Facts of life Reboot

[Khan]

 

Same here.  However, I can't blame the show's producers for that.  Charlotte Rae believed "the girls" had grown up and didn't need Mrs. G. around for advice like before.  (I, of course, disagree with the assessment, lol.)

 

 

Same here as well.  OTOH, I wouldn't have minded a spinoff where Jo, now married to Rick, balances her life as a newlywed with her continuing career as a teacher.  You'd have her "home life," with Rick, and maybe another married couple who are friends of theirs; and then you'd have her "work life," with several other teachers at the school.

[Fevuh]

I haven't read through the whole thread, but I watched FOL from the beginning.  Did anyone else like some of the other girls that were on during the first season, before they thinned the herd for season 2?  I liked some of the original girls...especially Cindy.  They kind of got rid of a tomboy only to bring on Jo (I loved Jo, but it seemed like they got rid of one tomboy - Cindy - just to bring on Jo).  And Nancy was kind of a Blair-like character so I guess they decided they only needed one.  

[John]

I liked them all and it bothered me that it seemed like that dorm was the entire school I wish it was more developed

[Soaplovers]

There was an episode where Blair was helping on a law case..and had to work with her former law professor.   Blair was the proto type for Elle Woods after all.

 

And Jo should have been in the proposed Eastland spin off as the Mrs G..

Not Blair 

[KMan101]

 

I liked them all too. I can see why they cut who they did and kept who they did but I LOVED Cindy. Sue Anne was just kind of there but I liked her too. I can kind of understand the appeal of a new character, ala Jo, but we already had a tomboy in Cindy. Maybe they had too many blondes? (Sue Anne, Blair, Cindy)

 

I also thought Nancy/Felice Schacter was kind of screwed over the most. I do like they kept her around for a few years and the other girls popped in and out but it was still a little sad. Imagine how they felt as the other girls got the focus?

 

I do agree Nancy and Blair were similar. Blair was more selfish and bitchy though, at least in the very beginning. 

 

I really have grown to love the first season and what it could have been. I guess I get the idea to focus on just a few but I think it could have continued to work.

[Khan]

 

The only other girl I liked from S1 -- aside from Blair, Natalie and Tootie -- was Molly.  From what I understand, too, Linda Marsh and Margie Peters wanted to include Molly in the S2 retool; however, Molly Ringwald was busy with other projects, so Marsh & Peters had to settle for one or two guest appearances.

[KMan101]

 

Agreed. Blair never made sense to me as the Head of Eastland. Jo did. But it has grown on me over the years and it's kind of amusing and it IS sort of a 'Blair' thing to do. Buy the school and save it. I didn't like how the other girls really didn't care about it though.

 

I can see why. She had star all over her. Gee, whatever happened to Molly Ringwald

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I was also irritated that when the girls came back much later in the series and it was all about how Jo felt left out. Lord.

[Khan]

 

That, IMO, was a perfect opportunity for Tootie to explain how, even though she had friends at Eastland, she never felt like she really belonged at the school, since there were so few African-American students there.

[KMan101]

 

Good point. I could have seen earlier FOL going there, but not Head over Heels Facts of Life. Weird, I know. Although to be fair, it wouldn't really ring true because they always made it seem as if Tootie was entirely accepted and she seemed to love Eastland. But it would have been a good point to bring up. I thought it was weird she was so dismissive.

[Khan]

 

Ideally, Blair, as the headmistress, could have hired Jo to work there as a teacher.

[KMan101]

 

Yep, true.

 

It could have been a solid spin off, maybe. The younger cast was talented and many went on to be much more famous and have success.

 

But I imagine Nancy was beyond ready to say "see ya!"

[Khan]

 

There's your answer.  They felt they had too many blondes.  Plus, Lisa Whelchel had made the biggest impression of the three.  Of course, when you play a "rich bitch" like Blair Warner, you can't help but make a strong impression, lol.

[KMan101]

 

lol all true! I can see why they picked who they did. I liked Cindy and Nancy a lot though, but with Blair and Jo, they weren't "needed". I remember hearing how Felice felt like she got the short end, for whatever reason. I can't remember all the specifics. And in the end I think it was her who probably popped up the most during the Eastland years.

[John]

From 2014

 

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[Khan]

 

I think so, too.  It seemed like she was itching to do more grown-up performances.  Hence, those spate of heavy, gripping made-for-TV flicks, like "The Nancy Thurman Story."