This episode airing tonight on Antenna TV is TRASH

[TVFactFan]

The new teacher instead of the original and the episode is about someone I don't even remember on the show named vicki. I think I stopped watching by this time

[Mr. Television]

Yea the last season wasn't the best.

[Bonniegirl]

I just came in from work and saw the last ten minutes or so of Head of the class today. I was like Where the heck is Howard Hesseman ?? Not that I ever really liked this show much, but I was still expecting to see Howard , not that other teacher!

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

I just came in from work and saw the last ten minutes or so of Head of the class today. I was like Where the heck is Howard Hesseman ?? Not that I ever really liked this show much, but I was still expecting to see Howard , not that other teacher!

Me too which is why I blacked out once I turned it on lol

[howierules86]

That episode ("Viki's Torn Genes") was from Season 5 (1990-91), which was Billy's only season as the teacher. Also, Viki started in Season 4 (1989-90).

That said, it was still great (for me) to see the show again last night, and now I can't wait for January!

[Edward216]

I hated the last season of Head Of The Class and can't stand Billy Connolly. He acted worse than the students did!

Ed.

[RetroGuy2000]

I recall being really disgusted by the episodes in the final season, without Mr. Moore. Billy acted like an idiot. About halfway through the season, I must have stopped watching, as I have no memory of the graduation.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I recall being really disgusted by the episodes in the final season, without Mr. Moore. Billy acted like an idiot. About halfway through the season, I must have stopped watching, as I have no memory of the graduation.

Janice showed up to graduate with her former classmates, and that was nice (she had never picked up her HS diploma, but graduated from Harvard the day before, lol); wow did she look different too, lol. It would have been nice to see Mariah and Jawaharlal again too. Poor Jawaharlal though, he was really the "Nancy" (from Facts of Life) of this series: he never got his own time in the spotlight. His only plot line was really just one side story in one episode.

I finished watching the series on Antenna-TV, but I was not amused by Billy. At all. What a waste of having him be there for the pathos of the series finale, when it should have been Mr. Moore there (I know HH was done with the series at that point, and ran from it, but still, it would have been nice).

The graduation was neat, though; when each student was announced to receive their diploma, they got an on-screen cast credit, and 2 or 3 clips of them from the series. RetroGuy, wouldn't that have been awesome if Blair, Nancy, Sue Ann, and Jo were seen graduating in FOL and received such a nod?

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Janice showed up to graduate with her former classmates, and that was nice (she had never picked up her HS diploma, but graduated from Harvard the day before, lol); wow did she look different too, lol. It would have been nice to see Mariah and Jawaharlal again too. Poor Jawaharlal though, he was really the "Nancy" (from Facts of Life) of this series: he never got his own time in the spotlight. His only plot line was really just one side story in one episode.

When you said "the Nancy", I knew exactly what you meant, lol. At least the producers never told him he was going to be one of the lead characters (that we know of).

I finished watching the series on Antenna-TV, but I was not amused by Billy. At all. What a waste of having him be there for the pathos of the series finale, when it should have been Mr. Moore there (I know HH was done with the series at that point, and ran from it, but still, it would have been nice).

HH seemingly hated the show, and openly spoke of it with disdain to the press, so I can see why they wouldn't want him there, but his character sure was missed that last season! "Billy" was so mis-cast... or poorly written. Or both.

The graduation was neat, though; when each student was announced to receive their diploma, they got an on-screen cast credit, and 2 or 3 clips of them from the series. RetroGuy, wouldn't that have been awesome if Blair, Nancy, Sue Ann, and Jo were seen graduating in FOL and received such a nod?

That sounds so cool, and YES, I would have LOVED that, as I'm sure you know.

Having Janice back sounds very cool; I always thought it was weird how she graduated first. I even remember TV Guide reporting it in one of their articles, and they even mentioned it was an odd choice for who was leaving the show.

Having Blair, Nancy, Sue Ann and Jo in little clips as they got their diploma would have been so good. I would even have been pleased if Nancy and Sue Ann had had brief cameos. Instead, we got those random characters nobody ever heard of before, with no sign of Nancy or Sue Ann at their own graduation! Hmpf! Clearly, HOTC did a better job with their graduation episode.

