What if Tootie and Natalie were dropped in the 2nd season...

[TMC]

and Sue Ann and Nancy were kept to join Blair? I hate to sound cynical, but part of me wonders if there was reluctance to drop Tootie and Natalie out of fear of being seen as politically incorrect. It wouldn't be good for diversity points if you dropped the sole black girl and the token full-figured girl. And there was only room for one blonde girl in Blair, thus Sue Ann and Cindy had to go. They likely didn't want to be perceived as a "jiggle show" by having the girls prance around in hot pants like in the first season. A byproduct of this is the more classically attractive Felice Schachter, also being dropped in favor of the more rough around the edges Jo as the token brunette haired girl.

[Gemini_89]

Originally Posted by TMC

and Sue Ann and Nancy were kept to join Blair? I hate to sound cynical, but part of me wonders if there was reluctance to drop Tootie and Natalie out of fear of being seen as politically incorrect. It wouldn't be good for diversity points if you dropped the sole black girl and the token full-figured girl. And there was only room for one blonde girl in Blair, thus Sue Ann and Cindy had to go. They likely didn't want to be perceived as a "jiggle show" by having the girls prance around in hot pants like in the first season. A byproduct of this is the more classically attractive Felice Schachter, also being dropped in favor of the more rough around the edges Jo as the token brunette haired girl.

The audience loved Tootie and Natalie. I'm looking back at old episodes and the audience would cheer and roar everytime Natalie and Tootie would do their handshake or have their moments. Outside of their race and weight Tootie and Natalie were way more interesting characters than the ones that were dropped imo. And they were a lot funnier Plus Tootie and Natalie had amazing chemistry. Their physical differences and uniqueness was just the icing on the cake.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by TMC

Jo as the token brunette haired girl.

Jo wasn't "the token brunette haired girl", she just happened to be a brunette. She and Natalie both had brown hair.

[RetroGuy2000]

I don't think they could have dropped Tootie; Kim Fields' line delivery that first season was spot-on, and hilarious. Every time. The loudest laughs of the whole season were usually from Kim's line delivery. The producers and network quickly noted this, and the show very soon became the Blair/Tootie Show. At the same time, Felice's role was reduced to almost nothing, as Blair and Tootie's roles were greatly expanded.

Mindy wasn't a great actress at that time, so she struggled to play serious roles, in episodes like "Adoption". But she had good comic timing, and played well off of Kim. Since they were going to keep Kim, no matter what, they needed her best friend, too.

When network executives decided there were "too many girls" at a girls' school (an odd decision), the Lost Girls' fates were sealed.

But a few years ago, I had put together a video showing what an episode might have looked like, if the producers had made a different decision, and instead decided to axe Blair, Tootie, and Natalie.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I don't think they could have dropped Tootie; Kim Fields' line delivery that first season was spot-on, and hilarious. Every time. The loudest laughs of the whole season were usually from Kim's line delivery.

Not only her line delivery, but sometimes just her facial expressions. Prime example: Look at her leaning back facial-judging reaction at Tumpy's, "You don't hit iiiiit, it hits youuuuuuu!" Tootie's reaction is SO funny!

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Mindy wasn't a great actress at that time, so she struggled to play serious roles, in episodes like "Adoption".

I think Mindy was better with her role there than Julie Pie was with hers in "Dieting".

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

When network executives decided there were "too many girls" at a girls' school (an odd decision)

[snicker], right?

[Impressions]

Well, let's see if they kept Nancy, we may have seen Roger for the first time

As far as Sue Ann, I think they'd probably give her another serious storyline about an eating disorder.

I think if Cindy had stayed too, we may have seen a "coming out" episode, although doubtful since it was the early '80s.

Molly would probably become a movie star

If Natalie and Tootie had left, well, it's hard to imagine what may have happened, but I think the show's chemistry would be a little more "off" since the main reason they were kept on is because they had some of the best jokes and one-lines and great chemistry, and not because of their appearance, mind you.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Not only her line delivery, but sometimes just her facial expressions. Prime example: Look at her leaning back facial-judging reaction at Tumpy's, "You don't hit iiiiit, it hits youuuuuuu!" Tootie's reaction is SO funny!

You raise a good point. I almost mentioned the thing Kim did in "Like Mother, Like Daughter", wiping the smile off her face when Sue Ann tells Tootie to stop laughing.

I think Mindy was better with her role there than Julie Pie was with hers in "Dieting".

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one!

[snicker], right?

I mean, what did they expect at a girls' school? Abandoned, empty hallways and classrooms?

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Impressions

Well, let's see if they kept Nancy, we may have seen Roger for the first time

Now, that would be interesting! A reveal of the guy we had only heard about previously. But I don't think the producers wanted to reveal him: he's never even shown after the first season: not in "Gossip", "Dear Me", or "The Little Chill", where he's still only just mentioned.

As far as Sue Ann, I think they'd probably give her another serious storyline about an eating disorder.

