I forgot how entertaining the episode "Dope" is - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

FOL-FAN-ITA · 02-27-2022, 10:09 AM

I've just finished watching "Dope". I can say it's one of the best episodes of season 1, nearly every character (except Nancy) has a decent space in the story. It can be considered a "very special episode" but the script has several funny lines, like Natalie saying people trust things with a Japanese name, and we discover new Eastland rooms and characters besides the dorm and the main girls. A really good episode with a balanced writing (sorry, Nancy)

80s Dude · 02-27-2022, 11:23 AM

It's the only episode with 3 clips from the entire series in this YouTube video of "The Best of Mrs. Garrett".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivUeF7bOtsg&t=406s

RetroGuy2000 · 02-27-2022, 12:00 PM

It's one of my all-time faves!

PracTz · 02-27-2022, 08:08 PM

I thought it was funny how Blair somehow snuck some pot in a fake lipstick container- yet didn't know that 'roach' was slang for it! And, of course Natalie and Tootie getting those bongs to hold jellybeans and root beer so that they(and Mrs. Garrett) could be a 'three bong family'!

RetroGuy2000 · 02-27-2022, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

I thought it was funny how Blair somehow snuck some pot in a fake lipstick container- yet didn't know that 'roach' was slang for it!

Well, she was 15, here. she probably knew all about places to hide money (or other things), but clearly didn't know a whole lot about drugs. It IS adorable, though.

Quote:

And, of course Natalie and Tootie getting those bongs to hold jellybeans and root beer so that they(and Mrs. Garrett) could be a 'three bong family'!

BONG! BONG! BONG!

Other favorite moments, for me: Sue Ann's book report, the infamous 'secret knock', and Nancy not getting into "The Group". Not to mention "It hits yYYYyyyooooOOOoooouuuUUUU..."

Lorimar Television · 02-28-2022, 01:25 AM

It was great! It’s a shame it’s so many chars last Ep as a main or at all (Mr Bradley)

FOL-FAN-ITA · 02-28-2022, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

It's the only episode with 3 clips from the entire series in this YouTube video of "The Best of Mrs. Garrett".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivUeF7bOtsg&t=406s

Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

It's one of my all-time faves!

It definitely is a great episode

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

I thought it was funny how Blair somehow snuck some pot in a fake lipstick container- yet didn't know that 'roach' was slang for it! And, of course Natalie and Tootie getting those bongs to hold jellybeans and root beer so that they(and Mrs. Garrett) could be a 'three bong family'!

The bong scene is hilarious

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Other favorite moments, for me: Sue Ann's book report, the infamous 'secret knock', and Nancy not getting into "The Group". Not to mention "It hits yYYYyyyooooOOOoooouuuUUUU..."

I also like the initial scene with Tumpy and Sue Ann (<<you told her>>), when Cindy says "Does it play music?" after Mrs. Garrett lists all those special features of that stereo and when Tootie knocks and says "And I'm not Bootsie and Sneetsie* either"

*sorry for the misspelling

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

It was great! It’s a shame it’s so many chars last Ep as a main or at all (Mr Bradley)

The final scene was a sort of a trailer of what was going to happen

FOL-FAN-ITA · 02-28-2022, 07:22 AM

I'm sure if the other episodes had had the same format of "Dope", season 1 would have won. There are two lead characters (in this case Blair and Sue Ann) but the other girls have decent space in the story, they're not side characters (sorry again, Nancy), the viewer can see other areas and students of the Eastland School and the headmaster comes into the scene when he's really needed

RetroGuy2000 · 02-28-2022, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I'm sure if the other episodes had had the same format of "Dope", season 1 would have won. There are two lead characters (in this case Blair and Sue Ann) but the other girls have decent space in the story, they're not side characters (sorry again, Nancy), the viewer can see other areas and students of the Eastland School and the headmaster comes into the scene when he's really needed

Yeah, for me, "Dope" feels like a bookend: the first time in the series itself when we meet other students, the first time we see other dorms, and the first time we see a "core four" develop, with "our group" being very close to the final picks for the Core Four: just swap out Sue Ann for Jo and you basically have a Season 2 episode.

