Can Anyone Recall A Single Time When . .?

[PracTz]

The audience saw ANY of The Four in their actual family homes?

Yes, we would eventually meet all eight of their parents and sibs/half-sibs for Blair and Tootie (and, debatably, Natalie) - and even assorted aunts and grandparents but I can't recall a single time in Nine Seasons in which any of them were depicted popping into their own family homes instead of meeting the above relatives at Eastland or elsewhere. I especially find it a bit much that the show seemed to go so far as construct apartments for Blair's one-shot snooty Manhattan pal and Tootie's Aunt Sylvia but didn't seem to attempt to do so for any of The Four's nuclear families. I'm not even sure that Natalie's father's funeral reception took place in the Green Apartment or some other venue.Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

I think it was the Greens house, Mrs. Garrett said that covered mirrors are part of Jewish traditions.

Jo visited her family during season 4, in the episode "Help from Home"

Tootie visited her brother during season 3

The only girl left out is Blair

[RetroGuy2000]

Yeah, Natalie was also at her home in "Dearest Mommie", where they showed the Green family living room.

But I agree it's weird that we saw so little of the Core Fours' actual homes. We got to see Blair's father's car, but not even Blair's fathers' garage.

[PracTz]

Thanks for clarifying that all of them but Blair WERE seen in their families' homes at least once. Still, it does seem off that there were very few times in Nine Seasons that The Four were depicted actually inside their families' homes- and a bit bogus that Blair's mother's or father's abode never were depicted at all!

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

It seems NBC didn't care or didn't want to build new sets. Many of them were used for other shows, the Eastland journalism classroom for example was Arnold's classroom on Diff'rent Strokes and later became a Langley class.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

It seems NBC didn't care or didn't want to build new sets. Many of them were used for other shows, the Eastland journalism classroom for example was Arnold's classroom on Diff'rent Strokes and later became a Langley class.

The set situation was a little bizarre: "NYC Diner" is reused as "Different NYC Diner" one episode later. "Eastland Journalism Classroom" is also "Eastland Literature Classroom" (plausible) to "Langley classroom" (nope!) to "Arnold's classroom" (nope!).

They built an entire set for Jo's three cousins to inhabit, but a scene depicting any of Blair's homes (Blair's father's home, Blair's mother's home, Blair's father's ranch in Texas)? Too expensive!

['80sSitcoms]

No no no folks, do your F.A.C.T.s.

We never saw Tootie's home in 9 seasons.

When she visited her brother Marshall, he and his roommate Paul were staying at a hotel in Peekskill. That's where they held the party.

FFI, look at all the "gossip" you've caused!

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The set situation was a little bizarre: "NYC Diner" is reused as "Different NYC Diner" one episode later. "Eastland Journalism Classroom" is also "Eastland Literature Classroom" (plausible) to "Langley classroom" (nope!) to "Arnold's classroom" (nope!).

They built an entire set for Jo's three cousins to inhabit, but a scene depicting any of Blair's homes (Blair's father's home, Blair's mother's home, Blair's father's ranch in Texas)? Too expensive!

That's really confusing. The Largos house looks like ths old Bunkers house on All In The Family or is it only my impression?

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

No no no folks, do your F.A.C.T.s.

We never saw Tootie's home in 9 seasons.

When she visited her brother Marshall, he and his roommate Paul were staying at a hotel. That's where they held the party.

FFI, look at all the "gossip" you've caused!

I'm sorry, Mr. Garrett, are we still friends?


I didn't say it was Tootie's house but I always had the impression that it was Marshall's apartment, not a hotel room

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

They built an entire set for Jo's three cousins to inhabit, but a scene depicting any of Blair's homes (Blair's father's home, Blair's mother's home, Blair's father's ranch in Texas)? Too expensive!

Rather than budget, I see it just as story dictation, like those spinoff ideas, for instance. But it's too bad they didn't let us see Tootie's nice home or Blair's "posh palace"--her place must have been quite the place!

