https://popculturereferences.com/when-did-the-facts-of-life-jump-the-shark/

In a feature looking at if or when a TV series "jumped the shark," Brian asks you all to determine when (or if) The Facts of Life jumped the shark.

Today, we look at when (or if) you folks believe that The Facts of Life “jumped the shark.” (https://web.archive.org/web/20061031125219/http://www.jumptheshark.com/f/factsoflife.htm)

This is “Just Can’t Jump It,” (https://popculturereferences.com/category/just-cant-jump-it/) a feature where we examine shows and whether they “jumped the shark.” Jumped the shark (coined by Jon Hein (http://www.jonhein.com/)) means that the show had a specific point in time where, in retrospect, you realize that show was going downhill from there (even if, in some rare occasions, the show later course-corrected). Not every show DOES jump the shark. Some shows just remain good all the way through. And some shows are terrible all the way through. What we’re looking for are moments where a show that you otherwise enjoyed hit a point where it took a noticeable nose dive after that time and if so, what moment was that?

The Facts of Life is one of the rare occasions when a dramatic Season 2 revamp of a sitcom actually turned things around, as the decision to turn the show from a story about Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae, being spun off from her Diff’rent Strokes role as the housekeeper for Mr. Drummond) being the housemother for a dormitory of an all-girls boarding school to a story about specifically four girls at the school who are forced by Garrett to room together (three returning cast members from Season 1 paired with street tough Jo Polniaczek, played wonderfully by Nancy McKeon) after they have a run in with the law. With a paired down cast of four plus Mrs. Garrett, the show became a lot more focused and the change led to a long and popular run. With the two oldest students, Jo and Blair (Lisa Whelchel), graduating, the show changed formats by having Mrs. Garrett leave the school to open up her own bakery, with the girls working for her and living above the shop. Two seasons later, with all four of the girls now graduated, the bakery burned down and the girls all opened a new gift shop alongside Mrs. Garrett. Then Mrs. Garrett left after Season 7, with her sister (played by Cloris Leachman) taking over her duties managing the store and being the mentor to the now young women. It lasted two seasons with this new format before ending after nine seasons.

So first…DID IT JUMP THE SHARK? I think so, yes.

WHEN DID IT JUMP THE SHARK I don’t think Cloris Leachman did a bad job on the series, but I think her addition to the series is probably a good of a point to pick as any. One of the deals with The Facts of Life is that it was very issue-driven, and after seven seasons, almost every “issue” had happened to the girls, sometimes twice (although it wasn’t until Season 9 that one of them finally had sex, which is kind of ridiculous, but whatever). So when there was no longer even Mrs. Garrett around, the show really no longer had any purpose. However, I’ll admit that it wasn’t like Season 7 was any good, either, so hey, I can be persuaded that the store burning down was the jumping the shark moment.

Let me know what you think in the comments or on social media!

I don't think there's a specific episode to point to. Season Five and Six had the best episodes. Cloris Leachman didn't help but it's not her fault. Andy definitely did hurt the show but can usually be ignored.

For me, it's most convenient to point to the fashion. Kim and Mindy looked as good as they could in those outfits and hair. Lisa went between good and bad but at least you could believe that Blair would wear those things. But Nancy... Oh. My. God!

Season 7 when Edna’s Edibles became Over our heads

Season 7

the show was definitely all over the place

The last few seasons even with Mrs Garrett were all over the place. Some really good while most others meh. I will say the addition of the young kid and George Clooney the show jumped the shark. Those characters did not quite fit while trying to breathe new life into the series.

Season 7 when Edna’s Edibles became Over our heads

:yeahthat

:yeahthat


I agree! Edna's Edibles and the sets were so warm and cozy. I did not like the change but there were still some good moments.

Season 7 when Edna’s Edibles became Over our heads

Mindy agrees with you.

The day Tootie stopped zipping around on her roller skates :D

Never.

