I think this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I like the original version of the series much better. In the 1st season, there were 7 girls instead of 4, they were all likable and the show was racier, funnier and more lighthearted than it turned out to be. While the show always dealt with serious issues it really turned up the "afterschool special" vibe after the first season when they nixed 4 of the girls - downhome Sue Anne, tomboy Cindy, boy-crazy Nancy and young feminist Molly played by soon-to-be 80's teen-queen Molly Ringwald - not to mention the headmaster Mr Bradley - all very nice characters I was sad to see go. They then brought in one new girl: tomboy Jo from the wrong-side-of-the-tracks, accompanying Tootie, Natalie and my favorite character, the snooty beautiful Blair; all under the watchful eyes of the lovable, kooky but strict Mrs Garrett. Once they got into the 2nd season it seemed the emphasis was really on serious issues, with a lot of crying and drama. While Season One dealt with these kinds of issues itself (Drugs, Adoption etc...) it did it in a much funnier way. Also, what happened to Tootie?? She was sooo funny in the 1st season and then turns into a whiny and annoying snooze?? There were still some great funny moments though. And it did go through more transitions than most shows do: with that first big cast and setting change into the school cafeteria, then to Mrs Garrett's Edna's Edibles Deli store, then to the pop culture store Over Our Heads, at which point it gets wayyy too cheesy for me and I just can not tolerate the show at that point. It's funny cuz I watched this show growing up when it played heavily in reruns after school (along with Brady Bunch, Diffrent Strokes and Three's Company) - I never realized how dramatic this show was back then, until I rewatched it via DVD and was like: "Where's the funny?". Anyway, I find Brady Bunch and Three's Company much more to my liking these days. When I watch a comedy series, I want to laugh *not* be thrust into sad and stressful situations like suicide and cancer.
Review of The Facts of Life
