Does anyone like Season 9 here? It's really hard to find many positive things about it. I will admit that "The First Time" took risks like the FOL did in during it's Eastland years and gone away from after that. Other than that, I think it's the show's weakest season.

Jo's sudden marriage and then not living with her husband. Mindy's heart doesn't seem to in it. The addition of Pippa (though I don't mind her). The weak backdoor pilot with Blair becoming headmaster where it recycled several early season plots.

What did you like and not like this season?

I dislike Pippa. I dislike how the whole Jo romance/wedding thing was handeled. I dislike how Lisa Whelchel refused to appear in "The First Time." I dislike how Beverly Ann wasn't as important/utilized as she was in season 8. I dislike the show didn't get a proper series finale.

I do like Tootie and Jeff getting back together and engaged.

There are things to like about this season, but it feels weaker than the previous seasons. I don't know why they made the girls so antagonistic to Pippa, that David Spade spin-off attempt sucked, and they ruined the characters of Blair and Jo by dolling up Jo and making Blair a law school student.

Honestly i don't mind Season 9 i don't love it but don't feel like it's as bad as fans make it out to be and this is coming from a huge FOL fan who loves the early years i like episodes like The First Time and Less THan Perfect because it reminds me of early season eps i even like silly eps like Adventures In Baileysitting or Golden Oldies or Down and Out In Malibu it's not a perfect season but i actually prefer it to season 8.

Maybe relatives of the performer who played Pippa might have liked it. ..

Honestly i don't mind Season 9 i don't love it but don't feel like it's as bad as fans make it out to be and this is coming from a huge FOL fan who loves the early years i like episodes like The First Time and Less THan Perfect because it reminds me of early season eps i even like silly eps like Adventures In Baileysitting or Golden Oldies or Down and Out In Malibu it's not a perfect season but i actually prefer it to season 8.

Less Than Perfect would have been a much better episode if they had kept its continuity. In the very next episode, Blair has no scar, and has magically healed. Even as a child, I knew they had messed up.

I liked Rumor Has It. The set changes were odd, suddenly they had a normal kitchen instead of a bakery kitchen, they only show the store in one episode and then convert it to bedrooms, would that even be allowed?

I liked Rumor Has It. The set changes were odd, suddenly they had a normal kitchen instead of a bakery kitchen, they only show the store in one episode and then convert it to bedrooms, would that even be allowed?

AND the episode where they would have needed a handyman to help with the remodeling of the kitchen, George doesn't even appear! :lol:

I honestly don't know why you would covert expensive retail space to bedrooms, anyway. Surely, if you needed a five-bedroom house, you would just move into a five-bedroom house. And surely that store was larger than two bedrooms anyway. It looked like it was at least four bedrooms in size.

AND the episode where they would have needed a handyman to help with the remodeling of the kitchen, George doesn't even appear! :lol:

I honestly don't know why you would covert expensive retail space to bedrooms, anyway. Surely, if you needed a five-bedroom house, you would just move into a five-bedroom house. And surely that store was larger than two bedrooms anyway. It looked like it was at least four bedrooms in size.

Exactly, is it even a residential neighborhood? Is the place zoned for needing a business?

Exactly, is it even a residential neighborhood? Is the place zoned for needing a business?

Some good points.

And can you imagine being a local who regularly shopped at Edna's Edibles, you move and the come back two and a half years later? You visit your favorite bakery for some of Edna's delicious quiche, but it's now a private residence, and an Australian girl screams as you enter her bedroom. :lol:

There are several good episodes but:

- Pippa wasn't necessary
- The writers didn't know what to do with Andy and Beverly Ann
- The girls weren't a group anymore (and this was the huge problem of the final season)
- The final episode wasn't a fair series finale for the show, it should have ended with Mrs. Garrett's wedding or the season 8 finale

There are several good episodes but:

- Pippa wasn't necessary
- The writers didn't know what to do with Andy and Beverly Ann
- The girls weren't a group anymore (and this was the huge problem of the final season)
- The final episode wasn't a fair series finale for the show, it should have ended with Mrs. Garrett's wedding or the season 8 finale

It's too bad Charlotte didn't come back for the final episode, especially as she was at the wrap party anyway.

Regarding Andy, Pippa, and Beverly Ann, it almost feels as though the writers were writing two different shows: the Core Four Show, and The Stickles.

There are several good episodes but:

- Pippa wasn't necessary
- The writers didn't know what to do with Andy and Beverly Ann
- The girls weren't a group anymore (and this was the huge problem of the final season)
- The final episode wasn't a fair series finale for the show, it should have ended with Mrs. Garrett's wedding or the season 8 finale

I think the writers wanted Pippa for the new series with Blair as the headmistress of Eastland. Andy and Beverly Ann probably were not going to be coming back to the new series, at least full time. Not sure why they didn't bring Andy to be one of the Eastland students.

