MRS G on DS and FOL

[valentina warner]

Has anyone noticed, what a different character MRS G plays on DS and FOL?

Her personality really changes!

For instance, on DS: MRS G played a bubbly/amusing housekeeper of two boys and a girl who mostly goofedaround with them.

On FOL: she becomes the no nonsense housemother of a girls school.
(In fact, her character is already changing during the pilot episode 'The girls school', when she tries to put some order around the girls and clashes with their eccentric headmaster THE CROCK.
She still has her hilarious moments with the girls and serves as confidante and advice seeker for the bunch of teenagers, but also as the voice of reason for them when they misbehave.:

Any comments?

I suppose she had to change if she was going to become the girls surrogate mother hee hee!:

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by valentina warner

Has anyone noticed, what a different character MRS G plays on DS and FOL?

Her personality really changes!

For instance, on DS: MRS G played a bubbly/amusing housekeeper of two boys and a girl who mostly goofedaround with them.

On FOL: she becomes the no nonsense housemother of a girls school.
(In fact, her character is already changing during the pilot episode 'The girls school', when she tries to put some order around the girls and clashes with their eccentric headmaster THE CROCK.
She still has her hilarious moments with the girls and serves as confidante and advice seeker for the bunch of teenagers, but also as the voice of reason for them when they misbehave.:

Any comments?

I suppose she had to change if she was going to become the girls surrogate mother hee hee!:

Because on FOL she was in a leadership role unlike DS where she was help

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Because on FOL she was in a leadership role unlike DS where she was help

Thank you: it totally makes sense!

[RetroGuy2000]

I think the change from Wacky Housekeeper to Dignified Confidante happened gradually.

When DS started, Edna Garrett was just the housekeeper; the writers could make her as kooky as they wanted to because it wouldn't affect any plots. But by the time of The Girls' School, Mrs. Garrett was now supposed to be the main character. They had to make her less wacky, or the storylines would never make sense. By the time FOL began, she became the reasonable one, fighting against an administration (like Mr. Bradley) that now needed her help to stay afloat: without Mrs. Garrett, Cindy and Sue Ann would never have made up in "Running", Tootie would have been pulled from Eastland in "Overachieving", and Nancy and Sue Ann would have quit Eastland in "IQ".

After the Cast Purge, Mrs. Garrett's role changed again; she was now the girls' supervisor, in the kitchens. Her role became slightly more dignified, although we still saw flashes of "Wacky Housekeeper" in episodes like "Gossip".

By Season 5, Mrs. Garrett had gone into business for herself. Since it was important that the audience believe she could be a successful businesswoman, there was a subtle shift in Mrs. Garrett's character once more; she became business savvy. The transformation from Wacky Housekeeper to Dignified Confidante was complete.

Eventually, Edna's shop burns down and she does one more transformation to Pod Person Edna: the one who no longer wants a shop, and who suddenly doesn't value the two years of hard work she put into her store; she suddenly believes selling junk no-one wants is the hot ticket. She sells cookies in a corner, but you can tell it's not the real Mrs. Garrett.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I think the change from Wacky Housekeeper to Dignified Confidante happened gradually.

When DS started, Edna Garrett was just the housekeeper; the writers could make her as kooky as they wanted to because it wouldn't affect any plots. But by the time of The Girls' School, Mrs. Garrett was now supposed to be the main character. They had to make her less wacky, or the storylines would never make sense. By the time FOL began, she became the reasonable one, fighting against an administration (like Mr. Bradley) that now needed her help to stay afloat: without Mrs. Garrett, Cindy and Sue Ann would never have made up in "Running", Tootie would have been pulled from Eastland in "Overachieving", and Nancy and Sue Ann would have quit Eastland in "IQ".

After the Cast Purge, Mrs. Garrett's role changed again; she was now the girls' supervisor, in the kitchens. Her role became slightly more dignified, although we still saw flashes of "Wacky Housekeeper" in episodes like "Gossip".