['80sSitcoms]

hahaha I totally forgot you doctored up that photo! That is so awesome!

I kinda wanna give FOL the benefit of the doubt and say that by that point, Felice and Julie Anne had "moved on" and perhaps weren't even available (perhaps they were in college?). But, yes, they still should have gone out of their way to try---even an off-screen shout-out! Like Blair hollering out into one side of the auditorium just inside the doors, "Sue Ann! Nancy! Jo and I will be right there, tell Ms. Mahoney to save our places!"

We would have taken anything! lol

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

hahaha I totally forgot you doctored up that photo! That is so awesome!

Thank you, '80s! It's not the only FOL photo I've photoshopped in order to restore the legacy of the Lost Girls, but it's probably my best work.

I kinda wanna give FOL the benefit of the doubt and say that by that point, Felice and Julie Anne had "moved on" and perhaps weren't even available (perhaps they were in college?).

Not to nitpick, but Julie Anne (Cindy) would have been too young to graduate. (I know you know this). Julie (Sue Ann), though, would have been old enough to graduate, as she was the oldest of the Eastland girls.

(Confusingly enough, in very early newspaper articles about FOL, Julie Piekarski is sometimes referred to as Julie Ann Piekarski. This was presumably before Julie Anne Haddock was hired).

It's possible that they offered them a small part, but I doubt they did. The previous season, Felice had agreed to appear three times on the show, and in fact she even appeared up to halfway through the season. Julie and Julie Anne had also appeared in season three. What would have changed their minds about season four, bringing some closure to their characters? And since they also appeared in season eight and season two, it seems uncharacteristic of them to turn down roles in season four only.

Felice was still doing film and television: she was in Zapped in '82 and a show called E/R in '85, so she was still active in Hollywood at that time. Julie was also working in Hollywood: she did spots on Three's Company, Quincy, and an Afterschool Special (she fairly consistently played characters named Julie). Felice was attending Brown University at that time, according to her LinkedIn profile, so it's possible that she just couldn't add another acting role during such a busy time, but she had otherwise made it work, so why not during season four? Julie was attending UCLA at that time, but she, too, was taking acting gigs, including FOL just one season earlier. It would be out of character for them to turn down a FOL gig.

But, yes, they still should have gone out of their way to try---even an off-screen shout-out! Like Blair hollering out into one side of the auditorium just inside the doors, "Sue Ann! Nancy! Jo and I will be right there, tell Ms. Mahoney to save our places!"

Hahaha! THAT would have been awesome! Including Miss Mahoney would have been a great touch, and would have solved the mystery of what happened to her: she was apparently just very busy in her lab, and in the classroom, and didn't get over to the cafeteria very often.

We would have taken anything! lol

Yep! I do even appreciate Blair mentioning Sue Ann in the movie from the 2000s. Nice little bit of continuity... not as great as actually seeing them, but a nice little nod.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Thank you, '80s! It's not the only FOL photo I've photoshopped in order to restore the legacy of the Lost Girls, but it's probably my best work.

I dunno, I love your TV Guide cover too!!

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Not to nitpick, but Julie Anne (Cindy) would have been too young to graduate. (I know you know this).

Yes, you know I meant "Julie" and not "Julie Anne"---I was still waking up earlier today, lol.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Julie (Sue Ann), though, would have been old enough to graduate, as she was the oldest of the Eastland girls.

Wait, "the oldest"? Do you mean (and I hate to say this, as it is so overused and misused today)---she was literally "the oldest"? She, Blair, Nancy, and Jo were all the same age, but we don't know in what order. It would be nice if we knew all of the girls' (characters') birthdays!

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

It's possible that they offered them a small part, but I doubt they did.

Yeah, what a shame...that would have been such nice closure for half of the Lost Girls right there; and it was in the era when it was part of the fabric of the show (albeit it hadn't been in like a season and a half, but I digress).

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Hahaha! THAT would have been awesome! Including Miss Mahoney would have been a great touch, and would have solved the mystery of what happened to her: she was apparently just very busy in her lab, and in the classroom, and didn't get over to the cafeteria very often.

