John Lawlor was very sad when he was fired, even Charlotte said he was shocked. He was like a friend for Mrs. Garrett, the girls have Edna but Edna?? With Mr. Bradley on the show, Mrs. Garrett could have had a friend to talk about her personal problems.

I would have liked to see him after the retooling, even as a semi-regular character (like Adelaide on DS, for example). Sometimes he was too warm, as you said, or "invasive". But if you have to hire two headmasters (three if we count the one before Blair) for a couple of episodes, keep the one you already have. John Lawlor was very sad when he was fired, even Charlotte said he was shocked. He was like a friend for Mrs. Garrett, the girls have Edna but Edna?? With Mr. Bradley on the show, Mrs. Garrett could have had a friend to talk about her personal problems.

GREAT post, ITA, and I do agree that having a staffer around to speak to Mrs. Garrett was something that unfortunately got dropped, and it shouldn't have been. For a little while, we had Howard, but he was only around for four episodes.

There were many episodes where Mrs. Garrett really could have used a staff confidante, or some assistance, and either Mr. Bradley or Miss Mahoney could have fulfilled that role. "Breaking Point" is one example; are we really to believe that a girl at Eastland commits suicide and the only staffer who talks to the girls about Cynthia's' death is Mrs. Garrett? That doesn't make much sense, considering we previously saw multiple teachers/administrators in the girls' lives. "Where'd everybody go?" indeed.

But there's another side to this, as well: without another adult to talk with, Charlotte herself began to be minimized. Charlotte once called John her "best friend" on the set. Without John there, the show increasingly began to focus more on the girls, slowly pushing Charlotte out. Look at the number of scenes Charlotte was in during Season 1 versus the scenes she was in during Season 2: she's the center of "The Return of Mr. Garrett", but she's a side character by the time of "Teenage Marriage".

There's no way Charlotte's role would have been so minimized if she had other Eastland faculty to interact with.

^---I think that's a negative way of looking at it. :( I see what you're saying, but I don't see Mrs. Garrett as a "side character" in the classic cafeteria years. There were several episodes about her and she's always around, whereas that's definitely lessened as we get closer to EE. I think it's a pretty nice balance at Eastland.

And I definitely think of her as a major player in "Teenage Marriage". She's the one who first says, phonetically, "Rose Pole-nee-yuh-check". :lol:

GREAT post, ITA, and I do agree that having a staffer around to speak to Mrs. Garrett was something that unfortunately got dropped, and it shouldn't have been. For a little while, we had Howard, but he was only around for four episodes.

There were many episodes where Mrs. Garrett really could have used a staff confidante, or some assistance, and either Mr. Bradley or Miss Mahoney could have fulfilled that role. "Breaking Point" is one example; are we really to believe that a girl at Eastland commits suicide and the only staffer who talks to the girls about Cynthia's' death is Mrs. Garrett? That doesn't make much sense, considering we previously saw multiple teachers/administrators in the girls' lives. "Where'd everybody go?" indeed.

But there's another side to this, as well: without another adult to talk with, Charlotte herself began to be minimized. Charlotte once called John her "best friend" on the set. Without John there, the show increasingly began to focus more on the girls, slowly pushing Charlotte out. Look at the number of scenes Charlotte was in during Season 1 versus the scenes she was in during Season 2: she's the center of "The Return of Mr. Garrett", but she's a side character by the time of "Teenage Marriage".

There's no way Charlotte's role would have been so minimized if she had other Eastland faculty to interact with.

Originally they planned on having a young cook and some other faculty member to be adult counterparts to Mrs. Garrett. It appeared that they merged these into Howard the Cook who didn't appear in many episodes.

John Lawlor was the only adult member on the set not on management. He discussed one time when Charlotte was stressed during the most recent documentary (probably during the filming of "Flash Flood".

John Lawlor was the only adult member on the set not on management. He discussed one time when Charlotte was stressed during the most recent documentary (probably during the filming of "Flash Flood".

It must have been "Flash Flood": I can't think of another episode with a hay bale.

Originally they planned on having a young cook and some other faculty member to be adult counterparts to Mrs. Garrett. It appeared that they merged these into Howard the Cook who didn't appear in many episodes.