By Season 5, Mrs. Garrett had gone into business for herself. Since it was important that the audience believe she could be a successful businesswoman, there was a subtle shift in Mrs. Garrett's character once more; she became business savvy. The transformation from Wacky Housekeeper to Dignified Confidante was complete.

Eventually, Edna's shop burns down and she does one more transformation to Pod Person Edna: the one who no longer wants a shop, and who suddenly doesn't value the two years of hard work she put into her store; she suddenly believes selling junk no-one wants is the hot ticket. She sells cookies in a corner, but you can tell it's not the real Mrs. Garrett.

Thank you for your point of view retro: you have done a magnificent job!

And yes, once MRS G turns into a POD by season 7 she even forgets about HER GIRLS!!!!#

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by valentina warner

Thank you for your point of view retro: you have done a magnificent job!

Thanks, as always, Valentina!

And yes, once MRS G turns into a POD by season 7 she even forgets about HER GIRLS!!!!#

YUP! And she abandons her girls and takes off with a man we've never even seen before, and who she hardly knows. Pod Person. It's the only explanation.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Thanks, as always, Valentina!



YUP! And she abandons her girls and takes off with a man we've never even seen before, and who she hardly knows. Pod Person. It's the only explanation.

Well said retro!

MRS G takes off to Africa leaving her life behind: HER GIRLS (who turned out to be her best friends and the only daughters she'll ever have)

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

As Retro said, Mrs. Garrett became the main character and the writers had to do some work. The change was gradual to keep continuity. Yeah, she was more serious on FOL but she had several funny "hysterical" moments she used to have on the parent show, until season 6. She was funny during some occasions of season 7 too but I don't count these moments because her character was too different from the beginning. From her first appearence on DS until season 6, her motherly attitude was unchanged as we saw first with the Drummonds and then with the girls. If you watch the episode Mrs. Garrett's Crisis, you see how much she cared about the Drummonds at the end, in fact Arnold said she was like his mother. After the retooling, Edna became the perfect confidant and mentor for the girls with several "housekeeper mode on" moments . She was the confidant in season 1 too but I don't feel she was really in charge that first year, more like a supervisor. I'm not a hater of season 1, but I prefer her as school dietitian.

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

As Retro said, Mrs. Garrett became the main character and the writers had to do some work. The change was gradual to keep continuity. Yeah, she was more serious on FOL but she had several funny "hysterical" moments she used to have on the parent show, until season 6. She was funny during some occasions of season 7 too but I don't count these moments because her character was too different from the beginning. From her first appearence on DS until season 6, her motherly attitude was unchanged as we saw first with the Drummonds and then with the girls. If you watch the episode Mrs. Garrett's Crisis, you see how much she cared about the Drummonds at the end, in fact Arnold said she was like his mother. After the retooling, Edna became the perfect confidant and mentor for the girls with several "housekeeper mode on" moments . She was the confidant in season 1 too but I don't feel she was really in charge that first year, more like a supervisor. I'm not a hater of season 1, but I prefer her as school dietitian.

Well, she did have Mr. Bradley always under determining her authority in Season 1.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Well, she did have Mr. Bradley always under determining her authority in Season 1.

That's right: i say MRS G was ALWAYS in charge! (at the DRUMMONDS and on FOL)

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

As Retro said, Mrs. Garrett became the main character and the writers had to do some work. The change was gradual to keep continuity.

I agree, ITA. That is one thing I adored about FOL: they definitely strove for continuity, up until the end.

Yeah, she was more serious on FOL but she had several funny "hysterical" moments she used to have on the parent show, until season 6. She was funny during some occasions of season 7 too but I don't count these moments because her character was too different from the beginning.

That last season for her was sure a major shift from the Mrs. Garrett we knew.

