Episode guide
The Facts of Life
200 episodes · 9 seasons · 1979–1988 · NBC
Season
Season 1
13 episodes
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S01E01 Rough Housing The Harvest Fair festivities are dampened by a misunderstanding over a tomboy's affections for the other girls.
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S01E02 Like Mother, Like Daughter Blair's mother runs into an old high-school boyfriend during Parents Night.
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S01E03 The Return of Mr. Garrett Mrs. Garrett's ex-husband proposes again.
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S01E04 I.Q. Tootie discloses her friends' I.Q. scores.
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S01E05 Overachieving Tootie's father wants to remove her from Mrs. Garrett's care.
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S01E06 Emily Dickinson Blair's solution to a problem puts the honor of the school at stake.
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S01E07 Dieting Sue Ann goes on a dangerous crash diet.
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S01E08 The Facts of Love Blair decides to put a sex-education lesson to use.
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S01E09 Flash Flood Mr. Bradley attempts to rescue Blair and Tootie from a flood.
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S01E10 Adoption Adopted Natalie wants to find her natural mother.
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S01E11 Running Mr. Bradley sets out to keep the school's championship track title.
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S01E12 Molly's Holiday The girls plan to reconcile Molly's divorcing folks.
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S01E13 Dope Blair and Sue Ann's new friends use marijuana.
Season
Season 2
16 episodes
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S02E01 The New Girl (Part 1) Mrs. Garrett assigns a streetwise student to be Blair's roommate.
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S02E02 The New Girl (Part 2) Mrs. Garrett's plan gets the girls expelled.
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S02E03 Double Standard Jo attends a country club cotillion with Blair's suave childhood friend.
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S02E04 Who Am I? Tootie's new boyfriend questions the real motives of her white friends.
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S02E05 Cousin Geri A visit by Blair's handicapped cousin brings back a lifelong conflict.
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S02E06 Shoplifting Jo "picks up" an expensive gift for Mrs. Garrett's birthday.
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S02E07 Teenage Marriage (Part 1) Jo's old boyfriend proposes marriage.
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S02E08 Teenage Marriage (Part 2) Mrs. Garrett and the girls try to delay Jo's marriage.
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S02E09 Gossip Tootie's gossiping jeopardizes Mrs. Garrett's job.
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S02E10 Breaking Point Blair learns her opponent in the student council race is suffering through a crisis.
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S02E11 Sex Symbol Natalie's first date has unexpected consequences.
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S02E12 The Secret Jo fears her classmates will find out about her father's disreputable past.
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S02E13 Pretty Babies A top fashion photographer arrives on campus to search for the new face of the '80s.
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S02E14 Bought and Sold Cosmetics saleswoman Blair gives Tootie a new look.
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S02E15 Free Spirit Mrs. Garrett's son pays a visit to Eastland and captures Natalie's attention.
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S02E16 Brian and Sylvia Tootie and Natalie visit Tootie's aunt in Buffalo, N.Y., and end up in the middle of a marital flare-up. (A failed backdoor pilot for a spinoff series centered on Tootie's aunt and uncle.)
Season
Season 3
24 episodes
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S03E01 Growing Pains Tootie is tired of being treated like a little girl.
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S03E02 Fear Strikes Back Natalie is attacked while returning from a party.
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S03E03 A Baby in the House A former Eastland student, now a teenage wife and mother, stops by for a visit.
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S03E04 A Friend in Deed Blair inadvertently discovers her mother has a serious illness.
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S03E05 Front Page Jo's chance to write a hot news story leads her on a trail of revenge.
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S03E06 Give and Take Mrs. Garrett faces serious financial troubles.
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S03E07 Sweet Sorrow Jo's relationship with her boyfriend is in jeopardy when she falls for another guy.
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S03E08 From Russia with Love Natalie's plans for a private weekend fall through when her grandmother arrives.
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S03E09 Dear Me Tootie is apprehensive about going on a camping trip with boys from Bates Academy.
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S03E10 Cousin Geri Returns Blair is afraid her cousin is being set up for a disappointing romance.
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S03E11 Legacy Blair's decision to donate part of her inheritance to Eastland brings unexpected family news.
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S03E12 Green-Eyed Monster Natalie will do anything for the school-play lead.
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S03E13 The Americanization of Miko Jo is caught in an international conflict when she meets a new Japanese student.
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S03E14 The Marriage Brokers Blair is curious about Mrs. Garrett's new beau.