As far as the girls not being a group anymore, they were of the age where they should be branching out. At least two of them didn't want them to return to the series or a spinoff to a new series.

Not sure why they didn't bring Andy to be one of the Eastland students.

That was odd.

And can you imagine being a local who regularly shopped at Edna's Edibles, you move and the come back two and a half years later? You visit your favorite bakery for some of Edna's delicious quiche, but it's now a private residence, and an Australian girl screams as you enter her bedroom. :lol:

Haha! Only, Pippa's voice was so soft and breathy, I doubt she could scream anything. :lol:

Exactly, is it even a residential neighborhood?

The house half is. :lol: That's how I always pictured it: quiet residential street on that side, and a quaint, downtowny business street on the store side. :wave:

Haha! Only, Pippa's voice was so soft and breathy, I doubt she could scream anything. :lol:

Well, then she could at least have yelled "Crikey, mate! Don't be lookin' at my didgeridoos!" :lol:

Haha! Only, Pippa's voice was so soft and breathy, I doubt she could scream anything. :lol:

Sort of ironic that she would become a successful singer later on.

It's too bad Charlotte didn't come back for the final episode, especially as she was at the wrap party anyway.

Regarding Andy, Pippa, and Beverly Ann, it almost feels as though the writers were writing two different shows: the Core Four Show, and The Stickles.

It was clear they didn't know what do with them. Maybe they were trying to build up a new generation of "The Facts of Life" but it didn't work.


I think the writers wanted Pippa for the new series with Blair as the headmistress of Eastland. Andy and Beverly Ann probably were not going to be coming back to the new series, at least full time. Not sure why they didn't bring Andy to be one of the Eastland students.

Maybe Mackenzie Astin didn't want to continue and he was left out, his last appearence was in the first part of the series finale

As far as the girls not being a group anymore, they were of the age where they should be branching out. At least two of them didn't want them to return to the series or a spinoff to a new series.

I know but the girls had been a group for the previous 8 seasons (7 if we don't count the first year without Jo). Without that (and Mrs. Garrett) FOL lost its foundation

Yes. I like it. I have several favorites from this season.

There are things to like about this season, but it feels weaker than the previous seasons. I don't know why they made the girls so antagonistic to Pippa, that David Spade spin-off attempt sucked, and they ruined the characters of Blair and Jo by dolling up Jo and making Blair a law school student.

I hate to speak ill of the dead or recently deceased, but I had previously written (https://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=393891&page=3) about how much of the supposed flaws with the final two seasons of The Facts of Life can likely be traced back to Irma Kalish becoming the showrunner after Paul Haggis left.

You would think that adding Cloris Leachman to the cast and having a former All in the Family and Maude writer as the new showrunner would have breathed new life into the show.

But instead, it was under Kalish's watch that The Facts of Life had arguably, two of its worst episodes, the introduction of Pippa and the series finale. More specifically, where as under Paul Haggis' regime the show was still written like it was an ensemble, Kalish began to focus on one character at a time per episode, instead of the whole gang, and recycled plots from episodes that had just aired.

It's too bad Charlotte didn't come back for the final episode, especially as she was at the wrap party anyway.

Regarding Andy, Pippa, and Beverly Ann, it almost feels as though the writers were writing two different shows: the Core Four Show, and The Stickles.

I suspect it was hard to come up with an organic enough of reason to bring Mrs. Garrett back after where the series had left her character off. What I mean is that it just wasn't that easy to bring Edna back just for the sake of saying that Charlotte Rae is in the final episode.

A big problem was that the FOL "girls" were now quite clearly the FOL WOMEN and that situation for most viewers is like the Titanic hitting the iceberg plus being torpedoed.

(see also the Derry women problem on Derry Girls)

I dislike Pippa. I dislike how the whole Jo romance/wedding thing was handeled. I dislike how Lisa Whelchel refused to appear in "The First Time." I dislike how Beverly Ann wasn't as important/utilized as she was in season 8. I dislike the show didn't get a proper series finale.

I do like Tootie and Jeff getting back together and engaged.

What was the reasoning behind adding Pippa/Sherrie Krenn? They knew the ninth season was going to be the last, and they were already adding three new recurring characters (Rick, Snake, and Casey), so why bring on an annoying Australian exchange student who has to sleep on the couch?

What was the reasoning behind adding Pippa/Sherrie Krenn? They knew the ninth season was going to be the last, and they were already adding three new recurring characters (Rick, Snake, and Casey), so why bring on an annoying Australian exchange student who has to sleep on the couch?

They planned on having a spinoff that basically was The Facts of Life, The Next Generation and Pippa was suppose to be a student at Eastland.

speaking of that failed attempt at an AfterShow (look it up on TV Tropes) with Blair (not a spin-off), Mayim Bialik is lucky that she was a child actress in the eighties. Had she been a child actress in the Edith Fellows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Fellows) era, whatever studio she worked for: RKO, Paramount, Fox or whatever, would have forced her to use an "American" stage name. Possibly, Mary Bennett?

