Least Favorite Episodes: You Take The Bad

[Maherjunkie]

Pippa no prize.

[CeeBeeGee]

18 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

I liked Princess Alex. Yeah, she had her moments in her first episode but Blair kept putting her down. I thought she was nicer in her following episodes. She even ended up liking Roy(!) which got him off Jo's back.

I loved the idea of Alex--she had great potential (although her northeast accent sounded VERY out of place for an Italian princess, even if she was half-American). But as with the Japanese student (can't remember her name but Lauren Tom played her), she had her one, introductory episode that actually had depth and then she was reduced to one or two lame jokes in the occasional episode. (Now that I think about it, that's pretty much what happened to Cousin Geri as well.)

But Alex's introductory episode was great--she looked absolutely crushed, but still trying to hide it, when the majordomo (or whoever Alfonso was) announced her parents wouldn't be coming after all. And I loved that conversation in the dorm with the guy. "I hate the place where they stuck me, it's like a military school. [beat] It is a military school."

[Snow Apple]

3 hours ago, CeeBeeGee said:

I loved the idea of Alex--she had great potential (although her northeast accent sounded VERY out of place for an Italian princess, even if she was half-American). But as with the Japanese student (can't remember her name but Lauren Tom played her), she had her one, introductory episode that actually had depth and then she was reduced to one or two lame jokes in the occasional episode. (Now that I think about it, that's pretty much what happened to Cousin Geri as well.)

But Alex's introductory episode was great--she looked absolutely crushed, but still trying to hide it, when the majordomo (or whoever Alfonso was) announced her parents wouldn't be coming after all. And I loved that conversation in the dorm with the guy. "I hate the place where they stuck me, it's like a military school. [beat] It is a military school."

Yeah. Back in the day, I had expected her to have a bigger role in following episodes too. Too bad. I've always liked Heather McAdams. Like Tammy Lauren, she's sure sticks out of a crowd but sadly never made it big (maybe they don't want to).

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎5‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 2:39 PM, Maherjunkie said:

You mean Alex?

I thought her name was Piper. Who bought the pineapples instead of "pie apples" for Mrs Garret?

[CeeBeeGee]

4 hours ago, Ubiquitous said:

I thought her name was Piper. Who bought the pineapples instead of "pie apples" for Mrs Garret?

No, she was Princess Alexandra Lamberti (and yes, she did bring the pineapples for Mrs. G when she was trying to help her prepare for graduation). Pippa was another character, much later in the run.

[mmecorday]

The episode where Jo, Blair and Natalie decide to smuggle some alcohol into their room (because they weren't in trouble enough already) was on yesterday. Tootie objects and wants to turn them in, but they bully her into remaining silent and they take their booze down to the laundry room and had what must have been an AWESOME party, what, with two cans of beer and a $30 bottle of wine. Tootie decides to be cool too and drinks a bottle of wine that was left behind. She wanders downstairs to the kitchen where Mrs. G is meeting with the headmaster about the school cafeteria budget. Busted! She of course gets sick and learns her lesson. The other girls learn their lesson as well. Natalie realizes pineapple and maraschino cherries really don't pair well with wine, Blair learns not to let Natalie handle expensive wine because she spill stuff and Jo's two beers weren't all that good.

The other one I watched was about Natalie being attacked on her way home from a costume party (she was dressed as Charlie Chaplin.) The other Eastland girls take a self defense class taught by some jackass who tells the girls they can avoid getting assaulted by not acting like a victim. So when they're walking alone at night, they just need to look tough and they'll be all right. So I guess the next time I'm walking alone at night, I'll carry mace with me. Not the stuff in a can, but an actual iron mace.

[qtpye]

On Monday, September 25, 2017 at 2:14 PM, mmecorday said:

The episode where Jo, Blair and Natalie decide to smuggle some alcohol into their room (because they weren't in trouble enough already) was on yesterday. Tootie objects and wants to turn them in, but they bully her into remaining silent and they take their booze down to the laundry room and had what must have been an AWESOME party, what, with two cans of beer and a $30 bottle of wine. Tootie decides to be cool too and drinks a bottle of wine that was left behind. She wanders downstairs to the kitchen where Mrs. G is meeting with the headmaster about the school cafeteria budget. Busted! She of course gets sick and learns her lesson. The other girls learn their lesson as well. Natalie realizes pineapple and maraschino cherries really don't pair well with wine, Blair learns not to let Natalie handle expensive wine because she spill stuff and Jo's two beers weren't all that good.

The other one I watched was about Natalie being attacked on her way home from a costume party (she was dressed as Charlie Chaplin.) The other Eastland girls take a self defense class taught by some jackass who tells the girls they can avoid getting assaulted by not acting like a victim. So when they're walking alone at night, they just need to look tough and they'll be all right. So I guess the next time I'm walking alone at night, I'll carry mace with me. Not the stuff in a can, but an actual iron mace.

Makes you also wonder how dressing up like Charlie Chaplin equates to actinglike a victim.

Hey, she has a fondness for silent film stars...let's get her.

[ivygirl]

9 hours ago, qtpye said:

Makes you also wonder how dressing up like Charlie Chaplin equates to actinglike a victim.

Hey, she has a fondness for silent film stars...let's get her.

Well, he WAS known for playing the "little tramp"...

[GHScorpiosRule]

On 12/24/2015 at 3:48 PM, ivygirl said:

I got the DVD set and I'm watching "Less than Perfect," a ninth-season episode I don't recall seeing at all.

The premise: After driving her boyfriend Casey home, Blair falls asleep at the wheel and ends up in a nasty accident.

She's in the hospital freaked out about her looks (understandable, especially because it's Blair). But the whole thing has a forced maudlin VSE feel to it, and it's not very enjoyable to watch.

Also, I don't buy Casey as her type. His personality and style don't seem like that of someone she'd be attracted to. I guess the writers thought it'd show the "evolution" of Blair's character, but it wasn't all that believable.

