The "Forgotten 4" from 1st season FOL! - Page 4 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

folie_a_deux · 01-07-2007, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gidgetgrape

I wish we could have seen Nancy's boyfriend Roger!

It reminds me of how they never showed the nanny on Muppet Babies. Only her ugly stockings.

Roger must have been hot though if Blair was willing to go out with him that one time. hehe

snl 70s show fan · 01-08-2007, 04:52 AM

i liked the forgotten 4 too but for some reason i seem to like those eps more now than when they first aired

John Q · 01-10-2007, 10:46 PM

I always thought the four girls who got fired from the first season received a raw deal. They were made to be the scape-goats for the poor ratings the show received during it's original run. The producers wanted to cut costs so they fired four of the girls and John Lawlor (Mr. Bradley.)

The producers have often said that the poor ratings were a result of having too many girls and too many story lines. I don't buy it, because when you think about, many of the most successful 1/2 hour sit coms have had large casts, MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, Cheers, Friends, Taxi.

I think the real reason Season One got such bad ratings was the Friday Night line-up During the March-June 1980 run. FOL was on at 8:30 NBC, it's lead in was a show called "Here's Boomer" and it's follow up show at 9:00 was a show called, "Pink Lady and Jeff" Opposite FOL at this time on CBS was The Incredible Hulk at 8:00 (very Poplular) The Dukes of Hazzard at 9:00 (very popular) and the Shooting of J.R. on Dallas at 10:00 (extremely popular). Also, this was during a time before remote controls when people left one station on the entire night.

When FOL resumed in Nov 1980 with only four girls it was switched to Wed nights, at 9:30 behind Different Strokes and before Quincy at 10:00. Two of the only hit shows NBC had at the time.

I always felt that if the original cast had been moved to the better time slot, that they would have been just as successful.

TALLguyinKY · 01-10-2007, 11:02 PM

I've always felt "there were too many characters" was a lame excuse too, exactly why you said, John---some of the most successful sitcoms have had 6 or more stars.

However, I do think the way the show was written hurt the chances of all 7 girls staying on. The show in season 1 was really a vehicle for Mrs. Garrett, with the girls in more supporting roles compared to what they would become in the seasons afterward. Since Mrs. Garrett had so much screen time and so many lines, it was harder to fully flesh out all 7 girls---plus Mr. Bradley and Miss Mahoney. They must have realized this quickly with Miss Mahoney, hence her being axed after only four shows.

I'm not surprised that Felice was the first girl to be fired since her character was the least developed. It seems pretty clear from season 1 the most developed were Natalie, Tootie, Blair, and Sue Ann. Cindy and Molly were more "gimmicks" it seemed (jock, feminist), though if given the chance, they could have been really great characters (though Cindy's and Jo's tomboyishness would have maybe been too similar, despite their character differences). Although Cindy was very established and fleshed out from the get-go in "Roughhousing", and Molly had a nice vehicle with "Molly's Holiday", although it would have been interesting to see her star in episode featuring her feminist side.

I always wondered how Julie P. felt about being fired. I certainly am no fan of her acting on the show, but she did usurp the role of Blair's main foil from Cindy after "Roughhousing", and there were several Blair/Sue Ann storylines/scenes. Then for her to be fired and some "new girl" to be brought in to usurp her as Blair's foil...I always wondered how hard that her.

It's interesting that they felt that had to create Jo for "everyday girls" to relate to, when two already-established characters shared traits that "everyday girls" could relate to---Nancy wasn't from a rich family, and Sue Ann was a smalltown girl. So they weren't the typical rich "private school girls". I think Sue Ann probably appealed to girls in the south and midwest, whereas Jo hails from a big city.

I don't feel simply moving the show's time slot would have made the show just as successful. I do love season 1, but with Mrs. Garrett in as big a starring role as she was, the writers just didn't seem to try and really flesh out the girls as much as they could have, split up screentime, etc. "Friends" and "Cheers" for instance have several main characters who share screen time more equally (though "Cheers" didn't start out that way, but they had more specific lines written for the "supporting" characters...and the cast there was only about 5 or 6, whereas FOL had 10 for the first four shows, then 9).

It would have been nice if all of the girls could have been fleshed out equally, and if they had retained Mr. Bradley throughout the series (why they didn't keep him seems odd).

At least the show did develop into a wonderful series, and we're getting it straight from the beginning on DVD!

Troi Tribble · 01-11-2007, 12:24 AM

Or maybe "the Forgotten 4" could have had their own spinoff, show, I don't know. Although there would not have been a "Boone" for Julie Anne. I wish I saw that show, but I have not heard of it until it was too late. I wish I could have seen "Mulligan's Stew". I want all the eps. for both shows! I will even try to do some sort of a trade.