When the girls were 30 years old and still living together.

Show should have been called "The Facts of Co-dependency".

When they left the school and later when Mrs. Garrett left

When they left the school and later when Mrs. Garrett left

Welcome back. Long time, no see.

Welcome back. Long time, no see.

Thank you, dear 80s. Yeah, I was gone for too long for a couple of reasons but I'm happy to be back now :)

Thank you, dear 80s. Yeah, I was gone for too long for a couple of reasons but I'm happy to be back now :)

Now if only RetroGuy would come back and see this year alone that Sue Ann has paid both Miss Mahoney and Nancy O. a visit.

Now if only RetroGuy would come back and see this year alone that Sue Ann has paid both Miss Mahoney and Nancy O. a visit.

And our group would be "back together". He literally disappeared

Mindy agrees with you.

I believe Kim said the same thing. The show was never the same after they changed the backdrop from Edna's Edibles to Over our Head.

In the final seasons Jo was dressed quite fashionably had a modern hairdo and even wore nail polish! This just wasn't Jo!

In the final seasons Jo was dressed quite fashionably had a modern hairdo and even wore nail polish! This just wasn't Jo!

Actually it was since Nancy McKeon wanted Jo to be more feminine.

Actually it was since Nancy McKeon wanted Jo to be more feminine.


I can understand that but it sure detracted from her character.

I agree. Jo with skirts or dresses? No way :lol:

She just woke up one day and realized that Blair is so girly and wants to be more like her? Jo can't look like she comes from the Bronx?

Jumped the shark Season 5 episode 1. With the girls graduating, Edna all of a sudden becomes disillusioned with her job and decides to open Ednas Edibles which her son funded. Then asking the girls who have graduated to come work for her...

Jumped the shark Season 5 episode 1. With the girls graduating, Edna all of a sudden becomes disillusioned with her job and decides to open Ednas Edibles which her son funded. Then asking the girls who have graduated to come work for her...

I liked the change over to Edna's Edibles. The Halloween and Christmas episodes are my favorites of the series!

Can we all agree that there's a point (though not at the same time) where each girl (and Mrs G) begins to phone in her performance?

Meaning that each one loses interest and doesn't have their heart into the show.

Charlotte Rea is the brave one because she has stated in her book that doing the show was no longer fun or interesting. Hence, she asked her part to be reduced before being written out of the show.

Well, everyone couldn’t stay at Eastland forever. EE’s was a nice change.

Lisa probably would have had no problem playing Blair Warner for 44 straight years if she could.

By the time “Over Out Heads” arrived, even Fields and Cohn were saying that the show wasn’t realistic and that the women would have all moved on years ago.

By the time “Over Out Heads” arrived, even Fields and Cohn were saying that the show wasn’t realistic and that the women would have all moved on years ago.

Yes, I didn't like that transistion either. Does anybody know why that happened? Why the change?

Why the change?

Because a new business would open up new storylines and character interactions. I also think it was a cost cutting measure. With a store, it doesn't take much time to rearrange a bunch of ugly and tacky plastic crap on a display shelf. Whereas EE, required more prep to have bread and other food in various stages of production.

I would think that Rae was letting everyone know that the seventh season would be her last. Hard to have “Edna’s Edibles” without Edna.

When they left the school and later when Mrs. Garrett left

I don't know if this is the definitive "jump the shark" moment, but they were probably beginning to stretch things come the time that Blair and Jo graduated from Eastland and from there, they all moved into town and lived with Mrs. Garrett.

Well, they really didn’t have much choice because Blair and Jo were graduating. Imho, by the time “Over Our Heads” came and Rae left the show, it was over. Who cared about Beverly Ann, Andy, and Pippa? ��������

I don't know if this is the definitive "jump the shark" moment, but they were probably beginning to stretch things come the time that Blair and Jo graduated from Eastland and from there, they all moved into town and lived with Mrs. Garrett.



