All 9 Season of Facts of Life to be released on DVD

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Bachu

I watched the episode were Natalie and Snake make love. Quite a good episode I thought. It handled the subject well and I enjoyed the serious bits which make the characters a little more three dimensional.

I wonder if they used Blairs pay cheque this week, seeing as she didn't appear, to pay for Natalie and Tooties bedroom set?

Haha! According to sources, Lisa lost $55,000.00 for not doing the episode, so if they used Lisa's salary for the new set, that is one expensive bedroom set!

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by Bachu

I am about 2/3 of the way through season 9. From what I have read, most here do not like it. Personally, I am guite enjoying. More than other seasons I would say. I read some of you found it sometimes to much focusing on the drama and I get and see that complaint though for me, a bit of drama in a comedy can then make the comedy line that comes next all the more funnier.

Season 9 doesn't have drama. It's extremely fluff compared to the early years and season 5 the most. Season 5 is the most heavy dramatic season of the show. It was overkill IMO. The problem I've explained a few times about season 9 is how the girls are mean towards Pippa. Here's this girl from another country. She has no family. She's barely making any friends. The core 4 just shut her out and make her feel like a pest. We see it the most in Something in Common and The First Time. It's very different to how Mrs. Garrett treated the core 4 at Pippa's age. The core 4 also lack the close bond they had from the previous 4 years. Jo is different the most. She doesn't even care when her friends are fighting with each other. Instead, she tells them one of them can move out. It's cold hearted and that's not how she was from seasons 2 - 8. It's good you're able to see past that to enjoy season 9 though. Rumor Has It is my favorite episode that season. I also enjoy the Tootie / Jeff episodes. Tootie is the only character I think the show had a proper ending for. The rest just seemed off.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Christopher

The problem I've explained a few times about season 9 is how the girls are mean towards Pippa. Here's this girl from another country. She has no family. She's barely making any friends. The core 4 just shut her out and make her feel like a pest.

They really do. If they had done that to Andy, he wouldn't have hung around with them long enough to get adopted.

Jo is different the most. She doesn't even care when her friends are fighting with each other. Instead, she tells them one of them can move out. It's cold hearted and that's not how she was from seasons 2 - 8.

Her characterization definitely feels off.

Tootie is the only character I think the show had a proper ending for. The rest just seemed off.

Poor Natalie got stuck rooming with David Spade!

Tootie and Natalie feel more in character than Blair or Jo, by the end.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Her characterization definitely feels off.

Her style is very distracting as well. She has the 80's rocker hairstyle with skirts and stockings. She looks like Blair and season 8 Cindy trying to be a model. I don't recall a single episode where she's in jeans for season 9. Season 8 is the last season she looks like her tomboy self.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Poor Natalie got stuck rooming with David Spade!

Tootie and Natalie feel more in character than Blair or Jo, by the end.

I like David Spade so that didn't bother me. What bothered me was Natalie didn't have a job when she moved in with them. She gave up working to get a career in journalism. She went backwards in Big Apple Blues. It was ridiculous. I also can't imagine her going from friends she knows will pay their share of the bills to a group of strangers to rely on for a roof over her head and utilities. I haven't seen Big Apple Blues in a long time, but isn't David's character the only one with a steady income? There was an out of work actor and a woman taking odd jobs to support herself. How smart is it to room with them? I guess I need to stop looking at it from a realistic point of view and use the fluff goggles in fairytale land the writers wanted us to see the episode from.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Christopher

Her style is very distracting as well. She has the 80's rocker hairstyle with skirts and stockings. She looks like Blair and season 8 Cindy trying to be a model. I don't recall a single episode where she's in jeans for season 9. Season 8 is the last season she looks like her tomboy self.

The brown leather jacket they had her in, in parts of Season 8 (and even put on "Jojo" the puppet) helped give her somewhat of a biker or rebel feel. I don't mind the hair, as all the ladies had huge hair by then, but the red fingernail polish, the make-up... I think characters should evolve, but Jo evolved into someone she once hated: BLAIR!

I like David Spade so that didn't bother me. What bothered me was Natalie didn't have a job when she moved in with them. She gave up working to get a career in journalism. She went backwards in Big Apple Blues. It was ridiculous. I also can't imagine her going from friends she knows will pay their share of the bills to a group of strangers to rely on for a roof over her head and utilities. I haven't seen Big Apple Blues in a long time, but isn't David's character the only one with a steady income?

Yeah, he was a Med student or something. But he was so rude. I can't see Natalie putting up with that for very long.

There was an out of work actor and a woman taking odd jobs to support herself. How smart is it to room with them?

Yeah, Natalie Green basically became Rachel Green and moved into the huge Friends apartment, with a struggling Italian out-of-work actor, a flaky meditation girl, an uptight female roommate, and a sarcastic guy. All that was missing was the paleontologist. Only problem is: these Friends weren't remotely likeable.

With a likeable cast and good writing, Natalie's spin-off could have worked. Six years later, it did.

[Bachu]

Finished the show tonight.

I can understand why the more serious episodes didn't do it for people. It didn't help that they came so close together. Blair has a car crash. Someone is going to commit suicide.

The Natalie moves to New York episode felt like a back door pilot for Friends. Dr guy would be Ross; actor guy would be Joey' mediatating woman would be Phoebe...

As a backdoor pilot I did enjoy the two part finale. Too many characters though. Did they learn nothing from season 1!!! Also, all the main kids were white and slim. The only 'different' one was the ginger kid. The lobby and dorm sets were impressive, as was Blairs office.

