I love almost every episode of TFOL, but the one where Natalie is running for mayor and Blair is dressed in the kangaroo costume feeding her information is just awful.
shareThat was a strange episode.
It is as if they just ran out of ideas and said WHATEVER!!
Not worst, but the later Seasons were less appealing, IMO. Pretty much after 'Over Our Head's, i don't think the show had as much appeal. I thought the gourmet shop worked pretty well and it was doing okay until the over our heads, but I know they needed to throw in a quick story line since the shop burned down. I never liked Season 7-9.
M.
Breaking Point get's my vote. Even as far as VERY SPECIAL episodes go it was WAY to dark. Blair's competition Cynthia KILLS herself! WTF?!
shareThat one is bizarre. The audience laughter was so out of place. People seemed nervous or something because it got so heavy--at the height of the serious talk they laugh for no reason.
shareAgree that the one where Natalie runs for Mayor is really strange, like others have mentioned the writers must have run out of ideas if Blair is in a kangaroo costume.
shareYES. I found the laughter to be rather unsettling. I know this was 1981, but still, why make suicide in the context that it was in humorous? While the episode's not my least favorite, it's rather heartbreaking and difficult to watch all the same.
As for the question at hand, I don't care for that episode where Natalie wrote that bizarre short story. Even the name is stupid: "Come Back to the Truck Stop, Natalie Green, Natalie Green". Bleah!
You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you're all the same.
Even the name is stupid: "Come Back to the Truck Stop, Natalie Green, Natalie Green". Bleah!
I actually liked this one just because it gave the cast such a good excuse to ham it up and much as they could (and did they ever!)
shareI actually liked breaking point and thought it was powerful, and I also enjoyed Natalie's bizzare short story episode believe it or not. It was strange, but kept me entertained.
shareActually, I remember. 'Dancing as fast as I can". The one where Mrs Garrett and the girls go to a strip club . Its just awful.
shareActually, I remember. 'Dancing as fast as I can". The one where Mrs Garrett and the girls go to a strip club . Its just awful
I couldn't stand the entire episode in the car. The lack of laugh-track made the typical writing sound far more awkward.
Before anyone accuses me of needing a laugh track to find humor, I'd like to point out there are different types of writing, including comical writing, and one type is timed to laugh tracks and the other type isn't. They did their regular laugh-track writing without one. The result was awful, IMO.
I agree. The "Cruising' episode was bad. I didn't like the interview one either.
shareThe one I just watched was when the drive-in was closing. It was so unbelievably stupid. Natalie and Tootie were so annoying. First Natalie wants to get signatures on a petition to keep it open when the owner clearly wants to sell. Tootie makes a pest of herself wanting to watch a movie more than 20 years old. Some girl wants to beat up Blair for cutting in line to use the bathroom. The car gets stolen at a drive-in? It's just so ridiculous.
shareJust remembered another one. Jazzbeau. Blah LOL.
shareFor me, definitely the male strip club episode. It was taking on a fad that a lot of other TV shows were at the time. But did we really need to see Mrs. Garrett going all crazy over male strippers? The entire episode is embarrassing. It's too bad because Season 5, when they transition to Edna's Edibles, is a pretty strong season overall with some very good episodes.
I agree that the show started to weaken with "Over Our Heads." (I suspect they burned down "Edna's Edibles" because they knew Rae might be leaving as she was already limiting her appearances in Seasons 6 and 7 so having her leave at the start of Season 8 and closing the store may have been too much change at once so they got a headstart.) That was most likely due to new producers and writers and TV as a whole becoming more shiny 80s. But there are still some very good episodes to be found - Blair in the elevator with the concentration camp survivor, Blair's car accident, the reunion with Sue Ann, Nancy and Cindy. At the time, I really didn't like Beverly Ann because I was young and didn't really know Cloris Leachman but now being such a fan of Mary Tyler Moore, I can tolerate her a lot more. I just wish they hadn't added music to the scenes as it took away some of the dramatic feel.
Brian & Sylvia is bad even for a back for pilot. The couple had no chemistry and it was no surprise that they divorced.
Jazzbeau was also really bad.
I liked the Dancing As Fast As I Can episode, but then I've always been a sucker for male strippers lol! Woody Brown was a big crush of mine but I also appreciated the emphasis on Blair's relationship with Cliff, and having Jo and Blair take Mrs. G to a strip club was another way to show the audience they were adults, unlike Nat and Tootie.
But some of those other episodes mentioned I agree with- Jazzbeau, Cruising, all the potential spin-offs like the Bates episodes, Brian and Sylvie, and Jo's cousin. I also dislike that creepy episode where Tootie hooks up with a prostitute and when she's obsessed with Jermaine Jackson. And the one at the drive in was awful. I appreciate that the show wanted to try some new things, like having no laugh track, or being set in one setting like a car or a drive in, but those ideas didn't always work.
"Come back to the truck stop Natalie Green Natalie Green".
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