Deeply disappointed at the movie - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

11-19-2001, 01:08 AM

This movie is totally lacking zests and punches.

The bigggest problem is the script which is lame beyond belief. The script gives the actors little or nothing else to do.

It is great to see these wonderful actors to reunite on screen but the story line totally undermines their effort. Often they are left with nothing to do but a smile.

Rae looks feeble and basically shows up from time to time to do nothing but cameos here and there in plots which does not make any sense.

I think McKeon is smart to skip this reunion.

StrudelBone · 11-19-2001, 01:12 AM

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I think this reunion was the best reunion movie any show has ever had. It explained just about everything that happened after the series ended. I will treasure my tapes of it forever.

Adele · 11-19-2001, 01:27 AM

I didn't think the reunion movie was so great, and I also think Nancy was smart not to do it. The series was WAY better.

boechsner · 11-19-2001, 01:34 AM

Yes, I would also have to agree, the reunion wasn't the greatest. I'm not saying it was terrible, but it was just missing something, Jo.

The series focused a great deal on the Jo/Blair relationship and the Tootie/Natalie relationship and if you take one of them away, it just isn't the same.

It was nice to see how they all turned out, though, but I do think the script and plot was a little weak.

[This message has been edited by boechsner (edited 11-19-2001).]

MandieR1980 · 11-19-2001, 01:39 AM

I was disappointed as well, I couldn't get into it. Since I live in MA I got to see it at noon time and I didn't watch it at 7. The series is a million times better, the movie didn't make me laugh at all.