As the two part finale for the final season of the show it stunk. I think I passed comment on the final episode of season 4 or 5 and how that felt like the finale of a show. This did not. Though, perhaps it did in the way it kind of went back to the roots of the show about a fish out of water taking charge of a bunch of kids at school.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Bachu

Finished the show tonight.

I can understand why the more serious episodes didn't do it for people. It didn't help that they came so close together. Blair has a car crash. Someone is going to commit suicide.

The Natalie moves to New York episode felt like a back door pilot for Friends. Dr guy would be Ross; actor guy would be Joey' mediatating woman would be Phoebe...

I felt like Sarcastic Doctor (David Spade) was Chandler, Meditating Woman was Phoebe, High Strung Woman was Monica, Italian Guy was Joey, and Natalie Green herself was Rachel Green.

As a backdoor pilot I did enjoy the two part finale. Too many characters though. Did they learn nothing from season 1!!!

By this time, large casts were back in, with Head of the Class a hit, and Saved By the Bell soon to be.

Also, all the main kids were white and slim. The only 'different' one was the ginger kid. The lobby and dorm sets were impressive, as was Blairs office.

I particularly like the exterior shot we get, which is the same shot as most of the Season 1 exteriors.

The ginger kid would later find fame as Seth Greene. Mayim Bialik and Juliette Lewis also became household names. That was a talented group of kids!

As the two part finale for the final season of the show it stunk. I think I passed comment on the final episode of season 4 or 5 and how that felt like the finale of a show. This did not. Though, perhaps it did in the way it kind of went back to the roots of the show about a fish out of water taking charge of a bunch of kids at school.

It definitely didn't wrap up The Facts of Life, but it did contain strong echoes of the past, with a woman going to a prestigious private school and getting roped into becoming a staff member of said school.

[Bachu]

I did think N Green would become R Green.

Having so many characters is what I liked about the 2 parter.

LOL, it was a nice touch seeing the exteriour shot of the school, not seen in many, many seasons.

J Lewis was the actress I recognised but whose name I could not remember without promting. If the show had taken off, would we have had Blossom or S Green (another Green) in Buffy...

I suppose I thought Spade as Ross as both were doctors or a sort.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Bachu

I did think N Green would become R Green.

Having so many characters is what I liked about the 2 parter.

It certainly feels more like a school when you see a big group of students. That's one of the things missing from Seasons 2-4, even.

LOL, it was a nice touch seeing the exteriour shot of the school, not seen in many, many seasons.

It's such a brief shot, but makes me feel quite warm inside.

J Lewis was the actress I recognised but whose name I could not remember without promting. If the show had taken off, would we have had Blossom or S Green (another Green) in Buffy...

We definitely wouldn't have had a Blossom, which debuted just two years later.

I suppose I thought Spade as Ross as both were doctors or a sort.

Yeah, I can see that. But Ross wasn't a medical professional; just someone with a doctorate.

[Bachu]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

But Ross wasn't a medical professional; just someone with a doctorate.

He'd still argue he was a Dr though.

Seasons 2-4 had too few extras fleshing out the cafeteria. It felt a little dull as a result.

Have just watched the Paley interview extra. Very good. The cast come over so well. Lisa and Natalie came across as being great fun.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Bachu

He'd still argue he was a Dr though.

Yes. Yes he would.

Seasons 2-4 had too few extras fleshing out the cafeteria. It felt a little dull as a result.

Especially towards the end, where extras had such a small role. Early on in seasons 2 and early Season 3, we would regularly get a "fifth girl" who would have a major role in an episode: Nancy in "Gossip", Cynthia in "Breaking Point", Allison in "A Baby in the House", Brenda in "The Four Musketeers", Miko in "The Americanization of Miko". But after episode 3-16, the only "fifth girl" episodes at Eastland were Alexandra running away and Alexandra messing up. In many episodes, the school feels very empty, as if Eastland has been abandoned. Season 4 is thus my least-favorite of the otherwise good Eastland Years.

[Bachu]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Especially towards the end, where extras had such a small role.

It would have been nice to have scenesin the cafeteria with even the core 4 sittnig centre while extras are in the background, snacking or working on homework every now and then. Episodes often felt a little empty. And the cafeteria set was used too much.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Bachu

It would have been nice to have scenesin the cafeteria with even the core 4 sittnig centre while extras are in the background, snacking or working on homework every now and then. Episodes often felt a little empty.

Early on, there were efforts to make sure scenes with extra Eastland girls at least appeared in the cafeteria. This sort of faded away after a while. Episodes like "Who's On First" have brief appearances by Terry and Jenny, but do we really believe the cafeteria remains empty (other than the Core Four and Mrs. G) during the entire episode, when the scenes seemingly cover weeks' worth of time?

And the cafeteria set was used too much.

They could have used the classroom, library, stage, and auditorium sets more, that's for sure!

['80sSitcoms]

I'm fine with the cafeteria being empty so much. It gives the show a more intimate close-knit feel with the girls and Mrs. Garrett, and I just assume no other girls are really there except for lunchtime.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

I'm fine with the cafeteria being empty so much. It gives the show a more intimate close-knit feel with the girls and Mrs. Garrett, and I just assume no other girls are really there except for lunchtime.

But this is a boarding school: the other girls should be there for breakfast and dinner, as well. There are only a few students who live off-campus.