Breaking Point - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

LoveMrsG · 10-24-2008, 08:20 PM

Hey everybody. I know we're all familiar with the "Facts" episode "Breaking Point," which is what I consider to be one of the most, if not the most poignant episode in "Facts" history. Mrs. Garrett says close to the end that we'll probably never know why Cynthia killed herself. I think we can all conclude that it had a lot to do with her parents' upcoming divorce and being left behind with no family at Eastland while her parents go their separate ways, but of course, the episode never tells us for sure the actual reason for her depression being so severe that she would end her life. Why do you guys think Cynthia committed suicide?

Smartboy · 10-24-2008, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoveMrsG

Hey everybody. I know we're all familiar with the "Facts" episode "Breaking Point," which is what I consider to be one of the most, if not the most poignant episode in "Facts" history. Mrs. Garrett says close to the end that we'll probably never know why Cynthia killed herself. I think we can all conclude that it had a lot to do with her parents' upcoming divorce and being left behind with no family at Eastland while her parents go their separate ways, but of course, the episode never tells us for sure the actual reason for her depression being so severe that she would end her life. Why do you guys think Cynthia committed suicide?

I think that you probably hit the nail on the head when you said that it had to do with her parents' upcoming divorce. Being that my late father was a social work professor, I have learned a lot about how those types of things happen. A lot of children feel that their parent's divorce was their fault. I would also say that there was another good point that was raised from the secondary plot of this episode. When Blair lost the election for whatever office she was seeking, Joe told her that sometimes she has to be a good sport. Blair said that she is a good sport. Joe said "no. You're a good winner. I good sport is what you have to be when you loose." In my opinion, Joe said a very sensible thing in that event!

LoveMrsG · 10-24-2008, 10:11 PM

Wow! That's a very good insight, Smartboy. Although my parents' marriage stunk, they remained married until my mother passed away so I don't know what it's like to go through a divorce. Perhaps Cynthia committed suicide because she felt guilty over her parents getting a divorce for some reason. Do any of you think that Blair is to blame for any of this, that some of her cutting remarks towards Cynthia might have contributed to pushing her over the edge, or do you think that Cynthia had been planning to do this for a long time and that she had already made up her mind about it before the student council election and that Blair's remarks had nothing at all to do with it?

ZeldaGilroy · 10-24-2008, 10:32 PM

I think Cynthia killed herself because she was so deeply depressed and felt she had nowhere else to turn and no one to help her...so she ended her pain the only way she knew how.

I think the point of the episode was to inform the audience of warning signs of suicide and to show people what it is like when you lose someone to suicide.

I do not at all think Blair's comments pushed her over the edge. Nor do I think her parent's divorce actually caused her suicide. Both probably contributed to the depression, but Cynthia had been planning to kill herself for a long time. She was depressed and depression is a medical condition that when left undiagnosed and/or untreated can lead to tragedy.

However, Blair's cruel remarks made Blair question whether she had contributed to Cynthia's death and I think that is a reaction all survivors of a suicide victim experience. "What did I do?" or "If I hadn't said that she would still be here." I think the writers wanted the audience to see how tragic suicide is to everyone involved and the episode was very well done. I will admit I haven't seen it in years...it is very hard for me to watch. But I think it was an important episode in the series and for being so young at the time, the actresses did an amazing job with such intense material.

LoveMrsG · 10-24-2008, 10:47 PM

I pretty much agree. I was just wondering what everybody else thought. I don't know if clinical depression, like you say, was Cynthia's problem or if it had anything to do with her parents' divorce. Maybe it was a combination of both. I think that Blair probably blamed herself for a long time, and like you said, playing the blame game is natural in an event like this. We all wonder if it was somebody's fault and if so, whose fault it was and if there was anything we should have done or said differently. Anyway, I was just wondering how other FOL fans felt about this too. Thanks, FactsFan and Smartboy.

Nighthawk76 · 10-25-2008, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FactsFan

I think Cynthia killed herself because she was so deeply depressed and felt she had nowhere else to turn and no one to help her...so she ended her pain the only way she knew how.

I think the point of the episode was to inform the audience of warning signs of suicide and to show people what it is like when you lose someone to suicide.

I do not at all think Blair's comments pushed her over the edge. Nor do I think her parent's divorce actually caused her suicide. Both probably contributed to the depression, but Cynthia had been planning to kill herself for a long time. She was depressed and depression is a medical condition that when left undiagnosed and/or untreated can lead to tragedy.

However, Blair's cruel remarks made Blair question whether she had contributed to Cynthia's death and I think that is a reaction all survivors of a suicide victim experience. "What did I do?" or "If I hadn't said that she would still be here." I think the writers wanted the audience to see how tragic suicide is to everyone involved and the episode was very well done. I will admit I haven't seen it in years...it is very hard for me to watch. But I think it was an important episode in the series and for being so young at the time, the actresses did an amazing job with such intense material.

I don't think that I can put it any better than this.