Oh I remember that one from the original airing. How Blair was clutching her pearls because she’d be “scarred” and not perfect anymore. I HATED Casey. Ben was the best boyfriend this show had; though I liked Cliff too. Then after the surgery-we never saw her “scar” again. 

At least the show is now airing on MeTV now, and that network does the least editing.

[psychoticstate]

I have the box set of the entire series and recently finished watching the series.  

First, the show really fell apart in the later seasons, especially the last two.  Nothing against Cloris Leachman, but it simply wasn't the same without Mrs. Garrett.  After the writers had Edna's Edibles destroyed and a few episodes of "Over Our Heads," they didn't even pretend that the "girls" were working in the store any longer.  (I also noticed during the Edibles burning down episodes that there was apparently a bakery across the street.  Huh?  And this bakery was never mentioned by Mrs. Garrett or the girls or was an issue for business in a small town?) 

I loved Michael Damian from his Young & the Restless years so I appreciate the episodes he appeared in.  However . . . what in the fuckity fuck was Jo wearing during those Florida episodes?  Oompa Loompa reject wear?  Seriously, she looked like a cherry Jelly Belly.  Nancy is gorgeous so this was inexcusable.  

A damn shame we never saw Ben again.  He was perfect in an opposites attract way for Blair.  Like @GHScorpiosRule and @ivygirl, I never bought Casey as Blair's type.  Too different and no chemistry.  And his hair was crazy, even for the 80s.  

I had forgotten how little we really saw Rick before he and Jo got married and that he left to tour the day after their wedding.  I am happily amazed that at least they didn't get married at the Facts house, since that was the scene of Mrs. Garrett's aborted marriage and Jo's previous marriage-for-citizenship.   And of course Jo's bridesmaids were Blair, Natalie and Tootie; she didn't know anyone else.  Guess her cousins from that horrible episode earlier in the show couldn't make it.

Blair going to law school was Legally Blonde before Legally Blonde.  It was really an insult to suggest that Blair could cram for an LSAT the night before the test and pass.  Um, okay.

I did appreciate that Natalie didn't go right to college after high school and I thought the episode where she and Snake had sex for the first time was well done.  It was good that it was Snake who started backing off and yet Natalie still didn't regret her decision.  I did think it was a bit ridiculous to have Beverly Ann freaking out about it, given that Natalie was 21.  Of course it was also unrealistic that ALL of the "girls", who were 20, 21 and 23/24 at the time, were virgins  - - but they were sharing a room, so there's that. 

The end of the series was a horrible letdown.  Blair becoming headmistress of a now co-ed Eastland?  UGH, UGH, UGH.  Horrible, horrible, horrible.   Every character was a cliche and some of the actors were terrible.  Tragic that it went out on such a low note.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

13 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

I loved Michael Damian from his Young & the Restless years so I appreciate the episodes he appeared in.  However . . . what in the fuckity fuck was Jo wearing during those Florida episodes?  Oompa Loompa reject wear?  Seriously, she looked like a cherry Jelly Belly.  Nancy is gorgeous so this was inexcusable.  

I KNOW!!! I mentioned something similar in the general episodes thread how Nancy/Jo seemed to made to look more...tomboyish as not to take away from Lisa/Blair's "beauty." Because I think Nancy is gorgeous and her beauty more natural. Those sparkling eyes. So expressive. Good thing my face and lips are still numb from novocaine (dentist, 'nuff said), and wasn't drinking anything, because I would have snorted it out at your "Oompa Loompa reject" comment!!

13 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

The end of the series was a horrible letdown.  Blair becoming headmistress of a now co-ed Eastland?  UGH, UGH, UGH.  Horrible, horrible, horrible.   Every character was a cliche and some of the actors were terrible.  Tragic that it went out on such a low note.  

God. I'm so not looking forward to this.  And in what world is law school only two years? Did Blair take a speed/accelerated course?

And now another tangent and something that just went over my head when it first aired. "I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can," where Jo and Blair take Mrs. Garrett to that strip club, where it turns out Cliff, Blair's new boyfriend, is a stripper. OH, the HORROR! The way Blair was going on and on and ON, you would think he was a male prostitute. And she even threw that in his face. That how is she to believe he only strips and dances??? But Jo was the biggest disappointment. At first I thought she was being sarcastic, calling Cliff a dirtbag, what with him being a stripper and a liar, etc. And she was more incensed than Blair was when Blair was having second thoughts about breaking up with him. Did they equate male strippers as prostitutes back then? I was just entering my teens, so I don't know. But I can never look at that actor who played Cliff in the same way again, as he was the major rapist (of the gang rape) of Jody Foster's character in The Accused.

25 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

A damn shame we never saw Ben again.  He was perfect in an opposites attract way for Blair.

I remember when he was on Star Search! Then he showed up here, and ironically, ended up, after a bit part on Law & Order (mothership), as a junk bond whatever on Wall Street, as a recast of somebody on As the World Turns. This show had a LOT of Soap Alumni; or actors who went on to soaps.

[Snow Apple]

On 11/28/2017 at 1:57 PM, psychoticstate said:

IFirst, the show really fell apart in the later seasons, especially the last two.  Nothing against Cloris Leachman, but it simply wasn't the same without Mrs. Garrett.  After the writers had Edna's Edibles destroyed and a few episodes of "Over Our Heads," they didn't even pretend that the "girls" were working in the store any longer.  (I also noticed during the Edibles burning down episodes that there was apparently a bakery across the street.  Huh?  And this bakery was never mentioned by Mrs. Garrett or the girls or was an issue for business in a small town?) 

 

There was an episode where a rival stole Mrs. Garrett's recipes and the girls found them in his dumpster. Maybe that's the bakery?

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

There was an episode where a rival stole Mrs. Garrett's recipes and the girls found them in his dumpster. Maybe that's the bakery?