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S03E15 Starstruck Tootie is obsessed with singer Jermaine Jackson.
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S03E16 The Four Musketeers The girls must decide if they want to continue living together.
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S03E17 The Affair Natalie is devastated when she sees her father with a strange woman.
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S03E18 Runaway Tootie decides to go to New York unchaperoned.
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S03E19 New York, New York Trips home seem to make the Blair/Jo feud worse.
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S03E20 Kids Can Be Cruel Natalie's revenge harms an innocent bystander.
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S03E21 Mind Your Own Business Blair begins a war over the right to privacy.
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S03E22 The Academy Blair's cadet date is really a delinquent. The first of two failed attempts at a backdoor pilot for a series set at a boys academy.
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S03E23 Jo's Cousin Jo's 14-year-old cousin wants her overprotective father and brothers to recognize her femininity.
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S03E24 Read No Evil The issue of book banning arises at Eastland.
Season
Season 4
23 episodes
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S04E01 Ain't Miss Beholden Jo's future at Eastland is in jeopardy when she learns her scholarship funds are drying up.
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S04E02 The Source Natalie could be suspended from Eastland when she refuses to reveal her source for a controversial article in the school paper.
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S04E03 The Sound of Silence Geri tries to give Tootie sound advice when she learns that Tootie is losing her hearing.
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S04E04 The Oldest Living Graduate Jo wins the heart and money of Eastland's oldest living graduate.
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S04E05 Different Drummer Blair tutors a mentally impaired young man.
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S04E06 Dearest Mommie Natalie embarks on a desperate search for her natural mother after an emotional confrontation with her adoptive mother.
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S04E07 A Woman's Place Jo is forced to make a difficult decision when her exceptional ability at her new job gains her a quick promotion.
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S04E08 Daddy's Girl Blair discovers she's the unsuspecting victim when a tax audit reveals her father has done some questionable accounting.
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S04E09 The Big Fight Natalie has started dating Alfred, a cadet at a nearby Military Academy. When Alfred starts boxing he becomes disheartened over facing a tough boxing opponent, especially in front of his father and Natalie, who's there covering the match for her school newspaper. The second of two failed attempts at a backdoor pilot for a series set at a boys academy.
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S04E10 For the Asking Natalie may end up the odd woman out when she boycotts a school dance.
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S04E11 September Song When the girls discover Mrs. Garrett's boyfriend is significantly older than her, they try to warn her that their romance won't last. Refusing to listen to their concerns, Mrs. Garrett soon realizes her relationship won't last because of how different their beliefs are.
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S04E12 A Royal Pain Tootie discovers that the new student, a young princess, plans to run away.
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S04E13 Magnificent Obsession Blair's behavior toward her new boyfriend could cost her her self-respect and her best friends.
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S04E14 Under Pressure The girls are determined to do everything in their power to spare Mrs. Garrett unnecessary stress.
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S04E15 Teacher's Pet Jo is furious when she learns that a favorite teacher is planning to leave Eastland.
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S04E16 Let's Party! The girls learn a valuable lesson when they join Tootie's college-aged brother and his roommate for a night on the town.
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S04E17 Best Sister (Part 1) Blair is stunned by her socialite sister's decision to become a nun and then by a shocking announcement from Jo.
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S04E18 Best Sister (Part 2) Blair believes that she is the only one capable of keeping her sister and Jo from becoming nuns.
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S04E19 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner A series of events disrupts Mrs. Garrett's attempts to entertain French visitors.
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S04E20 Who's on First? Tootie feels ignored when Natalie devotes all of her time to her new boyfriend.
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S04E21 Help from Home Jo returns home for a visit and announces that she has decided to get a job instead of attending college.
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S04E22 Take My Finals, Please Despite Mrs. Garrett's objections, the girls settle in for an all-night study session.
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S04E23 Graduation Blair and Jo share a common feeling of disdain toward their graduation from Eastland.
Season
Season 5
26 episodes
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S05E01 Brave New World (1) Mrs. Garrett is angry; Jo faces expulsion.
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S05E02 Brave New World (2) Mrs. Garrett's move causes new problems.
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S05E03 Gamma Gamma or Bust Blair fires sorority-party caterer Mrs. Garrett.
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S05E04 Just My Bill Jo's going out with a new guy. When she learns from Blair that he's the son of a prominent judge and an ambassador the afternoon she gets invited to dinner with them, she goes out of her way to make them feel uncomfortable at dinner.
