Who would have been a better replacement for Mrs. G?

[CJMD03]

I always found Jo to be a bit creepy. She was just was way too tomboy and bordered heavily on lesbian.

[Lorimar Television]

Miss Mahoney

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by CJMD03

I always found Jo to be a bit creepy. She was just was way too tomboy and bordered heavily on lesbian.

Jo was creepy in that it seemed her family was in the Mafia. The guy who played her dad really was a mobster in Boston's Winter Hill Gang (the one led by Whitey Bulger).

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Miss Mahoney

Haha! That would have been pretty funny.


Miss Mahoney: Now, girls, I know we haven't spoken in over seven years, but Mrs. Garrett has asked me to look in on you, and I'm moving into her non-existent bedroom.

Natalie: But Miss Mahoney, we don't need anyone looking in on us. We're grown women.

Miss Mahoney: Ah, ah, Natalie! That's not the Eastland spirit. Now, curfew's at 9:00 PM, sharp.

Tootie: Curfew?! But I'm an actress, now... no, I'm a seagull.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Haha! That would have been pretty funny.


Miss Mahoney: Now, girls, I know we haven't spoken in over seven years, but Mrs. Garrett has asked me to look in on you, and I'm moving into her non-existent bedroom.

Natalie: But Miss Mahoney, we don't need anyone looking in on us. We're grown women.

Miss Mahoney: Ah, ah, Natalie! That's not the Eastland spirit. Now, curfew's at 9:00 PM, sharp.

Tootie: Curfew?! But I'm an actress, now... no, I'm a seagull.

HA HA HA! Good one lol!
I always liked MISS MAHONEY sense of humour though (as well as MR BRADLEY) and i was sad they weren't on the season 2 anymore....

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by valentina warner

HA HA HA! Good one lol!
I always liked MISS MAHONEY sense of humour though (as well as MR BRADLEY) and i was sad they weren't on the season 2 anymore....

Yeah, it was cool seeing Mrs. Garrett interact with other staff and faculty at Eastland. We got some interesting conversations that we never got during later Eastland years.

Miss Mahoney's best episode, IMO, was "IQ". She really got to stick it to Mr. Bradley.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yeah, it was cool seeing Mrs. Garrett interact with other staff and faculty at Eastland. We got some interesting conversations that we never got during later Eastland years.

Miss Mahoney's best episode, IMO, was "IQ". She really got to stick it to Mr. Bradley.

For me 'IQ' is one of the episodes with MISS MAHONEY as well, and i love how she treats MRS BRADLEY like a school kid hee hee!

PS: NANCY's got good lines in there too, along with SUE ANN and very intense!

[80s Dude]

Miss Mahony's hair would have fit in well with the late seasons cast and that time period in general. Miss Mahoney may have left, but her hair made a return appearance several years later.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Miss Mahony's hair would have fit in well with the late seasons cast and that time period in general. Miss Mahoney may have left, but her hair made a return appearance several years later.

Maybe the hair but definitely not the clothes: MISS MAHONEY dressed like a nun and the 80 s was all about high shoulder pads and funky make up lol!

[Lorimar Television]

Haha IQ is def my fav Ep and Miss Mahoney was great in it

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yeah, it was cool seeing Mrs. Garrett interact with other staff and faculty at Eastland. We got some interesting conversations that we never got during later Eastland years.

Yes, with the vacancy of Miss Mahoney and a regular schoolmaster, after season 1 we were robbed of Mrs. Garrett having regular adult interactions, one thing I do certainly bemoan. Especially with Miss Mahoney---once she left, Mrs. Garrett had no female confidante.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Miss Mahoney's best episode, IMO, was "IQ". She really got to stick it to Mr. Bradley.

I agree, I think it's her best too! She gets to be silly (rabbits in trouble), teachery (telling the girls they have nothing to do now---but study for finals), authoritatively disappointed (the scores---she really is not happy with Sue Ann and Nancy!), and a backup resolver for Mrs. Garrett.

But, does she really "stick it" to Mr. Bradley here? I can't think of an example. Although she does totally derail his plan of avoidance, with "Sure we do! They sent a sample I.Q. test when they sent back those scores!"

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Yes, with the vacancy of Miss Mahoney and a regular schoolmaster, after season 1 we were robbed of Mrs. Garrett having regular adult interactions, one thing I do certainly bemoan. Especially with Miss Mahoney---once she left, Mrs. Garrett had no female confidante.

Your "female confidante" point is a good one. We did miss out on that, after the first season. It's shame they couldn't bring Miss Mahoney back for occasional appearances. Imagine, for example, the impact of the girls overhearing a conversation between Mrs. Garrett and Miss Mahoney about Mrs. Garrett having to work at Howard Johnson's. Mrs. Garrett then makes the "dog food" comment. This seems more realistic, to me, than Mrs. Garrett bringing it up in front of the girls.

Or what if Miss Mahoney was "Gail", the teacher who died? Think of the impact having a recurring character pass on would have. When I think of characters who die on TV, the ones that have the most resonance are the ones we knew before their death episode, but maybe '80s television wasn't ready for that.

I agree, I think it's her best too! She gets to be silly (rabbits in trouble), teachery (telling the girls they have nothing to do now---but study for finals), authoritatively disappointed (the scores---she really is not happy with Sue Ann and Nancy!), and a backup resolver for Mrs. Garrett.

But, does she really "stick it" to Mr. Bradley here? I can't think of an example. Although she does totally derail his plan of avoidance, with "Sure we do! They sent a sample I.Q. test when they sent back those scores!"

I felt like that whole scene was her (and Mrs. Garrett) sticking it to Mr. Bradley: he's the Eastland head administrator, but he has suddenly found himself being tested... and failing badly. Miss Mahoney's lines, here, are hilarious.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Your "female confidante" point is a good one. We did miss out on that, after the first season.

After the 4th episode! lol And the strongest example we got of that was in "Rough Housing", with their woman-and-woman scene in Mrs. Garrett's room. Miss Downs was there later, but only appearing in one episode, and she was much too quirky and over the top to be a "fellow woman confidante" of Mrs. Garrett (but she was wonderful for the character she was!).

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

It's shame they couldn't bring Miss Mahoney back for occasional appearances.

I brought her back! Unfortunately my altered episodes though were not produced.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Imagine, for example, the impact of the girls overhearing a conversation between Mrs. Garrett and Miss Mahoney about Mrs. Garrett having to work at Howard Johnson's. Mrs. Garrett then makes the "dog food" comment. This seems more realistic, to me, than Mrs. Garrett bringing it up in front of the girls.

Oo, that would've been good.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

YOr what if Miss Mahoney was "Gail", the teacher who died? Think of the impact having a recurring character pass on would have. When I think of characters who die on TV, the ones that have the most resonance are the ones we knew before their death episode, but maybe '80s television wasn't ready for that.

Eek! That would've been sad.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I felt like that whole scene was her (and Mrs. Garrett) sticking it to Mr. Bradley: he's the Eastland head administrator, but he has suddenly found himself being tested... and failing badly. Miss Mahoney's lines, here, are hilarious.

Ooohhh, I see what you mean now. When you said "sticking it to" him, I thought you mean feisty and defiant, like Molly. You know, "stick it to the man", haha.

[80s Dude]

Right when Charlotte left, Jennie O'Hara was a regular on My Sister Sam, so that would not be possible for her to replace Mrs. Garrett at that time.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Right when Charlotte left, Jennie O'Hara was a regular on My Sister Sam, so that would not be possible for her to replace Mrs. Garrett at that time.

That's true; good point. I just thought it would be hilarious.