------------------
~~~ Mandie ~~~
"You're born, you move on, you die that's life!"- Jo Polniaczek
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If You Pinch My A$$ One More Time I'm Gonna Kick Yours!"- Jinny Exstead

Kate: "Didn't you ever have a dog Jinny?"
Jinny: "I had a plant once... it didn't make it"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVE NANCY McKEON AN EMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out my Nancy McKeon fan page:
http://hometown.aol.com/mandier1980/NancyM.html

StrudelBone · 11-19-2001, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MandieR1980:
I was disappointed as well, I couldn't get into it. Since I live in MA I got to see it at noon time and I didn't watch it at 7. The series is a million times better, the movie didn't make me laugh at all.

How could you now laugh when the chef was looking at Mrs. Garrett when she was shakin her butt cooking. That was hilarious! And when Mrs. Garrett asked Tisha who the BackStairs Boys were? There was a lot of funny moments in the movie.

11-19-2001, 02:10 AM

As for me, I was kind of disappointed for pretty much the same reasons as everyone else, although some of it was worth watching. But we must realize that reunion movies never measure up to the original sitcoms.

[This message has been edited by FOL & DS fan 4ever (edited 11-19-2001).]

BlairPolniaczek · 11-19-2001, 11:43 AM

I agree that is wasn't as good as the series, but did you really expect it to be? I mean there were different people working on it so of course it couldn't be the same as the TV show. I thought it was pretty good compared to other reunion shows, but it wasn't great.

------------------
"Once upon a time life was simple."-The Wonder Years.

Blair-Lisa#1Fan · 11-19-2001, 12:48 PM

Well i loved it!!!!!!!!! I thought it was really funny at some parts and I loved seeing them all together again! (except nancy)

------------------
--Dana
Actressgrl7@aol.com

Blair: I just had another one of my brilliant ideas!!!!!

TV Guy · 11-19-2001, 01:41 PM

Reunions are tough to do, especially when you try to take a 30-minute sitcom and stretch it out to be a two-hour movie. My thoughts:

1. Jo was sorely missed. The Blair/Jo rivalry/friendship was one of the most important parts of the show, and without Jo, a big part of what made the series so appealing was missing.

2. The story about Natalie's two loves was a little overdone. Good idea, but it got way too much screen time. The subplot with her trying to keep her suitors from finding out about each other was straight out of "Three's Company". And the contest, especially where the two boyfriends were in their underwear flexing in front of everyone, was beyond embarrassing. No self-respecting person would have done that in that situation.

3. Tootie's and Jo's daughters (as well as "Rick") were superfluous. At least the actress playing Tootie's daughter could act. And Tootie and Jo must have had these children within a year of the series ending, since the kids looked around 12 or 13.

4. Mrs. Garrett was no longer the lead character, but really a supporting one. Somehow, with the girls now grown, this made sense.

5. I really liked the scene with the girls riding to Eastland in a limo with the theme song playing. It was the one of the few times the movie felt really nostalgic.

If I had been writing the movie, I would have downplayed the Natalie story a bit, retained the Tootie and Blair subplots, and centered the whole thing around an Eastland alumni or homecoming reunion weekend. This would have allowed for more scenes at the school, and possible cameos by the first-season girls, Mr. Parker, Alex, Roy, etc.

jenerrande · 11-19-2001, 02:06 PM

I'm just glad that they didn't do like so many reunion shows do by making it controversial. Watching this reunion show hasn't changed my opinion about the Facts of Life. I can still watch all the old episodes and enjoy it as much as before. That's what's most important.

11-19-2001, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BlairPolniaczek:
I agree that is wasn't as good as the series, but did you really expect it to be?

Nope, actually that's my point- you can't expect too much from a reunion movie. But the disappointing part was that some of us were hoping that Nancy McKeon would surprise us by doing a cameo appearance. Well, just as well- she made it very clear that she would NOT appear in the reunion movie.

BlairPolniaczek · 11-19-2001, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by FOL & DS fan 4ever:
Nope, actually that's my point- you can't expect too much from a reunion movie. But the disappointing part was that some of us were hoping that Nancy McKeon would surprise us by doing a cameo appearance. Well, just as well- she made it very clear that she would NOT appear in the reunion movie.

yeah I wasn't writing that to you though. Some people said that the reunion wasn't as good as the series.

------------------
"Once upon a time life was simple."-The Wonder Years.

angel676 · 11-19-2001, 03:46 PM

Even though I already voiced my opinion
about the reunion in other posts, I gotta
say this, I thought the FOL Reunion was
alot better then the Growing Pains Reunion.

11-19-2001, 03:57 PM

I loved the movie!! Although I think that Natalie having t boyfriends, I think they focsed too much on that. Other than that, it was really good and worth watching.

11-19-2001, 01:08 AM	#1
jj bond Guest Posts: n/a	Deeply disappointed at the movie This movie is totally lacking zests and punches. The bigggest problem is the script which is lame beyond belief. The script gives the actors little or nothing else to do. It is great to see these wonderful actors to reunite on screen but the story line totally undermines their effort. Often they are left with nothing to do but a smile. Rae looks feeble and basically shows up from time to time to do nothing but cameos here and there in plots which does not make any sense. I think McKeon is smart to skip this reunion.