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S05E05 What Price Glory? After Tootie's crush, the star quarterback of Eastland's football team comes into Mrs. Garrett's café, she discovers that he can't read. Tootie's ethics are soon tested when he asks her to help cheat on an upcoming big test. When she decides to not help him do that and offers to help learn how to read. Meanwhile, Blair volunteers her cousin Geri to perform at an upcoming charity show for her sorority and is in a bind when Geri is hesitant to help out.
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S05E06 The Halloween Show A customer mysteriously vanishes on Halloween.
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S05E07 Advance Placement Natalie feels superior when she is allowed to take a course at Langley College.
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S05E08 I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Jo and Blair bring Mrs. Garrett to an exotic dance club for her birthday.
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S05E09 Small But Dangerous Mrs. Garrett and the girls become victims when they befriend a street punk.
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S05E10 Store Games The girls go to war with the shop's competition.
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S05E11 The Second Time Around Jo's plan to reunite her parents runs into trouble.
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S05E12 The Christmas Show Blair devises a way to get Jo to take a money gift.
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S05E13 The Chain Letter The girls' careless work habits could lead to the closing of Mrs. Garrett's gourmet shop by the Board of Health.
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S05E14 Next Door A 7-year-old boy refuses to leave his apartment during an evacuation.
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S05E15 Crossing the Line Natalie upsets Tootie by dating Tootie's cousin.
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S05E16 All or Nothing Jo learns a lesson in politics when she is elected to the Langley College Board of Regents.
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S05E17 A Death in the Family Natalie's father dies unexpectedly.
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S05E18 Big Fish/Little Fish Blair can't deal with Jo's increasing popularity.
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S05E19 Star at Langley Blair has to compete for her boyfriend's attention when a movie star enrolls at Langley College.
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S05E20 Dream Marriage Blair dreams of the future for herself and her friends.
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S05E21 Mother and Daughter Sparks fly when Tootie and her mother find it difficult to communicate.
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S05E22 All by Herself Blair takes away all her cousin Geri's responsibilities in planning a charity auction.
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S05E23 Seems Like Old Times Jo's Brooklyn boyfriend returns unexpectedly.
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S05E24 Joint Custody Garrett's son may spell trouble for Edna's Edibles.
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S05E25 The Way We Were (1) As the school year ends, the girls look back at the good times.
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S05E26 The Way We Were (2) Natalie and Tootie try to bring a feuding Blair and Jo back together.
Season
Season 6
26 episodes
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S06E01 The Summer of '84 Summer exploits are the topic of discussion when the gang returns from vacation.
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S06E02 Slices of Life Jo's pizza business does better than she planned.
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S06E03 Love at First Byte Natalie takes a risk when she chooses computer dating as the subject of her term paper.
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S06E04 My Boyfriend's Back Tootie faces an important decision as she tries to gain her boyfriend's acceptance.
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S06E05 Cruisin' The girls cruise the streets of downtown Peekskill with hopes of spotting "Mr. Right".
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S06E06 Taking a Chance on Love (1) Rumors spread across the campus when Jo is seen with her photography professor.
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S06E07 Taking a Chance on Love (2) Jo's relationship with her professor grows more serious.
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S06E08 E.G.O.C. (Edna Garrett on Campus) Mrs. Garrett hits the books again when she takes a Shakespeare class with Jo and Blair.
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S06E09 Dear Apple The school computer spurts out advice when Blair and Jo become embroiled in a fight.
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S06E10 Talk, Talk, Talk Jo is handed the tough assignment of hosting a five-hour radio program.
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S06E11 Smile Natalie has the opportunity to break into journalism, but she may lose her boyfriend in the process.
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S06E12 The Rich Aren't Different Blair seeks payment after Jo breaks her watch.
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S06E13 Christmas in the Big House Mrs. Garrett and the girls stage a Christmas show at an orphanage.
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S06E14 Me and Eleanor Tootie wants Natalie's opinion on her writing.
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S06E15 Working It Out Mrs. Garrett and the girls express concern over Blair's obsessive dating and irrational behavior.
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S06E16 Jazzbeau Tootie and Natalie recall the summer they met a memorable jazz singer.
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S06E17 Two Guys from Appleton Mrs. Garrett's high-school beau reappears.
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S06E18 With a Little Help from My Friends Jo fears Blair's boyfriend is using drugs.
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S06E19 Gone with the Wind (1) The girls head to Florida for spring break.
