The "facts" of girls' lives

['80sSitcoms]

Thinking about this show makes you think about the target/focus of this show. And for a show about teenage girls coming of age, and actually titled "The Facts of Life", there are some facts of young girls' lives the show didn't even approach.

There were no episodes about anyone going through the experience of getting their "special visitor" for the first time.

Now, you may think that is controversial and/or inappropriate for a sitcom to approach, but the first episode of Blossom, in 1990, is about Blossom getting her first period; and it's all done in a very natural, family-friendly way, with appropriate comedy, and it makes for a really good episode and a really good introduction to the series. We could have had this story as one of the first episodes with Tootie or Molly or Natalie or Cindy in 1979, but that thought must have been too "radical" by '79; by '90, it seemed okay to talk about on TV.

They also never broached the subject of girls developing. One of the first season episodes of Who's the Boss? focused on Tony having to face reality that "Sam" (Samantha)'s body was developing and she was going from becoming a girl to nature preparing her to be a young woman. Again, this was also very natural, done in a family-friendly way, with much of the comedy stemming from poor Tony being a single dad and so awkward with this changing of his little tomboy daughter. Again, Facts could have done a similar story first, with one of the younger girls. The closest they came to this one was that in a season 1 episode when Blair says something to the effect of, "Sue Ann, if you believe that, than you probably believe those breast-enhancement ads in the backs of magazines", and Tootie in disappointment says, "You mean they don't work?", lol, and then in "Running" when Sue Ann says she showed Cindy how to breathe so she can really develop her lungs, and Tootie puffs herself out and says "Hey, maybe I should go out for track!"

It makes you wonder if any of the Facts writers thought of such topics, or if they just weren't quite ready yet to write such stories in 1979?

[RetroGuy2000]

I remember hearing that Counteney Cox was the first person to use the word "tampon" on TV, when she did a Tampax commercial in the mid-1980s. 1979 was too early: there were only three networks, and the men who ran them were very conservative (and couldn't count).

By the late 1980s, Fox had launched, and US broadcast television had changed. Rudy Huxtable and Samantha Macelli broke new ground with periods and training bras, but this wasn't sitcom material in 1979, I think.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I remember hearing that Counteney Cox was the first person to use the word "tampon" on TV, when she did a Tampax commercial in the mid-1980s. 1979 was too early.

By the late 1980s, Fox had launched, and US broadcast television had changed. Rudy Huxtable and Samantha Macelli broke new ground with periods and training bras, but this wasn't sitcom material in 1979, I think.[/QUOTE]

That's what I was thinking (then again, it was a "Norman Lear" show, haha); and by the time it would have been "acceptable" for the show to tackle these subjects, the girls were all nearing or passing 20---a bit late for those stories then! lol

Oh, and "Micelli".

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

there were only three networks, and the men who ran them were very conservative (and couldn't count).

And speaking of Courtney earlier, I actually found this in another thread on this board, lol---the box looks like a computer printout any one of us could do! lol

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

That's what I was thinking (then again, it was a "Norman Lear" show, haha); and by the time it would have been "acceptable" for the show to tackle these subjects, the girls were all nearing or passing 20---a bit late for those stories then! lol

Exactly. By the late '80s, it would have been okay, but "Our Tootie, little Tootie" wasn't so little anymore, and they missed their opportunity. I do remember a Designing Women episode that talked about menopause, but that would have been at least eight years later.

Oh, and "Micelli".

Thanks; I knew I was possibly mangling her name, but wasn't too bothered: this isn't the WTB board.

And speaking of Courtney earlier, I actually found this in another thread on this board, lol---the box looks like a computer printout any one of us could do! lol

Haha! Yep! We definitely could!

...And it's Courteney

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Exactly. By the late '80s, it would have been okay, but "Our Tootie, little Tootie" wasn't so little anymore, and they missed their opportunity. I do remember a Designing Women episode that talked about menopause, but that would have been at least eight years later.

There was also the famous DW episode all about implants, "Big Haas and Little Falsie". And good point about the menopause, I forgot to mention that (although that was in the DW period when the show was past its prime and wasn't the same); they could have had Mrs. Garrett go through "the change of life". After all, Blanche Deveraux did it in 1986, so maybe Mrs. G could've gotten away with it too, lol .

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Thanks; I knew I was possibly mangling her name, but wasn't too bothered: this isn't the WTB board.

But it's accuracy, and it is something from the '80s. lol

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

...And it's Courteney

Arrrgh! That dratted extra "e"!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

There was also the famous DW episode all about implants, "Big Haas and Little Falsie". And good point about the menopause, I forgot to mention that (although that was in the DW period when the show was past its prime and wasn't the same); they could have had Mrs. Garrett go through "the change of life". After all, Blanche Deveraux did it in 1986, so maybe Mrs. G could've gotten away with it too, lol .

But by the late 80s, FOL wasn't tackling most serious topics anymore. I'm not sure how that changed, but the writers were writing more frivolous episodes: Twilight Zone parodies, Stacy Q and El DeBarge guest spots, Beverly Ann dream sequences, Richard Moll visits, 1960s musical numbers, etc.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

But by the late 80s, FOL wasn't tackling most serious topics anymore. I'm not sure how that changed, but the writers were writing more frivolous episodes: Twilight Zone parodies, Stacy Q and El DeBarge guest spots, Beverly Ann dream sequences, Richard Moll visits, 1960s musical numbers, etc.

