If you could've kept one more season 1 girl....

[MiracleHand]

I've decided to go back and watch my complete series set again and with each rewatch (every 3-4 years) I like season 1 more. I do agree the cast was perhaps too big and Jo was a marvelous edition to the cast, but sometimes I wonder what could've been had they kept one more season 1 girl than they did.

Who would your choice be? I'd go with Sue Ann. Nancy was obnoxious with how every scene she had to talk about Roger, Cindy was fun but Jo did the tomboy thing better, and Molly probably counted her blessings because if she'd remained on Facts, Ringwald would've never had the opportunity to do all her Brat Pack classics (I remember Mindy Cohn said she was courted for St. Elmos Fire to play the Mare Winningham role but NBC wouldn't let her miss a few episodes to do that film, so no Sixteen Candles/Breakfast Club/Pretty In Pink for her if she'd stuck around), plus Sue Ann served as a frienemy/foil to Blair in a different way than Jo did.

[DJM77]

Definitely Sue Ann.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by MiracleHand

I've decided to go back and watch my complete series set again and with each rewatch (every 3-4 years) I like season 1 more.

It definitely grows on you through rewatch, although I always loved that season.

Who would your choice be? I'd go with Sue Ann. Nancy was obnoxious with how every scene she had to talk about Roger, Cindy was fun but Jo did the tomboy thing better, and Molly probably counted her blessings because if she'd remained on Facts, Ringwald would've never had the opportunity to do all her Brat Pack classics (I remember Mindy Cohn said she was courted for St. Elmos Fire to play the Mare Winningham role but NBC wouldn't let her miss a few episodes to do that film, so no Sixteen Candles/Breakfast Club/Pretty In Pink for her if she'd stuck around), plus Sue Ann served as a frienemy/foil to Blair in a different way than Jo did.

Yeah, Sue Ann definitely had the biggest part out of all the Lost Girls, and might have been the most obvious choice, simply because her part had been so much larger, and the audience had seen her more often than most of the other girls.

I did not find Nancy's references to Roger annoying, simply because they really only were once per episode, but to each his/her own.

[MiracleHand]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

It definitely grows on you through rewatch, although I always loved that season.



Yeah, Sue Ann definitely had the biggest part out of all the Lost Girls, and might have been the most obvious choice, simply because her part had been so much larger, and the audience had seen her more often than most of the other girls.

I did not find Nancy's references to Roger annoying, simply because they really only were once per episode, but to each his/her own.

Probably for me it's because the Facts I grew up with already had Jo firmly integrated with the cast (my earliest memories watching the show was around 1983) so I used to always see the early episodes with all the extra cast members superfluous, but I've grown to like them better with time. I am surprised how little screen time some of the cast had. Outside of the "Molly's Holiday" episode, I was shocked at just how little screentime she had compared to the other cast members. I actually liked Miss Mahoney but she was only in the 1979 episodes.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by MiracleHand

Probably for me it's because the Facts I grew up with already had Jo firmly integrated with the cast (my earliest memories watching the show was around 1983) so I used to always see the early episodes with all the extra cast members superfluous, but I've grown to like them better with time.

I think you are right: it's what you originally saw first that makes that the definite version of the show. I had seen episodes as early as 1979, so for me, the first season is most canonical.

I am surprised how little screen time some of the cast had. Outside of the "Molly's Holiday" episode, I was shocked at just how little screentime she had compared to the other cast members. I actually liked Miss Mahoney but she was only in the 1979 episodes.

Outside of "Molly's Holiday", there wouldn't be much Molly; outside of "Rough Housing" and "Running", there would be very little Cindy; outside of "IQ", there would be very little Nancy.

Miss Mahoney was cool because she gave the school some gravitas: traditions, a rich history, and respectability. I wish we had seen her continue the role, but Jenny didn't want to.

[MiracleHand]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I think you are right: it's what you originally saw first that makes that the definite version of the show. I had seen episodes as early as 1979, so for me, the first season is most canonical.



Outside of "Molly's Holiday", there wouldn't be much Molly; outside of "Rough Housing" and "Running", there would be very little Cindy; outside of "IQ", there would be very little Nancy.

Miss Mahoney was cool because she gave the school some gravitas: traditions, a rich history, and respectability. I wish we had seen her continue the role, but Jenny didn't want to.

I was too young in 1979-1980 to watch it, about season 4 (and 5 of DS) was where my memories begin. You're not the first person I've met who watched the show from the beginning and is still fond of season 1. I used to think 1 and 9 were the weakest seasons (by all means I think the show should've ended with "Out Of Peekskill" and it should've been given a bit more finality because season 9 has very little to offer IMO) but with rewatching I don't rank 1 as high as some of my favorite seasons, but it's way better than the mess it was at the end. I don't like Mr. Bradley but as a whole find the early episodes charming once I put the "we're just waiting for Jo to come in" attitude a lot of people view the early episodes if they grew up with the second incarnation.

Always did get annoyed at the revisionist history in "The Little Chill" where Jo acts like Nancy, Sue Ann and Cindy were complete strangers and feeling totally left out during their reminiscing, as if the writers themselves had forgotten those three still showed up time to time in seasons 2 and 3 and had interactions with Jo, it was as if the newer writers just assumed those three up and left Eastland the moment Jo came in and they never met prior to 1986.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by MiracleHand

I was too young in 1979-1980 to watch it, about season 4 (and 5 of DS) was where my memories begin. You're not the first person I've met who watched the show from the beginning and is still fond of season 1. I used to think 1 and 9 were the weakest seasons (by all means I think the show should've ended with "Out Of Peekskill" and it should've been given a bit more finality because season 9 has very little to offer IMO)

The thing is that Season 8 ends more like a series finale. Season 9 then feels tacked on and without purpose, with episodes that don't make much sense. Jo gets married, but we barely see her husband after the wedding. Blair starts law school, but then does nothing regarding law by the end of the season. Natalie starts the season studying at Langley, but by the end of the season, she's giving up her studies to live in NYC with unlikable people she's just met. The season is full of half-finished ideas and concepts, none of which tie up at the end of the year, which feels oddly unsatisfying for the viewer.

but with rewatching I don't rank 1 as high as some of my favorite seasons, but it's way better than the mess it was at the end.

