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Old 12-29-2021, 03:29 AM   #1
TMC
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Question What is the single most "unpopular opinion" about the show

At least, in your personal and humble opinion. To give you a better idea:
  • Wishing that the show kept some of the girls from the first season despite otherwise liking the addition of Jo.
  • Genuinely liking the first season period, which had some really good storylines like when Helen Hunt's character was busted for smoking weed.
  • Unironically enjoying the later seasons (the "Over Our Heads" years from Season 7-9) that contained the more energetic and upbeat intro/credits and had Beverly Ann (who replaced her sister, Mrs. Garrett as the principle "adult figure"), Andy, Pippa, and George Clooney's handyman character. The girls by this point were grown-up and the episodes were more fun and lighthearted.
  • Blair was more likeable than Jo, who could be quite judgmental, in-between scowling and giving insults.
  • Tootie and to a lesser extent, Natalie were borderline extras until they went away to college and started giving Tootie meaty parts.
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Old 12-29-2021, 11:21 AM   #2
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My unpopular opinion:

Season 8 is one of the best seasons. Many people don't like it because Mrs. Garrett is no longer on the show but there are several episodes in seasons 5,6 and 7 that are boring or depressing. Season 8 is really a breath of fresh air, we see the girls as adults without their longtime mentor, the stories are funny and enjoyable and Beverly Ann isn't a Mrs. Garrett clone. It's my favorite season right after the cafeteria years.
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Old 12-29-2021, 02:36 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TMC View Post
  • Wishing that the show kept some of the girls from the first season despite otherwise liking the addition of Jo.
  • Genuinely liking the first season period, which had some really good storylines like when Helen Hunt's character was busted for smoking weed.
Both of these, although I'm not certain either one is that much of an unpopular opinion. This video has thousands of comments which are variations of, "the show wasn't as good when we lost half of the Eastland students/staff".
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Old 12-29-2021, 05:05 PM   #4
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Thumbs up I'm with Retro!

I'm in with Retro on both of his point, and yes: i am one of the many fans that will forever cherish the early seasons! (sorry FOL FAN ITA, but to me season 5 and 6 are far better than 8 or 9 lol!)

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Old 12-29-2021, 05:16 PM   #5
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I wouldn't call Natalie and Tootie "borderline extras". They may have been such in a few season 1 shows, but when it got down to a core four, they were half of the core. They always had plenty of lines.
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Old 12-29-2021, 05:42 PM   #6
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Oh No TOOTIE

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Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms View Post
I wouldn't call Natalie and Tootie "borderline extras". They may have been such in a few season 1 shows, but when it got down to a core four, they were half of the core. They always had plenty of lines.

TOOTIE was never a 'borderline extra': in season 1 she was the star of the show (along with BLAIR and SUE ANN lol!)

NAT on the other hand was definitely a 'borderline extra' in season 1 (she got lesser lines then)

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Old 12-29-2021, 06:05 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by valentina warner View Post
TOOTIE was never a 'borderline extra': in season 1 she was the star of the show (along with BLAIR and SUE ANN lol!)

NAT on the other hand was definitely a 'borderline extra' in season 1 (she got lesser lines then)
Tootie was probably at her most borderline extra in Rough Housing.

Nat had her fair share of screen time and lines too, so you couldn't say she was B.E. all through season 1. All the season 1 girls had their turns except Blair, lol.
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Old 12-29-2021, 06:16 PM   #8
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Nodsmiley BLAIR = NUMBER 1

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Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms View Post
Tootie was probably at her most borderline extra in Rough Housing.

Nat had her fair share of screen time and lines too, so you couldn't say she was B.E. all through season 1. All the season 1 girls had their turns except Blair, lol.

BLAIR was the number 1 then!

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Old 12-29-2021, 07:32 PM   #9
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I wish they'd given more storylines to Tootie as the main focus instead of her merely reacting to the others!
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Old 12-29-2021, 10:14 PM   #10
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Well I’m sure everyone knows mine being they should’ve kept Sue Ann and that I enjoyed season 1. I also prefer season 8 more than s6-7 and 9 as well.
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Old 12-29-2021, 10:19 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms View Post
Tootie was probably at her most borderline extra in Rough Housing.