That's it exactly: they were going to have a caretaker and a young cook. These characters morphed into Howard the Cook. But Howard never had a major role on the show, and was quickly gone. But by limiting the number of staff, they ended up setting a precedent: Mrs. Garrett would normally only interact with the Core Four.

The Core Four go off and have many adventures: they go to New York, they go to cotillions, they go to motels, they go to Buffalo, they go to concerts, they go to the nearby boys' school, they go to New Jersey. They meet fellow students Miko, Alexandra, Brenda, Terry, Jenny, and Emily. Where does Mrs. Garrett go? Nowhere without the girls, because she has no-one else to interact with.

And that set a dangerous precedent: the show became about the Core Four, so even when the episode was a "Mrs. Garrett episode", it really just revolved around her in combination with the Core Four.

Ask yourself this: in how many episodes did we have those lame spin-off attempts where Jo visits her cousin, or Natalie visits the boys' school, or Tootie visits her aunt, and we barely see Mrs. Garrett? Now were there any episodes where Mrs. Garrett goes off to visit her friends, and we barely see the Core Four? Of course not.

So even as early as the Silver Cafeteria Years, a terrible precedent was being set: Mrs. Garrett's character was slowly being whittled away. It wouldn't become obvious until the Edna's Edibles years, but the show began to drift away from Mrs. G, and by Season Six, Charlotte was limiting her appearances on the show.

But we see signs of the problem far earlier: Mrs. Garrett flits in to bring the girls refreshments throughout "Take My Finals, Please" (Season Four). She only exists to feed the Core Four.

^---I think that's a negative way of looking at it. :( I see what you're saying, but I don't see Mrs. Garrett as a "side character" in the classic cafeteria years. There were several episodes about her and she's always around, whereas that's definitely lessened as we get closer to EE. I think it's a pretty nice balance at Eastland.

And I definitely think of her as a major player in "Teenage Marriage". She's the one who first says, phonetically, "Rose Pole-nee-yuh-check". :lol:

But she's only a major player against Jo's role. Her lines relate to Jo's plight. Do any of Jo's lines relate to a problem Mrs. Garrett may be having?

But she's only a major player against Jo's role. Her lines relate to Jo's plight. Do any of Jo's lines relate to a problem Mrs. Garrett may be having?

I'm not talking about relationships, I'm talking about being a major player in an episode as in a major role. Mrs. Garrett is a major player in that she has a large amount of screen time and lines.

I'm not talking about relationships, I'm talking about being a major player in an episode as in a major role. Mrs. Garrett is a major player in that she has a large amount of screen time and lines.

Yeah, she definitely has a large amount of screen time and lines, for sure!

Yeah, she definitely has a large amount of screen time and lines, for sure!

She really gives it to 'em good at that motel where they have blankets on the beds that look like they were drug out in the street and run over multiple times by muddy motorcycles!

(at least that's somewhat how you've described it :lol:)

She really gives it to 'em good at that motel where they have blankets on the beds that look like they were drug out in the street and run over multiple times by muddy motorcycles!

(at least that's somewhat how you've described it :lol:)

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

It's true: that blanket was extremely soiled. Why someone would ever put it back on a bed I will never understand.

I'll have to agree with Retro on that one lol!

In season 1, the show mainly focused on MRS G as the wise housemother who serves as confidante to the girls, and also as the voice of reason for BLAIR: the main girl who breaks the rules, by running off with the boys and hanging out with the trouble makers such as TUMPY and company!
To me, FOL was originally written mainly for MRS G and BLAIR as the leaders and for obvious reasons: on the pilot, BLAIR was cast as the bad girl, and she was also the first one to interact with our 'feisty red haired' (KIMBERLY's housekeeper then) and what a great dynamic they had!
When BLAIR gets caught smoking, she rebels: "you know, in my home housekeepers know their place!"
In which MRS G replies: "and in my home, so do little girls!" (what an introduction ha ha!)
Eventually those 2 bond really well, and while BLAIR is still the wild/lose girl, with MRS G on her side as the voice of reason, she turns into a new leaf!

By season 2 and with JO's arrival, MRS G and BLAIR are no longer the main focus, and FOL really did go into another direction....