From her first appearence on DS until season 6, her motherly attitude was unchanged as we saw first with the Drummonds and then with the girls. If you watch the episode Mrs. Garrett's Crisis, you see how much she cared about the Drummonds at the end, in fact Arnold said she was like his mother. After the retooling, Edna became the perfect confidant and mentor for the girls with several "housekeeper mode on" moments . She was the confidant in season 1 too but I don't feel she was really in charge that first year, more like a supervisor. I'm not a hater of season 1, but I prefer her as school dietitian.

For me, she worked better as a housemother than as a dietician. As a housemother, she could keep close tabs on her seven charges. As a dietician, she spent a lot of time preparing for banquets and much less time with her girls: even the ones helping her in the kitchen.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I agree, ITA. That is one thing I adored about FOL: they definitely strove for continuity, up until the end.



That last season for her was sure a major shift from the Mrs. Garrett we knew.



For me, she worked better as a housemother than as a dietician. As a housemother, she could keep close tabs on her seven charges. As a dietician, she spent a lot of time preparing for banquets and much less time with her girls: even the ones helping her in the kitchen.

You know retro i ABSOLUTELY agree with you!

One of the reasons i love season 1 as much as you, is because MRS G was so subtle on the way she supervised her 7 girls: she kept close tabs on them (like you said). She was ALWAYS around them, poking her nose in their affairs while knitting!

From season 2 until season 4, she still kept a close tabs on her 4 charges, but she was NOT always around them as she was too busy dealing with the kitchen orders and dealing with MR PARKER....

During season 5 + 6 though, MRS G did keep a closer tabs on her girls: now in charge of her own bakery and without MR PARKER giving her orders, she became like a mother to the 'Core of 4', and had them living under the same roof as her.

However, much to my chagrin, during the whole season 7 she was NO longer our MRS G, and kept NO close tabs at all from her girls: in fact, she practically chose to IGNORE them!!!

If i'd been the writer, this is what i would have done with the retool: keep MRS G as a housemother with her 7 charges and JO as the NEW girl. Keep the old school the way it was with their inside lovely dorm, the living room and the stairs visible (instead of the kitchen we see during the rest of the 'Eastland' years season) and have MRS G stay until the very......

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I agree, ITA. That is one thing I adored about FOL: they definitely strove for continuity, up until the end.



That last season for her was sure a major shift from the Mrs. Garrett we knew.



For me, she worked better as a housemother than as a dietician. As a housemother, she could keep close tabs on her seven charges. As a dietician, she spent a lot of time preparing for banquets and much less time with her girls: even the ones helping her in the kitchen.

Nothing against season 1, Retro, you know I'm not a hater. I don't feel she was in charge that season because she was one of three adults supervising the girls, only for this reason. I would have kept Bradley and Mahoney on a recurring basis instead of a regular basis in the following seasons, at least until the end of Eastland period. Anyway, I like your comment about the time she spent with the girls. I like the dietitian role because she became a "public confidant" for all Eastland students. While on season 1 she was for much of the time in the dorm, in seasons 2-4 she interacted (off screen of course) with other girls who wanted her advice (and her food)

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Nothing against season 1, Retro, you know I'm not a hater.

Oh, no. No, I know that.

I don't feel she was in charge that season because she was one of three adults supervising the girls, only for this reason. I would have kept Bradley and Mahoney on a recurring basis instead of a regular basis in the following seasons, at least until the end of Eastland period.

I would have, as well, but Jenny didn't like her role, and John got fired. Well, "made free".

Anyway, I like your comment about the time she spent with the girls. I like the dietitian role because she became a "public confidant" for all Eastland students. While on season 1 she was for much of the time in the dorm, in seasons 2-4 she interacted (off screen of course) with other girls who wanted her advice (and her food)

Haha! Well, that's true.

We even get a few nice moments in "Dear Me" where Mrs. Garrett is sitting down with Nancy, acting very mothering.

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

And you're right about the continuity. For example, Maude and Good Times are related but they have no continuity. At least FOL and DS had a good connection for the first 2-3 years. The writers remember that Mrs. Garrett's sister was named Beverly. A good continuity!