Just finished rewatching - some considerations

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Some considerations about every season

Season 1: the most discussed season. I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of this season but I'm not a hater, I like it for what it is. I like the Lost Girls (Cindy is my favorite). It's wrong to say that the problem was too many girls, what killed the first season was the wrong timeslot from the beginning and the writing. I explain better. We have seven girls, use them all! If I use Blair, Tootie and Sue Ann for multiple episodes and Nancy, Cindy, Natalie and Molly for one or two, the episodes are not balanced. If the writers had included all the girls, maybe the Cast Purge would never have happened! It was their fault, I felt bad for the girls fired but, unfortunately, it's showbusines.

Seasons 2-4: my favourite seasons and era. The best is the second, followed by fourth and third. I love these seasons because they developed the friendship and the relationship between the Core Four and Mrs. Garrett.
Jo was a great addition, although I like her more during the OOH seasons, she was too "aggressive" during her first episodes. The Chug-A-Lug storyline is one of my favorites.
I'm glad that the Lost Girls (except Molly) appear as recurring characters, I would have liked if they were included more like Nancy in Gossip. Plus, I would have kept John Lawlor as a recurring character.

Seasons 5-6: the EE's years. I personally prefer the fifth season, there is still that warm relationship between the girls and Mrs Garrett, a relationship that changed after this season. It seems to be still at Eastland with the cozy atmosphere of the house and the store. What I don't like about this season is the addition of Kelly, a totally useless character, and some sad or meaningless episodes like A Death in the Family or Advance Placement. About the sixth season, I only like The Interview Show and a few others.

Season 7: A meaningless season for many reasons. Mrs Garrett disappeared, she became essentially another character, no longer the loving and motherly Mrs G of the early seasons. The new store was a mistake, they should have rebuilt the bakery. George is another useless character (I prefer Kevin from the previous season). Nothing against Andy, I think he is a great addition. I like the updated version of the theme song.

Seasons 8-9: the last two seasons are much better than the seventh. I personally prefer not seeing Mrs Garrett anymore than seeing her for one or two scenes and not recognizing her. Cloris Leachman is a great addition, sure she isn't Mrs. Garrett but she is funny and a great replacement. I like that the girls now are adult women. The writing has also improved. Pippa is indifferent to me but she is much better than Kelly. I forgot that the last episode was only about Blair, I would have liked to see more of the other characters.


What do you think? Write your considerations

[80s Dude]

Season 1 could have done a better job at delegating a better balance of stories to focus on each girl. They should have gotten someone from the Brady Bunch or Partridge Family Shows who would know how to do it. I would have reduced John Lawlor's role in the 2nd season.

[FOL-FAN-ITA]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Season 1 could have done a better job at delegating a better balance of stories to focus on each girl. They should have gotten someone from the Brady Bunch or Partridge Family Shows who would know how to do it. I would have reduced John Lawlor's role in the 2nd season.

I agree 100%. A recurring character just like Mr Parker

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Some considerations about every season

Season 1: the most discussed season. I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of this season but I'm not a hater, I like it for what it is. I like the Lost Girls (Cindy is my favorite). It's wrong to say that the problem was too many girls, what killed the first season was the wrong timeslot from the beginning and the writing. I explain better. We have seven girls, use them all! If I use Blair, Tootie and Sue Ann for multiple episodes and Nancy, Cindy, Natalie and Molly for one or two, the episodes are not balanced. If the writers had included all the girls, maybe the Cast Purge would never have happened! It was their fault, I felt bad for the girls fired but, unfortunately, it's showbusines.

Seasons 2-4: my favourite seasons and era. The best is the second, followed by fourth and third. I love these seasons because they developed the friendship and the relationship between the Core Four and Mrs. Garrett.
Jo was a great addition, although I like her more during the OOH seasons, she was too "aggressive" during her first episodes. The Chug-A-Lug storyline is one of my favorites.
I'm glad that the Lost Girls (except Molly) appear as recurring characters, I would have liked if they were included more like Nancy in Gossip. Plus, I would have kept John Lawlor as a recurring character.