Right?? And she came to me as I was typing out Blair's "quote"---that would have been the "Easteriest" of Easter Eggs!

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yep! I do even appreciate Blair mentioning Sue Ann in the movie from the 2000s. Nice little bit of continuity... not as great as actually seeing them, but a nice little nod.

Oo, what did she say? I've only seen it the one time, its original airing.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Yes, you know I meant "Julie" and not "Julie Anne"---I was still waking up earlier today, lol.

Okay, well, that's a decent excuse. I guess i will have to forgive you!

Wait, "the oldest"? Do you mean (and I hate to say this, as it is so overused and misused today)---she was literally "the oldest"? She, Blair, Nancy, and Jo were all the same age, but we don't know in what order. It would be nice if we knew all of the girls' (characters') birthdays!

Somewhere online, there is a magazine article, like Tiger Beat, which lists their ages on the show. I can't remember where I've seen it. But IRL, Julie is the oldest of the girls:

Julie - January 2, 1963
Lisa - May 29, 1963
Felice - November 17, 1963
Julie Anne - April 3, 1965
Nancy - April 4, 1966
Mindy - May 20, 1966
Molly - February 18, 1968
Kim - May 12, 1969

I suppose since Jo was graduating, a case could be made that Cindy could have graduated, too, but Julie Anne Haddock was playing younger, while Nancy McKeon was playing older.

Yeah, what a shame...that would have been such nice closure for half of the Lost Girls right there; and it was in the era when it was part of the fabric of the show (albeit it hadn't been in like a season and a half, but I digress).

Well, and they could have brought Julie Anne in when Natalie graduated, too, but that seems like asking too much when they didn't even do this.

Right?? And she came to me as I was typing out Blair's "quote"---that would have been the "Easteriest" of Easter Eggs!

I would have been a GREAT way to remember her character.

Oo, what did she say? I've only seen it the one time, its original airing.

I think it was just screaming "Sue Ann!" at one point, while they were on the Eastland campus. It's been a while since I've seen it, myself.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Somewhere online, there is a magazine article, like Tiger Beat, which lists their ages on the show. I can't remember where I've seen it. But IRL, Julie is the oldest of the girls:

Julie - January 2, 1963
Lisa - May 29, 1963
Felice - November 17, 1963
Julie Anne - April 3, 1965
Nancy - April 4, 1966
Mindy - May 20, 1966
Molly - February 18, 1968
Kim - May 12, 1969

Oo, fun! I share my birthday month with 1 Lost Girls! Nancy and my beloved Cindy! Although I'm closer to Tootie, who was my favorite from season 2-on when I was a kid (now it's Blair, Cindy of course being my absolute most favorite in season 1).

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I suppose since Jo was graduating, a case could be made that Cindy could have graduated, too, but Julie Anne Haddock was playing younger, while Nancy McKeon was playing older.

Yeah, no, I would not accept Cindy graduating with the older girls. Cindy Webster would indeed have to graduate with Natalie.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Well, and they could have brought Julie Anne in when Natalie graduated, too, but that seems like asking too much when they didn't even do this.

Yeah, at least in the CCY (Classic Cafeteria Years™) it was "the norm" to see some Lost Girls pop up now and then.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I think it was just screaming "Sue Ann!" at one point, while they were on the Eastland campus. It's been a while since I've seen it, myself.

Just screaming "Sue Ann!" on the campus? That sounds so random

(but really, if she's going to mention Sue Ann, she or Natalie/Tootie should have mentioned the others, as well!)

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Oo, fun! I share my birthday month with 1 Lost Girls! Nancy and my beloved Cindy! Although I'm closer to Tootie, who was my favorite from season 2-on when I was a kid (now it's Blair, Cindy of course being my absolute most favorite in season 1).

My birthday is also in April, so we are in very good company!

Yeah, no, I would not accept Cindy graduating with the older girls. Cindy Webster would indeed have to graduate with Natalie.

I agree.

Just screaming "Sue Ann!" on the campus? That sounds so random

(but really, if she's going to mention Sue Ann, she or Natalie/Tootie should have mentioned the others, as well!)

Totally!