Which setting did you like best? - The Facts of Life (1979) Discussion

[–] magdalene_1024 9 years ago

The cafeteria at Eastland. They gave good reason for those four girls to be in the same room all that time, and it was easier to focus on four different girls rather than eight where several of them were too much alike.

I like a bit of the Edna's Edibles, but it was pushing it to have all four girls living in the same room again. (I just really find it hard to believe Natalie's and Tootie's parents would be okay with their daughters moving off-campus.)

By Over Our Heads, they needed to call it done.

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[–] tyroth67 9 years ago

Agreed.

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[–] BugisStreetAnnie (1296) 7 years ago

I like a bit of the Edna's Edibles, but it was pushing it to have all four girls living in the same room again.

I agree. It would've made more sense if the school would have been based in Beverly Hills since it was modeled after the Westlake School for Girls in Bel Air. You could believe they would all be forced to live together in high priced Bel Air because they wouldn't be able to afford rent on their own.

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[–] Catnip86 9 years ago

The cafeteria. It seemed to work best, and them having to work there gave a believable reason for them to always be together when not in class.

I'd say the dorm next, since it was an appropriate setting for the boarding school.

I still liked Edna's edibles, but find it hard to believe Blair preferred that to her own college room. And was it supposed to be in walking distance to the school for Natalie and Tootie? How did they get back and forth?

I didn't like Over our Heads at all. None of the girls had much in the way of possessions. I find it hard to believe they got enough insurance money (and that Mrs Garrett insured their stuff but not the store?) to cover the cost of repairing and rebuilding after the fire.

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[–] JC_Aliss 9 years ago

Although I found things interesting in all the settings, I did wonder about how Natalie and Tootie were ALLOWED to live off campus during the Edna's Edibles years when they were still in high school. Now I know the school probably did allow day students (there's a similar private girls' boarding school where I live and they do.) But considering they were minors, wouldn't that mean Edna would have had to be a legal guardian to them, especially considering she no longer worked for Eastland? Am I forgetting any scenes that indicated their parents gave specific permission to allow it? (Tuition for day students is much lower, in fact. I hope they made sure the school refunded any prepayments!)

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[–] Catnip86 9 years ago

Good points. What about when they lived over the cafeteria? Did the parents pay dorm fees then?

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[–] magdalene_1024 9 years ago

I would say yes, they probably did, because:

1.) The girls were still being provided a room, even if not the ones originally planned on.

2.) The girls had to pay off a debt to the school (the damage to the school property)--that doesn't negate any other debts (room, board, food, tuition) that the parents owe.

3.) Given that the girls by rights could have been thrown in juvie and expelled, I don't think the parents were in much position to gripe about any already-paid dorm fees going for a room over the cafeteria instead of in the dorms proper.

4.) A school like Eastland likely doesn't get many 'drop-ins' during the course of a school year that need a room (they might pick up day students throughout the year, but boarders probably aren't as likely.) It was stated that Eastland frequently had budget problems, the last thing they could afford was to refund dorm fees after the school year started due to actions committed by the *students*. (There could even be something in the contracts with the parents stating that if they don't cancel dorm assignments by a certain date, they lose the money if for whatever reason, the student fails to occupy the room.)

5.) The girls were only going to stay over the cafeteria until they paid off the damage. Once they did that, they were going to go back to the dorms, so they would still need spaces held for them.

Granted, it does make me wonder about the case of the student who committed suicide, but given that's such an unusual and traumatic circumstance, the school may have very well quietly refunded the fees in that particular case.

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[–] analisa99 9 years ago

Cafeteria for the most part. Dorm mainly for nostalgia since they were rare episodes.
Didn't care too much for the gormet shop and hated Over Our Heads.....ESPECIALLY after Edna left.
I think during the original run I liked the 80s modern pop feel of the gift shop..really liked the counter with the candy inside But now I'm not too crazy about the shop or the show in general after Eastland.
Cafeteria did make the most sense for them to all be together and the storylines.
I have the show on my DVR and I actually get excited when it's an Eastland episode and I will watch it no matter what even if I've seen it a million times. When I see it's an Edna's Edibles episode I groan but will watch depending which one it is and I often just delete the others especially Beverly Ann.

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[–] hypechic34 9 years ago

Over Our Heads. I loved Beverly Ann, Andy, and George!

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[–] Diamond (47) 5 years ago

My favorite was Over Our Heads. I liked the store and I liked Beverly Ann, George, Pippa and Andy.

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[–] donnayankee 9 years ago

The cafeteria at Eastland.

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[–] infoed 9 years ago

The cafeteria followed by Edna's Edibles. I thought the Edna's Edibles set was cozy and comfortable. I hated when they burned it down and remodeled it by painting over the bricks and the wood in the house so it looked so bright and 80s.

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[–] tooclosetothetv 9 years ago

Eastland cafeteria was the best.

Edna's Edibles had its moments. I liked "Boots" and seeing Blair and Jo adjust to Langley.

Over Our Heads I watched because I was so invested in the characters by that point. The one where they went to the drive-in was great, and I liked when Tootie got her driver's license in a hearse.

Didn't like Beverly Ann, Andy, Pippa or even George (sorry, George Clooney, just on this show didn't like that male energy.)

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[–] GabbyLane67 9 years ago

As a kid I thought Over The Heads was a cool store but as I watched reruns I liked the early episodes when they were in the dorm. I think it was second season. They'd still see the girls from the first season.

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[–] pioneergrrrl (2408) 5 years ago

Eastland Cafeteria
The Dorm
Edna's Edibles
Over Our heads until Edna up and left

Beverly Ann should have never come on. Think yes the show could have still worked IF Edna's sons (she conveniently had two sons who knew carpentry AND accounting!!) did come on after she left.

This would have could have given either a reason for over our heads to stay or Eastland to be saved. Should have tried that if the show needed new direction. I would have been willing to support 'male energy' if it were edna's sons.

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