I can take season 9 in small doses. But I really can’t stand Pippa, or even Andy, at that point. The girls are also more sarcastic to one another, but not in a funny way. There are too many rushed engagements, relationships, and of course, the Jo/Rick wedding.

Irma Kalish also added quirky unneeded characters when she moved over to 227 after Facts. It’s obviously a ploy to draw viewers, but it feels so gimmicky.

Irma Kalish also added quirky unneeded characters when she moved over to 227 after Facts. It’s obviously a ploy to draw viewers, but it feels so gimmicky.

Ah, when they added four new characters to try and make up for Sandra's absence. The only good part of that was Charlotte Rae guest starring as one of their mothers in one episode.

Ah, when they added four new characters to try and make up for Sandra's absence. The only good part of that was Charlotte Rae guest starring as one of their mothers in one episode.

Yeah that was fun. It was nice to see Kim Fields guest star, too.

Yeah that was fun. It was nice to see Kim Fields guest star, too.

Yes, when 227 was in its better, "classic" years.

Ya know, since it was an apartment building, it would have made sense to have neighbors move out and new ones move in occasionally over the years. But a new landlord and three new tenants the same year? Yikes.

Yes, when 227 was in its better, "classic" years.

Ya know, since it was an apartment building, it would have made sense to have neighbors move out and new ones move in occasionally over the years. But a new landlord and three new tenants the same year? Yikes.

I thought the sudden mention of the penthouse and the stuffy neighbor were a bit out there.

I can take season 9 in small doses. But I really can’t stand Pippa, or even Andy, at that point. The girls are also more sarcastic to one another, but not in a funny way. There are too many rushed engagements, relationships, and of course, the Jo/Rick wedding.

Irma Kalish also added quirky unneeded characters when she moved over to 227 after Facts. It’s obviously a ploy to draw viewers, but it feels so gimmicky.

They also never did a proper episode where they close down the shop. The last time that the Over Our Heads set was used was in the 13th episode of the final season ("Something in Common"). Keep in mind that there were still at least 11 more episodes in Season 9. So the shop is really just treated as an aside.

Plus, like you said, they crammed Jo's engagement AND wedding into one episode, which also included Blair mulling over a proposal from her boyfriend and turning him down. And the last two episodes are largely backdoor pilots for spinoffs.

It just goes without saying that the last season of The Facts of Life was a big, rushed mess. To add insult to injury, Natalie couldn't be present with the others in the final episode because her character had already moved to Manhattan. So she had phone in as a compromise.

They also never did a proper episode where they close down the shop. The last time that the Over Our Heads set was used was in the 13th episode of the final season ("Something in Common"). Keep in mind that there were still at least 11 more episodes in Season 9. So the shop is really just treated as an aside.

Plus, like you said, they crammed Jo's engagement AND wedding into one episode, which also included Blair mulling over a proposal from her boyfriend and turning him down. And the last two episodes are largely backdoor pilots for spinoffs.

It just goes without saying that the last season of The Facts of Life was a big, rushed mess. To add insult to injury, Natalie couldn't be present with the others in the final episode because her character had already moved to Manhattan. So she had phone in as a compromise.

Mindy had already left with Belinda Carlisle to be on her tour. No Mindy, no Natalie. They sort of go together.

Say who? What was Mindy doing on tour with Belinda Carlisle?

Jo perhaps was too dolled up for her character in the last season- though anything was better than that 'do she had the prior season.

The two-parter for Edna's sendoff serves as a better finale for the show- and it's probably treated as such by some fans. :lol: It even had some flashbacks- though not as many as "The Way We Were."

I definitely liked it.

The fact that the Core Four were no longer girls and were now WOMEN was a big part of the steep decline.

The fact that the Derry "Girls" are almost thirty (and Claire is over) hurts that show as well.

I loved Season 9. It's one of my favorite seasons. My least favorite season is actually Season 1.

Say who? What was Mindy doing on tour with Belinda Carlisle?

Jo perhaps was too dolled up for her character in the last season- though anything was better than that 'do she had the prior season.

The two-parter for Edna's sendoff serves as a better finale for the show- and it's probably treated as such by some fans. :lol: It even had some flashbacks- though not as many as "The Way We Were."

Mindy was friends with Belinda Carlisle and was eager to move on from the show. Says who? Says Mindy.

I definitely liked Season 9. I don’t know if it’s my favorite but it s definitely much better than Season 1.

Whatever weaknesses Season 1 had, Mrs. G was there to add some character/color.

I can watch Season 9 , though it's not must-see for me. I catch bits and pieces when that season comes up in the rerun cycle.

Thanks for the tidbit, 80sD. :) And, yes, you could see Mindy was kinda over it by the end of th show.