Seasons 5-6: the EE's years. I personally prefer the fifth season, there is still that warm relationship between the girls and Mrs Garrett, a relationship that changed after this season. It seems to be still at Eastland with the cozy atmosphere of the house and the store. What I don't like about this season is the addition of Kelly, a totally useless character, and some sad or meaningless episodes like A Death in the Family or Advance Placement. About the sixth season, I only like The Interview Show and a few others.

Season 7: A meaningless season for many reasons. Mrs Garrett disappeared, she became essentially another character, no longer the loving and motherly Mrs G of the early seasons. The new store was a mistake, they should have rebuilt the bakery. George is another useless character (I prefer Kevin from the previous season). Nothing against Andy, I think he is a great addition. I like the updated version of the theme song.

Seasons 8-9: the last two seasons are much better than the seventh. I personally prefer not seeing Mrs Garrett anymore than seeing her for one or two scenes and not recognizing her. Cloris Leachman is a great addition, sure she isn't Mrs. Garrett but she is funny and a great replacement. I like that the girls now are adult women. The writing has also improved. Pippa is indifferent to me but she is much better than Kelly. I forgot that the last episode was only about Blair, I would have liked to see more of the other characters.


What do you think? Write your considerations

I agree with most of what you said, except that i think season 6 was still good: it had 2 great episodes such as 'Working it out' + 'The interview show', but sadly it was also the last time you saw MRS G as the warm and motherly surrogate mother for the girls.
By season 7, MRS G became a 'clone' of herself, and gone forever was her warmth and maternal side....
But overall, i wish they had kept the same set from season 1 and all the Lost girls: they had so much potential, and after having a rerun on FOL 1 i became kind of nostalgic

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Some considerations about every season

Season 1: the most discussed season. I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of this season but I'm not a hater, I like it for what it is. I like the Lost Girls (Cindy is my favorite). It's wrong to say that the problem was too many girls, what killed the first season was the wrong timeslot from the beginning and the writing. I explain better. We have seven girls, use them all! If I use Blair, Tootie and Sue Ann for multiple episodes and Nancy, Cindy, Natalie and Molly for one or two, the episodes are not balanced. If the writers had included all the girls, maybe the Cast Purge would never have happened! It was their fault, I felt bad for the girls fired but, unfortunately, it's showbusines.

I totally agree that the timeslot choice was weird, there were odd writing issues, and there should have been more even-handedness with the lines. For example, no way should Blair have been in the stables, caring for livestock. That should have been Sue Ann's job, freeing up the position for Nancy to get high in "Dope".

Seasons 2-4: my favourite seasons and era. The best is the second, followed by fourth and third. I love these seasons because they developed the friendship and the relationship between the Core Four and Mrs. Garrett.
Jo was a great addition, although I like her more during the OOH seasons, she was too "aggressive" during her first episodes. The Chug-A-Lug storyline is one of my favorites.
I'm glad that the Lost Girls (except Molly) appear as recurring characters, I would have liked if they were included more like Nancy in Gossip. Plus, I would have kept John Lawlor as a recurring character.

Having Mr. Bradley continue in the role would have been much better continuity; otherwise, they go through five headmasters in just four years, which makes Eastland feel a bit rinky-dink, a posh girls' school unable to hold on to its administration for any length of time. We could have seen him in "The New Girl, part 2", "Gossip", and maybe "Teenage Marriage" in season two, and then the ten episodes Mr. Parker is in, in seasons 3-5.

Having Mr. Bradley continue the role would have made more impact, when Mrs. Garrett finally decides to start her own business and tells the headmaster to "kiss off": she would have known him for over four years, by that point.

I wish we had seen the Lost Girls at least up to Sue Ann and Nancy's graduation. We could have even seen Molly and Cindy in "Brave New World 1 and 2", and they still could have stopped by to help Natalie and Tootie study. Of course, by then, Molly had moved on.

