Customer Reviews

The Facts of Life - The Complete First & Second Seasons

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"The Facts Of Life" was one of my favorite shows growing up because all of the characters were so likeable, and everyone could relate to them. There's rich and sometimes snobbish Blair (Lisa Whelchel) who had more blonde feathered hair than Big-bird. Jo (Nancy McKeon) joined the cast in the second season, and was a tough street-wise girl from NY that also had a very sensitive side. Then there's the funny girl-next-door Natalie (Mindy Cohn), didn't everyone know someone that looked just like Natalie? Tootie (Kim Fields) was the mouthy youngest cast member who always had a smart line (picture Dee from "What's Happening" but not at all mean-spirited). Rounding out the cast was Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae) who was nursemaid, seamstress, cook, good friend, listener, and surrogate mother for these girls.

There are a total of 29 episodes from Season 1 and Season 2.

Here are all the episodes from Season 1 with descriptions and original air dates:

Rough Housing (First aired: 8/24/1979)
The series opens with a crossover from the Drummonds of Diff'rent Strokes visiting Eastland to see Mrs. Garrett (their ex-housekeeper). They arrive during the Harvest Queen competition. Blair thinks she's certain to win. So when Cindy considers running, Blair makes some hateful comments about Cindy's sexuality.

Like Mother, Like Daughter (First aired: 8/31/1979)
It's Parent's Night at Eastland and Blair's sophisticated mother arrives bringing with her, her flirtatious tendencies which prompt rumors when she becomes "friendly" with a married man. Blair is furious and decides she doesn't want to be like her rich and beautiful mother. It's Mrs. Garrett to the rescue to help smooth things over.

The Return of Mr. Garrett (First aired: 9/7/1979)
Mrs. Garrett is surprised by a visit from her ex-husband, who is interested in her again. However, his gambling ways rub off on the girls who begin playing the game that he taught them.

I.Q. (First aired: 9/14/1979)
Nosey Tootie accidentally comes across a paper which lists the I.Q. scores of each one of the girls. Of course, she repeats this confidential information back to the girls prompting a furor with Nancy and Sue Ann.

Overachieving (First aired: 3/12/1980)
Tootie's dad comes for a visit and doesn't like the activities that Tootie is up to. Believing Mrs. Garrett is a bad influence, Mr. Ramsey decides to have Tootie removed from Eastland.

Emily Dickinson (First aired: 3/14/1980).
Blair is so caught up with her latest boyfriend that she forgets to write a poem, so she copies one.

Dieting (First aired: 3/21/1980)
Blair and Sue Ann kid each other about their weight and Sue Ann takes Blair's comments a little too seriously, dieting, starving herself, and eventually getting sick.

The Facts of Love (First aired: 4/4/1980)
Mrs. Garrett begins teaching a sex-education class in stark-disagreement with prudish Mr. Bradley.

Flash Flood (First aired: 4/11/1980)
A flood hits Peekskill which prompts Blair and Tootie to race out to the stables to save their animals. Blair "falls in love" with Mr. Bradley when he comes to the girls' rescue.

Adoption (First aired: 4/25/1980)
Blair sticks here big nose in Natalie's affairs when she finds out that her schoolmate was adopted. Mrs. Garrett convinces Natalie that she's too young to be running after her birth mother because she is too young and not ready for it.

Running (First aired: 5/2/1980)
Mr. Bradley pits Sue Ann and Cindy against eachother so they can each compete to win a track competition. Both girls wind up hating eachother, and it's up to Mrs. Garrett (as usual) to fix things.

Molly's Holiday (First aired: 6/4/1980)
Molly is down in the dumps due to her parents' impending divorce.

Dope (First aired: 6/11/1980)
Blair befriends two girls who she introduces to Sue Ann. All seems to be fine until they learn that their friends are potheads. This episode was dropped from Nick at Nite/TV Land (during it's regular rotation) because of it's "risque" content and storyline.

Here are all the episodes from Season 2 with descriptions and original air dates:

The New Girl (1) (First aired: 11/19/1980)
The new year brings a new student, Jo, a tough girl who hot wires the school van and takes off to the Chug-a-Lug bar with Blair, Natalie and Tootie to meet older boys. However, one of the guys they meet happens to be an undercover officer that drags all the girls to jail when they act up (Tootie pours a pitcher of beer over his head!).

The New Girl (2) (First aired: 11/26/1980)
Mrs. Garrett bails the girls out of jail and announces that they all have been expelled from Eastland. However, they can stay if they move in with Mrs. Garrett and work in the cafeteria. This prompts the new premise with a scaled-down cast.

