The Facts of Life Complete Series Jan 13th 2015 (1 Viewer)

[The Obsolete Man]

Yeah the reunion movie had Jo missing if I remember correctly.

Yep.

IIRC, Nancy McKeon was doing a Lifetime original series at the time... and I can't remember the name of it.

/that's another one of those lost, pre-DVD series I wouldn't mind seeing appear on disc.

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

Looks like during season 6 Paul Haggis was executive script consultant and wrote 11 eps of the shoe including episode Cruisin' Just found that trivia interesting.

 

[moviebuff75]

The reunion was a Disney tv movie (shown on "The Wonderful World of Disney" on ABC.) They probably still own it.

 

[bmasters9]

I watched the First Ep of Season 6 and the episode ends with the classic EMBASSY logo and then the SONY logo as it should be done. Love the classic Embassy logo

Believe it or not, that's exactly how I would like for Shout!'s No. 4 (1982-83) release of Hart to Hart to be done (CPT's 80s Coke Lady logo first, and then the Sony logo), being that No. 4 was one of the two seasons under CPT.

 

[classicmovieguy]

The Embassy logo was intact on Shout's Season 5 release as well. Great to see it.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Yeah the reunion movie had Jo missing if I remember correctly.

In the plot, Jo is missing because of a police assignment - pursuing a criminal in California, I think.

Just putting this out there - I don't believe a word of this personally but it must be mentioned, if only to highlight the sheer ridiculousness of it all...

There's been some BIZARRE speculation swirling for years that in fact Jo IS in the 2001 "Reunion" film... as a man. The scene at end end of the film, where Mrs G toasts Jo in her absence and mentions her "strength and courage" whilst looking at Jo's husband (who has come in her place) has been interpreted by fans as Jo having undergone a SEX CHANGE. How this conclusion has been reached I have NO IDEA.

 

[Dave Lawrence]

Yep.

IIRC, Nancy McKeon was doing a Lifetime original series at the time... and I can't remember the name of it.

/that's another one of those lost, pre-DVD series I wouldn't mind seeing appear on disc.

It was called The Division. She played a cop, so the FOL reunion movie was doing a wink to the audience by saying Jo couldn't be at the reunion because she was on a police assignment.

Side-note: As I recall, Nancy got her FOL dad, Alex Rocco, to also play her dad on The Division.

 

[classicmovieguy]

Also heard that Nancy McKeon originally requested to direct the "Reunion" film, and sketched out a plot outline that would have seen the girls reunite at Jo's funeral, like a "Big Chill"-type scenario.

 

[classictvfan40]

My copy came in the mail today!! Great picture!! And it is the song Ease on down the road that is the missing from one of the episodes.

 

[moviebuff75]

That's what I thought.

 

[classictvfan40]

if 227 and more seasons of Different Strokes get released there is an episode with Ease on down the road in them as well that will more than likely be edited out too.

 

[MatthewA]

Looks like there is a difference...

From Sitcoms Online's FoL S1 review...

[test][test]1. Rough Housing (23:03)
2. Like Mother, Like Daughter (24:18)
3. The Return of Mr. Garrett (23:37)
4. I.Q. (24:21)
5. Overachieving (23:47)
6. Emily Dickinson (24:19)[/test][/test]

So, Overacheiving (assuming that's still ep. 5) gained 30 seconds.

Looks like everything else on the old DVDs was over 24 minutes.

That means "Overachieving" is the uncut version. It's the episode where Tootie's father visits Eastland.

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

Almost near the of season 6 with the Gone with the Wind 2 part spring break episodes. I always heard About the character that lost her virginity first but I'd like th point out that Jo dated her teacher for what seemed like forever on an episode of season 6 and things got very serious and without drawing attention to it, no way I hell they didn't do it. It didn't need to be said but come one finally on the final season they have one of them lose their virginity.Watched the Last Drive in Movie, contains multiple clips of Whatever Happened To Baby Jane.

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

On season 7 just watched episode Doo-Wah which is a horribly bad episode. burning down Edna's edibles to open that store of junk haha was the worst move ever. sure we get George Clooney but he has nothing better to do then hang out.

 

[LeoA]

I also don't like how they redid the theme for that season for another downside to it. But I love the episode 'Tootie Drives' where she takes her road test in a hearse, so it's not all bad.

I love this show, but have never watched seasons 8 or 9 (Except for the opening episode of season 8). I wonder if there are any other fans that just stopped completely when Mrs Garrett left and Cloris Leachman replaced her (And there's a certain earlier episode that I've always intentionally avoided watching as well).

I have nothing against her and I'm sure that she's a fine actress, but I'm not a fan so I didn't even bother. The girl's growing up was a big enough of a problem for the show, but I just can't imagine it without Mrs. Garrett.

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

What episode did you avoid watching what season and title of episode ?

 

[LeoA]

I sent you a private message.

 

[Kasey]

I remember when the 7th-season opener aired in 1985 with the new, updated rock theme and I immediately felt that something was "off" with the show. I realize now it was the fact they no longer had the studio audience, the dreaded laugh track was added and there was that transitional music between scenes. The new locale didn't help either. Even though Mrs. Garrett was still there, I feel this was the beginning of the end. The show was rarely very funny anymore, whereas I used to laugh a lot during the Eastland years.

Actually I liked Season 8 better than Season 7. At least Beverly Ann added something new and different to a show that was becoming increasingly stale. That being said, I will be watching the later years of the set first because those are the episodes I've not seen since the '80s (and some of them I've seen only once). My favorite Seasons are 3 and 5. I thought S3 best represented the Eastland era, with all the bugs worked out and everything running on all cylinders and S5 worked suprisingly well with some great stories, writing and acting despite the new setting(s).

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

I was trying to figure out what was off about the show myself that season. I don't mind the theme so much but yeah the show is rarely funny but I still like watching it. Just kind of odd what some of the characters are doing and motivations etc. Just seems off. I also don't mind when Cloris Leachman joined.

I remember when the 7th-season opener aired in 1985 with the new, updated rock theme and I immediately felt that something was "off" with the show. I realize now it was the fact they no longer had the studio audience, the dreaded laugh track was added and there was that transitional music between scenes.

 

[Kasey]

I guess I feel the show had a kind of Norman Lear-vibe during the Eastland/Edibles era which I prefer over the generic-'80s-sitcom/Who'sTheBoss-GrowingPains feel it had when Over Our Heads began.