The Facts of Life (TV series): Difference between revisions

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Long-running [[Sitcom]] and [[Teen Drama]] (1979-1988) about the heartwarming adventures of a group of female students. Initially they were students at a boarding school. In later seasons, they went to college and beyond, but kept living together under the watchful eye of Mrs. Garrett, formerly of ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' (and, in later seasons, her [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute]] sister, played by Cloris Leachman).

During its first season, the show had a large ensemble of girls, including a very young Molly Ringwald. Starting with its second season, though, the show was [[retool]]ed. The mob was [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome|thinned down]] to four "core" girls, and almost nothing was ever seen again of their schoolmates.

During its first season, the show had a large ensemble of girls, including a very young [[Molly Ringwald]]. Starting with its second season, though, the show was [[retool]]ed. The mob was [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome|thinned down]] to four "core" girls, and almost nothing was ever seen again of their schoolmates.

The central girls after the first season were:

* Blair, the [[Rich Bitch]]

* Blair, the [[Rich Bitch]]/[[Alpha Bitch]]

* Funny Natalie

* [[Troubled but Cute]] Jo

* Tootie, the baby (who lost her trademark rollerskates as part of the retool)

The show aired long enough to use just about every [[Sitcom]] trope in existence, including Blair's [[Inspirationally Disadvantaged]] cousin ~~Gerri~~, who had cerebral palsy, and many [[Very Special Episode]]s. A [[Reunion Show|reunion movie]], featuring the entire cast except for Nancy McKeon's Jo, aired in 2001.

The show aired long enough to use just about every [[Sitcom]] trope in existence, including Blair's [[Inspirationally Disadvantaged]] cousin Geri, who had cerebral palsy, and many [[Very Special Episode]]s. A [[Reunion Show|reunion movie]], featuring the entire cast except for Nancy McKeon's Jo, aired in 2001.

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* [[Rube Goldberg Hates Your Guts]]: {{spoiler|Good thing it was [[All Just a Dream]], because the entire group died.}}

* [[Absentee Actor]]: All the cast (except Kim Fields) at one time or another, most notably in "The First Time"—the script originally called for Blair to lose her virginity, but Lisa Whelchel refused to be involved on religious grounds (see [[Hollywood Atheist]] below). As a result—in addition to this being the only episode of the entire series in which Blair/Lisa doesn't appear—it was rewritten so that the Eastland girl to become a woman was {{spoiler|Natalie}}.

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* [[Chain Letter]]

* [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome]]: The other students and faculty from season one were never seen again.

** Actually, while that's true for the faculty, the ousted girls continued on in recurring roles through the third season before being phased out. And then they, minus Molly Ringwald, who was famous by this point, made a guest appearance towards the end of the series.

** Actually, while that's true for the faculty, the ousted girls continued on in recurring roles through the third season before being phased out. And then they, minus [[Molly Ringwald]], who was famous by this point, made a guest appearance towards the end of the series.

* [[Clip Show]]: Several of them.

* [[Cousin Oliver]]: Andy, the foster kid, and Pippa, the Australian exchange student.

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* [[Do-It-Yourself Theme Tune]]: Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett) provided vocals for the Season 1 theme.

* [[Don't You Dare Pity Me!]]: Jo reacts with hostility every time someone attempts to take pity on her due to her poor upbringing.

* [[Chick Magnet|Dude Magnet]]: Natalie in particular tended to have a ''lot'' of boyfriends during the show's run.

* [[Chick Magnet|Dude Magnet]]: Natalie in particular tended to have a ''lot'' of boyfriends during the show's run. This was an interesting development, given that she was the least conventionally attractive girl of the core cast.

* [[The Eighties]]: Pretty much one of the definitive shows of the 1980's, so it's impossible to avoid 80's nostalgia and/or horror.

* [[Eighties Hair]]: And how. Started out okay, but we ended up with more poof than a Whitesnake concert. There were mullets. On women.

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* [[Intrepid Reporter]]: Natalie aspires to become a journalist. Many episodes feature her talking about her latest scoop.

** Jo was this until her big scoop {{spoiler|got her journalism teacher fired}}.

* [[Lampshade Hanging]]: Done in a late season episode when Tootie digs up and shows off the ~~rollerskates~~ that were her trademark in the first season. It also occurs in the reunion movie when Natalie's fiance expresses doubt that Mrs. Garrett can pull Thanksgiving dinner together:

* [[Lampshade Hanging]]: Done in a late season episode when Tootie digs up and shows off the roller skates that were her trademark in the first season. It also occurs in the reunion movie when Natalie's fiance expresses doubt that Mrs. Garrett can pull Thanksgiving dinner together:

{{quote|'''Natalie:''' Mrs. G. can do anything.