JoPolniaczekFan · 10-26-2008, 06:33 AM

I really don't think the episode showed or really discussed the warning signs of suicide. The only thing they did you couldn't even know til after which was that she gave Tootie the necklace that was hers. I know people tend to give away the things that are importatant to them to people they care about when they're about to kill themselves but it wasn't that obvious when she did it. I don't think people committ suicide just because of one thing that upsets them but rather due to a mental illness that could possibly have bothered them for awhile or be triggered by any specific traumatic event or a sequence of traumatic experiences. I really don't remember Blair saying anything that terrible to her but I could be wrong

LoveMrsG · 10-28-2008, 01:58 PM

I agree. I don't think it did such a good job of educating people on the warning signs of suicide either. The only real "sign" that is seen is the fact that Cynthia gives Tootie the necklace, and like you said, it's not even seen as a potential warning sign she gave until after she died. I think that what it did do was encourage and inspire people to talk about suicide more than anything.

MrsGarrettRocksMySocks · 01-26-2009, 07:42 PM

I think the episode really encouraged people to look for other avenues of help. Talking to friends or counselors or whatever instead of turning to something so drastic.

catlover79 · 01-26-2009, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoveMrsG

I agree. I don't think it did such a good job of educating people on the warning signs of suicide either. The only real "sign" that is seen is the fact that Cynthia gives Tootie the necklace, and like you said, it's not even seen as a potential warning sign she gave until after she died. I think that what it did do was encourage and inspire people to talk about suicide more than anything.

We can only hope...I agree that Cynthia's suicide happened for a variety of reasons. In any case, it's one of the saddest episodes in FOL's run.

Jude The Obscure · 01-26-2009, 10:45 PM

Not to mention, the episode later in syndication tended to be skipped over by many stations and/or Nick at nite, perhaps due to the subject matter.

catlover79 · 01-26-2009, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

Not to mention, the episode later in syndication tended to be skipped over by many stations and/or Nick at nite, perhaps due to the subject matter.

I don't remember that, but it wouldn't surprise me. It reminds me of another popular show having an episode skipped over in syndication. This episode wasn't sad but it dealt with another serious subject matter - Alex losing his virginity in an early Family Ties episode. That was very rarely shown until the DVD came out.

Smartboy · 01-27-2009, 12:49 AM

If I remember correctly, Alex having lost his virginity was only briefly mentioned in an episode that was mainly about whether his sister was ready to lose of virginity. That is, if we are thinking about the same episode. The main theme of that episode was a boy that the sister was dating putting preasure of her to go all of the way. Furthermore, one show that is, very much, of the same generation as both "Facts of Life" and "Family Ties" is "Gimme a Break!" This show had a lot of controversial episodes. One that sticks out in my mind is called "The Emergency". This was from the first season. It dealt was the character of Katie being quite sexuality active by age seventeen. I watched this show quite a bit in syndication and I do not remember this episode ever being skipped over.

catlover79 · 01-27-2009, 01:00 AM

^ Alex lost his virginity in the fourth episode, entitled "Summer of '82". At the time, he was a delivery boy for a grocery store and met this college girl when he made a delivery at her apartment. The scene faded to black before anything really happened, and later Alex and his dad have a heart to heart talk about it. The subject matter was handled very delicately, and it was a pretty big risk to do so early in the show's run.

Smartboy · 01-27-2009, 01:08 AM

In the episode that I was referring to, the fact that Alex was sexually active was mentioned in an entirely different context. The girl who he was with was never seen and we know virtually nothing about her. All we really know about the circumstances is that Alex was seventeen years old at the time.

10-24-2008, 08:20 PM	#1
LoveMrsG Future Emmy-Winning Writer Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 27, 2008 Location: In Mrs. G.'s mind: "Hmm, maybe I didn't know as much as I thought!" Posts: 783	Breaking Point Hey everybody. I know we're all familiar with the "Facts" episode "Breaking Point," which is what I consider to be one of the most, if not the most poignant episode in "Facts" history. Mrs. Garrett says close to the end that we'll probably never know why Cynthia killed herself. I think we can all conclude that it had a lot to do with her parents' upcoming divorce and being left behind with no family at Eastland while her parents go their separate ways, but of course, the episode never tells us for sure the actual reason for her depression being so severe that she would end her life. Why do you guys think Cynthia committed suicide?
	__________________ Mrs. Garrett: "Get the h*ll out of here or I'll beat you with my frying pan!"

10-26-2008, 06:33 AM	#7
JoPolniaczekFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 21, 2008 Location: New York Posts: 356	I really don't think the episode showed or really discussed the warning signs of suicide. The only thing they did you couldn't even know til after which was that she gave Tootie the necklace that was hers. I know people tend to give away the things that are importatant to them to people they care about when they're about to kill themselves but it wasn't that obvious when she did it. I don't think people committ suicide just because of one thing that upsets them but rather due to a mental illness that could possibly have bothered them for awhile or be triggered by any specific traumatic event or a sequence of traumatic experiences. I really don't remember Blair saying anything that terrible to her but I could be wrong
	__________________ Jo-If you were my bike I'd give ya a lube job

01-26-2009, 07:42 PM	#9
MrsGarrettRocksMySocks Actors over 60 Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 20, 2001 Location: The cookie jar--Any "Anyone Can Whistle" fans out there? Posts: 4,077	I think the episode really encouraged people to look for other avenues of help. Talking to friends or counselors or whatever instead of turning to something so drastic.
	__________________ ~Lizzie~ ********** Love actors over 60? Join the club.

