The Facts of Life - The Complete Third Season (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Facts of Life was the longest running sitcom with an all female cast and of the 1980's. As years goes by the series evolves and just keeps getting better. Season three is by far better than the previous two, with the girls at Eastland (only one more year to go -- then comes 2 years of Edna's Edibles and 3 years of Over Our Head's Era's) they tackle more serious issues as the years go by and as the girls get older. In this season premiere, Tootie feeling left out because she is the youngest and is tired of getting picked on by Blair, Jo, and Natalie turns to alcohol to prove that she is 'just as grown up' as the other girls. As old as this series is, many issues are still current today with teens, and college problems. The stories are very well laid out and realistic (other than season two where it was kind of cheesy in many spots).
This season marks one of the most memorable episode of the series with the infamous Paint Fight, which gets the girls into more trouble and put on probation until graduation.
Sony has included all full length 24 episodes of season three in this box set. The run time is 602 minutes, which means that The Facts of Life Goes To Paris 2 hr movie (ran as episode numbers 54, 55, 56 and 57 in the series) will not be included in this set, but may be included in the Season Four set.
Episodes are as followed
3028 Oct 81 Growing Pains
Tootie, tired of being treated like a little girl, turns to alcohol.
314 Nov 81 Fear Strikes Back
Natalie withdraws after being attacked while returning from a party.
3211 Nov 81 A Baby in the House
Blair's married friend brings her baby for a visit and then disappears.
3318 Nov 81 A Friend in Deed
Blair learns her mother has been hiding her breast cancer from the family.
3425 Nov 81 Front Page
Jo's hot news story has serious repercussions for her journalism teacher.
352 Dec 81 Give and Take
The girls help Mrs. Garrett when she suffers a financial crisis.
369 Dec 81 Sweet Sorrow
Jo begins to fall for her class-project husband as her boyfriend Eddie comes to visit.
3716 Dec 81 From Russia With Love
Natalie has romantic plans for the weekend when her adoring grandmother comes to visit.
38 23 Dec 81 Dear Me
Worried about camping with boys from Bates, Tootie invents an imaginary boyfriend.
39 30 Dec 81 Cousin Geri Returns
The girls question Geri's date when he asks her out again.
40 6 Jan 82 Legacy
Receiving a bequest from her grandfather, Blair learns a surprising secret about her family.
41 13 Jan 82 Green-Eyed Monster
Natalie becomes jealous when Tootie gets the lead in the school play.
42 20 Jan 82 The Americanization of Miko
A Japanese student's eagerness to learn American ways upsets her traditional father.
43 27 Jan 82 The Marriage Brokers
Blair is surprised by what she learns about Mrs. Garrett's new beau.
44 3 Feb 82 Starstruck
Tootie's friends are concerned about her obsession with singer Jermaine Jackson.
45 10 Feb 82 The Four Musketeers
Released from custody, the girls must decide whether to go on being roommates.
46 17 Feb 82 The Affair
Natalie has a painful confrontation with her father after seeing him with another woman.
47 24 Feb 82 Runaway
Tootie decides to go to New York unchaperoned and encounters teenage prostitution.
48 3 Mar 82 New York, New York
Vacation trips home seem to make Blair and Jo's feud worse.
49 17 Mar 82 Kids Can Be Cruel
Natalie's revenge on Blair hurts an innocent bystander.
50 24 Mar 82 Mind Your Own Business
Secrecy becomes all-consuming after Natalie learns that Blair peeked into her diary.
5131 Mar 82 The Academy
Blair's blind date for a military school dance is actually a delinquent.
52 14 Apr 82 Jo's Cousin
Jo's 14-year-old lovesick tomboy cousin back home needs her help.
53 5 May 82 Read No Evil
Jo takes up the battle when Mrs. Garrett and Natalie get nowhere on the issue of banned books.Remember to order the latest release to get more seasons/era's on dvd!!!!! A great sales for the 1st/2nd seasons made this season come out very early!!! A great Facts of Life site is at
www.televisionhits.com -- The Facts of Life Site

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School is back in session as Mrs. Garrett (Charlotte Rae) and the girls of Eastland return for the third season of The Facts of Life, one of the biggest TV hits of the '80s! Share the laughter with Blair (Lisa Whelchel), Tootie (Kim Fields), Natalie (Mindy Cohn), and Jo (Nancy McKeon) as they learn the important lessons that will shape their lives. Third season highlights include the girls' adventures in Manhattan, the cute boys of Bates Academy, the return of Cousin Geri, and even a special guest-star appearance by Jermaine Jackson.

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The Facts of Life - The Complete First & Second Seasons (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)"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 handicapped cousin because she hides out in her room. But it's actually the green eye of jealousy that's bitten Blair.
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.

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You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have THE FACTS OF LIFE... A spin-off of the tremendously popular Diff'rent Strokes, THE FACTS OF LIFE is the hilarious series that follows Mrs. Edna Garrett (Charlotte Rae) and her mission as housemother to instill values in the girls of Eastland School. The large first season cast included John Lawlor, Jenny O'Hara, Lisa Whelchel, Felice Schachter, Julie Piekarski, Kim Fields, Molly Ringwald, Julie Anne Haddock, and Mindy Cohn. By the second season, the show focused on Mrs. Garrett and just four Eastland girls - spoiled Blair, gossipy Tootie, wise-cracking Natalie, and rebellious Jo. Under Mrs. Garrett's guidance, these four go from wide-eyed school girls to mature young women...all while learning THE FACTS OF LIFE. Guest stars include the cast of Diff'rent Strokes, Helen Hunt and Richard Dean Anderson of TV's MacGyver. Includes all 29 laugh-packed episodes from Seasons One and Two.

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