Refresh My Memory - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

brgmgb · 05-31-2007, 01:07 PM

I remember occasionally watching the show when I was in Jr. High, but I have some questions about the first year or so of the show.

1. I know the show was a spin-off of Different Strokes. Mrs. Garrett was the housekeeper. How did they explain that she was leaving to go to the girls school? Did Different Stokes continue after she left?

2. Did Dana Plato leave Different Strokes and go to Facts of Life too?

3. When the show first started, there were a lot of girls. What happened to all of them? Did they start with a lot to see which ones would be good to keep or was it just too expensive to have a big cast? I remember that a lot of the girls had been on the New Mickey Mouse club.

4. With all of the girls they had to choose from, why did they bring in Jo?

Thanks!

I Love Lamp · 06-01-2007, 05:21 PM

I don't know the history that well. I'm surprised that no one else can answer these questions, though. Wake-up, y'all! I know some of you have answers.

TFOL FAN 4 LIFE · 06-01-2007, 05:27 PM

You Have questions and I have answers.

1. Mrs. Garrett left DS to go to Facts of Life because the girls needed a new housemother for their dorm.
2. No Dana Plato stayed on Diff'rent Strokes
3. They cut the characters because it was too many people for a 30 minutes show. It was hard to follow and include them all in a story line.
4. They brought in Jo to represent a part of America that needed to be included. There are Natalies, Tooties, and even Blair's in the world but there are also a lot of Jo's and they figured it made sense to add a character that represented so many people with broken families and rough lives.

Hope this helped!

catlover79 · 06-01-2007, 05:31 PM

^ Ask and you shall receive.

05-31-2007, 01:07 PM	#1
brgmgb Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2006 Posts: 88	Refresh My Memory I remember occasionally watching the show when I was in Jr. High, but I have some questions about the first year or so of the show. 1. I know the show was a spin-off of Different Strokes. Mrs. Garrett was the housekeeper. How did they explain that she was leaving to go to the girls school? Did Different Stokes continue after she left? 2. Did Dana Plato leave Different Strokes and go to Facts of Life too? 3. When the show first started, there were a lot of girls. What happened to all of them? Did they start with a lot to see which ones would be good to keep or was it just too expensive to have a big cast? I remember that a lot of the girls had been on the New Mickey Mouse club. 4. With all of the girls they had to choose from, why did they bring in Jo? Thanks!

06-01-2007, 05:27 PM	#3
TFOL FAN 4 LIFE Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 04, 2007 Location: Eastland School for Girls Posts: 84	You Have questions and I have answers. 1. Mrs. Garrett left DS to go to Facts of Life because the girls needed a new housemother for their dorm. 2. No Dana Plato stayed on Diff'rent Strokes 3. They cut the characters because it was too many people for a 30 minutes show. It was hard to follow and include them all in a story line. 4. They brought in Jo to represent a part of America that needed to be included. There are Natalies, Tooties, and even Blair's in the world but there are also a lot of Jo's and they figured it made sense to add a character that represented so many people with broken families and rough lives. Hope this helped!
	__________________ FORMERLY alexexstead14!

06-01-2007, 05:31 PM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	^ Ask and you shall receive.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

06-01-2007, 05:21 PM	#2
I Love Lamp Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 10, 2007 Location: US Posts: 264	I don't know the history that well. I'm surprised that no one else can answer these questions, though. Wake-up, y'all! I know some of you have answers.