I'm a newbie with a question - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Nat's #1 Fan · 07-25-2008, 11:38 AM

Hi everyone!

I'm new to the forum and I'd just like to say first off that this place is awesome. It's the first time I found a forum related to The Facts of Life and it's great to find other fans who are just as obsessed about this show as I am (and have been since I was 11; I'm 18 now). As you can tell by my name here, Natalie is my favorite character

.
Anyway, I've been lurking around for about a couple of weeks and finally decided to join because I have a question that maybe someone could answer. I was on that Jump The Shark site a couple of days ago and was reading people's comments about why FOL jumped the shark and I found at least 7 or 8 people talking about an episode where Tootie gets her first period and panics because she thinks she's dying (because apparently her mom was always too busy to explain what it was to her) and Mrs. Garrett helps her through it and explains what's going on and then the other girls talk about what happened to them when they got it and Natalie makes Tootie feel better when she tells her she got her period just a few days before. From what I read, it happened in the first season and was supposedly a very heavy subject for its time (and as one poster pointed out, one of the best pre-Jo episodes), however I never heard of it nor is it on my DVD so I just have to ask; was this an actual episode or is this just something that someone made up (it wouldn't surprise me if it was because people say a lot of BS on that site)? And if it is an actual episode, what's the name of it and what actually happened in it? I went so far as to search it on yahoo answers and all I got out of that and JTS was that it was an episode they "vaguely remember seeing" and that's it. Judging by the threads here it looks like you all know what you're talking about so I figured this was the best place to ask

. Any answer is appreciated, even if it's just "I don't know". I'll be happy with anything, thanks! Can't wait to post here!

Mikado · 07-25-2008, 02:09 PM

I just read through a list of first season eps and it's not there, plus, it's the kind of ep that would more likely have been in later seasons, after FOL stopped being a "jiggle show"...frankly, Tootie would have been a little young to hit puberty in the first season, anyway.

Ireneparalegal · 07-25-2008, 02:18 PM

That happened in the movie CARRIE.

Not on FOL.

Mikado · 07-25-2008, 02:37 PM

Nanc and Lisa! · 07-25-2008, 08:07 PM

It was an episode but like you said, since that was a heavy topic, the episode was taken off the air not too long after it was put on the air if i'm not mistaken. I still wish they'd bring it back though. correct me if i'm wrong facts of lifer's but this is my understanding of it.

pfeifferobsessed · 07-25-2008, 08:45 PM

ive never heard any actual facts about this...my guess would be that they were wrong or mixing it up with another show! then again, it could have been a possibilty for an ep...but like i said ive never read any legitimate things about this! ive done more than my far share of searching on "facts"!

Mr. Television · 07-25-2008, 09:58 PM

I've seen every episode of FOL and I've never seen it or heard about it before.

Ireneparalegal · 07-25-2008, 10:00 PM

I seen FOL when it first debuted and I NEVER seen such an episode.

Me thinks the poster got some bad information from JTS board or they came here simply to mock the show.

Mikado · 07-25-2008, 11:05 PM

no shes not here to mock it, as she said, theres a big thing about it on Jump the shark, but, it seems to be a hoax as thats the only place online that even mentioned it

Ireneparalegal · 07-25-2008, 11:19 PM

JTS is as bad as the TVland board. Full of nonsense and sometimes some stupid people who post anything knowing some people take it as the truth.

Nvr_Sk_to_Tll · 07-25-2008, 11:48 PM

Okay, there was no episode of Facts, season one or otherwise, dealing with this...
There is an awful lot of mockery on JTS about all kinds of shows, although as some have pointed out, this could be confusion with another show, as this would have been the kind of 'very special episode' that was huge in the 80s...

Nat's #1 Fan · 07-26-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nanc and Lisa!

It was an episode but like you said, since that was a heavy topic, the episode was taken off the air not too long after it was put on the air if i'm not mistaken. I still wish they'd bring it back though. correct me if i'm wrong facts of lifer's but this is my understanding of it.

