Reasons "The Facts of Life" ended in 1988 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

James28 · 08-24-2014, 04:45 AM

I’ve been thinking about some reasons The Facts of Life ended its original run in 1988. Did NBC decide to just cancel it or was the choice made on the production side? The FoL's cast must have decided that they have had enough of doing the show and wanted to move on to other projects? So many younger programmes on NBC like Cheers, The Cosby Show, and The Golden Girls have become really popular and the network didn't need a deckining program like FoL?

visaman666 · 08-24-2014, 05:19 AM

Nobody was watching the show. Well, I take that back, I watched a few episodes post Edna's Edibles, but after Edna left, what was the point., but once Blair opened the school or something, I lost all interest. Well it was the final episode after all

80schild.com · 08-24-2014, 06:54 AM

NBC wanted a season 10, because ratings were still healthy. Mindy Cohn stated in a radio interview that she and another girl wanted the series to end - they were tired and wanted to start a new chapter.

candycandy · 08-26-2014, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by visaman666

Nobody was watching the show. Well, I take that back, I watched a few episodes post Edna's Edibles, but after Edna left, what was the point., but once Blair opened the school or something, I lost all interest. Well it was the final episode after all

I was also still watching the show after EDNA left but it just wasn't the same and i couldn't stand BEVERLY ANN: in fact i was shattered by CHARLOTTE RAE leaving the show so early and i wonder if she realized what great chemistry she had with those 4 girls (on and off the sitcom lol!)

hawkeye123 · 08-26-2019, 09:19 AM

The early seasons were the best anyway. But yeah it was a good show.

'80sSitcoms · 08-26-2019, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by candycandy

in fact i was shattered by CHARLOTTE RAE leaving the show so early and i wonder if she realized what great chemistry she had with those 4 girls (on and off the sitcom lol!)

"so early"? She left at the beginning of season 8!

And surely she realized that chemistry. But it just wasn't enough to keep her around by that point.

KatieAnn · 09-01-2019, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80schild.com

NBC wanted a season 10, because ratings were still healthy. Mindy Cohn stated in a radio interview that she and another girl wanted the series to end - they were tired and wanted to start a new chapter.

Were they planning a season 10?

I just watched the last episode and it doesn't feel like a "finale" to the show. It's mostly about Blair with just a bit of the others around just at the end, and I find it particularly disappointing that they aren't even all together in the final scene - no Natalie, since she's moved to NY - it just feels like there should be more.

Mr. Television · 09-01-2019, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KatieAnn

Were they planning a season 10?

I just watched the last episode and it doesn't feel like a "finale" to the show. It's mostly about Blair with just a bit of the others around just at the end, and I find it particularly disappointing that they aren't even all together in the final scene - no Natalie, since she's moved to NY - it just feels like there should be more.

It was a pilot for a spinoff show starring Blair but NBC passed on it.

'80sSitcoms · 09-02-2019, 01:58 AM

Yeah, funnily enough, the season finale of season 8 feels more like a series finale than the actual "series finale".

(and then, of course, the season finale of season 4, "Graduation", feels like a series finale too, if you didn't know the show was going to continue)

KatieAnn · 09-02-2019, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Television

It was a pilot for a spinoff show starring Blair but NBC passed on it.

Yes, that's what I thought, that it was a pilot for a show focusing on Blair.

I know that all the girls had individual shows that more or less wrapped up their story lines, (Jo got married, Tootie got engaged, Natalie decided to move to NY) but it would have been better to see the girls together and have the finale focus on all of them.

RetroGuy2000 · 09-02-2019, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KatieAnn

Yes, that's what I thought, that it was a pilot for a show focusing on Blair.

I know that all the girls had individual shows that more or less wrapped up their story lines, (Jo got married, Tootie got engaged, Natalie decided to move to NY) but it would have been better to see the girls together and have the finale focus on all of them.

I think we all agree the finale was quite underwhelming. Mindy Cohn literally phones in her performance.

Lorimar Television · 09-02-2019, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I think we all agree the finale was quite underwhelming. Mindy Cohn literally phones in her performance.

Im sure Felice gave her tips

RetroGuy2000 · 09-03-2019, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Im sure Felice gave her tips

Haha!

...But wouldn't it have been Roger giving Mindy tips?

Lorimar Television · 09-03-2019, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Haha!

...But wouldn't it have been Roger giving Mindy tips?

Nah Felice was the one on the phone

RetroGuy2000 · 09-03-2019, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Nah Felice was the one on the phone

Then where was Roger!?

08-24-2014, 04:45 AM	#1
James28 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 14, 2007 Posts: 3,981	Reasons "The Facts of Life" ended in 1988 I’ve been thinking about some reasons The Facts of Life ended its original run in 1988. Did NBC decide to just cancel it or was the choice made on the production side? The FoL's cast must have decided that they have had enough of doing the show and wanted to move on to other projects? So many younger programmes on NBC like Cheers, The Cosby Show, and The Golden Girls have become really popular and the network didn't need a deckining program like FoL?
	__________________ "When the run of a network TV show has ended, some go out with a bang, some with a whimper, but all are...Future Endeavored." "Stay Safe"? More like "Stay Sad". #2020Hurts

08-26-2019, 09:19 AM	#5
hawkeye123 Member Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2012 Posts: 1,390	The early seasons were the best anyway. But yeah it was a good show.
	__________________ You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think and, loved more than you know.

08-24-2014, 05:19 AM	#2
visaman666 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 06, 2007 Posts: 818	Nobody was watching the show. Well, I take that back, I watched a few episodes post Edna's Edibles, but after Edna left, what was the point., but once Blair opened the school or something, I lost all interest. Well it was the final episode after all

08-24-2014, 06:54 AM	#3
80schild.com Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 23, 2002 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 354	NBC wanted a season 10, because ratings were still healthy. Mindy Cohn stated in a radio interview that she and another girl wanted the series to end - they were tired and wanted to start a new chapter.

09-02-2019, 01:58 AM	#9
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	Yeah, funnily enough, the season finale of season 8 feels more like a series finale than the actual "series finale". (and then, of course, the season finale of season 4, "Graduation", feels like a series finale too, if you didn't know the show was going to continue)