Nat had her fair share of screen time and lines too, so you couldn't say she was B.E. all through season 1. All the season 1 girls had their turns except Blair, lol.
That’s true. Even though Blair was only in the first half of IQ she still had several lines. Natalie definitely had her share of Nancied episodes though compared to Blair, Tootie, and Sue Ann. RH, IQ, Emily Dickinson, Flash flood. Plus only one main plot unlike the other 3. I’d say characters most to relevant throughout s1 are:
Blair
Tootie
Sue Ann
Molly
Natalie
Cindy
Nancy
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Old 12-29-2021, 10:32 PM   #12
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I wish they'd given more storylines to Tootie as the main focus instead of her merely reacting to the others!
Tootie had lots of story line episodes. Overachieving, Emily Dickinson (She blackmailed Blair), The Return of Mrs. Garrett (she got the girls addicted to gambing), Dope, Gossip, Double Standard, Pretty Babies, Starstuck, Growing Pains, just to name a few.
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Old 12-30-2021, 07:49 AM   #13
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Quote:
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Well I’m sure everyone knows mine being they should’ve kept Sue Ann and that I enjoyed season 1. I also prefer season 8 more than s6-7 and 9 as well.
You agree with me that season 8 is better than 6 and 7 My unpopular opinion isn't that unpopular

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I wish they'd given more storylines to Tootie as the main focus instead of her merely reacting to the others!
But Tootie has tons of episodes where she's the main focus, especially during the early seasons
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Old 12-30-2021, 12:47 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA View Post
My unpopular opinion:

Season 8 is one of the best seasons. Many people don't like it because Mrs. Garrett is no longer on the show but there are several episodes in seasons 5,6 and 7 that are boring or depressing. Season 8 is really a breath of fresh air, we see the girls as adults without their longtime mentor, the stories are funny and enjoyable and Beverly Ann isn't a Mrs. Garrett clone. It's my favorite season right after the cafeteria years.
I agree with you on that. Season 8 is my second favorite season after season 2.

I think I have an unpopular opinion about Beverly Ann. Some either like her both seasons or hate her for joining the show. I like season 8 Beverly Ann. I felt she served a purpose to the show's premise about learning the facts of life with bouncing back from her divorce. I like how she was written as a friend to the girls instead of a Mrs. Garrett clone. She was her own character. The girls took her on trips, helped her learn how to use a computer, set her up on a date, and fought for her with the adoption of Andy. Beverly Ann was well written that year. I hate how they brought her back in season 9 as a doormat for the girls. She was cooking meals, cleaning house, taking the girls shifts in the store, making birthday cakes for the girls parents, and so much other crap. I feel like It's A Wonderful Christmas was the writers way of telling us even they didn't know what to do with Beverly Ann anymore since the point of that episode was to show us how useless she is to the girls. Beverly Ann should have been a one season character. She had full closure on everything in season 8 after selling her house with Frank. That finale should have been her leaving with Andy instead of Jo taking off.

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I wouldn't call Natalie and Tootie "borderline extras".
They were in season 6. That whole season was to spotlight Jo and Blair. I think Tootie and Natalie each had two episodes out of 26 focused on their character with another episode having a story shared between them. I prefer the way they did season 7 and 8 over season 6 because it was equally split between the core four so not one or two had the most focus.
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Old 12-30-2021, 01:20 PM   #15
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Natalie definitely had her share of Nancied episodes though compared to Blair, Tootie, and Sue Ann. RH, IQ, Emily Dickinson, Flash flood.
FF was more of an ensemble show though. It feels like the five girls who stayed at the dorm had a comparable amount of lines.

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I’d say characters most to relevant throughout s1 are:
Blair
Tootie
Sue Ann
Molly
Natalie
Cindy
Nancy
I think I'd probably agree.
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