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S06E20 Gone with the Wind (2) Jo falls for a singer; Blair's new love is unusual.
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S06E21 Man in the Attic Mrs. Garrett offers Kevin a room in the attic.
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S06E22 The Last Drive-In The girls plan to spend a quiet night at the movies before the drive-in closes for good.
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S06E23 Sisters A budding romance develops between Blair's mother and Jo's father.
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S06E24 It's Lonely at the Top Blair manages the shop in Mrs. Garrett's absence.
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S06E25 Bus Stop Natalie makes a shocking announcement about college.
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S06E26 The Interview Show A former Eastland student interviews Mrs. Garrett and the girls for her latest novel.
Season
Season 7
24 episodes
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S07E01 Out of the Fire... The girls and Mrs. Garrett return from their summer vacations to find that Edna's Edibles has been destroyed by fire.
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S07E02 Into the Frying Pan Mrs. Garrett and the girls hire a contractor to build a new business on the former site of Edna's Edibles.
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S07E03 Grand Opening The girls and Mrs. Garrett encounter some difficulties on opening day at their new boutique.
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S07E04 Teacher, Teacher Jo must make a decision between a teaching job and an offer from a major corporation.
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S07E05 Men for All Seasons Langley administrators are upset over the publication of a calendar featuring beefcake photos of the boys swim team.
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S07E06 A New Life Blair fears the worst when she discovers her mother is pregnant.
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S07E07 Doo-Wah The girls hastily form a singing act after Andy enters them in a band contest.
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S07E08 Come Back to the Truck Stop, Natalie Green, Natalie Green Natalie travels to a truck stop where she involves her friends in an unusual musical fantasy.
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S07E09 Born Too Late Tootie becomes the object of Andy's affections.
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S07E10 3, 2, 1 Jo and Blair attempt to stage a live newscast from the store.
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S07E11 We Get Letters Mrs. Garrett's former college friend accuses her of once having an affair with her husband.
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S07E12 Ballroom Dance When Jo decides to take dancing lessons, she attempts to hide the fact from her friends.
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S07E13 Christmas Baby Blair is unexpectedly called in as a birthing coach when her mother delivers her baby on Christmas Day.
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S07E14 Tootie Drives Mrs. Garrett helps a nervous Tootie prepare for her driving test.
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S07E15 Stake-Out Blues When the police stake out the shop in an effort to catch a group of counterfeiters, the girls decide not to tell Mrs. Garrett.
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S07E16 The Agent Tootie discovers a talented campus comic and arranges a meeting for him with a talent scout.
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S07E17 The Reunion Jo agrees to pose as George's fiancee at his high-school class reunion in an effort to impress his former girlfriend.
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S07E18 Concentration Headed for an awards ceremony, Blair is trapped in an elevator with a man who has a very special past.
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S07E19 Atlantic City The girls travel to Atlantic City, N.J., to see Jo's old flame, rock 'n' roll singer "Flyman".
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S07E20 The Lady Who Came to Dinner The girls have an unexpected guest when they celebrate Blair's 21st birthday.
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S07E21 The Candidate Angry Natalie decides to run for mayor of Peekskill.
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S07E22 Big Time Charlie Jo's father makes a fortune in the stock market, but spends money on her rather than giving her the attention she wants.
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S07E23 The Graduate Tootie seems more concerned with a theatrical audition than with her upcoming high-school graduation.
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S07E24 The Apartment Natalie and Tootie make some discoveries when they move into an apartment together.
Season
Season 8
24 episodes
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S08E01 Out of Peekskill (1) Mrs. Garrett must choose between staying in Peekskill or following her boyfriend to Africa.
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S08E02 Out of Peekskill (2) When Mrs. Garrett decides to marry and move to Africa, her sister moves in with the girls.
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S08E03 Ready or Not The girls fear that Tootie and her boyfriend are becoming too serious.
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S08E04 Another Room Jo finds it difficult to pay her share of transforming the attic into a loft.
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S08E05 Off-Broadway Baby Tootie undermines the competition when she auditions for her first Broadway show.
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S08E06 The Little Chill Three of the girls who used to live in the dorm with Blair, Tootie, and Natalie return for a reunion. Jo feels left out because she never knew them.
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S08E07 The Ratings Game Jo botches up Blair's latest computerized date-rating service.
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S08E08 The Wedding Day Jo agrees to marry an illegal alien so he can get his green card.
