Facts of life Reboot

[Khan]

 

My problem w/ the spinoff attempt -- and why I think it ultimately failed -- was in their hiring Sam Behrens to play Wes Mitchell, a professor at Eastland.  I see what Austin and Irma Kalish were setting up there: the professor vs. the headmistress, with two vastly different personalities, who clash repeatedly over molding the young minds at (the now co-ed) Eastland School, but always with a layer of romantic and sexual chemistry underneath.  But I feel like the casting for that integral role (as Blair's sparring partner/potential love interest) was all wrong.

 

Add to that the fact that, just like before, there were too many kids running around, with none (not even Juliette Lewis) really standing out from the pack, and I could see why NBC passed.

[Vee]

I think the ODAAT formula and themes are the same - single mother making her way with kids, which Lear insisted on updating - but they've deepened considerably with the current sociopolitical climate, the Latin American angle, etc.

[Soaplovers]

 

That's why I said early that having Blair working at a law office while going to law school would have been a better idea for a spin-off (if they wanted to spin Blair off).  I liked the Peeksill Law episode.. and as I said before... Elle Woods from Legally Blonde was Blair Warner for the turn of the century.

 

If they were going to do an Eastland spin-off... Jo would have been more logical since she was a teacher.. I could have seen her deciding to work there as a teacher/house mother, etc... more so then Blair.

[Vee]

I assume it'll be a full reboot a la ODAAT, keeping the themes and premise and maybe the school. Which is fine. But it'd also be very easy to do all of that as a 'soft' reboot/revival, while having some of the old stars appear as their old characters visiting the school. FOL may annoy the hell out of me but its concept is timeless.

[Faulkner]

Charlotte Rae of the original cast has died.

https://people.com/tv/charlotte-rae-obituary/amp/#click=https://t.co/Nq7znq11TD

[mango]

Oh no

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  I didn't realize she had cancer. Thanks for everything, Charlotte. Mrs. G was such a special part of my childhood. I can just hear her saying, "Girls! Girls!"

 

How wonderful that she and the girls reunited at a number of events over the past few years. 

 

Getting an error message when trying to embed social media posts, but some lovely tributes from Kim and Mindy.

 

 

[All My Shadows]

Heartbreaking. I was going to ask if she was even active enough to appear as a guest in a new FOL.

As Mrs. Garrett, she provided the perfect amount of maternal instinct alongside the wisdom to let the girls live their lives and make their mistakes so that they'd learn from them. She was a wonderful actress and will be missed.

[DramatistDreamer]

I remember reading/hearing about her health diagnosis some time ago but when you see the person cracking jokes and having good humor, it is easy to forget that she was dealing with an illness.

I hope she is at peace.  She seemed genuinely nice and of a great disposition.

[Vee]

Sure, I joked about assassinating her no more than a day ago, but Charlotte Rae was a gay (and TV) icon. RIP.

 

 

[DRW50]

Wow. I was just talking about how she should be on the reboot. She's one of those people I thought would be around forever. 

 

RIP Charlotte. 

 

This is so sad:

 

https://twitter.com/ToddBridges/status/1026302504621887489

[ReddFoxx]

This one hit me hard like Florence Henderson's passing did. It's always really sad when the icons go.

[Khan]

"Mrs. Garrett" being gone is just...it's inconceivable to me.  It truly is like losing a dear friend or family member.

 

RIP Ms. Rae.

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[SoapDope]

RIP Mrs. G. She was a part of my childhood. 

[victoria foxton]

https://metv.com/stories/rip-charlotte-rae-mrs-garrett-of-the-facts-of-life

[DramatistDreamer]