Maybe they felt they didn't need to since FOL's parent show took place in a grand, fancy, posh penthouse that was wealthy as all get-out. But it would've been so nice to see Blair's place---and to see Sue Ann or Jo in it.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I'm sorry, Mr. Garrett, are we still friends?

Haha, I don't gamble! Professor Gideon did the F.A.C.T.!

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I didn't say it was Tootie's house but I always had the impression that it was Marshall's apartment, not a hotel room

No, it's a local motel in Peekskill (I did say "hotel" but I believe it's more a "motel," but not 100% sure). I haven't seen it in a while, but I have a strong feeling Marshal mentions in the Eastland cafeteria that he and Paul are staying at a local mo/hotel. Or maybe Tootie does. Someone has to!

[RetroGuy2000]

I definitely got the feeling it was a motel: that sliding glass window on the side of the room screams 'motel'... but certainly a nicer establishment than the motel Jo and Eddie stayed in, with the Disgusting Blanket.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Rather than budget, I see it just as story dictation, like those spinoff ideas, for instance.

But we know there were budgetary considerations involved: otherwise, they would have gotten Michael Jackson, not Jermaine; they would have had more realistic physical backdrops (remember the cheesy backdrop behind Mr. Bradley?); and they would have paid Nancy McKeon more originally.

But it's too bad they didn't let us see Tootie's nice home or Blair's "posh palace"--her place must have been quite the place!

I would have loved an episode where Nat and Toot go to DC to see Tootie's parents (and maybe get a lecture from Ronald Reagan and Nancy about not using drugs).

And of course, I would have loved to have seen one of Blair's homes, preferably when Sue Ann and Nancy came for a visit. Heck, throw in Cindy, too!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I definitely got the feeling it was a motel: that sliding glass window on the side of the room screams 'motel'...

And the two double beds, the nightstand between with the phone, the door to the room from the hallway, the bathroom, the furnishings and decor...yep, everything screams "MOTEL!!!"

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

but certainly a nicer establishment than the motel Jo and Eddie stayed in, with the Disgusting Blanket.

Yes, at least this motel seems to have a laundry facility!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

But we know there were budgetary considerations involved: otherwise, they would have gotten Michael Jackson, not Jermaine; they would have had more realistic physical backdrops (remember the cheesy backdrop behind Mr. Bradley?); and they would have paid Nancy McKeon more originally.

I don't think budget had anything to do with showing the girls' homes. It all starts with the writing process. It's possible that none of the writers just thought of setting an episode at Blair or Tootie's homes. But they could have since they showed us Jo and Natalie's homes.

Also, the show wanted Michael Jackson. They asked him to please do the episode. It was only after he refused the script that they deigned to go "second class" and ask a "lesser Jackson". They did land Zsa Zsa Gabor, and El DeBarge, and Stacey Q (and Claude the lobster ).

And I think any backdrops seemed typical for the time.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Heck, throw in Cindy, too!

Always throw in Cindy!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

I don't think budget had anything to do with showing the girls' homes. It all starts with the writing process.

But budget is a consideration before writing even starts. There's no point in writing an episode with new sets if there is no budget available for new sets. That's how bottle episodes come to be: they don't have the budget for guest stars, new sets, or expensive locations, so everything is filmed (in those days taped) on the usual sets with just extras, as needed. Many FOL episodes utilized just this type of set-up: if an Eastland episode, no other students; if a store episode, no customers.

It's possible that none of the writers just thought of setting an episode at Blair or Tootie's homes. But they could have since they showed us Jo and Natalie's homes.

The producers had decided to write the girls as 25; girls who are 25 don't need to spend a lot of time at home. So we rarely see the girls interacting with their parents, and almost never do we see their homes. But the decision to write the girls as older than they were was a conscious decision.

Also, the show wanted Michael Jackson. They asked him to please do the episode. It was only after he refused the script that they deigned to go "second class" and ask a "lesser Jackson". They did land Zsa Zsa Gabor, and El DeBarge, and Stacey Q (and Claude the lobster ).

None of these names would have required the budget of Michael Jackson. Although, of course, Claude was an up and coming name, for sure!