Yep and it was before the shop burned. The store had been losing business and Jo was trying to cut costs.  And it was on tonight. And it turned out he’d been stealing Mrs. Garrett’s recipes from her computer and selling them at half price. Of course the girls didn’t learn that until Tootie came in from looking through Pete’s trash.  Mrs. Garrett had gone over to reason with him because he’d filed charges against her for computer tampering-Jo had accidentally deleted his files when messing with his computer. Dude was a horrible cook and a shyster. With his broad Southern Accent and making a habit of stealing from competitors to run them out of business. Jo and seeing Larry Wilmore (with HAIR!?) as the neighborhood cop, were the only good things about this episode. “Store Games” was the name of the episode. And Blair was SO STUPID AND GULLIBLE. How she let obvious insincere flattery fool her into revealing Mrs. Garrett’s secrets, is beyond me.

Edited November 30, 2017 by GHScorpiosRule

[SnarkySheep]

On 11/28/2017 at 2:57 PM, psychoticstate said:

Of course it was also unrealistic that ALL of the "girls", who were 20, 21 and 23/24 at the time, were virgins  - - but they were sharing a room, so there's that. 

I had my doubts about Jo from a young age, given that serious boyfriend of hers from when she still lived in the Bronx -- forgot his name, but he joined the Navy later? -- and that professor she was dating later, the one who was widowed with a little boy.

The fact that she didn't marry that professor (and IMO, were it RL, she totally would have) still sticks in my craw. But of course, Jo couldn't be married without changing the whole dynamic, so TPTB had her break up with him for some ridiculous reason and he was never mentioned again.

[GHScorpiosRule]

4 minutes ago, SnarkySheep said:

I had my doubts about Jo from a young age, given that serious boyfriend of hers from when she still lived in the Bronx -- forgot his name, but he joined the Navy later? -- 

Eddie. And when he showed up again, he was married and didn’t tell her.??

[Snow Apple]

23 minutes ago, SnarkySheep said:

I had my doubts about Jo from a young age, given that serious boyfriend of hers from when she still lived in the Bronx -- forgot his name, but he joined the Navy later? -- 

His name was Eddie. I'm not sure about the two of them since they were really young and it seemed like that night when they ran away was to be their first time. 

However, Jo has been in serious relationships since Eddie. Blair was serious with Cliff and was almost engaged, and Tootie was engaged to Jeff by that episode. I said this before, but even when I saw this in it's first run, I was shocked to hear they were all suppose to be virgins. I never expect to hear details, but I just assumed it's one of those "off-stage" things.

I guess I was shocked and a bit dis-believing because they never talked about being against sex before marriage. Like in the episode during the Eastland years when the older girls wanted to set Tootie up with a guy during the camping trip with the boy's school and Tootie was scared because she knows what goes on during those camping trips. Or how Blair was surprised Cousin Geri say's she's been with men before, but she's only surprised that Geri dates; not because she disapproves what Geri hinted at.

Edited December 2, 2017 by Snow Apple

[GHScorpiosRule]

GUYS!!!!!! That horrid, horrid episode "Next Door" was on last night! Yep, the one with Jean Smart as the single mother, who worked at a factory so as not to go on welfare and support her child. And what does Tootie, with the two parents as lawyers who can afford to send her to prep school Eastland do? Bitch at her and tell her she's an awful, awful mother because she's not at home, cooking, and taking care of her son, like a good mother would. Oh, does this mean Tootie wishes her mother didn't work? Wasn't a lawyer? That she didn't attend Eastland, so she could be at home with Mommy? STFU, TOOTIE. You're in NO position to judge anyone, with your privilege and NON-EXPERIENCE.

Only a third into the fifth season and I can't recall if there are more of these types of episodes that I have to suffer through.

And since when is Jo an incompetent at fixing boilers and such?

And I was I supposed to "tee-hee" and "hahahaha" at Blair grabbing all of her clothes as her "one important thing" when they thought the place would blow up? I think one of the better ones is coming up, right? The one where Jo is in charge of something? And I remember her one line about "What if I like Duran Duran and they want to hear Oingo Boingo?" or something like that? It made me laugh, because I was a HUGE Duran Duran fan and was overjoyed that my fave Jo was too!

[GHScorpiosRule]

I really don't like the episode in the second season, where that jerk, Fred, tries to brainwash Tootie into thinking she's just a token, and needs to just hang out with Black people and have Black friends; to the point where she tells Karl, her White friend and dance partner, she can't dance with him anymore because he's not Black.

It was uncomfortable to watch as an adult. And Tootie's sudden bitterness and anger just came out of nowhere. UGH.

[Snow Apple]

I hated that kid too, but I didn't mind the episode much. I laughed at the part where Jo made the comment about not caring if their ice cream was chocolate or vanilla. Also how Tootie's new friends were black versions of the main girls and the one girl was cute and funny when she said "you're from Detroit too?" And then the other girl said she's from Jamaica. 

Funny that I can't remember details about shows I watched last week but can remember all my childhood shows.

[GHScorpiosRule]

So, instead of continuing season 8 on Sundays, MeTV aired a season three and four episode, I'm assuming because it's Black History Month. The first was when Blair learns her maternal grandfather was a member of the Ku Klux Klan and against desegregation.  The way this episode was written, I don't know if it was the ignorance of the writers or writing Blair as ignorant. She seemed to think that only the rich and privileged could be racist? And when Jo assured her she wasn't racist, just a snob, Blair took a 180, and tried to "act" like she wasn't a snob, as "penance" for her grandfather being racist? or because she thought being a snob might lead her to become racist, and therefore it was penance for her to go out with Roy* on date at the Bowl-A-Rama. Or all those ridiculous words coming out of her mouth--as if middle class, lower income people couldn't also be racist.

*I still can't believe that this is Loren Lester--who did and does an AMAZING JOB of voicing Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing in the DC Animated Universe and makes him sound sexy. I LOATHED Roy.