Br26 · 01-14-2007, 09:16 AM

The four are ok, but you can tell what characters they were developing and which ones werent- Nancy never had a significant storyline unless she was on the phone with Roger..Cindy was the focus of two episodes out of 13 while Molly only had one, and Sue Ellen was in a few. If I had to cut them before season 2 I probally would have cut them all as well..

Troi Tribble · 01-14-2007, 10:08 AM

But, I miss them! I wish I could see them in stuff! I don't know why they do not act anymore!

Troi Tribble · 01-14-2007, 02:22 PM

I still really wish that I had all of the episodes to the 2 series that Julie Anne did: "Mulligan's Stew" and "Boone". Nobody knows where I can get it, do they?

I Love Lamp · 01-15-2007, 09:34 PM

I like the 4 girls. But for a half-hour show, it was definitely too many characters to play on.

Troi Tribble · 01-15-2007, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Love Lamp

I like the 4 girls. But for a half-hour show, it was definitely too many characters to play on.

Then, it should have been an hour show!

88survivor · 01-16-2007, 04:24 PM

It was not entirely the actresses' fault. The writers were a little lazy on some of the characters they wanted and neglected for a couple of episodes. It was just the forgotten four remained entirely a mystery for the rest of the 1st Season. We might remember Molly Ringwald, but her part could have been played by anyone.

Nighthawk76 · 01-16-2007, 07:42 PM

Here are some pictures of the first season girls.

Sammy Reed · 02-21-2007, 10:20 PM

Well heck, "Casey", you didn't have to go and do that. I for one thought your comment about Sue Ann was pretty funny - and I'm a huge Sue Ann fan. Heck, I think those quirks-and-whatever helped give her that appeal she has.

And don't forget - whatever people say lives forever in those quotes.

Troi Tribble · 02-21-2007, 10:37 PM

I wish I knew more about Julie Anne Haddock. I miss all the Forgotten 4! I wish Molly would do some more stuff!

88survivor · 02-22-2007, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Here are some of the 1st Season girls with Scott Baio, but I guess you know Felice Schachter starred opposite Baio and Willie Aames in the low budget comedy, Zapped! Not the best pic in the world, but I think that is Scott Baio. Damn! Felice is tall!

01-10-2007, 10:46 PM	#48
John Q Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Jan 10, 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3	Raw Deal I always thought the four girls who got fired from the first season received a raw deal. They were made to be the scape-goats for the poor ratings the show received during it's original run. The producers wanted to cut costs so they fired four of the girls and John Lawlor (Mr. Bradley.) The producers have often said that the poor ratings were a result of having too many girls and too many story lines. I don't buy it, because when you think about, many of the most successful 1/2 hour sit coms have had large casts, MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, Cheers, Friends, Taxi. I think the real reason Season One got such bad ratings was the Friday Night line-up During the March-June 1980 run. FOL was on at 8:30 NBC, it's lead in was a show called "Here's Boomer" and it's follow up show at 9:00 was a show called, "Pink Lady and Jeff" Opposite FOL at this time on CBS was The Incredible Hulk at 8:00 (very Poplular) The Dukes of Hazzard at 9:00 (very popular) and the Shooting of J.R. on Dallas at 10:00 (extremely popular). Also, this was during a time before remote controls when people left one station on the entire night. When FOL resumed in Nov 1980 with only four girls it was switched to Wed nights, at 9:30 behind Different Strokes and before Quincy at 10:00. Two of the only hit shows NBC had at the time. I always felt that if the original cast had been moved to the better time slot, that they would have been just as successful.

01-16-2007, 07:42 PM	#57
Nighthawk76 Rachel Berry Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 28, 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 23,254	Here are some pictures of the first season girls. Attached Images

01-08-2007, 04:52 AM	#47
snl 70s show fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 14, 2005 Location: in the forman basment Posts: 2,454	i liked the forgotten 4 too but for some reason i seem to like those eps more now than when they first aired