Double Standard (First aired: 12/10/1980)
Blair is sure that an old friend, Harrison Andrews is going to invite her to a cotillion. However, he invites Jo because Harrison is a sexist snob that thinks he can get lucky with Jo.

Who Am I? (First aired: 12/17/1980)
Tootie begins to think long and hard about her race and how she's being treated at Eastland, thanks to a new boy she meets.

Cousin Geri (First aired: 12/24/1980)
When Blair's cousin Geri (Geri Jewell) makes a big splash at Eastland Mrs. Garret thinks that Blair is embarrassed of her cousin (who has CP) beause Blair hides out in her room. But it's actually the green eye of jealousy that's bitten Blair. BTW, I love the song and dance routine that caps off the ep with Blair and Geri. Geri Jewell was such a great addition to the cast.

Shoplifting (First aired: 12/31/1980)
It's Mrs. Garrett's birthday and the girls (except Blair) steal a blouse to give her.

Teenage Marriage (1) (First aired: 1/7/1981)
Jo's cute little boyfriend, Eddie, surprises her by making a sudden visit to Eastland, but she gets even more of a surprise when he proposes to her.

Teenage Marriage (2) (First aired: 1/14/1981)
Jo is unsure of whether or not to accept Eddie's proposal but finally decides to go ahead with the wedding. All the girls, including Mrs. Garrett help to convince Jo that she's making the wrong decision.

Gossip (First aired: 1/21/1981)
Tootie's big-ears get her in trouble again. She overseas some gossip and repeats it back to the girls inciting another catastrophe.

Breaking Point (First aired: 1/28/1981)
Blair is running for class president but things get out of hand when one of the candidates commits suicide. This is another episode that Nick at Nite/TV Land didn't like to air.

Sex Symbol (First aired: 2/4/1981)
Natalie hits it off with Neil. However, rumors fly that Natalie and Neil did more than just study. Natalie encourages the gossip because she doesn't want the girls to think she's inexperienced.

The Secret (First aired: 2/25/1981)
Shortly after winning an award, Jo learns that her incarcerated father, is getting paroled and that he would like to attend the awards ceremony.

Bought and Sold (First aired: 3/4/1981)
Blair is selling cosmetics for Countess Calvet's cosmetic company. The Countess (played by Zsa Zsa Gabor) makes a special visit to Eastland to give some tips to Blair and the other girls.

Pretty Babies (First aired: 3/11/1981)
A top fashion photographer is coming to Eastland to find the "Face of the 80's." Tootie is picked because this pig of a photographer gets off taking pictures of young girls all dressed up as women with makeup and appealing outfits. Mrs. Garrett is right when she calls this "one step above child pornography."

Free Spirit (First aired: 3/18/1981)
Mrs. Garrett's free-spirited son, Alex whisks by Eastland for a visit, with "tales" about how he rubs elbows with other musicians like Neil Diamond and Carly Simon.

Brian and Sylvia (First aired: 3/25/1981)
Tootie and Natalie visit Tootie's aunt and uncle (an interracial couple living in DC). However, they're unaware they showed up right in the middle of a fight.

Some sitcom spin-offs are good in their own right ("Mork and Mindy", "Laverne and Shirley") while others are deserving of a swift cancellation ("Joannie Loves Chachi").

"The Facts of Life successfully spun off from "Diff'rent Strokes" and then unarguably went on to establish it's own far more successful and separate idenity. It did this by combining the 1970's 'women's buddy show' with a 1980's emphasis on wealth and luxury.

Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae), the Drumond's housekeeper, becomes housemother at Kimberly's boarding school in Peekskill New York. The Drummonds make 'special guest appearances' at Eastland into the second season. However, considering it is Kimberly's school, her single guest appearance in "Rough Housing" is puzzling. Surely, we would have seen her more?

29 episodes make up the combined season. Whomever was in charge of DVD production for this release remembered that the series did not become the cultural phenomena it is remembered as today until the second season. However important to establishing the series (and featuring a VERY young Molly Ringwald) the first season comparatively lacked the oomph which ultimately made the series click. I'm also pleased that the price is bellow $30 dollars, studios actually want people buying this product as soon as it hits the shelves.

During the second season, the 'core' group of girls is paired down to four and their distinctive personalities are emphasized. Livening things up, 'rough' 'Jo' (Joanne)Polniaczek is added to the cast. Former season one regulars Molly Ringwald (Molly)Julie Anne Haddock (Cindy), Julie Piekarski (Sue Ann), and Felice Schachter (Nancy) come back for guest appearances.