10-24-2008, 10:11 PM	#3
LoveMrsG Future Emmy-Winning Writer Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 27, 2008 Location: In Mrs. G.'s mind: "Hmm, maybe I didn't know as much as I thought!" Posts: 783	Wow! That's a very good insight, Smartboy. Although my parents' marriage stunk, they remained married until my mother passed away so I don't know what it's like to go through a divorce. Perhaps Cynthia committed suicide because she felt guilty over her parents getting a divorce for some reason. Do any of you think that Blair is to blame for any of this, that some of her cutting remarks towards Cynthia might have contributed to pushing her over the edge, or do you think that Cynthia had been planning to do this for a long time and that she had already made up her mind about it before the student council election and that Blair's remarks had nothing at all to do with it?

10-24-2008, 10:32 PM	#4
ZeldaGilroy Dobie and Zelda Forever!!! Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 14, 2000 Location: I don't know...I'm probably lost! Posts: 4,144	I think Cynthia killed herself because she was so deeply depressed and felt she had nowhere else to turn and no one to help her...so she ended her pain the only way she knew how. I think the point of the episode was to inform the audience of warning signs of suicide and to show people what it is like when you lose someone to suicide. I do not at all think Blair's comments pushed her over the edge. Nor do I think her parent's divorce actually caused her suicide. Both probably contributed to the depression, but Cynthia had been planning to kill herself for a long time. She was depressed and depression is a medical condition that when left undiagnosed and/or untreated can lead to tragedy. However, Blair's cruel remarks made Blair question whether she had contributed to Cynthia's death and I think that is a reaction all survivors of a suicide victim experience. "What did I do?" or "If I hadn't said that she would still be here." I think the writers wanted the audience to see how tragic suicide is to everyone involved and the episode was very well done. I will admit I haven't seen it in years...it is very hard for me to watch. But I think it was an important episode in the series and for being so young at the time, the actresses did an amazing job with such intense material.

10-24-2008, 10:47 PM	#5
LoveMrsG Future Emmy-Winning Writer Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 27, 2008 Location: In Mrs. G.'s mind: "Hmm, maybe I didn't know as much as I thought!" Posts: 783	I pretty much agree. I was just wondering what everybody else thought. I don't know if clinical depression, like you say, was Cynthia's problem or if it had anything to do with her parents' divorce. Maybe it was a combination of both. I think that Blair probably blamed herself for a long time, and like you said, playing the blame game is natural in an event like this. We all wonder if it was somebody's fault and if so, whose fault it was and if there was anything we should have done or said differently. Anyway, I was just wondering how other FOL fans felt about this too. Thanks, FactsFan and Smartboy.

10-28-2008, 01:58 PM	#8
LoveMrsG Future Emmy-Winning Writer Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 27, 2008 Location: In Mrs. G.'s mind: "Hmm, maybe I didn't know as much as I thought!" Posts: 783	I agree. I don't think it did such a good job of educating people on the warning signs of suicide either. The only real "sign" that is seen is the fact that Cynthia gives Tootie the necklace, and like you said, it's not even seen as a potential warning sign she gave until after she died. I think that what it did do was encourage and inspire people to talk about suicide more than anything.

01-26-2009, 10:45 PM	#11
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	Not to mention, the episode later in syndication tended to be skipped over by many stations and/or Nick at nite, perhaps due to the subject matter.

01-27-2009, 12:49 AM	#13
Smartboy Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 06, 2007 Location: South Orange, NJ Posts: 4,231	If I remember correctly, Alex having lost his virginity was only briefly mentioned in an episode that was mainly about whether his sister was ready to lose of virginity. That is, if we are thinking about the same episode. The main theme of that episode was a boy that the sister was dating putting preasure of her to go all of the way. Furthermore, one show that is, very much, of the same generation as both "Facts of Life" and "Family Ties" is "Gimme a Break!" This show had a lot of controversial episodes. One that sticks out in my mind is called "The Emergency". This was from the first season. It dealt was the character of Katie being quite sexuality active by age seventeen. I watched this show quite a bit in syndication and I do not remember this episode ever being skipped over.

01-27-2009, 01:00 AM	#14
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	^ Alex lost his virginity in the fourth episode, entitled "Summer of '82". At the time, he was a delivery boy for a grocery store and met this college girl when he made a delivery at her apartment. The scene faded to black before anything really happened, and later Alex and his dad have a heart to heart talk about it. The subject matter was handled very delicately, and it was a pretty big risk to do so early in the show's run.

01-27-2009, 01:08 AM	#15
Smartboy Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 06, 2007 Location: South Orange, NJ Posts: 4,231	In the episode that I was referring to, the fact that Alex was sexually active was mentioned in an entirely different context. The girl who he was with was never seen and we know virtually nothing about her. All we really know about the circumstances is that Alex was seventeen years old at the time.