And of course the season four episode was the Jermaine Jackson one, which, NO THANKS.

Edited February 20, 2018 by GHScorpiosRule

[GalvDuck]

On 2/19/2018 at 10:41 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

And of course the season four episode was the Jermaine Jackson one, which, NO THANKS.

Yes!  It's been a while since I had seen that episode.  But ultra-obsessed Tootie was disturbing.

[Blergh]

On 2/20/2018 at 3:30 PM, GalvDuck said:

Yes!  It's been a while since I had seen that episode.  But ultra-obsessed Tootie was disturbing.

And I felt  bad for Jo who suddenly had to do that gigantic  scholarship project for other underprivileged girls on her own ALL because of Tootie's tantrum and  Mrs. G's Beatlemania flashback! That means that the fate of all those girls getting a chance to get a good education and make something worthwhile of their lives was ENTIRELY now on Jo's shoulders alone and if she'd flubbed up (which never got stated one way or the other)  they'd have also suffered due to this one inexperienced student having had to have to juggled the entire deal on her own. I hope that Jo REALLY told both of them off for how selfish they were!

[SnarkySheep]

Recently saw "Down and Out in Malibu," the two-part opener of the final season...anyone know if Nancy really had a broken foot? Jo is seen in a boot and goes to great lengths explaining how she fell over someone lying on the beach. But the whole story is rather bizarre and didn't seem relevant to the overall plot at all, so I had to wonder.

[GHScorpiosRule]

10 minutes ago, SnarkySheep said:

Recently saw "Down and Out in Malibu," the two-part opener of the final season...anyone know if Nancy really had a broken foot? Jo is seen in a boot and goes to great lengths explaining how she fell over someone lying on the beach. But the whole story is rather bizarre and didn't seem relevant to the overall plot at all, so I had to wonder.

Yes, Nancy's foot was really broken.

[Tenarife60]

On ‎4‎/‎12‎/‎2015 at 2:07 PM, Blergh said:

OK, I hate to admit I ever watched this but I can think of two episodes that need mentioning as 'hated'.

 One was the one in which Tootie found herself stranded in this Manhattan greasy spoon and soon got chatted up by this teen prostitute whose pimp was pressuring her to add Tootie to the 'collection'. Anyway, it had Tootie get all huffy when she found out what her 'new friend' intended for her to become part of. Even way back then when little if anything about the realities of human trafficing was widely reported , I thought it was wrong that no one in the know (the diner waitress who gave Tootie the heads up, Tootie herself, Mrs. Garrett,etc.) considered lifting a finger to try to help the poor teen out of this nightmare  much less attempt to blow the whistle to the authorities re the pimp. They just huffily got Tootie out of there and Tootie gave the girl a 'how could you' look and that was that.

I didn't like the way that one ended either.  They simply left Kristy there to her fate.  I saw it as they were trying to do a 'Taxi Driver' type of show because except for Travis Bickle, he was the only one in 'Taxi Driver' that tried to help Easy Iris out of the hooker business.  Everyone else just seemed to look at it as 'Well that's life."  That's how I took the 'Runaway' episode.  

[Tenarife60]

I was watching 'Working It Out' today, when Blair breaks up with Cliff, and that one was cringe-worthy.  Mrs. Garrett treating Blair like a child even though she was 20 years old and then Blair still living in Mrs. Garrett's house when she's rich and following Mrs. G's rules was so unrealistic.  A girl her age and with her money would've gotten her own place in her first year of college.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

3 minutes ago, Tenarife60 said:

A girl her age and with her money would've gotten her own place in her first year of college.  

Not necessarily. And as it bore out, she left the dorm and moved to Mrs. Garrett's rooms, because she wanted to be with Jo, Tootie and Natalie. It's also possible that she didn't have access to the funds to get her own place to live at 18.

[Blergh]

On 3/16/2018 at 11:30 AM, Tenarife60 said:

I didn't like the way that one ended either.  They simply left Kristy there to her fate.  I saw it as they were trying to do a 'Taxi Driver' type of show because except for Travis Bickle, he was the only one in 'Taxi Driver' that tried to help Easy Iris out of the hooker business.  Everyone else just seemed to look at it as 'Well that's life."  That's how I took the 'Runaway' episode.  

Yeah, SO much better to show impressionable viewers that girls who took day trips via bus stops (which Kristy's own pimp revealed was how THEY had first met)   somehow deserved no one to try to help them out of nightmare existences much less have anyone turn in  kidnappers, rapists, etc. who   drugged an imprisoned who knows how many helpless girls and very well may eventually murder Kristy and her fellow captives!

Like there was no way they couldn't just have said it was a bad idea for a young teen to traipse off to a bus stop due to the above mentioned and other risks but STILL tried to rescue Kristy/ have the book thrown at the pimp! ARGHH!

[ivygirl]

I wonder if, in the original run, they showed a PSA at the end with a phone number for a teen runaway line. I know some 80s shows (especially sitcoms) used to do that after Very Special Episodes like that one.

[Blergh]

10 minutes ago, ivygirl said:

I wonder if, in the original run, they showed a PSA at the end with a phone number for a teen runaway line. I know some 80s shows (especially sitcoms) used to do that after Very Special Episodes like that one.

Maybe I blinked but I do NOT recall any kind of phone number being posted (much less a 'if you need help, Please call. .' spoken blurb). Again, I stress that when I saw this upon its original broadcast, as ignorant as I was of the realities of human trafficking which had been  barely reported, I was still appalled that no one tried to help this victim depicted. I mean, there were Charlie's Angels and Fantasy Island episodes  produced  a few years earlier which DID show prostitutes getting rescued and their pimps getting prosecuted and those shows were by no means claiming to   help guide teens through life  so this episode was an infuriating fail!