I thinkl "mess" is the perfect way to describe the 9th season.

Always did get annoyed at the revisionist history in "The Little Chill" where Jo acts like Nancy, Sue Ann and Cindy were complete strangers and feeling totally left out during their reminiscing, as if the writers themselves had forgotten those three still showed up time to time in seasons 2 and 3 and had interactions with Jo, it was as if the newer writers just assumed those three up and left Eastland the moment Jo came in and they never met prior to 1986.

I don't have a problem with "The Little Chill" because it's Beverly Ann, not Jo, who claims Jo never met Sue Ann, Cindy, and Nancy, and I don't doubt they didn't know her very well: they were never roommates and only took occasional classes with her. They just didn't have the bond with her that they had with the other girls and Mrs. Garrett... but I would have loved for them to have seen Mrs. G!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by MiracleHand

Who would your choice be?

Cindy, followed by Molly. Welcome to the board!

MH, there's a long thread on this very topic, even with a poll included, if you click here.

Originally Posted by MiracleHand

Outside of the "Molly's Holiday" episode, I was shocked at just how little screentime she had compared to the other cast members.

Well, really only compared to Blair and Sue Ann and Tootie. Molly had quite a bit of dialogue in scenes of other episodes, most notably "Adoption". For the whole season, she had only 4 lines less than Natalie.

We actually have a "line count" thread here dissecting how many lines each cast member had in season 1, and added up for comparison totals. It's available if you click here.

Nancy was the one had the least screen time of all. In fact, it's become a coined word around here: To be "Nancied" means to be relegated to the background, or severely diminished, or cut out.

[MikeLutton]

Cindy

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Nancy and Molly were terribly undeveloped. In terms of episodes that revolved around them, Nancy was the star of the pilot and shared an episode with Sue Ann in the regular season; I'd say she was a little more developed than Molly, who had one episode and a couple of lines in the pilot. Anyway, they both were two distinctive characters. Cindy had great potential and could have worked as the fourth girl in season 2, Julie Anne was one of the most talented of the bunch, right after Lisa and Kim. Sue Ann was the most developed, her acting was a bit over the top on several occasions but good after all. My scale of talent would be:

Julie Anne
Felice
Julie
Molly

I don't think Molly's acting was exceptional on Facts but she improved a lot after the show

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Nancy and Molly were terribly undeveloped.

Well, Nancy wasn't all that underdeveloped, and Molly's hormones eventually did get triggered.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Nancy and Molly were terribly undeveloped.

We're given more insights into Molly's life and interests. Poor Nancy is always -- "Nancied"!

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

In terms of episodes that revolved around them, Nancy was the star of the pilot and shared an episode with Sue Ann in the regular season; I'd say she was a little more developed than Molly, who had one episode and a couple of lines in the pilot.

We have to remember the pilot was an episode of DS though, not FOL. So Nancy was even more "Nancied"!

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Sue Ann was the most developed, her acting was a bit over the top on several occasions

You too? This may be the first time I've seen you remark on this.

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I don't think Molly's acting was exceptional on Facts but she improved a lot after the show

It's funny because the casting director and one of the producers said Molly was the most talented and so talented! lol

[80s Dude]

We knew more of Molly's interests (which seem to parallel her real life interests) and family than any of the other lost girls. We never saw Sue Ann's family, though she talked a lot about them.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

We knew more of Molly's interests (which seem to parallel her real life interests) and family than any of the other lost girls. We never saw Sue Ann's family, though she talked a lot about them.

Had NBC not pulled Facts for the short-lived and low-rated Shirley, we might have met Molly's brother, seen Sue Ann's "mummy and daddy", gotten to know Cindy's father, and heck, maybe we would have even seen Roger!

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Well, Nancy wasn't all that underdeveloped, and Molly's hormones eventually did get triggered.

In terms of episodes, they were the two girls with less stories. The 7 girls had each their own distinctive personality and interests but I can see why Nancy and Molly were cut, after a rewatching you can see they really had nothing to do that first season. Even though Cindy is my first choice, Nancy could have been a great foil for Blair.

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

We're given more insights into Molly's life and interests. Poor Nancy is always -- "Nancied"!

We know Molly was the activist and Nancy the Roger-obsessed but the script was so unbalanced

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

We have to remember the pilot was an episode of DS though, not FOL. So Nancy was even more "Nancied"!

She had more space on an episode of another show than on her actual series The DS writers loved her

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

You too? This may be the first time I've seen you remark on this.

I don't think she wasn't good. At times she was overacting but fine. She did a good job on "Dieting"

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

It's funny because the casting director and one of the producers said Molly was the most talented and so talented! lol

Same for Molly. I don't think she wasn't talented, she was "better" on the projects on which she worked later.

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

We knew more of Molly's interests (which seem to parallel her real life interests) and family than any of the other lost girls. We never saw Sue Ann's family, though she talked a lot about them.

They all had a very distinctive personality but in the actual story, Felice and Molly had very little to do