No, I don't think you're wrong because I did read that not long after they aired the episode, they took it off. I guess it makes sense due to the topic, although it is ironic that they completely wiped it out of their season, yet left the Dope episode and The Facts of Love episode in, which deals with topics just as heavy. Now I wish it would've been included on the DVD as an extra because it sounds like a good episode and probably one I would've been able to relate to since I was only ten when I started and reacted in a similar way because my mom thought I was going to start at 12 or 13 and didn't explain much to me. Plus, it's more acceptable now to talk about something like that on TV. Oh well, thanks to you and everyone who answered

. Just so everyone knows, I never would've asked this question if I knew from the get-go that it was complete crap. The posters that were describing it seemed to have their facts accurate and sounded like they were really describing an episode (i.e. they weren't like the 50+ posters that just talked about how fat the girls were and that the show JTS when they got too big for their TV screens

) that aired. So I figured I'd ask the question here to get some real answers from fans since I knew I couldn't completely trust that site.
Oh and one more thing: I've been a fan of FOL ever since it came on N@N in 2000, back when I was in 5th grade. I've never had anything bad to say about this show, nor will I ever have anything bad to say about it that would make me want to join here just to mock. I have better values than that

.

WaterLoo · 07-26-2008, 11:49 AM

I've been over at JTS myself and saw alot on this supposed "episode". I have to admit I never really watched the first season of the show until I purchased the DVD's. While I was surprised to see that there were some pretty serious subjects dealt with during the first season despite its bad rap (eating disorders, teen sex and drugs), I never once saw an episode where Tootie gets her period.
I think this is all a hoax just like that supposed "Diff'rent Strokes" episode where Mr. Drummond is caught peeking in on Kimberly while she's taking a bath.

Ireneparalegal · 07-26-2008, 12:07 PM

First of all, welcome to the board.

I am sure you will have fun here on the FOL board.

Back to the topic at hand, there was never an episode regarding Tootie having her period.

Having grown up in the 70's and watching shows from Norman Lear which dealt with much worse topics such as rape, race relations, religious clashes, drugs, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, etc. the subject of a girl having her period, which is a very natural thing, is NOT A HEAVY TOPIC. It can be an embarrassing topic for young girls to discuss, but in no way was any episode made abt a girl having her period deemed so heavy or "deep" that it had to be removed.

You must be mistaken or you are taking the word of people on the JTS board who have a habit of spreading rumors, lies and mocking shows. One reason I no longer visit that site.

Nanc and Lisa! · 07-26-2008, 12:56 PM

i dont know but i still think that it was an episode that got taken off the air.

07-25-2008, 02:18 PM	#3
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	That happened in the movie CARRIE. Not on FOL.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

07-25-2008, 09:58 PM	#7
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	I've seen every episode of FOL and I've never seen it or heard about it before.
	__________________ Sonny

07-25-2008, 11:48 PM	#11
Nvr_Sk_to_Tll Eastland Chopper Repair Tutor Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 20, 2008 Location: 918 High Street, Peekskill, New York, USA Posts: 63	Okay, there was no episode of Facts, season one or otherwise, dealing with this... There is an awful lot of mockery on JTS about all kinds of shows, although as some have pointed out, this could be confusion with another show, as this would have been the kind of 'very special episode' that was huge in the 80s...
	__________________ 'And when the time comes/ For us to say goodbye/ Will you sit and hold my hand/ Or will you just walk away and cry?' -Falling on Fire 'Away' 'This is life, the one you get, so go and have a ball, because the world don't move to the beat of just one drum, what might be right for you, may not be right for some, you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have, my opening statement. Sit Ubu sit. Good Dog.' -Peter Griffin

07-26-2008, 11:49 AM	#13
WaterLoo Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 86	Hmmm..... I've been over at JTS myself and saw alot on this supposed "episode". I have to admit I never really watched the first season of the show until I purchased the DVD's. While I was surprised to see that there were some pretty serious subjects dealt with during the first season despite its bad rap (eating disorders, teen sex and drugs), I never once saw an episode where Tootie gets her period. I think this is all a hoax just like that supposed "Diff'rent Strokes" episode where Mr. Drummond is caught peeking in on Kimberly while she's taking a bath.