01-10-2007, 11:02 PM	#49
TALLguyinKY Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 18, 2002 Posts: 1,439	I've always felt "there were too many characters" was a lame excuse too, exactly why you said, John---some of the most successful sitcoms have had 6 or more stars. However, I do think the way the show was written hurt the chances of all 7 girls staying on. The show in season 1 was really a vehicle for Mrs. Garrett, with the girls in more supporting roles compared to what they would become in the seasons afterward. Since Mrs. Garrett had so much screen time and so many lines, it was harder to fully flesh out all 7 girls---plus Mr. Bradley and Miss Mahoney. They must have realized this quickly with Miss Mahoney, hence her being axed after only four shows. I'm not surprised that Felice was the first girl to be fired since her character was the least developed. It seems pretty clear from season 1 the most developed were Natalie, Tootie, Blair, and Sue Ann. Cindy and Molly were more "gimmicks" it seemed (jock, feminist), though if given the chance, they could have been really great characters (though Cindy's and Jo's tomboyishness would have maybe been too similar, despite their character differences). Although Cindy was very established and fleshed out from the get-go in "Roughhousing", and Molly had a nice vehicle with "Molly's Holiday", although it would have been interesting to see her star in episode featuring her feminist side. I always wondered how Julie P. felt about being fired. I certainly am no fan of her acting on the show, but she did usurp the role of Blair's main foil from Cindy after "Roughhousing", and there were several Blair/Sue Ann storylines/scenes. Then for her to be fired and some "new girl" to be brought in to usurp her as Blair's foil...I always wondered how hard that her. It's interesting that they felt that had to create Jo for "everyday girls" to relate to, when two already-established characters shared traits that "everyday girls" could relate to---Nancy wasn't from a rich family, and Sue Ann was a smalltown girl. So they weren't the typical rich "private school girls". I think Sue Ann probably appealed to girls in the south and midwest, whereas Jo hails from a big city. I don't feel simply moving the show's time slot would have made the show just as successful. I do love season 1, but with Mrs. Garrett in as big a starring role as she was, the writers just didn't seem to try and really flesh out the girls as much as they could have, split up screentime, etc. "Friends" and "Cheers" for instance have several main characters who share screen time more equally (though "Cheers" didn't start out that way, but they had more specific lines written for the "supporting" characters...and the cast there was only about 5 or 6, whereas FOL had 10 for the first four shows, then 9). It would have been nice if all of the girls could have been fleshed out equally, and if they had retained Mr. Bradley throughout the series (why they didn't keep him seems odd). At least the show did develop into a wonderful series, and we're getting it straight from the beginning on DVD!

01-11-2007, 12:24 AM	#50
Troi Tribble Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 19, 2006 Posts: 316	Or maybe "the Forgotten 4" could have had their own spinoff, show, I don't know. Although there would not have been a "Boone" for Julie Anne. I wish I saw that show, but I have not heard of it until it was too late. I wish I could have seen "Mulligan's Stew". I want all the eps. for both shows! I will even try to do some sort of a trade.

01-14-2007, 09:16 AM	#51
Br26 Insert witty title Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 19, 2006 Location: CA Posts: 148	The four are ok, but you can tell what characters they were developing and which ones werent- Nancy never had a significant storyline unless she was on the phone with Roger..Cindy was the focus of two episodes out of 13 while Molly only had one, and Sue Ellen was in a few. If I had to cut them before season 2 I probally would have cut them all as well..

01-14-2007, 10:08 AM	#52
Troi Tribble Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 19, 2006 Posts: 316	But, I miss them! I wish I could see them in stuff! I don't know why they do not act anymore!

01-14-2007, 02:22 PM	#53
Troi Tribble Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 19, 2006 Posts: 316	I still really wish that I had all of the episodes to the 2 series that Julie Anne did: "Mulligan's Stew" and "Boone". Nobody knows where I can get it, do they?

01-15-2007, 09:34 PM	#54
I Love Lamp Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 10, 2007 Location: US Posts: 264	I like the 4 girls. But for a half-hour show, it was definitely too many characters to play on.

01-16-2007, 04:24 PM	#56
88survivor Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 03, 2006 Location: NY Posts: 1,849	It was not entirely the actresses' fault. The writers were a little lazy on some of the characters they wanted and neglected for a couple of episodes. It was just the forgotten four remained entirely a mystery for the rest of the 1st Season. We might remember Molly Ringwald, but her part could have been played by anyone.

02-21-2007, 10:20 PM	#58
Sammy Reed Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 19, 2003 Posts: 403	Well heck, "Casey", you didn't have to go and do that. I for one thought your comment about Sue Ann was pretty funny - and I'm a huge Sue Ann fan. Heck, I think those quirks-and-whatever helped give her that appeal she has. And don't forget - whatever people say lives forever in those quotes.

02-21-2007, 10:37 PM	#59
Troi Tribble Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 19, 2006 Posts: 316	I wish I knew more about Julie Anne Haddock. I miss all the Forgotten 4! I wish Molly would do some more stuff!