jj bond Guest Posts: n/a

11-19-2001, 02:10 AM	#7
FOL & DS fan 4ever Guest Posts: n/a	As for me, I was kind of disappointed for pretty much the same reasons as everyone else, although some of it was worth watching. But we must realize that reunion movies never measure up to the original sitcoms. [This message has been edited by FOL & DS fan 4ever (edited 11-19-2001).]
FOL & DS fan 4ever Guest Posts: n/a

11-19-2001, 03:57 PM	#15
ILuvJo&Blair Guest Posts: n/a	I loved the movie!! Although I think that Natalie having t boyfriends, I think they focsed too much on that. Other than that, it was really good and worth watching.
ILuvJo&Blair Guest Posts: n/a

11-19-2001, 01:12 AM	#2
StrudelBone Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 14, 2001 Posts: 592	Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I think this reunion was the best reunion movie any show has ever had. It explained just about everything that happened after the series ended. I will treasure my tapes of it forever.

11-19-2001, 01:27 AM	#3
Adele Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 02, 2001 Posts: 634	I didn't think the reunion movie was so great, and I also think Nancy was smart not to do it. The series was WAY better.

11-19-2001, 01:34 AM	#4
boechsner Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2000 Location: Green Bay, WI Posts: 2,212	Yes, I would also have to agree, the reunion wasn't the greatest. I'm not saying it was terrible, but it was just missing something, Jo. The series focused a great deal on the Jo/Blair relationship and the Tootie/Natalie relationship and if you take one of them away, it just isn't the same. It was nice to see how they all turned out, though, but I do think the script and plot was a little weak. [This message has been edited by boechsner (edited 11-19-2001).]

11-19-2001, 01:39 AM	#5
MandieR1980 Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 03, 2001 Location: East Taunton, Massachusetts Posts: 2,635	I was disappointed as well, I couldn't get into it. Since I live in MA I got to see it at noon time and I didn't watch it at 7. The series is a million times better, the movie didn't make me laugh at all. ------------------ ~~~ Mandie ~~~ "You're born, you move on, you die that's life!"- Jo Polniaczek ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "If You Pinch My A$$ One More Time I'm Gonna Kick Yours!"- Jinny Exstead Kate: "Didn't you ever have a dog Jinny?" Jinny: "I had a plant once... it didn't make it" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GIVE NANCY McKEON AN EMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check out my Nancy McKeon fan page: http://hometown.aol.com/mandier1980/NancyM.html

11-19-2001, 11:43 AM	#8
BlairPolniaczek Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 12, 2001 Posts: 87	I agree that is wasn't as good as the series, but did you really expect it to be? I mean there were different people working on it so of course it couldn't be the same as the TV show. I thought it was pretty good compared to other reunion shows, but it wasn't great. ------------------ "Once upon a time life was simple."-The Wonder Years.

11-19-2001, 12:48 PM	#9
Blair-Lisa#1Fan Sandra Bullock Fan! Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 28, 2001 Location: California Posts: 523	Well i loved it!!!!!!!!! I thought it was really funny at some parts and I loved seeing them all together again! (except nancy) ------------------ --Dana Actressgrl7@aol.com Blair: I just had another one of my brilliant ideas!!!!!

11-19-2001, 01:41 PM	#10
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Reunions are tough to do, especially when you try to take a 30-minute sitcom and stretch it out to be a two-hour movie. My thoughts: 1. Jo was sorely missed. The Blair/Jo rivalry/friendship was one of the most important parts of the show, and without Jo, a big part of what made the series so appealing was missing. 2. The story about Natalie's two loves was a little overdone. Good idea, but it got way too much screen time. The subplot with her trying to keep her suitors from finding out about each other was straight out of "Three's Company". And the contest, especially where the two boyfriends were in their underwear flexing in front of everyone, was beyond embarrassing. No self-respecting person would have done that in that situation. 3. Tootie's and Jo's daughters (as well as "Rick") were superfluous. At least the actress playing Tootie's daughter could act. And Tootie and Jo must have had these children within a year of the series ending, since the kids looked around 12 or 13. 4. Mrs. Garrett was no longer the lead character, but really a supporting one. Somehow, with the girls now grown, this made sense. 5. I really liked the scene with the girls riding to Eastland in a limo with the theme song playing. It was the one of the few times the movie felt really nostalgic. If I had been writing the movie, I would have downplayed the Natalie story a bit, retained the Tootie and Blair subplots, and centered the whole thing around an Eastland alumni or homecoming reunion weekend. This would have allowed for more scenes at the school, and possible cameos by the first-season girls, Mr. Parker, Alex, Roy, etc.

11-19-2001, 02:06 PM	#11
jenerrande Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 13, 2001 Location: los angeles, ca u.s.a. Posts: 11	I'm just glad that they didn't do like so many reunion shows do by making it controversial. Watching this reunion show hasn't changed my opinion about the Facts of Life. I can still watch all the old episodes and enjoy it as much as before. That's what's most important.

11-19-2001, 03:46 PM	#14
angel676 Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 09, 2000 Location: Mansfield, Ohio Posts: 2,482	Even though I already voiced my opinion about the reunion in other posts, I gotta say this, I thought the FOL Reunion was alot better then the Growing Pains Reunion.