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Season 1 – The Facts of Life

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – The Facts of Life Aug 1979 Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
33% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
"You take the good, you take the bad ... ." Originally set at the prestigious Eastland School for Young Women, housemother Mrs. Garrett is the caretaker and confidante of a special group of girls. Over time, this group shrinks to be centered on only four young women: wealthy and spoiled Blair, gossipy Tootie, eager-to-please Natalie and tough girl Jo. Over the years, the girls graduate from school, and the story lines evolve with them.
The Facts of Life — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Charlotte Rae undoubtedly has the chops to headline her own sitcom, but the fact is that this spinoff isn't diff'rent enough to have its own identity.

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Critics Reviews

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Tom Shales Washington Post 09/30/2021
It's all lamely and depressingly predictable as the decline of the dollar. The decline of the networks is predictable too, but hardly depressing considering the The Facts of Life and the machinery that produced it. Go to Full Review Kay Gardella New York Daily News 09/30/2021
If you think it sounds like "Dorothy," the series starring Dorothy Leaden, you're far from wrong. Go to Full Review Bettelou Peterson Detroit Free Press 09/30/2021
Main virtue of The Facts of Life is that it's not a rerun. But even a skillful comedienne needs help and Charlotte Rae doesn't get much from this show about a housemother teaching a student that beauty is more than being pretty. Go to Full Review Matt Roush TV Insider 12/20/2023
A memorably diverse ensemble... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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isa e @RT65594135 09/29/2023 harmless fluff , holds up ok See more Read all reviews
The Facts of Life — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Charlotte Rae

Edna Garrett

Lisa Whelchel

Blair Warner

Kim Fields

Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey

Mindy Cohn

Natalie Green

John Lawlor

Steven Bradley

John Lawlor

Steven Bradley

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Aug 24, 1979 Rough Housing Cindy must compete with Blair to be Harvest Queen. Details Episode 2 Aired Aug 31, 1979 Like Mother, Like Daughter Blair's mother runs into an old high-school boyfriend during Parents Night. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 7, 1979 The Return of Mr. Garrett Mrs. Garrett's ex-husband proposes again. Details Episode 4 Aired Sep 14, 1979 I.Q. Tootie discloses her friends' I.Q. scores. Details Episode 5 Aired Mar 12, 1980 Overachieving Tootie's father wants to remove her from Mrs. Garrett's care. Details Episode 6 Aired Mar 14, 1980 Emily Dickinson Blair's solution to a problem puts the honor of the school at stake. Details Episode 7 Aired Mar 21, 1980 Dieting Sue Ann goes on a crash diet after the pressure of everyone's body-consciousness; Blair's intimating that a boy won't like her, makes her feel fat. Details Episode 8 Aired Apr 4, 1980 The Facts of Love Blair decides to put a sex-education lesson to use. Details Episode 9 Aired Apr 11, 1980 Flash Flood A serious flood hits Peekskill, so Blair and Tootie rush to the stables to protect the animals, only to become trapped there; Mr. Bradley attempts to rescue them. Details Episode 10 Aired Apr 25, 1980 Adoption Adopted Natalie wants to find her natural mother. Details Episode 11 Aired May 2, 1980 Running Mr. Bradley sets out to keep the school's championship track title. Details Episode 12 Aired Jun 4, 1980 Molly's Holliday The girls plan to reconcile Molly's divorcing folks. Details Episode 13 Aired Jun 11, 1980 Dope Blair and Sue Ann decide to join an exclusive group of girls whose favorite pastime is marijuana. Details

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Season Info

Director
Jim Drake, Nick Havinga, Gary Shimokawa, John Bowab, Lee Lochhead, Asaad Kelada
Screenwriter
Stan Dreben, Warren S. Murray, Migdia Chinea-Varela, Jerry Mayer, Martin Ragaway, Rowland Barber, Albert E. Lewin, Brad Rider, Skip Usen, Glenn Padnick
Network
NBC
Rating
TV-G
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date
Aug 24, 1979
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