Seasons 5-6: the EE's years. I personally prefer the fifth season, there is still that warm relationship between the girls and Mrs Garrett, a relationship that changed after this season. It seems to be still at Eastland with the cozy atmosphere of the house and the store. What I don't like about this season is the addition of Kelly, a totally useless character, and some sad or meaningless episodes like A Death in the Family or Advance Placement. About the sixth season, I only like The Interview Show and a few others.

The set truly is beautiful and homey, and many of the season five episodes are quite funny. I agree that things start fading away in the sixth season, as Mrs. Garrett begins to vanish.

Season 7: A meaningless season for many reasons. Mrs Garrett disappeared, she became essentially another character, no longer the loving and motherly Mrs G of the early seasons. The new store was a mistake, they should have rebuilt the bakery. George is another useless character (I prefer Kevin from the previous season). Nothing against Andy, I think he is a great addition. I like the updated version of the theme song.

I don't care for Andy, George, Kevin, Kelly, or any of the late-addition characters. If the writers felt they needed more characters, they could have brought back original characters people already had an investment in.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by valentina warner

I agree with most of what you said, except that i think season 6 was still good: it had 2 great episodes such as 'Working it out' + 'The interview show', but sadly it was also the last time you saw MRS G as the warm and motherly surrogate mother for the girls.
By season 7, MRS G became a 'clone' of herself, and gone forever was her warmth and maternal side....
But overall, i wish they had kept the same set from season 1 and all the Lost girls: they had so much potential, and after having a rerun on FOL 1 i became kind of nostalgic

They could have kept the Cafeteria as the main set, but used the Dorm Common Room set and the Classroom/Bradley's office set for classroom/headmaster scenes. This would have allowed for much better set continuity. There are too many times we see a room (classroom, office, or something else), only to never see it again.

We could then have seen, in "Gossip", Natalie and Tootie bring over the Lost Girls' mail to the dorm common room, and the headmaster scene could have been in Bradley's office, instead of a generic office we'd never seen before, and never would again.

"Breaking Point", too, could have been set in the old familiar dorm, instead of in some random dorm room we've never seen before.

And instead of the never-seen basement, we could have seen the girls partying in Cindy and Sue Ann's dorm room, in "Growing Pains".

Then the episode "The Four Musketeers" could show the Core Four going back to their old dorm, where they then decide to go back to rooming with each other, after hilarious incidents with the Lost Girls and Brenda: Blair gets tired of Nancy hogging the phone, Tootie can't stand Sue Ann and Cindy's early-morning jogging routine keeping her awake, and Natalie decides Brenda has her rocks.

Use the original classroom for "Front Page".

Bring back Sue Ann for the abortion-issue 'The Source", to get a broader perspective on abortion, creating a little more conflict.

Then expand the damage the loss of scholarships will have at Eastland in "Ain't Miss Beholden" by jeopardizing Sue Ann and Nancy's scholarships, as well.

Finally, in "Graduation, parts 1 and 2", allow Nancy and Sue Ann to graduate with the rest of their class, making the graduation scenes with otherwise unremarkable girls (Emily, ?, and ?) much more impactful: include flashbacks of ALL the girls.

These are just ideas the producers could have done, to provide better continuity during the Eastland years.

[WriterChick78]

Yeah, it's bizarre that all of a sudden they had the ability to write for 5, 6, or 7 people at a time, but they couldn't do that in 1980.

Side note: (Something I wanted to say for a long time) Modern Family has 12 leads - all main characters that are fleshed out with distinct personalities. They are completing their ELEVENTH season. It can work if you want it to badly enough. Just saying. ��

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Having Mr. Bradley continue in the role would have been much better continuity; otherwise, they go through five headmasters in just four years, which makes Eastland feel a bit rinky-dink, a posh girls' school unable to hold on to its administration for any length of time.

