Learning about the Facts of Life - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Flash72 · 12-20-2000, 10:33 PM

Hello,
While I am new to this forum I am anything but new to the "Facts of Life" television series. I have been a fan off and on for 20 years now, the first episode that I recall seeing during its original run was the one where Eddie and Jo were going off to elope and end up in that motel.
Back during my teen years of the mid 80's the show was one of my favorites. My favorite locale was the "Edna's Edibles" shop, I just love the country look of the store and in my opinion many great episodes occurre during this time. My favorite episodes have to be, and I am not good with the exact episode titles, the one where Natalie makes the girls think Mrs. Garrett is possessed on Halloween by Grizzly Gertie, the episode where a girl at Eastland committed suicide; I thought this was a very well done and poignant show, the one where Natalie was attacked while dressed as Charlie Chaplin, the episode where the girls are arrested at the bar, thanks to fake ID's from Jo, the fire at Edna's Edibles,and one of the most memorable , the episode where Blair is in a bad car accident; her face is scarred badly and she has to deal with possibly losing the one thing that she has relied on for most of her life; her beauty.
I have not seen many of the 8th and 9th season episodes since they originally aired back in 1987-88. I also clearly remember where I was when the final "Facts of Life" episode aired in 1988, I was in a department store watching it on one of the store's television sets. I remember how disappointed I was that a show that I had watched for 8 years was going out not with a bang but with a whimper; I was hoping for so much but only received less.
I am glad to once again be interested in this show and that I have found other fans who like this series as much as I do.

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Flash72

Michele35 · 12-21-2000, 01:41 PM

I grew up in the early '80's too with the FOL girls. I remember watching the first season that was really not much about anything except a bunch of young girls about my age. I was a big fan through the Eastland years but missed many of the eps during the Edna's Edibles and Over Our Heads years because I was in college myself but am enjoying watching them now. Many of the episodes you referred to I recently enjoyed myself.

'FOL' is really one of my guilty pleasures right now as there are really no current sitcoms that I currently watch.

I agree this is a good board because of the wide age range of the old-time viewers like me and the new viewers who are catching FOL for the first time.

VicariousPeekskill · 12-22-2000, 12:28 AM

I was born in 1982, so a fair portion of FOL was "before my time". I did end up watching at least a few seaons, though. I have these snapshot memories of it, like a recurring dream. The one thing I always remembered (even once I'd come to terms with the facts I'd probably imagined the whole series) was the theme song. I'd suddenly get it in my head at school and wonder where it came from. I'm glad I had an early appreciation for the show, for now I can watch it on N@N and try to regain the television part of my childhood memories.

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"I have measured out my life in coffee spoons;"
T.S. Eliot, 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'

Jo-Po Rox · 12-22-2000, 01:40 AM

I was born in late 81. I started watching FOL reruns in mid October. I was just channel surfing and saw the girls at Eastland and said "Hey, I remember this!!!". Then I heard the theme song when the 2nd episode began and memories came to me. I had flashbacks of watching the reruns when I was like 9 or 10. I remember when I saw Mrs. Garrett for the first time (on NAN) in like 9 years or so and I was like "whoa!, I remember this show!". I didnt remember any of the names execpt for Blairs. For some reason the name "Blair Warner" stuck in my mind through out the years. Anyway, watching it took me back to my childhood. I grew up watching reruns of 80s shows like FOL, the Hogan family and Family Ties. Ah the memories :*(

JohnMcMillin · 12-22-2000, 01:55 AM

I was born in late 79. My first memories of FOL came during the first Edna's Edibles year (83-84) or maybe the season before that. Every weekday morning like at 11 or so, our NBC carrier would air FOL reruns, as well as the episodes that would air at night. And I remember watching the show with my sister all the time, and me and her (she's about the same age Lisa Whelchel is, while I was about 3-4 at the time) would dance to the theme song, and when the new episodes would come on, she would dance with me and sing "The Facts Of Life is on tonight" with the theme song. I still watched the show throughout the last season, even tho I didn't like it as much when Beverly Ann came on (even tho seeing them on NAN, I appreciated the 86-87 season much better and actually thought it was one of their better years, while as a 7 year old, I was too preoccupied about "When's Mrs. Garrett coming back?" than accepting Beverly Ann as her own person.

Ahhh, the memories of childhood.

80skid · 12-22-2000, 10:27 PM

Hi, I'm kinda new too! (dont ask me why; it's just a matter of 4getting many, many user names.. hehe) I was born in the late 80s around the time that Bev came on the show and Mrs. G left, but i remember sick days when USA aired it and wondering just what was FOL... til now!! i havent seen all eps, but i'm missing just about 15! hehe!

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Pippa: Won't you tell me now?
Blair: Tomorrow.
Jo: Rick...
Pippa: Rick?
Jo/Nat/Blair: Tomorrow, Pippa!

Natalie: A flashback within a flashback... I'm so brilliant it scares me!
Natalie: You thought she was the delivery boy? I was gonna ask her to the fall dance before I knew! [from my favorite ep, New girl part 1]
Jo: you're born, you grow, you die, hey that's life.