Interesting. Sue Ann's struggle with her (perceived) weight does seem to have been an ongoing theme with her character: it's not only the central storyline in "Dieting", it plays a small role in "Like Mother, Like Daughter".

I think if Cindy had stayed too, we may have seen a "coming out" episode, although doubtful since it was the early '80s.

I think they even pushed the boundaries just with the word "strange". I'm not sure a character that young could have come out as a lesbian on early 1980s television. I recall gays were mainly played for laughs on sitcoms, in that era.

Molly would probably become a movie star

Haha! But Molly Parker, I think, would have become a journalist or photographer.

If Natalie and Tootie had left, well, it's hard to imagine what may have happened, but I think the show's chemistry would be a little more "off" since the main reason they were kept on is because they had some of the best jokes and one-lines and great chemistry, and not because of their appearance, mind you.

The chemistry would have been different, that's for sure! "Off", I don't know about; "off" in the sense of "very different to what we grew used to over a decade", definitely!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by TMC

and Sue Ann and Nancy were kept to join Blair? I hate to sound cynical, but part of me wonders if there was reluctance to drop Tootie and Natalie out of fear of being seen as politically incorrect. It wouldn't be good for diversity points if you dropped the sole black girl and the token full-figured girl.

FOL was a Tandem show, which was run by Norman Lear. I don't think they'd ever get rid of the diverse characters: that was the whole point of Norman Lear shows. It's a terrible shame that the Lost Girls were axed, but no way would a Norman Lear show have removed the only minority characters. And Tootie was the funniest character on the show, at least during the first season. No way would they get rid of the character who was getting the biggest laughs.

And there was only room for one blonde girl in Blair, thus Sue Ann and Cindy had to go.
They likely didn't want to be perceived as a "jiggle show" by having the girls prance around in hot pants like in the first season. A byproduct of this is the more classically attractive Felice Schachter, also being dropped in favor of the more rough around the edges Jo as the token brunette haired girl.

I wouldn't call Jo a token anything; I think the writers wanted to shake things up with that character, and they did. I think they realized they needed a "Fonzie".

It's sad that NBC execs were so set on axing cast members that I think they threw out the baby with the bathwater, to some extent.

[Lorimar Television]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

I think Mindy was better with her role there than Julie Pie was with hers in "Dieting".

I vehemently disagree. I found Julie’s storyline engaging while Mindys was just not very good. Maybe it’s the writing but I thought Julie did fine with the storyline, even if she needed to use a softer voice at times

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

I vehemently disagree. I found Julie’s storyline engaging while Mindys was just not very good. Maybe it’s the writing but I thought Julie did fine with the storyline, even if she needed to use a softer voice at times

There were definitely writing issues with "Adoption", and the pacing feels off, but Mindy lacked the gravitas, at that point, to pull the episode off. For example, at the end, it's hard to know what emotion Natalie is feeling when she offers for everyone to go upstairs for cake; there's no apparent conflict in her voice, just 'let's eat some cake'.

Mindy grew into her part, as the other girls would have, as well. But "Adoption" is a weak episode all around, and part of that is due to Mindy's lack of acting experience at that time. She did just fine with humorous lines, for example, in "Like Mother, Like Daughter".

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

I vehemently disagree. I found Julie’s storyline engaging while Mindys was just not very good. Maybe it’s the writing but I thought Julie did fine with the storyline, even if she needed to use a softer voice at times

I wasn't speaking of the episodes themselves, but the acting. It's not just Julie's voice sometimes either; oftentimes her acting is just embarrassingly bad. Yet at other times she is very natural, which seems odd to me she could be inconsistent like that.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

at the end, it's hard to know what emotion Natalie is feeling when she offers for everyone to go upstairs for cake; there's no apparent conflict in her voice, just 'let's eat some cake'.

The emotion is "resolved innocence". There's not supposed to be conflict. She has resolved herself that this is not the time, so she chooses to spend time with her friends in the happiness she has with that family of makeshift "sisters", instead of finding out the truth. I think it's so sweet.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

The emotion is "resolved innocence". There's not supposed to be conflict. She has resolved herself that this is not the time, so she chooses to spend time with her friends in the happiness she has with that family of makeshift "sisters", instead of finding out the truth.

When fifteen seconds earlier, she was convinced she wanted to find her birth family? It's resolved, just like that? That's not very believable.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

When fifteen seconds earlier, she was convinced she wanted to find her birth family? It's resolved, just like that? That's not very believable.

Hey, it's Mrs. Garrett's poem and advice; that woman has the power to do anything.

[julian bozo]

SueAnn and Lisa had worked before Fol on the Mickey Mouse Club.
So they were friends. SueAnn would have worked. Getting rid of Kim would not have worked. She was funny and cute. Charlotte chose Natalie. I don't think the show would have lasted as long. Viewers would have gotten tired of the Nancy Roger thing. Cindy Blair and Sue Ann could have carried it another season bit I don't know about 7 Seasons. It might.