'''Tootie/Dorothy:''' Didn't you watch our show?}}

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* [[Parental Substitute]]: Mrs. Garrett serves as this to most of the girls. Her sister Beverly Ann fills this role when Mrs. Garrett leaves the show, but to a lesser extent.

* [[Perpetual Poverty]]: Much is made of Jo's poverty for most of the show.

** When a later episode attempted to give the Polniacseks an incredible financial windfall, Nancy ~~Mckeon~~ nearly quit over the idea that Jo would suddenly become rich. The writers decided to make it just a temporary situation, so that by the end of the episode everything was back to normal (though Jo insisted on keeping the fancy motorcycle helmet her dad bought her).

** When a later episode attempted to give the Polniacseks an incredible financial windfall, Nancy McKeon nearly quit over the idea that Jo would suddenly become rich. The writers decided to make it just a temporary situation, so that by the end of the episode [[Reset Button|everything was back to normal]] (though Jo insisted on keeping the fancy motorcycle helmet her dad bought her).

* [[Poorly-Disguised Pilot]]: Several, including one featuring Tootie's aunt and uncle, and another at the end of the series setting up Blair as the new headmistress of the school. In addition, the show itself started as a [[Poorly-Disguised Pilot]].

** In fact, there were no fewer than ''six'' attempted ~~spinoffs~~ over the course of the show: beyond the aforementioned ones featuring Tootie's mixed-marriage aunt and uncle ("Brian and Sylvia") and Blair as a headmistress ("The Beginning of the End"), there was "The Academy" (about four military academy guys who were pretty much the girls' male alter egos), "Jo's Cousin" (which is self-explanatory), "Rumor Has It" (featuring Blair's law professor), and "Big Apple Blues" (in which Natalie joins up with a bunch of wacky ~~twentysomethings~~ trying to make it in New York City). Not a single one of these turned into a series.

** In fact, there were no fewer than ''six'' attempted [[Spin-Off]]s over the course of the show: beyond the aforementioned ones featuring Tootie's mixed-marriage aunt and uncle ("Brian and Sylvia") and Blair as a headmistress ("The Beginning of the End"), there was "The Academy" (about four military academy guys who were pretty much the girls' male alter egos), "Jo's Cousin" (which is self-explanatory), "Rumor Has It" (featuring Blair's law professor), and "Big Apple Blues" (in which Natalie joins up with a bunch of wacky twenty-somethings trying to make it in New York City). Not a single one of these turned into a series.

* [[Pretty in Mink]]: Blair possesses about a zoo's worth of fur coats.

* [[Prince Charming]]: Blair's steady boyfriend Cliff is a modern version of this, but she ends up falling out of love with him for an unknown reason and calls the relationship off.

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* [[The Rival]]: Blair and Jo are this to each other.

** Also the [[Driven to Suicide|ill-fated]] Cynthia character in [[Very Special Episode|"Breaking Point"]] is this to Blair; she's more intelligent, more attractive, more worldly, more popular, and more fluent in French.

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* [[Rube Goldberg Hates Your Guts]]: ~~Would you believe ''this'' is the [[Trope Namer]]?~~ {{spoiler|Good thing it was [[All Just a Dream]], because the entire group died.}}

* [[Shoot the Money]]

* [[Shout-Out]]: In a nod to George Clooney, the reunion movie stated that George the handyman left to pursue an acting career in Hollywood.

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* [[Stalker with a Crush]]: Roy has a crush on Jo, although this is a comedic version of the trope. Still creepy.

* [[The Stool Pigeon]]: This was Tootie's primary function for the early seasons, and she retains it to a lesser extent as an adult. Combine her with Natalie and you get [[Gossipy Hens]].

* [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute]]: Beverly Ann, who replaces Mrs. Garret as the girl's ~~denmother~~/landlady.

* [[Suspiciously Similar Substitute]]: Beverly Ann, who replaces Mrs. Garret as the girl's den mother/landlady.

* [[Team Mom]]: Mrs. Garret.

* [[Their First Time]]: One popular episode in a later season involved Natalie choosing to have sex with her boyfriend for the first time.