L'albero delle mele

I LOVE this show! It's dramatic and funny simaltaneously. The Facts of Life focuses on serious issues that teens have to face and it also has a humorous twist.

Mrs. Garret, who is played by the very talented Charlotte Rae, is a housekeeper turned housemother turned dietician. She watches out for four girls, Blair (Lisa Whelchel), Jo (Nancy McKeon), Tootie (Kim Fields) and Natalie (Mindy Cohn). She plays the peacemaker and always tries to resolve problems that the girls are dealing with. She calls them "her girls" and is always there for them when they need her.

The episodes with Mrs. Garret are the best. However, the ones later on into the show where she is gone and her sister Beverly Ann is around are horrible. And the cast additions that took place in the last two years of the show, Makenzie Astin as Andy and Sherry Krenn as Pippa, totally ruined The Facts of Life.

I suggest that you watch the episodes that are from the first several years of this show because they feature an excellent cast. But don't watch the last two years of this show because the new cast was horrible, with the exception of the four original girls that remained on The Facts of Life from the very beginning.

Although the begining of this show takes place in the 70's, this show is so 80's it hurts. I love this show! This was and still is one of my favorite sitcoms from the 80's. However,I must say I agree with the other reviews in saying that the show was just wonderful until about 1985, when Edna'a Edibles burns down and they remodel the store. Then they add some corny testosterone in the form of two characters; a whiney, conceided 12 year old boy and not even George Clooney's early talent could make up for his lame character either. The show is still, however watchable and even enjoyable, after all this (including Mrs. G leaving), in just wanting to find out what happens to the other girls, especially Jo and Natalie, who are two of the greatest and most real characters in a sitcom. Natalie and Jo were also my favorite characters. The reason why is because they were not glammed-up susperstars with unreal problems. They were down to earth and I could really identify with them and so did many others my age, we being children of the 80's. It's a shame today that sitcoms have become so obsessed with sex, violence and vanity, that many of the children of today feel they must identify with these ideas instead of the show identifying with them. I actually really liked all of the girls. Blair was fun too, but she needed the balance of Jo's character to tame her down a bit. Tootie was a good friend to Natalie. And they both needed each other. They all fit together and the four make for one of the greatest casts in TV history. However, some of my most favorite episodes, focused on Natalie and Jo. Like the one when Natalie doesn't get a job at the Peekskill Press and she needs to learn to share her feelings with her boyfriend (one of my old faves, Casey Siemaszko made an early appearance here) I also love the episode where Jo runs a late night radio station and all the girls come and help her out. I am forever greatful to Nick at Nite for re-running this charming sitcom.

I LOVE THE FACTS OF LIFE!!!!!!! It is my favorite show in the whole world! My favorite characters are Blair (Lisa Whelchel) and Jo (Nancy McKeon). I have almost every single episode taped, so that shows you how much I like it! If you are ever having problems, you can watch one of these episodes, and I always feel better right away, because the show covers real life problems that real teenagers would have.

I watched "The Facts of Life" Saturday nights on NBC while I was growing up and I looked forward to each and every episode. When the show ended I cried and thought "How will I ever get along without them?" Well, I had totally forgotten the reruns that had been playing in the afternoons for the past four years. So I was happy re-watching the old shows. In 1994 I heard about the "Facts" marathon on USA network and I had to tape it. It was commemorating the 15th anniversary of the shows original starting date (back in 1979-the year I was born). The marathon was hosted by Mindy Cohn (Natalie), Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett) and Lisa Welchel (Blair). All three of them shared memories of what it was like working on the set and what each of them had been doing since the show had ended. It was great seeing how well all three of them had gotten on with their lives. It was too bad that Nancy McKeon (Jo), Kim Fields (Tootie), Sherrie Krenn (Pippa), Cloris Leachman (Beverly Ann), Pamela Segall (Kelly), George Clooney (George) and MacKenzie Astin (Andy) didn't come on the show too. I still watch that video recording every once and a while (about once or twice a year; especially around the holiday season) and I'm so glad that I taped it. My favorite episode (which, unfortunately, wasn't included in the marathon) was the one where they were running a pizza take-out service which was a total disaster...especially when Natalie lost control and got flour all over the room and on everyone else. I am hoping that USA will start re-running the show again soon. They were last year. What happened?

The Facts of Life ran on network TV during my early years but I have seen it in syndication and I really, really like what I have seen. The series is intensely entertaining to say the least. My favorite character is none other than Jo Polniaczek, portrayed by the ever-gorgeous Nancy McKeon. From the way I look at it, the series' best episodes are those that revolve around the Jo character. The other cast members are also terrific but McKeon will always be my top favorite from the classic NBC show.

I really hope that entire Facts of Life series gets released on DVD eventually. Hopefully, when this finally happens, retail stores will be able to keep the boxed sets in stock. Also, I really hope that the first two seasons get released as one set, as those two were only half-seasons. I am very anxious to view this incredible show again!