[GHScorpiosRule]

It's so PAINFUUUUUUUUUUL watching the last few episodes of the series. Was the episode where Natalie decides she's going to live in SOHO with people she just met, a set up of some sort of back door pilot? The acting was all around HORRID.

And then we have "The Beginning of the End," where Eastland  is suddenly bankrupt, and so Blair decides to buy it; but it's not enough. She then pretty much blackmails the banker to give her a loan to keep it running.

Then we meet Ashley, who's what? Supposed to be the '90s version of Blair? I've never liked that actress.

And so, letting in boys will save Eastland? And how stupid is Blair that she didn't set up how the rooms would be situated with Eastland now being co-ed? And what happened to Mr. Parker? I thought he was the head master, and not that day player, who said he'd been there for 25 years? Really? Then was Mr. Bradley, conning everyone into thinking he was the head master in season one?

And a handful of boys will suddenly save Eastland? The way the board was talking, it sounded like they'd need at least triple the number of the obnoxious douches that walked in and ran up the stairs. I mean it was only a day or two, and doesn't the registration process take much longer than that?

And tonight will end my suffering.

Tuesday can't come soon enough for me.

[GHScorpiosRule]

  

 

[SnarkySheep]

7 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

And a handful of boys will suddenly save Eastland? The way the board was talking, it sounded like they'd need at least triple the number of the obnoxious douches that walked in and ran up the stairs. I mean it was only a day or two, and doesn't the registration process take much longer than that?

Not that FOL was exactly grounded in reality all the time...but I went to a private (Catholic) school that ended up closing, as did numerous others in the area in 5-10-year period. Let's just say that it's REALLY difficult to save a failing private school, for various reasons, and many are forced to close despite the best efforts of school admin that have been there for YEARS and know what's what. So someone like Blair, coming in blindly, would undoubtedly fail, despite the heap o' money she brought with her.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I’d forgotten how HORRID the finale was. Frankly, it came across as yet another backdoor pilot. We saw the actual cast in the last three minutes! And Natalie in “Soho” and not even visiting so that Mindy could be that “last” snapshot. Instead it’s Pippa.???????

But. I’m Free! FREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Season one tomorrow!!!!!!!

?????????????

?????????????

?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️

[psychoticstate]

On ‎2‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 4:30 PM, GalvDuck said:

Yes!  It's been a while since I had seen that episode.  But ultra-obsessed Tootie was disturbing.

Ultra obsessed Tootie WAS disturbing but Mrs. Garrett's reaction was even worse, IMO.  

Teen girls get looney over celebs but to pander to them is not the answer.  By doing so, Tootie learns that the world stops when she wants something and her wants and needs are more important than anyone else's.  

 

On ‎4‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 11:22 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

It's so PAINFUUUUUUUUUUL watching the last few episodes of the series. Was the episode where Natalie decides she's going to live in SOHO with people she just met, a set up of some sort of back door pilot? The acting was all around HORRID.

And then we have "The Beginning of the End," where Eastland  is suddenly bankrupt, and so Blair decides to buy it; but it's not enough. She then pretty much blackmails the banker to give her a loan to keep it running.

On ‎4‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 8:26 PM, GHScorpiosRule said:

I’d forgotten how HORRID the finale was. Frankly, it came across as yet another backdoor pilot. We saw the actual cast in the last three minutes! And Natalie in “Soho” and not even visiting so that Mindy could be that “last” snapshot. Instead it’s Pippa.???????

But. I’m Free! FREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

Season one tomorrow!!!!!!!

?????????????

?????????????

?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️?‍♀️

 

I'm not sure about Natalie's storyline in SoHo but the last two episodes were indeed a backdoor pilot.  TPTB hoped to spin it off into a new version of FOL.  Fortunately for all concerned, including us viewers, it didn't happen.  

I hated the last episodes with the fire of a thousand suns.  Blair buying Eastland went beyond sitcom unrealistic into another dimension unrealistic.  The plots that were centered around that were flimsy and cliché.   Mrs. Garrett didn't return for the end and we really only saw Blair in the last two episodes.   It wasn't the same show and that's a damn shame.

[GHScorpiosRule]

6 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

Ultra obsessed Tootie WAS disturbing but Mrs. Garrett's reaction was even worse, IMO.  

Teen girls get looney over celebs but to pander to them is not the answer.  By doing so, Tootie learns that the world stops when she wants something and her wants and needs are more important than anyone else's.  

 

@psychoticstate !!!!! Where you been, Girlfriend?????????

Forr Realzies! I was OBSESSED with Duran Duran, and even my 14-year-old self, when watching videos of them on tour, and seeing all the other fans, fainting and crying was beyond my understanding. WHY were they crying? I was THRILLED to see them in concert! It was my wish to meet them, but that never happened. And even at 14, if their manager were to call me and tell me what Jermaine's manager did, I wouldn't be stupid enough to believe it came from Simon, John, Nick and Andy themselves! But I was an old soul, so I was told. But I squealed and screamed with my besties too, so there!

12 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

I'm not sure about Natalie's storyline in SoHo but the last two episodes were indeed a backdoor pilot.  TPTB hoped to spin it off into a new version of FOL.  Fortunately for all concerned, including us viewers, it didn't happen.  

I hated the last episodes with the fire of a thousand suns.  Blair buying Eastland went beyond sitcom unrealistic into another dimension unrealistic.  The plots that were centered around that were flimsy and cliché.   Mrs. Garrett didn't return for the end and we really only saw Blair in the last two episodes.   It wasn't the same show and that's a damn shame.

 

Oh the acting by ALL, was horrid all around. Even Spade's, though I'm not a fan, I thought he was better than that. UGH. Thanks be to the TV GODS that it failed. And I believe one of my posts about the finale has me ranting that Show couldn't bother to get Charlotte Rae to appear for Jo's wedding, let alone the finale! Because she loved and still loves these girls.

[psychoticstate]

3 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

@psychoticstate !!!!! Where you been, Girlfriend?????????