Also, by removing our sarcastic but hilarious MISS MAHONEY, and our warm but nosy MR BRADLEY from the show, we definitely lost the real sense of a homey girl's boarding school, and MRS G lost 2 adult friends!

Comments anyone?

I'll have to agree with Retro on that one lol!

In season 1, the show mainly focused on MRS G as the wise housemother who serves as confidante to the girls, and also as the voice of reason for BLAIR: the main girl who breaks the rules, by running off with the boys and hanging out with the trouble makers such as TUMPY and company!
To me, FOL was originally written mainly for MRS G and BLAIR as the leaders and for obvious reasons: on the pilot, BLAIR was cast as the bad girl, and she was also the first one to interact with our 'feisty red haired' (KIMBERLY's housekeeper then) and what a great dynamic they had!
When BLAIR gets caught smoking, she rebels: "you know, in my home housekeepers know their place!"
In which MRS G replies: "and in my home, so do little girls!" (what an introduction ha ha!)
Eventually those 2 bond really well, and while BLAIR is still the wild/lose girl, with MRS G on her side as the voice of reason, she turns into a new leaf!

By season 2 and with JO's arrival, MRS G and BLAIR are no longer the main focus, and FOL really did go into another direction....

Also, by removing our sarcastic but hilarious MISS MAHONEY, and our warm but nosy MR BRADLEY from the show, we definitely lost the real sense of a homey girl's boarding school, and MRS G lost 2 adult friends!

Comments anyone?

Good point about the show sort of evolving and moving away from the Blair/Mrs. Garrett focus it originally had. The show definitely became much more focused on the Blair/Jo dynamic, and while Mrs. Garrett was originally still important, when Mr. Bradley and Miss Mahoney exited, that did cause ripples which affected Mrs. Garrett's storylines. In Season One, we saw her battle Administration in every episode. By Season Two, most of those battles, when they occur, happen off-screen: she talks to Mr. Harris about the girls' probation, and with each of the girls' parents, off-screen. The focus, now, is on the girls' hi-jinx, and Mrs. Garrett bailing them out ("The New Girl", "Teenage Marriage", "Shoplifting", "Gossip"); "Free Spirit" is the only Mrs. Garrett-centered episode in Season Two, and it's the second-to-last episode of the season.

This isn't to say that the Season Two episodes aren't good, or aren't powerful: they are. But by getting rid of the Eastland staff, they ended up limiting Mrs. Garrett's role: she wouldn't have an Eastland confidante anymore, and she wouldn't have Eastland Administration to bump heads with, on a regular basis. That ended up limiting her character to episodes where she had a conflict with the Core Four, or a conflict with a one-off guest star.

Good point about the show sort of evolving and moving away from the Blair/Mrs. Garrett focus it originally had. The show definitely became much more focused on the Blair/Jo dynamic, and while Mrs. Garrett was originally still important, when Mr. Bradley and Miss Mahoney exited, that did cause ripples which affected Mrs. Garrett's storylines. In Season One, we saw her battle Administration in every episode. By Season Two, most of those battles, when they occur, happen off-screen: she talks to Mr. Harris about the girls' probation, and with each of the girls' parents, off-screen. The focus, now, is on the girls' hi-jinx, and Mrs. Garrett bailing them out ("The New Girl", "Teenage Marriage", "Shoplifting", "Gossip"); "Free Spirit" is the only Mrs. Garrett-centered episode in Season Two, and it's the second-to-last episode of the season.

This isn't to say that the Season Two episodes aren't good, or aren't powerful: they are. But by getting rid of the Eastland staff, they ended up limiting Mrs. Garrett's role: she wouldn't have an Eastland confidante anymore, and she wouldn't have Eastland Administration to bump heads with, on a regular basis. That ended up limiting her character to episodes where she had a conflict with the Core Four, or a conflict with a one-off guest star.




Also, by revamping the show they forgot who the real BLAIR was: the adventurous/fearless girl who wasn't afraid of breaking the rules by trying the forbidden fruit! She was the leader (a trait that was removed from her and passed on to JO)

Needless to say, the writers decided to turn BLAIR into this Barbie doll, whose main interests were her wardrobe and how much money she had in her bank account, but i don't buy it! And anyone who's watched the show from the very beginning, will know that there was much more to her than meets the eyes.