Season 2 explains how this seemingly disparate group of girls ends up living together. After they are caught sneaking out to the Chugalug bar (The new girl part 2) the girls end up working in the kitchen--with Mrs. Garett always around to dispense advice---in order to be reinstated at Eastland. Realizing they do like working together, the girls follow Mrs. Garrett over when she opens up "Edna's Edibles" ('Gossip').

Other special episodes include "The Return of Mr. Garrett" because Mrs. Garett's ex-husband returns, along with his gambling problem. He is better known to my generation as the father of actor Alan Alda, but Robert Alda is an accomplished actor in his own right.

Another good episode is "The Secret" because Jo is torn between wanting to show off an accomplishment and being worried what her 'fancy' new friends will ultimately think of her father. This dilemma also reveals that Jo ultimately does care what her peers think of her.

Blair also deals with the opinions of others and her own internalized discomfort with 'difference'. Her cousin Geri (played by Geri Jewell) has cerebral palsy. Jewell made television history, becoming the first person with an obvious disability to become a recurring series regular. I was too young to appreciate everything this character did when first seeing the show, but her lines provide insight of what young adult women with disabilities go through.

There are two features, but the important thing is that this series is finally on DVD--and two seasons at once! This series should be required viewing for anybody even considering making a television spin-off.

This show was a staple in my life and I am glad to hear it's in production for May '06 release. There is so much TV on DVD that it was about time this show was featured.

Started as a spin-off to Diffrent Strokes, Mrs. Garrett goes to Eastland (where Kimberly is a student) to become the house mother. The early season featured a larger cast (Jo was the rebel biker who arrived in season 2 to complet the 5-some of Mrs. G, Blair, Tootie, and Natalie) and has always tackled issues from drug abuse to parental death.

It's light humor and typical plot of the 70's and 80's theme kept it popular for many years. This show is utterly amazing, family oriented, and long overdue on DVD. You will no doubt fall in love with its simplicity and fun times of 4 girls forced to live together as roomies (more so in season 2 forward).

Enjoy this DVD set and may it keep coming with all 9 seasons!!!

In 1979, the NBC hit show Different Strokes spun off the TV show The Facts of Life for Charlotte Rae's character Mrs Garrett.

During the first season, she had seven young women at the Eastland School, who she was housemother to. By season two, The show was streamlined to four students (and the core of the show for the rest of the show's life).This career move was the best for the show.

I enjoyed watching this show> it had messages shows like about self images, rumors and gossip, Teen weddings, Suicide and others subjext you think a comedy show wouldn't do. They did it and it workes well

The first season had too many girls to enjoy and get to know. The show was great in its first season, however I usually got confuse between Julie Piekarski amd Julie Anne Haddock characters.Also it seemed Felice Schacter and Lisa Whenchel character were so similar, you can put the lines in either mouth and it woulkd work. And then there was young Molly Ringwall a few years before her 16 Candles days.

It was the second year when the core group of GIRLS...Blair (Lisa Whelchel), Tootie (Kim Fields), Natalie (Mindy Cohn) and Jo (Nancy McKeon).... murphed into making this show into something special.

My take on this 29 episode DVD set is just like the Theme song, You take the good , You take the bad...Its the Facts of Life. It is fun and barely date itself and that what make it worthwhile--I wonder why TV land doesn't run this show on their schedule. And kids can watch this and enjoy this with their parents

So when is season two coming?

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

The press release for The Facts of Life Seasons 1 and 2 states that the runtime is 707 minutes. Obviously there was some kind of typo on amazon. So never fear unedited episodes are hear! (Well coming May 9 that is)

I can't wait for the featurettes:
"Remembering the Facts of Life"
"After Facts"

Hopefully they will include interviews with at least 3 of the main cast members. It is unlikely all 5 will be interviewed but we can all hope so!

The Facts of Life-The Complete First and Second Seasons in many ways can be called "The tale of two shows." The first season of The Facts and Life took place on a different set with several different girls and a few extra cast members. A good way to refresh your memory is remember growing up when you used to watch re-runs of The Facts of Life and you would see like different girls like Sue Ann and a few others and every storyline didn't quite include Blaire? Well that was season one. Season two is when the show shaped into the sitcom it would be for many years. Nancy McKeon joined the cast as Jo and a core group of the girls Blaire, Tootie, and Natalie were subject to live in an loft over the kitchen under Mrs. Garrets close supervision due to sneaking out one night and stealing the schools van.

