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The Facts of Life

  • TV-PG
  • 1979–1988
  • 9 seasons
  • Drama, Comedy
  • 7.1

You take the good, you take the bad...

Mrs. Edna Garrett, housemother and dietitian at the Eastland School, teaches a group of girls in her charge how to solve those problems that every teenager has to face.

Episodes

26 episodes
  1. 1Brave New World (1)

    Sep 21, 1983

    Jo and Blair have a hard time adjusting to college.

  2. 2Brave New World (2)

    Sep 21, 1983

    Ms Garret decides to re-open an abandoned department store and turn it into her own.

  3. 3Gamma Gamma or Bust

    Sep 28, 1983

    Blair is dying to join the sorority that's she pledging and she volunteers Mrs. Garrett to be the caterer for a rush party. However, when Mrs. Garrett begins making Mexican before consulting Blair, who wanted Chinese, Blair fires her without a second thought.

  4. 4Just My Bill

    30 minOct 12, 1983

    Jo's been dating, Bill, a plain guy who attends the same college as she does, but when she learns that he's a rich kid, Jo becomes resentful and angry that he didn't tell her the whole truth about himself.

  5. 5What Price Glory?

    Oct 19, 1983

    Tootie's new boyfriend, Jeff, is the star football player on the football team at Eastland. However, she learns a startling secret that he's been keeping, he's illiterate. She now must decide whether or not to encourage his behavior of having other kids do his work for him.

  6. 6The Halloween Show

    Oct 26, 1983

    A strange man tells the girls that years ago a murder occurred in the shop. Later, when the girls see Mrs. Garret with a knife they assume that she's possessed by the murderer's spirit and is out to get them.

  7. 7Advance Placement

    Nov 2, 1983

    Natalie is allowed to enroll in a college course at Langley College and she quickly gets an overblown ego which quickly threatens her friendships with Blair, Jo and Tootie. Things get even worse when she learns that if she can keep her grade point average up she will be allowed to graduate early and enroll at Langley in the fall.

  8. 8I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can

    Nov 9, 1983

    For a birthday surprise, the girls take Mrs. Garrett to a club featuring male exotic dancers, but the one who's in for the real surprise is Blair.

  9. 9Small but Dangerous

    Nov 16, 1983

    Streetwise Kelly alleges that the vandalism of Edna's Edibles was the work of a local gang, but Jo decides to investigate.

  10. 10Store Games

    Nov 30, 1983

    Mrs. Garrett is slowly losing business to a competitor, Pete Dawson. However, Natalie, with the help of her computer, breaks into his computer and alters his recipes.

  11. 11The Second Time Around

    30 minDec 14, 1983

    Jo begins seeing sparks between her divorced parents and immediately hopes they get back together. However, her hopes quickly become dashed when she learns that her father is planning to marry another woman.

  12. 12The Christmas Show

    Dec 21, 1983

    The holidays bring joy to the girls when they all plan on going home for Christmas but when Jo's mother temporarily moves to Miami, Jo is stuck in Peekskill.

  13. 13The Chain Letter

    Dec 28, 1983

    While Mrs. Garrett frets over an inspection by the Board of Health, the girls get involved with a chain letter and ignore their responsibilities.

  14. 14Next Door

    Jan 4, 1984

    A young boy enters Edna's Edibles and Tootie befriends him and learns that he lives next door. She also learns that his mother works all day and leaves him home alone and tells him never to leave their apartment and when a gas leak is detected on the block the young boy won't budge.

  15. 15Crossing the Line

    30 minJan 11, 1984

    Natalie starts dating a black guy, and Tootie thinks that Natalie hates him because of his color.

  16. 16All or Nothing

    Jan 18, 1984

    Newly elected board member Jo tackles the regents of Langley when they vote to cut academic scholarships in favor of a scoreboard nobody wants.

  17. 17A Death in the Family

    30 minFeb 1, 1984

    The girls are shaken by the sudden death of Natalie's father and wonder how to ease her pain.

  18. 18Big Fish/Little Fish

    30 minFeb 8, 1984

    Blair is distraught when she discovers that Jo has taken her place in popularity on campus. This leads to an argument between the two that ends with Jo refusing Blair's help for planning a party.

  19. 19Star at Langley

    30 minFeb 15, 1984

    Blair and her boyfriend, Cliff, are serious at least Cliff thinks so but Blair pushes him away. Meanwhile, a movie star, Heather Hunt, is visiting Peekskill and quickly Blair finds herself competing with her for Cliff's attentions.

  20. 20Dream Marriage

    Feb 22, 1984

    A marriage proposal from Blair's boyfriend prompts her to begin dreaming about the future for herself and her friends.

  21. 21Mother and Daughter

    30 minFeb 29, 1984

    Tootie's mother comes to Eastland for a visit, and the fact that Tootie doesn't communicate with her mother becomes apparent. Her mother quickly realizes there are many things she doesn't know about her daughter and wants to have an open relationship with Tootie but will Tootie allow that?

  22. 22All by Herself

    Mar 14, 1984

    Geri is in charge of organizing a charity auction but makes her first mistake by making Blair her assistant. Blair quickly takes over and begins doing things without consulting Geri. Geri in turn fires her and makes her second mistake, not accepting any help from from anyone.

  23. 23Seems Like Old Times

    30 minMar 21, 1984

    Jo is surprised when her ex-boyfriend, Eddie, who just got out of the Navy, makes a surprise visit. However, Jo isn't the only one who's in for a surprise when Tootie discovers a shocking secret that Eddie's been keeping.

  24. 24Joint Custody

    May 2, 1984

    Mrs. Garrett's son, Raymond stops by Edna's Edibles for a visit and brings along his wife, Doris, whom he has been having marital problems with. This gets Mrs. Garrett and the girls worried about the future of the shop especially since Raymond and Doris have been talking about a divorce.

  25. 25The Way We Were (1)

    May 9, 1984

    Another school year has come to an end and all the girls are preparing or their summer vacation. They each reminisce about the last six years they have spent together (via flashbacks). However, leaving one another on good terms is something that may not happen when an accident causes yet another rift between Jo and Blair.

  26. 26The Way We Were (2)

    May 9, 1984

    Flashbacks and memories of the past continue as the girls finish getting ready for their summer vacations. However, saying goodbye to one another appears to be easy for all them especially since fights are brewing between Blair and Jo and Natalie and Tootie.

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Series cast

Lisa WhelchelBlair Warner201 episodes
Kim FieldsTootie Ramsey201 episodes
Mindy CohnNatalie Green201 episodes
Nancy McKeonJoanne Jo Polniaczek188 episodes
Charlotte RaeEdna Garrett153 episodes
Mackenzie AstinAndy Moffett72 episodes
Cloris LeachmanBeverly Ann Stickle48 episodes
Pamela AdlonKelly Affinado26 episodes
Sherrié AustinPippa McKenna24 episodes
George ClooneyGeorge Burnett24 episodes
Felice SchachterNancy Olson19 episodes
Julie PiekarskiSue Ann Weaver17 episodes
Julie Anne HaddockCindy Webster17 episodes
Molly RingwaldMolly Parker14 episodes
Jenny O'HaraMiss Emily Mahoney13 episodes
John LawlorSteven Bradley13 episodes
Geri JewellGeri Tyler12 episodes
Alex RoccoCharlie Polniaczek11 episodes

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