Well, maybe those men just aren't up to it. In one episode Mr. Bradley laments, "Oh, why did I leave that boys' school?? There, it was just, 'turn 'em loose'!"

So to me it seems Mr. Crocker was crazy, Mr. Bradley was gradually overwhelmed, Mr. Harris -- well, he's a bit of a mystery, maybe parents demanded he be ousted -- and Mr. Parker did stay for a while; heck, he could have even been headmaster up until the series finale, maybe? (I don't watch the finale anymore).

Originally Posted by WriterChick78

Modern Family has 12 leads - all main characters that are fleshed out with distinct personalities. They are completing their ELEVENTH season. It can work if you want it to badly enough. Just saying.

One good thing about modern shows like that is that without a live audience, they can fit more in because they move so much faster. Also, actors speak faster in shows nowadays. I can't tell you how many times I have to keep rewinding little moments on "The Goldbergs" to catch what they're saying! lol

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Mr. Crocker was crazy, Mr. Bradley was gradually overwhelmed, Mr. Harris -- well, he's a bit of a mystery, maybe parents demanded he be ousted -- and Mr. Parker did stay for a while; heck, he could have even been headmaster up until the series finale, maybe? (I don't watch the finale anymore).

No, Mr. Parker wasn't the headmaster in season nine: that was Mr. Morehead, who left the very day Blair showed up.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by WriterChick78

Yeah, it's bizarre that all of a sudden they had the ability to write for 5, 6, or 7 people at a time, but they couldn't do that in 1980.

Side note: (Something I wanted to say for a long time) Modern Family has 12 leads - all main characters that are fleshed out with distinct personalities. They are completing their ELEVENTH season. It can work if you want it to badly enough. Just saying. ��

Yeah, they make it sound as if writing for seven girls was impossible. We know it was not. Modern Family is a great example for the modern era, but Saved by the Bell and Head of the Class managed larger casts in the same era as FOL.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

No, Mr. Parker wasn't the headmaster in season nine: that was Mr. Morehead, who left the very day Blair showed up.

That's surprising you know that considering you don't even have season 9!

Maybe Mr. Parker retired with his wife.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yeah, they make it sound as if writing for seven girls was impossible. We know it was not. Modern Family is a great example for the modern era, but Saved by the Bell and Head of the Class managed larger casts in the same era as FOL.

With those live audiences taking up time for laughter, no less.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

That's surprising you know that considering you don't even have season 9!

DailyMotion, my friend.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Season 1: the most discussed season. I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of this season but I'm not a hater, I like it for what it is. I like the Lost Girls (Cindy is my favorite). It's wrong to say that the problem was too many girls, what killed the first season was the wrong timeslot from the beginning and the writing. I explain better. We have seven girls, use them all! If I use Blair, Tootie and Sue Ann for multiple episodes and Nancy, Cindy, Natalie and Molly for one or two, the episodes are not balanced. If the writers had included all the girls, maybe the Cast Purge would never have happened! It was their fault, I felt bad for the girls fired but, unfortunately, it's showbusines.

I didn't care for season 1. It has a couple of good episodes and really showcases Lisa and Kim's acting abilities. Overall it was useless after seeing the success the show turned into at the beginning of season 2.

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Seasons 2-4: my favourite seasons and era. The best is the second, followed by fourth and third. I love these seasons because they developed the friendship and the relationship between the Core Four and Mrs. Garrett.
Jo was a great addition, although I like her more during the OOH seasons, she was too "aggressive" during her first episodes. The Chug-A-Lug storyline is one of my favorites.
I'm glad that the Lost Girls (except Molly) appear as recurring characters, I would have liked if they were included more like Nancy in Gossip. Plus, I would have kept John Lawlor as a recurring character.