Yeah, I was thinking more like the cafeteria years, though she was a few years younger then (by the way, in this day and age it's a little jarring hearing Mrs. Garrett say the word "********"---different times!)

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Yeah, I was thinking more like the cafeteria years, though she was a few years younger then

But the cafeteria years ended in September 1983, still a bit early for a menopause episode, if they couldn't yet say "period" on TV. The Golden Girls was quite groundbreaking in 1986 when Blanche went through "the change".

(by the way, in this day and age it's a little jarring hearing Mrs. Garrett say the word "********"---different times!)

How times change!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

But the cafeteria years ended in September 1983, still a bit early for a menopause episode, if they couldn't yet say "period" on TV. The Golden Girls was quite groundbreaking in 1986 when Blanche went through "the change".

Plus, the GGs "got away" with so much; even they themselves say the censors hardly ever touched them. I remember Rue saying in interviews that maybe it was because of being older than young girls, but that they sure did a lot of dialogue and situations that younger ladies/girls couldn't have gotten away with, lol.

It seems being older gives you "cart blanche" (pun very intended ).

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Plus, the GGs "got away" with so much; even they themselves say the censors hardly ever touched them. I remember Rue saying in interviews that maybe it was because of being older than young girls, but that they sure did a lot of dialogue and situations that younger ladies/girls couldn't have gotten away with, lol.

It seems being older gives you "cart blanche" (pun very intended ).

Haha! great pun, and yes, they sure did get away with a lot of dialogue and storylines other shows would have censored. But then, the target demographic was much older. Then again, we watched The Golden Girls, and no one in our house was in the target demographic for that show.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Haha! great pun, and yes, they sure did get away with a lot of dialogue and storylines other shows would have censored. But then, the target demographic was much older. Then again, we watched The Golden Girls, and no one in our house was in the target demographic for that show.

Right? Just an amazing show. It cleared the board from 5-year-olds to 95-year-olds, lol. #InstantClassic

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Right? Just an amazing show. It cleared the board from 5-year-olds to 95-year-olds, lol. #InstantClassic

I don't want to derail this lovely thread, but I have to agree that The Golden Girls is an awesome show, and it has remained funny, and also relevant.

Some critics have compared FOL and GG, and there are many similarities, including a group of girls/women living together, sharing their lives, both shows being broadcast by NBC in the 1980s.

There are also some similarities between the characters, with Nancy and Blanche sharing many similarities: both are boy-crazy, spending hours on the phone with their boyfriends (or skinny dipping at Coopers Rock, or... other stuff). Nancy looking at sexy lingerie with sizzling, steamy names definitely conjures up a younger version of Blanche. Blanche also shares some similarities with Blair: she's very vain, and occasionally rude at times. But Blanche is a southerner, and Blair is from Manhattan, so there the similarities between them end.

Sophia shares some similarities with Molly, including the fact that both of them would frequently refer to places as "dumps". They don't mince words: Molly's not afraid to speak her mind, and neither is Sophia. Sometimes, they go too far. They often lash out at other family members.

Rose is most similar to Sue Ann, with their shared positive outlook on life. They are the cheerleaders of their respective shows, and both are also a strong moral compass. Both ladies come from the Midwest, and have a love for family and friends. Both had women professing their love for them, and both freely return friendship. Sue Ann's long friendship with Cindy is mirrored by Rose's long friendship with Blanche and Dorothy. Rose is portrayed by an actress who formerly played another character named Sue Ann. But while Sue Ann Weaver is the top of her class, Rose is dumb as a kefleurfenburgen.

Dorothy is most like Mrs. Garrett: intelligent, ethical, honest, a bit harsh at times, but always fair. Both have taught classes, both are divorced women in their golden years, and both were married to slimeballs. Both had to scramble to rebuild their lives, until finding friends.

['80sSitcoms]

Wow you included season 1-ers in your comparisons, interesting; I'm sure you have seen that most comparisons compare GG>DW>FOL this way:

Dorothy - Julia - Jo
Blanche - Suzanne - Blair
Rose - Charlene - Tootie
Sophia - Mary Jo/Anthony - Natalie

By the way:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

and it has remained funny

That's an understatment!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Wow you included season 1-ers in your comparisons, interesting; I'm sure you have seen that most comparisons compare GG>DW>FOL this way:

Dorothy - Julia - Jo
Blanche - Suzanne - Blair
Rose - Charlene - Tootie
Sophia - Mary Jo/Anthony - Natalie

The Rose/Tootie comparison doesn't seem at all apt to me; Sue Ann is much closer. I can, however, see the Blair/Blanche comparison.

Jo could definitely be Dorothy, but why Sophia/Natalie?

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The Rose/Tootie comparison doesn't seem at all apt to me

If you've read Jim Colucci's books on The Golden Girls, you will see that when he is making his GG>FOL comparisons he says something like, "But that leaves Tootie with Rose, and is Tootie really that naive?" I can see, though, how Tootie has the "heart" of the girls, like Rose does, particularly in the later years; she remains youthfully optimistic and gets to the heart of things while the other girls can be doubtful, sarcastic, or even grouchy, lol.

By the way,

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Rose is dumb as a kefleurfenburgen.

Betty White will tell you, "Rose is not dumb; she is extremely naive."

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

why Sophia/Natalie?

I'd have to look them up again; but just thinking about them, I can see how Sophia and Natalie are the "one-liners", the "crack-ups" of their groups.