12-20-2000, 10:33 PM	#1
Flash72 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 17, 2000 Location: Alabama Posts: 310	Learning about the Facts of Life Hello, While I am new to this forum I am anything but new to the "Facts of Life" television series. I have been a fan off and on for 20 years now, the first episode that I recall seeing during its original run was the one where Eddie and Jo were going off to elope and end up in that motel. Back during my teen years of the mid 80's the show was one of my favorites. My favorite locale was the "Edna's Edibles" shop, I just love the country look of the store and in my opinion many great episodes occurre during this time. My favorite episodes have to be, and I am not good with the exact episode titles, the one where Natalie makes the girls think Mrs. Garrett is possessed on Halloween by Grizzly Gertie, the episode where a girl at Eastland committed suicide; I thought this was a very well done and poignant show, the one where Natalie was attacked while dressed as Charlie Chaplin, the episode where the girls are arrested at the bar, thanks to fake ID's from Jo, the fire at Edna's Edibles,and one of the most memorable , the episode where Blair is in a bad car accident; her face is scarred badly and she has to deal with possibly losing the one thing that she has relied on for most of her life; her beauty. I have not seen many of the 8th and 9th season episodes since they originally aired back in 1987-88. I also clearly remember where I was when the final "Facts of Life" episode aired in 1988, I was in a department store watching it on one of the store's television sets. I remember how disappointed I was that a show that I had watched for 8 years was going out not with a bang but with a whimper; I was hoping for so much but only received less. I am glad to once again be interested in this show and that I have found other fans who like this series as much as I do. ------------------ Flash72

12-21-2000, 01:41 PM	#2
Michele35 Jazz Girl Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 08, 2000 Location: Los Angeles,CA Posts: 804	I grew up in the early '80's too with the FOL girls. I remember watching the first season that was really not much about anything except a bunch of young girls about my age. I was a big fan through the Eastland years but missed many of the eps during the Edna's Edibles and Over Our Heads years because I was in college myself but am enjoying watching them now. Many of the episodes you referred to I recently enjoyed myself. 'FOL' is really one of my guilty pleasures right now as there are really no current sitcoms that I currently watch. I agree this is a good board because of the wide age range of the old-time viewers like me and the new viewers who are catching FOL for the first time.

12-22-2000, 12:28 AM	#3
VicariousPeekskill Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 17, 2000 Location: Oak Ridge, TN, USA Posts: 11	I was born in 1982, so a fair portion of FOL was "before my time". I did end up watching at least a few seaons, though. I have these snapshot memories of it, like a recurring dream. The one thing I always remembered (even once I'd come to terms with the facts I'd probably imagined the whole series) was the theme song. I'd suddenly get it in my head at school and wonder where it came from. I'm glad I had an early appreciation for the show, for now I can watch it on N@N and try to regain the television part of my childhood memories. ------------------ "I have measured out my life in coffee spoons;" T.S. Eliot, 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock'

12-22-2000, 01:40 AM	#4
Jo-Po Rox Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 17, 2000 Location: Bronx, NY, USA Posts: 171	I was born in late 81. I started watching FOL reruns in mid October. I was just channel surfing and saw the girls at Eastland and said "Hey, I remember this!!!". Then I heard the theme song when the 2nd episode began and memories came to me. I had flashbacks of watching the reruns when I was like 9 or 10. I remember when I saw Mrs. Garrett for the first time (on NAN) in like 9 years or so and I was like "whoa!, I remember this show!". I didnt remember any of the names execpt for Blairs. For some reason the name "Blair Warner" stuck in my mind through out the years. Anyway, watching it took me back to my childhood. I grew up watching reruns of 80s shows like FOL, the Hogan family and Family Ties. Ah the memories :*(

12-22-2000, 01:55 AM	#5
JohnMcMillin Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 29, 2000 Location: louisville, ky, USA Posts: 380	I was born in late 79. My first memories of FOL came during the first Edna's Edibles year (83-84) or maybe the season before that. Every weekday morning like at 11 or so, our NBC carrier would air FOL reruns, as well as the episodes that would air at night. And I remember watching the show with my sister all the time, and me and her (she's about the same age Lisa Whelchel is, while I was about 3-4 at the time) would dance to the theme song, and when the new episodes would come on, she would dance with me and sing "The Facts Of Life is on tonight" with the theme song. I still watched the show throughout the last season, even tho I didn't like it as much when Beverly Ann came on (even tho seeing them on NAN, I appreciated the 86-87 season much better and actually thought it was one of their better years, while as a 7 year old, I was too preoccupied about "When's Mrs. Garrett coming back?" than accepting Beverly Ann as her own person. Ahhh, the memories of childhood.

12-22-2000, 10:27 PM	#6
80skid smile :) Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 18, 2000 Posts: 971	Hi, I'm kinda new too! (dont ask me why; it's just a matter of 4getting many, many user names.. hehe) I was born in the late 80s around the time that Bev came on the show and Mrs. G left, but i remember sick days when USA aired it and wondering just what was FOL... til now!! i havent seen all eps, but i'm missing just about 15! hehe! ------------------ Pippa: Won't you tell me now? Blair: Tomorrow. Jo: Rick... Pippa: Rick? Jo/Nat/Blair: Tomorrow, Pippa! Natalie: A flashback within a flashback... I'm so brilliant it scares me! Natalie: You thought she was the delivery boy? I was gonna ask her to the fall dance before I knew! [from my favorite ep, New girl part 1] Jo: you're born, you grow, you die, hey that's life.