Season 2 is definitely the best. Once they got rid of the useless characters from season 1 and showcased characters that fans can enjoy, it clicked. I love the addition of Nancy McKeon but not for the reasons the Nancy fanatics have. Lisa needed an actress to bounce off of. None of the actresses in season 1 had the same level of talent Lisa did. Nancy and Lisa's chemistry of frenemies was fun to watch. I agree Jo was aggressive in those early years but that's reality with some kids who come from environments like Jo's. Some think they are hotshit and then mature into adults as they get older. This show did well developing the changes in Jo over the years.

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Seasons 5-6: the EE's years. I personally prefer the fifth season, there is still that warm relationship between the girls and Mrs Garrett, a relationship that changed after this season. It seems to be still at Eastland with the cozy atmosphere of the house and the store. What I don't like about this season is the addition of Kelly, a totally useless character, and some sad or meaningless episodes like A Death in the Family or Advance Placement. About the sixth season, I only like The Interview Show and a few others.

Season 5 is depressing IMO. There was so much drama that year. You have Tootie dating a guy that can't read and helps him cheat on a test, Natalie's father dying, Jo having to accept that her parents would never get back together, racism, Eddie coming back as a married man only not telling Jo using her for affection, and other stories. I like season 6 better. It begins the change of direction from Mrs. Garrett and the girls to just the girls. Mrs. Garrett faded into the background this year allowing fans to see just how strong the chemistry is between the main 4. I like the stories they did in season 6 and how lighthearted the show becomes.

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Season 7: A meaningless season for many reasons. Mrs Garrett disappeared, she became essentially another character, no longer the loving and motherly Mrs G of the early seasons. The new store was a mistake, they should have rebuilt the bakery. George is another useless character (I prefer Kevin from the previous season). Nothing against Andy, I think he is a great addition. I like the updated version of the theme song.

Season 7 is definitely weak. I don't mind Over Our Heads. It was just a background setting. The problem with this season is the lack of writing. It wasn't as funny and worthwhile like the previous 5 seasons. I didn't mind George. He clicked with the girls unlike Kevin. I thought Kevin was forceful and dull in his scenes with the girls. George wasn't like that. I was also hoping he would have become a love interest for Jo. I would have preferred her being with him than the guy she married in the end.

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Seasons 8-9: the last two seasons are much better than the seventh. I personally prefer not seeing Mrs Garrett anymore than seeing her for one or two scenes and not recognizing her. Cloris Leachman is a great addition, sure she isn't Mrs. Garrett but she is funny and a great replacement. I like that the girls now are adult women. The writing has also improved. Pippa is indifferent to me but she is much better than Kelly. I forgot that the last episode was only about Blair, I would have liked to see more of the other characters.

I consider season 8 the second best season of the show. The writing was back to like it was in the beginning about the friendship of the main 4. Beverly Ann wasn't annoying and had meaning that year. Everything that year just worked.

Now season 9 on the other hand showed the girls separating and going in different directions. Tootie was engaged, Blair was becoming a lawyer, Jo was a social worker at the center, and Natalie was going off on her own. The girls didn't feel like friends this year. They were like roommates who just talked in passing on their way to their lives. Beverly Ann and Andy were definitely useless in season 9. They served no purpose. Pippa was treated very badly from the main 4. Every time she tried to be apart of the main 4's lives, they shut her out. Mrs. Garrett never did that to them so it was like they had forgotten what it was like to treat people equally. Season 9 is like season 1, a different show. Both very badly written.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I didn't care for season 1. It has a couple of good episodes and really showcases Lisa and Kim's acting abilities. Overall it was useless after seeing the success the show turned into at the beginning of season 2.



Season 2 is definitely the best. Once they got rid of the useless characters from season 1 and showcased characters that fans can enjoy, it clicked. I love the addition of Nancy McKeon but not for the reasons the Nancy fanatics have. Lisa needed an actress to bounce off of. None of the actresses in season 1 had the same level of talent Lisa did. Nancy and Lisa's chemistry of frenemies was fun to watch. I agree Jo was aggressive in those early years but that's reality with some kids who come from environments like Jo's. Some think they are hotshit and then mature into adults as they get older. This show did well developing the changes in Jo over the years.