Forr Realzies! I was OBSESSED with Duran Duran, and even my 14-year-old self, when watching videos of them on tour, and seeing all the other fans, fainting and crying was beyond my understanding. WHY were they crying? I was THRILLED to see them in concert! It was my wish to meet them, but that never happened. And even at 14, if their manager were to call me and tell me what Jermaine's manager did, I wouldn't be stupid enough to believe it came from Simon, John, Nick and Andy themselves! But I was an old soul, so I was told. But I squealed and screamed with my besties too, so there!

Oh the acting by ALL, was horrid all around. Even Spade's, though I'm not a fan, I thought he was better than that. UGH. Thanks be to the TV GODS that it failed. And I believe one of my posts about the finale has me ranting that Show couldn't bother to get Charlotte Rae to appear for Jo's wedding, let alone the finale! Because she loved and still loves these girls.

Hiya, @GHScorpiosRule!  Been around but real life . . . you know.  

Girl, I was right there with you on Duran Duran.  I ADORED them.  I was obsessed.  I couldn't speak for 2 days after seeing them in concert because I lost my voice from all the singing along and screaming.  I'd spend hours every day parked in front of MTV, waiting for a Duran video.  But my parents never would have reacted like Mrs. Garrett did.  They probably would have slapped me and locked me in my room or something.

Color me disappointed with Jo's wedding as well.  She was the first of the girls to marry and that's what we get?  It should have been a 2 parter or a Very Special Episode.  The show could have done what 90210 did when it wrapped up, for the wedding of Donna and David.  The Walshes didn't come back but sent videograms.  Now I get the videogram may not have flown for FOL but at least have Jo take a phone call from Mrs. Garrett, receive a gift or lovely letter.  Something.  Anything.   And what was the point of having Jo get married if Rick was basically going to be written out of most of the action and episodes?   I think it would have made more sense to have the series end with Jo getting married, Blair taking her first job as an associate attorney, Natalie moving into her own place in SoHo and Tootie being Tootie.  

Ah, we can dream.

[GHScorpiosRule]

21 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

Hiya, @GHScorpiosRule!  Been around but real life . . . you know.  

Oh yes, I know. Just check out the Chit Chat thread in the Everything Else forum (not tv). This past year has been a real wringer. Let alone past four, after having dealt with Breast Cancer, chemo, losing hair...blah, blah, blah.

22 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

Girl, I was right there with you on Duran Duran.  I ADORED them.  I was obsessed.  I couldn't speak for 2 days after seeing them in concert because I lost my voice from all the singing along and screaming.  I'd spend hours every day parked in front of MTV, waiting for a Duran video.  But my parents never would have reacted like Mrs. Garrett did.  They probably would have slapped me and locked me in my room or something.

I had to BEG just to go see them in concert. But they wouldn't let me stand in line at night for the floor seats. And I lost my voice for a week! Yep, screaming and singing alone! But at least I was able to paper my walls with posters and more posters and more posters.

24 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

Color me disappointed with Jo's wedding as well.  She was the first of the girls to marry and that's what we get?  It should have been a 2 parter or a Very Special Episode.  The show could have done what 90210 did when it wrapped up, for the wedding of Donna and David.  The Walshes didn't come back but sent videograms.  Now I get the videogram may not have flown for FOL but at least have Jo take a phone call from Mrs. Garrett, receive a gift or lovely letter.  Something.  Anything.   And what was the point of having Jo get married if Rick was basically going to be written out of most of the action and episodes?   I think it would have made more sense to have the series end with Jo getting married, Blair taking her first job as an associate attorney, Natalie moving into her own place in SoHo and Tootie being Tootie.  

Ah, we can dream.

Not only did it deserver a two parter--Jo's wedding SHOULD HAVE been the series finale. And that aside, where in the hell did the romance come from? She only knew him as the fun guy at the rec center; no attraction or dating when Rick thought he was going to die, and didn't. And the next episode, they're still friends. No HINT of romance and dating; And next thing we know, they're dating and he's going to meet Jo's dad, who, naturally, hates him. We saw all her other romances. But nothing with these two. I was PEEVED.

I like and wholeheartedly agree with your scenario.

[psychoticstate]

14 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Oh yes, I know. Just check out the Chit Chat thread in the Everything Else forum (not tv). This past year has been a real wringer. Let alone past four, after having dealt with Breast Cancer, chemo, losing hair...blah, blah, blah.

I had to BEG just to go see them in concert. But they wouldn't let me stand in line at night for the floor seats. And I lost my voice for a week! Yep, screaming and singing alone! But at least I was able to paper my walls with posters and more posters and more posters.

Not only did it deserver a two parter--Jo's wedding SHOULD HAVE been the series finale. And that aside, where in the hell did the romance come from? She only knew him as the fun guy at the rec center; no attraction or dating when Rick thought he was going to die, and didn't. And the next episode, they're still friends. No HINT of romance and dating; And next thing we know, they're dating and he's going to meet Jo's dad, who, naturally, hates him. We saw all her other romances. But nothing with these two. I was PEEVED.

I like and wholeheartedly agree with your scenario.

You won't believe this but I've been on the same journey.  I was diagnosed last September, moved cross country 5 days later, took a long planned European trip 2 weeks after that, surgery in December, radiation in January.  Fortunately no chemo but a daily pill.  I hope you are doing well and healthy now, @GHScorpiosRule.

I think I pulled paint off my bedroom wall from the tape I used to plaster Duran posters everywhere.  Walls, back of door, even ceiling so I could stare at them before I went to sleep.  

I liked the actor that played Rick and I liked Rick okay but you're right - - the romance just sort of happened and was hoisted on us without any real build-up.  It's like the writers knew they were in the last season and only had x number of episodes left.  We had more character development with Snake and Jeff and even that college professor with the kid that Jo dated.  