It feels like this episode was instrumental in how the series' future would be. And how significant is it that the episode ends with expulsions, talk of students not getting in, and the girls narrowly avoiding getting into serious trouble?

RetroGuy2000 · 02-28-2022, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

It was great! It’s a shame it’s so many chars last Ep as a main or at all (Mr Bradley)

Yeah, sort of a bittersweet episode, when you know what is to come. As ITA says, the final moments feel like a trailer for Season 2.

'80sSitcoms · 02-28-2022, 02:29 PM

I always find it odd Mr. Bradley knows makeup. " 'High Lady'? That doesn't sound like you, Blair."

Really? How would you know???

Unless "High Lady" was publicly regarded as a cheap brand?

FOL-FAN-ITA · 03-01-2022, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yeah, for me, "Dope" feels like a bookend: the first time in the series itself when we meet other students, the first time we see other dorms, and the first time we see a "core four" develop, with "our group" being very close to the final picks for the Core Four: just swap out Sue Ann for Jo and you basically have a Season 2 episode.

It feels like this episode was instrumental in how the series' future would be. And how significant is it that the episode ends with expulsions, talk of students not getting in, and the girls narrowly avoiding getting into serious trouble?

It really acts like a backdoor pilot for the new show

'80sSitcoms · 03-01-2022, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

It really acts like a backdoor pilot for the new show

And it is also a solemn "BONG" sound signaling the end of season 1.

#momentofsilence

RetroGuy2000 · 03-01-2022, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

And it is also a solemn "BONG" sound signaling the end of season 1.

#momentofsilence

RetroGuy2000 · 03-03-2022, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

It was great! It’s a shame it’s so many chars last Ep as a main or at all (Mr Bradley)

I get the feeling that "Dope" is one of the episodes John was talking about, when he mentioned feeling worried when he didn't have a lot of lines during any particular week.

Sure, he gets to expel Tumpy, Emily, and Gail. And there's the dramatic moment when we think he'll discover pot on Sue Ann and Blair, but he heads downstairs with the Lost Girls, and is not part of Mrs. Garrett's "our group" hug.

Compare this to "Running", where he is wrong throughout the episode, but he's a central character, and is declared "beautiful" at the end; in comparison, his role in "Dope" is much smaller.

02-27-2022, 10:09 AM	#1
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	I forgot how entertaining the episode "Dope" is I've just finished watching "Dope". I can say it's one of the best episodes of season 1, nearly every character (except Nancy) has a decent space in the story. It can be considered a "very special episode" but the script has several funny lines, like Natalie saying people trust things with a Japanese name, and we discover new Eastland rooms and characters besides the dorm and the main girls. A really good episode with a balanced writing (sorry, Nancy)
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02-27-2022, 12:00 PM	#3
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	It's one of my all-time faves!
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02-28-2022, 01:25 AM	#6
Lorimar Television Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 06, 2007 Posts: 7,034	It was great! It’s a shame it’s so many chars last Ep as a main or at all (Mr Bradley)
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02-28-2022, 02:29 PM	#11
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	I always find it odd Mr. Bradley knows makeup. " 'High Lady'? That doesn't sound like you, Blair." Really? How would you know??? Unless "High Lady" was publicly regarded as a cheap brand?
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02-27-2022, 11:23 AM	#2
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,818	It's the only episode with 3 clips from the entire series in this YouTube video of "The Best of Mrs. Garrett". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivUeF7bOtsg&t=406s

02-27-2022, 08:08 PM	#4
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	I thought it was funny how Blair somehow snuck some pot in a fake lipstick container- yet didn't know that 'roach' was slang for it! And, of course Natalie and Tootie getting those bongs to hold jellybeans and root beer so that they(and Mrs. Garrett) could be a 'three bong family'!

02-28-2022, 07:22 AM	#8
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	I'm sure if the other episodes had had the same format of "Dope", season 1 would have won. There are two lead characters (in this case Blair and Sue Ann) but the other girls have decent space in the story, they're not side characters (sorry again, Nancy), the viewer can see other areas and students of the Eastland School and the headmaster comes into the scene when he's really needed