I'm glad that they did! The Edna's Edible years are my favorite!:wave:

As I said, when the ”Over Our Heads” era started, that was it. Also, there’s no way the girls would still be living with each other. Even Rae knew when to leave and it’s sad the others didn’t.

Well, they really didn’t have much choice because Blair and Jo were graduating. Imho, by the time “Over Our Heads” came and Rae left the show, it was over. Who cared about Beverly Ann, Andy, and Pippa? ��������

The show was probably admittedly, really starting to show its age when Over Our Heads came along and they had George Clooney join the cast. It was also around this time that they updated the theme song to sound more "hip" and '80s. Simply put, if you looked at The Facts of Life from the fall of 1985 onward to what it was before, it's almost like a completely different show.

I liked the change over to Edna's Edibles. The Halloween and Christmas episodes are my favorites of the series!

So love the Christmas Show episode-so Christmasy feeling with a feel good character in Mr. Lazzaroni who reminded everyone of the true spirit of Christmas and Blair showing her strong ties to Mrs. G and Jo by cancelling her plans in order to stay in Peekskill over the holidays. I wish they would have shown Tootie and Natalie having a ball in Washington to quote Tootie but I understand why they didn't-they would have needed some kind of storyline to go with it. I think Mr. Lazzaroni was Mr. Bigley from the Halloween show but they goofed and gave him a different name. I enjoyed the Ednas Edibles seasons-5 and 6 but things started to jump shark in season 7 with the opening of Over Our Heads.

Jumped the shark Season 5 episode 1. With the girls graduating, Edna all of a sudden becomes disillusioned with her job and decides to open Ednas Edibles which her son funded. Then asking the girls who have graduated to come work for her...

The girls wanted to work for her. She only asked Jo but gladly hired Blair, Natalie and Tootie. She asked Jo because she knew Jo was looking for a job so that she could meet her expenses and stay at Langley.

So love the Christmas Show episode-so Christmasy feeling with a feel good character in Mr. Lazzaroni who reminded everyone of the true spirit of Christmas and Blair showing her strong ties to Mrs. G and Jo by cancelling her plans in order to stay in Peekskill over the holidays. I wish they would have shown Tootie and Natalie having a ball in Washington to quote Tootie but I understand why they didn't-they would have needed some kind of storyline to go with it. I think Mr. Lazzaroni was Mr. Bigley from the Halloween show but they goofed and gave him a different name. I enjoyed the Ednas Edibles seasons-5 and 6 but things started to jump shark in season 7 with the opening of Over Our Heads.

That was no goof about Mr. Bigley from the Halloween show. After He spoiled Natalie's prank/movie he admitted that his real name was Lazaroni.

My goof-sorry-I forgot about that part of the episode.

I enjoyed the shift from Eastland to Edna’s Edibles to Over Our Heads. I’m also glad that they still referenced Eastland during Season 5 after Blair and Jo started Langley. They actually had no choice since ½ the cast was still attending Eastland. Also, I think the general public still enjoyed the show in Season 7 - 9. The ratings were still pretty good and NBC was pushing for a season 10. To answer the question about jumping the shark, Pippa was the worst idea ever!

I would think that Rae was letting everyone know that the seventh season would be her last. Hard to have “Edna’s Edibles” without Edna.

In hindsight, was Charlotte Rae correct in leaving when she did? By the seventh season, show had practically become more of a grown up situation comedy involving the girls and Mrs. Garrett just seems out of place in a lot of it. Can anybody else tell that the writers were having difficulty working her character into the storylines? Ironically, Cloris Leachman/Beverly Ann seemed to gel much better with the girls at that point despite arguably, not really have much of a character.

Most would say when Rae left. But Andy came right before Rae left so my answer is when Andy came. They needed some youth on the show. But I always hate the small, young kid who thinks he's smarter than everyone and talks down to others that are older than him.

Season 07.