I know i am 100% on the minority here, but i was NEVER a JO fan, and in my opinion BLAIR had a lot more charisma!
And even though JO has a million fan clubs and stories about her as the main one in the 'Fanfiction site', to me she was the second best, and not the original.


Overall, to say that i was highly disappointed about how they turned BLAIR into a pod by the later seasons is an understatement!

Like you Retro: i remain faithful to my favourite characters (like you did for the 'Lost girls').

You make a great point about MRS G's character being limited by season 2 too Retro: on the pilot and season 1, she was definitely the center of attention and this was her show (as promised by the writers)
By season 2, JO became the center of attention (along with BLAIR of course) and MRS G was not prominent in the same way she had been with the 7 girls on season 1.
And of course BLAIR was no longer our adventurous/wild girl....


:typing::typing::typing::typing::typing::typing::typing::typing::typing::typing::typing:

I was disappointed that the Eastland staff was trimmed. I think the show lost some of its charm about life in a boarding school.

I think losing Mr. Bradley as a foil to the core was a big mistake as well as making the teachers "invisible".

I was disappointed that the Eastland staff was trimmed. I think the show lost some of its charm about life in a boarding school.

Very true. We'd never again see a Harvest Fair, and we'd only rarely ever see a classroom.


I think losing Mr. Bradley as a foil to the core was a big mistake as well as making the teachers "invisible".

Ah, yes. The invisible staff and faculty. The most mentioned one being, I think, Miss "Moosejaw" Muldoon. It really was odd that we didn't see more teachers at Eastland. Should a sitcom set at a school really have been as bereft as it was of teachers? Shouldn't we at least have seen some teachers getting lunch at the cafeteria?

Having Mr. Bradley as a foil to Mrs. Garrett was interesting: you could see her compassion and intelligence rise above Mr. Bradley's competition and bureaucracy. I really wonder how he would have handled the Headmaster scene in "Gossip".

Also, by revamping the show they forgot who the real BLAIR was: the adventurous/fearless girl who wasn't afraid of breaking the rules by trying the forbidden fruit! She was the leader (a trait that was removed from her and passed on to JO)

Needless to say, the writers decided to turn BLAIR into this Barbie doll, whose main interests were her wardrobe and how much money she had in her bank account, but i don't buy it! And anyone who's watched the show from the very beginning, will know that there was much more to her than meets the eyes.

Valentina, you raise great points: Blair really was the undisputed lead girl in Season One, and her main foil was Sue Ann. But there was much more to her character that slowly got chipped away. We remember when Blair was a skilled painter, and the writers remembered, too, as late as episode 4-05, "Different Drummer". But I don't recall them ever referencing that trait in later seasons.

As you say, Blair was a rebel in the beginning, and that trait also got forgotten. She was the leader, and with Jo becoming the leader, dynamics shifted and the writers seemed to have forgotten that Blair had been a rebel who smoked and talked a tough game: she became prissy and snobby, forgetting her own origins.

Blair devolved into a caricature of herself.


Like you Retro: i remain faithful to my favourite characters (like you did for the 'Lost girls').

I just feel as though there were so many scenes where there were lost opportunities; for sure the Lost Girls should have been in "The Four Musketeers" and "Graduation" parts 1 and 2. And there were a dozen other episodes I can see them easily fitting into: "Fear Strikes Back" (Cindy), "Ain't Miss Beholden" (Sue Ann and Nancy), "Different Drummer" (Nancy), "For the Asking" (Molly), "Teacher's Pet" (all of them), "Brave New World" 2 (all of them), etc. These episodes could have been strengthened by bringing in the existing continuity of the show: we shouldn't have seen how few Eastland students were actually around.


You make a great point about MRS G's character being limited by season 2 too Retro: on the pilot and season 1, she was definitely the center of attention and this was her show (as promised by the writers)
By season 2, JO became the center of attention (along with BLAIR of course) and MRS G was not prominent in the same way she had been with the 7 girls on season 1.
And of course BLAIR was no longer our adventurous/wild girl....


Yes: by losing so many characters, it ended up damaging Edna's potential as a character: we'd rarely see her interact with another staffer. This ended up reducing her role, and she slowly became "Here's some Ovaltine. Now I've got to get back to my unseen kitchen."