07-25-2008, 11:38 AM	#1
Nat's #1 Fan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 25, 2008 Location: Whiting, IN Posts: 215	I'm a newbie with a question Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum and I'd just like to say first off that this place is awesome. It's the first time I found a forum related to The Facts of Life and it's great to find other fans who are just as obsessed about this show as I am (and have been since I was 11; I'm 18 now). As you can tell by my name here, Natalie is my favorite character . Anyway, I've been lurking around for about a couple of weeks and finally decided to join because I have a question that maybe someone could answer. I was on that Jump The Shark site a couple of days ago and was reading people's comments about why FOL jumped the shark and I found at least 7 or 8 people talking about an episode where Tootie gets her first period and panics because she thinks she's dying (because apparently her mom was always too busy to explain what it was to her) and Mrs. Garrett helps her through it and explains what's going on and then the other girls talk about what happened to them when they got it and Natalie makes Tootie feel better when she tells her she got her period just a few days before. From what I read, it happened in the first season and was supposedly a very heavy subject for its time (and as one poster pointed out, one of the best pre-Jo episodes), however I never heard of it nor is it on my DVD so I just have to ask; was this an actual episode or is this just something that someone made up (it wouldn't surprise me if it was because people say a lot of BS on that site)? And if it is an actual episode, what's the name of it and what actually happened in it? I went so far as to search it on yahoo answers and all I got out of that and JTS was that it was an episode they "vaguely remember seeing" and that's it. Judging by the threads here it looks like you all know what you're talking about so I figured this was the best place to ask . Any answer is appreciated, even if it's just "I don't know". I'll be happy with anything, thanks! Can't wait to post here!

07-25-2008, 02:09 PM	#2
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,886	I just read through a list of first season eps and it's not there, plus, it's the kind of ep that would more likely have been in later seasons, after FOL stopped being a "jiggle show"...frankly, Tootie would have been a little young to hit puberty in the first season, anyway.

07-25-2008, 02:37 PM	#4
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,886

07-25-2008, 08:07 PM	#5
Nanc and Lisa! Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 23, 2008 Location: Over Our Heads Posts: 314	It was an episode but like you said, since that was a heavy topic, the episode was taken off the air not too long after it was put on the air if i'm not mistaken. I still wish they'd bring it back though. correct me if i'm wrong facts of lifer's but this is my understanding of it.

07-25-2008, 08:45 PM	#6
pfeifferobsessed Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 24, 2008 Location: Oh, how I wish I lived in Peekskill Posts: 684	ive never heard any actual facts about this...my guess would be that they were wrong or mixing it up with another show! then again, it could have been a possibilty for an ep...but like i said ive never read any legitimate things about this! ive done more than my far share of searching on "facts"!

07-25-2008, 10:00 PM	#8
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	I seen FOL when it first debuted and I NEVER seen such an episode. Me thinks the poster got some bad information from JTS board or they came here simply to mock the show.

07-25-2008, 11:05 PM	#9
Mikado Main st bridge Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 06, 2005 Posts: 25,886	no shes not here to mock it, as she said, theres a big thing about it on Jump the shark, but, it seems to be a hoax as thats the only place online that even mentioned it

07-25-2008, 11:19 PM	#10
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	JTS is as bad as the TVland board. Full of nonsense and sometimes some stupid people who post anything knowing some people take it as the truth.

07-26-2008, 12:07 PM	#14
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	First of all, welcome to the board. I am sure you will have fun here on the FOL board. Back to the topic at hand, there was never an episode regarding Tootie having her period. Having grown up in the 70's and watching shows from Norman Lear which dealt with much worse topics such as rape, race relations, religious clashes, drugs, teen pregnancy, alcoholism, etc. the subject of a girl having her period, which is a very natural thing, is NOT A HEAVY TOPIC. It can be an embarrassing topic for young girls to discuss, but in no way was any episode made abt a girl having her period deemed so heavy or "deep" that it had to be removed. You must be mistaken or you are taking the word of people on the JTS board who have a habit of spreading rumors, lies and mocking shows. One reason I no longer visit that site.

07-26-2008, 12:56 PM	#15
Nanc and Lisa! Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 23, 2008 Location: Over Our Heads Posts: 314	i dont know but i still think that it was an episode that got taken off the air.