Season 5 is depressing IMO. There was so much drama that year. You have Tootie dating a guy that can't read and helps him cheat on a test, Natalie's father dying, Jo having to accept that her parents would never get back together, racism, Eddie coming back as a married man only not telling Jo using her for affection, and other stories. I like season 6 better. It begins the change of direction from Mrs. Garrett and the girls to just the girls. Mrs. Garrett faded into the background this year allowing fans to see just how strong the chemistry is between the main 4. I like the stories they did in season 6 and how lighthearted the show becomes.



Season 7 is definitely weak. I don't mind Over Our Heads. It was just a background setting. The problem with this season is the lack of writing. It wasn't as funny and worthwhile like the previous 5 seasons. I didn't mind George. He clicked with the girls unlike Kevin. I thought Kevin was forceful and dull in his scenes with the girls. George wasn't like that. I was also hoping he would have become a love interest for Jo. I would have preferred her being with him than the guy she married in the end.



I consider season 8 the second best season of the show. The writing was back to like it was in the beginning about the friendship of the main 4. Beverly Ann wasn't annoying and had meaning that year. Everything that year just worked.

Now season 9 on the other hand showed the girls separating and going in different directions. Tootie was engaged, Blair was becoming a lawyer, Jo was a social worker at the center, and Natalie was going off on her own. The girls didn't feel like friends this year. They were like roommates who just talked in passing on their way to their lives. Beverly Ann and Andy were definitely useless in season 9. They served no purpose. Pippa was treated very badly from the main 4. Every time she tried to be apart of the main 4's lives, they shut her out. Mrs. Garrett never did that to them so it was like they had forgotten what it was like to treat people equally. Season 9 is like season 1, a different show. Both very badly written.

That's a very interesting point of view i have to say and i agree with some of it, but not all:
Season 1 was very different from all the other seasons, but nevertheless still good to watch and entertaining: the show focuses on 7 girls with their own personalities, who spend time with each other despite the age gap between some of them. Also, they had that special relationship with the bubbly, middle aged housemother whose job was to guide them and look after them. Then came the headmaster and the main teacher (biology) in view and took part of this tight group of girls, guiding them in some sort of way. Overall, it felt like a real boarding school, and the whole cast like a big family.

Season 2-4, was the mega change the writers felt was needed: to introduce a 'poor Bronx gir'l to challenge the 'rich spoiled girl', and transform their relationship into 'frenemies' at first, and 'best friends' as they grow.
The 2 rebellious older girls get in trouble by stealing a van and faking IDs, and of course there is always going to be a younger cast/sister to tag along, and that's where 'gossipy' TOOTIE and 'boy crazy' NAT come to focus. There also has to be a 'mother figure' to finish adding the ingredients. MRS G, who then becomes the girl's confidante and best friend, but who also has a firm hand and strong influence in their lives.

Season 5-6, is another great change as the 2 older girls go to college and MRS G opens her own gourmet shop. Everything now focus on 'Edna's Edibles', and 'Eastland school for Girls' is now in the past.
Again, by moving with their 'surrogate mother' the 5 of them become a real family:
a fact that MRS G highlights in the very last episode of season 6, 'The interview show', where she tells the interviewer how important the girls have become to her, and how she cannot imagine life without them. It is also the last time we see them together as a family, and the ending of the ORIGINAL FACTS OF LIFE.

Season 7: USELESS is the word that comes in mind, and the addition of new characters was the dumbest idea ever!

Season 8: The show improves a little with the story lines between the now 'young adult' girls (especially the BLAIR/JO relationship), but gone was the warmth and heart of the show, our beloved MRS G...

Season 9: the only thing i liked about it, was the fact that BLAIR became the 'NEW MRS G', as headmaster of her old school, a job she did well in my opinion, but the new added characters didn't have the potential, nor the chemistry our first FOL 'lost girls' had...

The end.