Facts of Life myths - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

80s Dude · 11-28-2021, 10:30 AM

What are the myths that you heard or know about Facts of Life?

I have a couple.

Myth #1: Jo saved the show.
Fact: Ratings went up during the summer reruns to the top 30 before anyone knew who Jo or Nancy McKeon joined the show. During the show's run it usually placed in the 20 to 30 place among ratings. Rarely was in the Top 20, let alone the Top 10. This was not Cheers, All in the Family, Alice.

Myth #2: The Facts of Life was a family friendly wholesome show.
Fact: If the show was so wholesome, then why were quite a few episodes banned in syndication in the early years?

RetroGuy2000 · 11-28-2021, 01:36 PM

Myth #3: NBC exec Brandon Tartikoff spotted Nancy McKeon in a Hallmark commercial. Yes, she did appear in the Hallmark commercial, but she had already done guest appearances on several shows.

FOL-FAN-ITA · 11-28-2021, 05:34 PM

The "Jo saved FOL" theory is ridiculous. Without a doubt Jo was a great addition to the cast, we can't deny Nancy McKeon is a talented actress, but what saved the show in my opinion was the change of writers and the new timeslot, right after Diff'rent Strokes.

80s Dude · 11-28-2021, 06:34 PM

Myth #4: Julie Anne Haddock was a girlly girl and nothing like a tomboy. Fact: Julie Anne says otherwise.

RetroGuy2000 · 11-28-2021, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

The "Jo saved FOL" theory is ridiculous. Without a doubt Jo was a great addition to the cast, we can't deny Nancy McKeon is a talented actress, but what saved the show in my opinion was the change of writers and the new timeslot, right after Diff'rent Strokes.

Yep. A different timeslot brought the show considerable ratings: the difference was night and day.

It's harder to directly measure the effect of different writers, but having actual women write episodes about girls (okay, "women", Molly!) clearly had an effect.

80s Dude · 11-29-2021, 09:07 AM

Myth #5: Molly Ringwald left Facts of Life to pursue her movie career. Fact: Molly didn't start doing movies until a year after she quit Facts of Life. She was doing California Raisins commercials and singing in her father's band. This was a spin put forward by the producers because they didn't want to explain how they failed to recognize the talents of one of the biggest 80s stars. Unfortunately for them, fact checks have become available on the internet which was in it's infancy when they put out this spin.

FOL-FAN-ITA · 11-29-2021, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yep. A different timeslot brought the show considerable ratings: the difference was night and day.

It's harder to directly measure the effect of different writers, but having actual women write episodes about girls (okay, "women", Molly!) clearly had an effect.

It should have been right after its parent show from the beginning. How do you expect to gain an audience for a spin off if its originator airs on another night? But I guess NBC was in such a hurry for a hit show that they didn't reflect on this.

Having female writers helped the show too. I don't think the older writers from season 1 were so bad ("I.Q." and "The Return of Mr. Garrett" had a really good writing) but getting a girls perspective for an all female cast helped the characters coming to life in a better way

valentina warner · 11-29-2021, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

It should have been right after its parent show from the beginning. How do you expect to gain an audience for a spin off if its originator airs on another night? But I guess NBC was in such a hurry for a hit show that they didn't reflect on this.

Having female writers helped the show too. I don't think the older writers from season 1 were so bad ("I.Q." and "The Return of Mr. Garrett" had a really good writing) but getting a girls perspective for an all female cast helped the characters coming to life in a better way

The writers from the early seasons were excellent! (the ones from the later seasons on the other hand were crap, changing characters by converting them in PODS lol!)

80s Dude · 11-29-2021, 09:39 PM

Myth #6: Jenny O'Hara was fired. Facts: She quit after a clash with Charlotte.

'80sSitcoms · 11-30-2021, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Myth #6: Jenny O'Hara was fired. Facts: She quit after a clash with Charlotte.

And just to specify, it wasn't an actual fight or anything, just personality differences---that, and the fact that Jenny saw the "writing" on the wall (ha) that the "writing" for her character wasn't going to go any further. It was a "fact of life" for her!

FOL-FAN-ITA · 11-30-2021, 05:45 PM

Myth #7: Kimberly was a student at Eastland.
Facts: Where's Kimberly?

'80sSitcoms · 11-30-2021, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

Myth #7: Kimberly was a student at Eastland.
Facts: Where's Kimberly?

Well she was for the first few years of FOL. We just never saw her on screen! lol

FOL-FAN-ITA · 11-30-2021, 05:56 PM

I would have loved a Kimberly vs. Blair scene

.

Lorimar Television · 11-30-2021, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOL-FAN-ITA

I would have loved a Kimberly vs. Blair scene

.

Yeah it was apparent in TGS that she didn’t like Blair

RetroGuy2000 · 11-30-2021, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Yeah it was apparent in TGS that she didn’t like Blair

And yet, they hung out together in "The Older Man".

11-28-2021, 10:30 AM	#1
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,811	Facts of Life myths What are the myths that you heard or know about Facts of Life? I have a couple. Myth #1: Jo saved the show. Fact: Ratings went up during the summer reruns to the top 30 before anyone knew who Jo or Nancy McKeon joined the show. During the show's run it usually placed in the 20 to 30 place among ratings. Rarely was in the Top 20, let alone the Top 10. This was not Cheers, All in the Family, Alice. Myth #2: The Facts of Life was a family friendly wholesome show. Fact: If the show was so wholesome, then why were quite a few episodes banned in syndication in the early years?

11-28-2021, 01:36 PM	#2
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Myth #3: NBC exec Brandon Tartikoff spotted Nancy McKeon in a Hallmark commercial. Yes, she did appear in the Hallmark commercial, but she had already done guest appearances on several shows.
	__________________ The Facts of Life's "Lost Girls" Tribute to Julie Piekarski, Eastland Girl Join "The Group", Sitcoms Online's Facts of Life group!

11-28-2021, 05:34 PM	#3
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	The "Jo saved FOL" theory is ridiculous. Without a doubt Jo was a great addition to the cast, we can't deny Nancy McKeon is a talented actress, but what saved the show in my opinion was the change of writers and the new timeslot, right after Diff'rent Strokes.
	__________________ The Facts Of Life Italian Fan

11-28-2021, 06:34 PM	#4
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,811	Myth #4: Julie Anne Haddock was a girlly girl and nothing like a tomboy. Fact: Julie Anne says otherwise.

11-29-2021, 09:07 AM	#6
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,811	Myth #5: Molly Ringwald left Facts of Life to pursue her movie career. Fact: Molly didn't start doing movies until a year after she quit Facts of Life. She was doing California Raisins commercials and singing in her father's band. This was a spin put forward by the producers because they didn't want to explain how they failed to recognize the talents of one of the biggest 80s stars. Unfortunately for them, fact checks have become available on the internet which was in it's infancy when they put out this spin.

11-29-2021, 09:39 PM	#9
80s Dude Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 24, 2019 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,811	Myth #6: Jenny O'Hara was fired. Facts: She quit after a clash with Charlotte.

11-30-2021, 05:45 PM	#11
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	Myth #7: Kimberly was a student at Eastland. Facts: Where's Kimberly?

11-30-2021, 05:56 PM	#13
FOL-FAN-ITA Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2019 Location: Italy Posts: 1,473	I would have loved a Kimberly vs. Blair scene .