The Facts of Life is one of those family friendly late 70's early 80's shows that many people have fond memories of watching. Watching it as an adult I pick up on things I didn't before. Little jokes Tootie would make that didn't make sense then it's like "Oh I get it." Like one joke about Mrs. Garrett's former husband and Natalie questioning why hey divorced and Tootie said something along the lines of "He must not have been doing something right." Just little things. The significance of Blaire being upset at the thought of her mother having an affair (at like 6 or 7 I didn't even know what an affair was).

The Facts of Life is a cute show that addresses topics that teens of the 80's had to deal with. That being said, it doesn't mean today's teens won't relate to the show, it just seems like many moons ago and their problems seem far more simple than the issues teens of today's shows like South of Nowhere and Degrassi The Next Generation deal with.

The 4 DVD box set, released by Sony, is similar in design to The Different Strokes DVD box sets. The set includes all 29 episodes from the shows first two seasons and the picture quality is great. As for special features, yes there are some.

-Special features
-Remembering The Facts of Life featurette
-After Facts featurette

I remembered liking this show as a kid, but felt embarassed when I bought the DVD last week - a 36 year old man watching The Facts of Life in 2006. I've watched all of the episodes and now I remember how powerful this show could be at times. There were several episodes that had me on the verge of tears. Even though the second season is stronger, and seemlessly removes Mrs. Garrett from having to report to Mr. Bradley and that dreary one room set, the first season has some dramatically intense moments - the rivalry between Cindy and Sue Ann, an episode about eating disorders. A episode about suicide in the second season pulls no punches. Mostly, I really enjoy the acting. Nancy McKeon's performance as Jo is very affecting, and Charlotte Rae as Edna Garrett is always moving. I loved watching these episodes again.

I was very excited when I heard that the DVD of the first and second seasons was available, so I immediately bought it and began watching it as soon as I got home. As previous reviewers have already covered summaries of the episodes, I'll just say this: the Facts of Life covered a lot of issues that aren't addressed in children's shows today. In the first two seasons alone you deal with sex, teenage marriage, interracial marriage, child exploitation, eating disorders, suicide, and homosexuality (in a round-about way in the first episode) just to name a few of the many issues covered. And while the show did improve when the cast was streamlined, it had already staked its reputation as a show willing to tackle the tough issues affecting teens and still manages to be relevant today with a minimal amount of dated jokes.

The extra features are only on the first disk, but you get to see interviews with cast members including some of whom were cut (more like severely reduced and eventually written out) from the cast.

The DVD set is worth it for anyone who enjoyed this show, especially since networks that do run the re-runs tend to cut out some of the tougher situation episodes (including the ones on suicide, sex, and drug use) in order to sanitize the show. And it was also a lighthearted precursor to Degrassi, another one of my favorites.

And I'm willing to proclaim that in the Blair/Joe rivalry I'm a Blair fan! I loved all the characters, of course, but Blair had some of the funniest moments when having to deal with humility.

If you are a fan of the show, pick up the DVD and see this show digitally remastered and relive the days at Eastland School for Girls.

I have been waiting for The Facts of Life to be released on DVD since tv series began making their way on to DVDs. I used to watch this show all the time as a child. It brings back so many good memories. I always saw the girls as older sisters. My favorite character was the snobbish wity fashion expert Blair Warner. Which I think is some what funny because as an adult I am a fashion designer. My point is that its about time this sitcom made it on to DVD and they better hurry up and release the remaining seasons much faster.

A wonderful journey back to a more innocent time, the late 70's and early 80's! This series truly captures the magic of that wonderful era and is certainly one of the all-time great TV sitcoms.

Most TV series suffer from "first season" growing pains and "The Facts of Life" certainly had its share. But shining through the first season "fog" is an amazing sense of fun radiating from the youthful cast. It's an absolute joy to watch the young actors as they find thier comedic footing. It's that pure sense of youthful magic that ultimately rescues the series.

"The Facts of Life" had a positive message, projected a strong sense of "right" and "wrong", and never had to apologize for it. That innocence and optimism is sorely missed on TV today.

If you're a child of the 80's the nostalgia value is "totally awesome". There are also plenty of great lessons for "new students".

Highly recommended!

* All episodes are high quality transfers to DVD.
* Special features: Two featurettes consisting of interviews with cast and crew!

Let's all hope that Sony continues to release this series at a reasonable pace!

-JM