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S08E09 Fast Food Blair must work at a taco stand as a requirement for her business degree.
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S08E10 Where's Poppa? Blair's father is charged with insider trading and when he pleads guilty, she doesn't know how to react.
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S08E11 Write and Wrong Someone called "Desiree" plagiarizes Natalie.
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S08E12 Seven Little Indians Tootie sees a horror movie and then has a nightmare in which her friends are stalked by a killer.
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S08E13 The Greek Connection Natalie's article angers sorority pledge Tootie.
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S08E14 Post-Christmas Card Natalie's in trouble after she gets a pre-approved credit card.
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S08E15 A Star is Torn A young singer gets support from Tootie and the girls.
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S08E16 A Winter's Tale On a ski trip, the girls are accidentally double-booked into a room filled with young men.
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S08E17 Cupid's Revenge Old loves reappear in the lives of Beverly Ann and the girls.
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S08E18 62 Pick-Up Beverly Ann and the girls relive the '60s when pop stars Fabian and Bobby Rydell arrive in Peekskill for a concert.
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S08E19 Boy About the House Beverly Ann initiates proceedings to adopt Andy when his foster parents separate.
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S08E20 Ex Marks the Spot Beverly Ann's ex-spouse wants to renew their romance.
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S08E21 Younger Than Springtime Blair unwittingly pairs Charlie with a 23-year-old.
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S08E22 This is Only a Test Blair learns that her test score, not the influence of her parents, will decide if she is admitted to law school.
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S08E23 Rites of Passage (1) Jo's grandfather travels from Poland to see her graduate from college.
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S08E24 Rites of Passage (2) Blair, Tootie, Natalie and Beverly Ann make vacation plans while Jo considers taking a job in Los Angeles.
Season
Season 9
24 episodes
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S09E01 Down and Out in Malibu (1) Jo, homeless and unemployed in California, fortuitously meets up with "Night Court" co-star Richard Moll.
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S09E02 Down and Out in Malibu (2) Upon his return home, actor Richard Moll finds a group of "trespassers" and has them arrested.
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S09E03 Rumor Has It Blair decides to quit law school after a rumor circulates about her and a womanizing professor.
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S09E04 Before the Fall Natalie goes under cover as an ROTC cadet to get a news story.
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S09E05 Sweet Charity Social worker Jo raises funds to save her new job.
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S09E06 Up from Down Under A visitor claims to be a new exchange student from Australia.
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S09E07 The More the Marrier Tootie forces Jeff to decide about their future.
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S09E08 A Rose by Any Other Age Blair is stunned when her law school study partner falls for Beverly Ann.
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S09E09 Adventures in Baileysitting Blair learns a lesson about motherhood when she agrees to baby-sit her little sister.
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S09E10 It's a Wonderful Christmas Stricken with the holiday blues, Beverly Ann has her own "It's a Wonderful Life" experience.
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S09E11 Golden Oldies It is 40 years into the future and the girls are back together in the same house.
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S09E12 A Thousand Frowns Jo introduces Andy to a man from the shelter.
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S09E13 Something in Common Jo's father takes an immediate dislike to his daughter's irresponsible boyfriend.
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S09E14 Peekskill Law Blair's first assignment as a law clerk involves her in a scandalous murder trial.
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S09E15 A House Divided Natalie and Tootie's dinner party doesn't go well when their dates don't get along.
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S09E16 The First Time Natalie and Snake plan to mark the anniversary of their first year together with an intimate encounter.
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S09E17 Let's Face the Music The girls visit a famed beauty salon for make-overs, but their transformations aren't quite what they expected.
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S09E18 Less Than Perfect A scar received in a car accident mars Blair's personality as well as her face.
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S09E19 Till Marriage Do Us Part Jo and Blair both receive interesting, if unexpected, proposals from their boyfriends.
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S09E20 Present Imperfect Tootie is afraid she may lose Jeff when a gift from his grandmother ends up in the blender.
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S09E21 On the Edge A co-worker of Jo's suffers career burnout and threatens to commit suicide.
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S09E22 Big Apple Blues A weekend trip to New York sets Natalie on a new life course. A failed backdoor pilot for a spinoff series for Natalie.
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S09E23 The Beginning of the End Blair puts up her grandmother's trust fund to save Eastland School from bankruptcy.
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S09E24 The Beginning of the Beginning In the series finale, Blair becomes headmistress of Eastland School. A planned spinoff with Blair in the lead at Eastland never happened.