Had TPTB made Jo's wedding a big 2 part (or even 3) series finale, they could have addressed a lot more.  The "group" was breaking up - - that should have been an issue.  Jo was going to marry and, ostensibly, move out of the house and into her own home.  Natalie had decided to move to the city.  Blair, unfortunately, had bought Eastland and surely was going to live there.  Tootie and Jeff got engaged; maybe they would move in together before marriage.  All of their lives were changing but we really saw very little of that.   It would have been great to have Mrs. Garrett return.  It would have been fun to see some of the original cast come back for Jo's wedding.  Throw in some drama and conflict by having Eddie come back.  Maybe Blair might feel slighted because Jo -- Jo, of all people! -- was getting married before she did.  

So many missed opportunities! 

[JAYJAY1979]

Personally, I think when Charlotte Rae opted to leave, they should have ended the show.. and closing it out with Mrs G's wedding would have been wonderful.

If I were to have chosen a Blair spin-off idea, the one where she helped her former law professor on a case.. would have been the way to go.. Elle Woods from Legally Blonde was a 2000s answer to Blair Warner after all.

[Tenarife60]

Yesterday I was watching 'The Last Drive-in' on DVD, and I remember thinking it was really good when it originally came on, but now, years later, I wondered what was I thinking, LOL.  Maybe it's the acting or some of the storyline that isn't that good.  I did love Moon Unit Zappa as the tough girl, Sondra, that wanted to beat up Blair.  "Look at her butting in in front of the line!  Hey, Princess Di!!  Outta the can!!"  She was hilarious.  They should've had her back still trying to beat up Blair.  

[psychoticstate]

I'm rewatching episodes now and am on "Runaway."  Ugh.  

Why does Natalie act so shocked and unsure by NYC?  Isn't she from NYC?

Is the pimp/pimpette coffee shop the only one in NYC?  Or even by the theater?  What are the chances?  

As others have pointed out, there is absolutely no concern about Kristy (aka the underrated Tammy Lauren, who really  upstages Kim Fields in this one.)  She can't be any more than 16 and yet, once again, it becomes about how Tootie is upset.  And I get that Tootie is supposed to be what?  13?  14?  Is she really going to immediately trust Kristy, or anyone else?  She's supposed to be the daughter of attorneys and from D.C.  She's not Sueann from Kansas.  Come on.  When she goes off at Kristy at the end with a "I'm not that dumb!" when Kristy says her pimp is just her friend - - um, yeah, Tootie.  You are.  Because you didn't know jack until the server told you.  And you didn't believe her at first.  Tootie knows full well what a threat the pimp is to Kristy and yet she says nothing to Mrs. Garrett?  

Speaking of Tootie - - getting into one of my biggest complaints about this epi other than the absolute lack of follow-up or regard for Kristy.  Tootie disobeys what she's been told, leaves school property and goes into the city and I'll bet she gets zero punishment.  Everyone seems to excuse Tootie's bad behavior and it irritates.

I think about this show way too much.  But I love it.  And am annoyed by it at the same time.  I think this epi would have been better if the girls had gone into the city together and then Tootie got separated at Bloomie's or something and then wandered into the diner.  And then had Mrs. Garrett attempt to intervene - - call the cops or at least offer to help Kristy get out of there.   Again, I think about this show way too much!

[JAYJAY1979]

Ain't Misbeholden... I love and hate this episode.  I love the episode because it shows that deep down Blair does care about Jo.. but I also hated the episode because of how  pigheaded Jo was about accepting help.  Oddly, I think Blair ended up liking Jo quicker than Jo ended up liking Blair.. and even in later seasons, you always saw Jo kind of struggle to admit she liked Blair.  

[Maherjunkie]

Unfortunately at the time Kristy would have been seen as a mere criminal too.

[psychoticstate]

On ‎6‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 7:16 PM, JAYJAY1979 said:

Ain't Misbeholden... I love and hate this episode.  I love the episode because it shows that deep down Blair does care about Jo.. but I also hated the episode because of how  pigheaded Jo was about accepting help.  Oddly, I think Blair ended up liking Jo quicker than Jo ended up liking Blair.. and even in later seasons, you always saw Jo kind of struggle to admit she liked Blair.  

I like this episode far more than I dislike it.  Sure, Jo is pigheaded.  She has a lot of pride, although it could very much have been to her detriment here.  Knowing Blair, it is understandable how she would be hesitant to take a "handout" from the Warner family.  So it's great that it turns out to be Blair who applies for the scholarship for Jo.  And who doesn't put a word in or anything else - - just sends the application in.

The only nitpick I have with this episode is later in the season, it's mentioned that Jo doesn't want to speak to her mother about going to Langley because he mother is already working multiple jobs to put her through Eastland.  Didn't Jo's scholarship cover tuition and room and board at Eastland?  If so, what else is her mother working to pay for? 

On ‎6‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 9:54 PM, Maherjunkie said:

Unfortunately at the time Kristy would have been seen as a mere criminal too.

True.  Sad but true.  
























 

[psychoticstate]

So today I'm watching "Who's on First."  Now it's Natalie's turn to be obsessed over a boy - - this time it's Gil from Bates Academy, whose jersey Nat is wearing and who she is studying with.   Tootie is jealous because Natalie is spending all her free time with him.  So when Gil calls one afternoon to tell Natalie where to meet for their date, Tootie tells Natalie that Gil has called to break their date and she heard a girl in the background.

Of course Tootie is busted like Lindsay Lohan with an illegal substance and this is where it goes off the rails, IMO.  Mrs. Garrett gets dragged into the middle of it, although she at first says she's going to stay out of it.  She tells Tootie lying is wrong however - -and that's where the suck train pulls into the station.  What do you mean "however?"  Lying is wrong, period.  Plain and simple.  When you had a "however," or a "but," you're basically telling Tootie that she had a perfectly good reason for doing what she did.  (In other words, any day that ends in a -day around Eastland.)  The "however" was coming because Mrs. Garrett was going to lecture Natalie for stating that Tootie was mad because she wasn't #1 any longer.

Um, that's true.  And yes, while you shouldn't rank your friends and boyfriends, what Tootie did was much worse.  Yeah, Natalie was very single-minded with regard to her boyfriend but most teen girls are.  And Mrs. Garrett sure was understanding when Tootie lost her shit over Jermaine Jackson.  Not a student at Bates but a celebrity.  The world had to stop while Tootie's obsession and infatuation was nursed but again, this is where the rules seem different for Tootie (the few that she has anyway.)  

Maybe I'm biased because Tootie is my least favorite FOL character.  Tootie does pull it together in the end, so props to that, and of course we never see Gil again so maybe it's a moot point.  

[SnarkySheep]

Just recently saw the episode where Jo and Blair are graduating college, and Jo's grandfather from Poland comes...

As a Polish-American, I hated this episode. For one thing, an older man during that time would NOT have spoken English, let alone so fluently (my dad grew up in the '60s, and even then, kids were still learning Russian in school, not English). Grandpa even knew what rhubarb was!

Then for another thing, the situation implies that Jo's father would have had to come to the US as a young man...and he has no accent whatsoever. 

Finally, on an unrelated note...there are like 20 grads at the ceremony. But Langley has a law school for Blair to attend?

Yeah, yeah, I know...it's just fiction. But it bugged me nonetheless. 

[psychoticstate]

So today I caught the episode where Jo finds out her favorite English teacher is leaving Eastland because she's dying.

A good episode . . . EXCEPT for Tootie (of course) waiting up for Jo, who comes in after curfew.  Not only does Tootie confront Jo like she's Jo's keeper but when mrs. Garrett enters the mix, she precedes to get on to Jo right in front of Tootie.

Why?  Why did Tootie have to be part of every single storyline?  I could see Blair maybe confronting Jo, as she was more her contemporary, but not Tootie.  And as usual, Tootie gets away with acting like a bossy little snot and it becomes all about her when, after wanting to know what's going on, Jo tells her the teacher is dying.  Ugh.   

[GHScorpiosRule]

On 9/20/2018 at 7:47 PM, psychoticstate said:

So today I caught the episode where Jo finds out her favorite English teacher is leaving Eastland because she's dying.

A good episode . . . EXCEPT for Tootie (of course) waiting up for Jo, who comes in after curfew.  Not only does Tootie confront Jo like she's Jo's keeper but when mrs. Garrett enters the mix, she precedes to get on to Jo right in front of Tootie.

Why?  Why did Tootie have to be part of every single storyline?  I could see Blair maybe confronting Jo, as she was more her contemporary, but not Tootie.  And as usual, Tootie gets away with acting like a bossy little snot and it becomes all about her when, after wanting to know what's going on, Jo tells her the teacher is dying.  Ugh.   

PREACH!!!!!

And when Jo or whoever finally gives in and tells Tootie what she’s been whining and demanding to know, she’s all “What? I don’t understand! Mrs. GARRETT!!!!!! It’s NOT TRUE!!!!! You don’t MEAN THAAAT!!” and other variations of the same theme. I detested Tootie. The only time I liked her was during the first season and the handful of the second.

Edited September 22, 2018 by GHScorpiosRule

[psychoticstate]

22 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

PREACH!!!!!

And when Jo or whoever finally gives in and tells Tootie what she’s been whining and demanding to know, she’s all “What? I don’t understand! Mrs. GARRETT!!!!!! It’s NOT TRUE!!!!! You don’t MEAN THAAAT!!” and other variations of the same theme. I detested Tootie. The only time I liked her was during the first season and the handful of the second.

 

I like Kim Fields but Tootie - - she was generally my least favorite character.  I actually liked her more in the later seasons.  The storyline quality went down but so did Tootie's general annoying characteristics.    As far as Tootie's response to Jo sharing that the teacher was going into the hospital and not leaving, how can Tootie not understand?  Is she neurologically damaged?  I think Jo's statement was pretty clear.  I mean, Tootie's reaction is what you would expect from an 8 year old maybe and she's supposed to be 14 or so?  I think Jo should have pointed out that if Tootie is too young to understand, maybe that's proof that she's too young to be treated like an adult by the actual adults on the show and too young to be the warden of the other girls. 

I get this was a fictionalized show and that Tootie was what?  3 or so years younger than Jo and Blair?  And that Jo and Blair hung out with her because they roomed together, worked in the cafeteria together (at least during the Eastland years) and apparently were in all the same classes together (which would NEVER happen in reality.)  However . . . being older, Jo and Blair should have privileges that Tootie did not.  And neither Jo nor Blair owed Tootie explanations on anything.  The fact that Tootie was never called on that shit still sticks in my craw (obviously.)  Did Tootie EVER get in trouble and have it stick?  The only time I can recall her genuinely getting punished was when Mrs. Garrett gave her envelopes to stamp and lick.  I can't remember what it was for but the rest of the girls ended up helping her, which is b.s.  Teaches her nothing.  I still don't understand why the writers/producers had such a hard-on for Tootie.  It's like she had to be involved in every single aspect of every single storyline.  I mean, when Jo meets Blair's former stepsister Meg (played by Eve Plumb!) and announces that, like Meg, she's going to become a nun, the freeze frame (because there's a part 2 coming up) isn't just on Jo but Tootie's horrified face in the background.  What does the decision have to do with Tootie?  Absolutely nothing.  Showing a concerned Mrs. Garrett would have made more sense, or even a horrified Blair, as Blair was already upset over Meg's decision.  But of course it has to be about Tootie.  Tootie, Tootie, Tootie.

A bit OT but with regards to Jo's dying English teacher - - Jo said she was 26.  26?  Ummmmm . . . okay . . . ?  

Edited September 23, 2018 by psychoticstate