The WORST episodes of The Facts of Life

Every episode of The Facts of Life ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of The Facts of Life!

Charlotte Rae stars as a dietician and house mother at a private girls' boarding school, watching over students Blair, Tootie, Natalie and Jo.

Last Updated: 3/26/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
Share:
Brian and Sylvia
star
5.86
7 votes

#1 - Brian and Sylvia

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/25/1981

Tootie and Natalie visit Tootie's aunt Sylvia. However, they show up in the middle of a fight between Sylvia and her husband Brian, who are an interracial couple: Sylvia has a job offer in New York and Brian is not too happy about moving.

Directors: John Bowab
Writer: Jack Elinson
A Rose by Any Other Age
star
6.11
9 votes

#2 - A Rose by Any Other Age

Season 9 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/28/1987

Blair is dumbfounded when an honor student she invited over ostensibly to study takes a shine to Beverly Ann instead of her.

Directors: John Bowab
The Candidate
star
6.20
5 votes

#3 - The Candidate

Season 7 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/1/1986

Natalie is furious with the mayor during an election when she learns he plans to build an amusement park. This prompts Natalie to consider running for mayor herself.

Directors: Valentine Mayer
A House Divided
star
6.29
7 votes

#4 - A House Divided

Season 9 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/30/1988

The fat hits the fire when Natalie and Tootie's boyfriends meet, and Jo blows a gasket over the repair job on her bike.

Directors: John Bowab
Writer: Mark Tuttle
Fast Food
star
6.40
5 votes

#5 - Fast Food

Season 8 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/29/1986

Natalie gets Blair a job at a Mexican restaurant where Natalie works. However, Blair snobby attitude gets her fired when she inadvertently insults the boss.

Directors: Marian Deaton
Write and Wrong
star
6.43
7 votes

#6 - Write and Wrong

Season 8 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/13/1986

A furious Natalie is determined to identify and sue the plagiarist who sold her short story to a magazine.

Directors: John Bowab
Peekskill Law
star
6.44
9 votes

#7 - Peekskill Law

Season 9 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/23/1988

Blair interns at a law firm that's defending an accused murderer, who seems to be guilty until proven innocent.

Directors: John Bowab
Writer: Mark Tuttle
Present Imperfect
star
6.50
10 votes

#8 - Present Imperfect

Season 9 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/5/1988

Tootie recieves a hideous pendant as an engagement present from Jeff's formidable grandmother, and it's pulverized at Andy and Pippa's wild party just before the woman arrives.

Directors: John Bowab
Writer: Kathy Lette
Out of Peekskill (2)
star
6.50
4 votes

#9 - Out of Peekskill (2)

Season 8 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/27/1986

Directors: John Bowab
Tootie Drives
star
6.50
8 votes

#10 - Tootie Drives

Season 7 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/21/1985

Tootie's learning to drive and she's driving everyone bananas.

Directors: John Bowab
Let's Face the Music
star
6.55
11 votes

#11 - Let's Face the Music

Season 9 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/13/1988

A sponsor of a musical benefit invites Jo and Blair to visit his beauty spa, where they are transformed but not in the way they expected.

Directors: John Bowab
Big Apple Blues
star
6.57
7 votes

#12 - Big Apple Blues

Season 9 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/19/1988

Natalie's first bite of the Big Apple is hard to digest: she overnights in a Soho loft with "the four weirdest people I've ever met."

Directors: John Bowab
Guess What's Coming to Dinner
star
6.58
12 votes

#13 - Guess What's Coming to Dinner

Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/9/1983

Mrs. Garrett is expecting a visit from a French chef whom she once was an understudy for. However, when he arrives with some of his relatives and then quickly departs leaving his family at Eastland, Mrs. Garrett and the girls are forced to entertain the visitors who speak no English.

Directors: Asaad Kelada
The Big Fight
star
6.62
13 votes

#14 - The Big Fight

Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/8/1982

Yet another episode that revolves around the boys at a military academy. One of the young cadets, Alfred, invites Natalie to see him box in a tournament. However the only reason he gets into this situation is do the fact that his father suggested it. Later, Alfred learns that his father isn't even going to attend and is now faced with the possiblity of backing out on a fight against an opponent who intimidates him.

Directors: Asaad Kelada
Writer: Jerry Mayer
Stake-Out Blues
star
6.67
6 votes

#15 - Stake-Out Blues

Season 7 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/11/1986

The police want to stake out the shop to nab a few crooks but the girls, not wanting to worry Mrs. Garrett, insist she not be told about the operation.

Directors: John Bowab
Kids Can Be Cruel
star
6.67
12 votes

#16 - Kids Can Be Cruel

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/17/1982

Natalie becomes furious with Blair when Blair discloses Natalie's interest in a boy.

Directors: Asaad Kelada
Writer: Jerry Mayer
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Beginning of the Beginning
star
6.73
11 votes

#17 - The Beginning of the Beginning

Season 9 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/7/1988

As the new headmistress, Blair starts whipping Eastland students into shape, and she's particularly challenged by one who seems determined to get expelled.

Directors: John Bowab
Ready or Not
star
6.73
11 votes

#18 - Ready or Not

Season 8 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/4/1986

Beverly Ann is concerned that Tootie is getting much too serious about her new boyfriend.

Directors: John Bowab
The Beginning of the End
star
6.80
10 votes

#19 - The Beginning of the End

Season 9 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/30/1988

Blair buys Eastland to save it from bankruptcy, and then must find a new headmaster and lots of new students.

Directors: John Bowab
Before the Fall
star
6.80
10 votes

#20 - Before the Fall

Season 9 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/24/1987

Natalie jumps at the chance to do an inside story on ROTC and then learns she'll also have to jump from a plane.

Directors: John Bowab
Molly's Holiday
star
6.80
15 votes

#21 - Molly's Holiday

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/4/1980

Molly is sad over her parents' divorce, so the girls help her scheme to reunite them. But her father arrives with a new girlfriend instead.

Till Marriage Do Us Part
star
6.82
11 votes

#22 - Till Marriage Do Us Part

Season 9 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/27/1988

Rick proposes to Jo in his own crazy way, and everyone anticipates a wedding everyone, that is, except Jo, who still hasn't accepted.

Directors: John Bowab
Writer: Ross Brown
For the Asking
star
6.83
12 votes

#23 - For the Asking

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/15/1982

A Sadie Hawkins Day dance prompts Natalie to debate asking out a boy she's been eyeing. However, his ignoring of her prompts her to boycott the dance and plans on spending the evening with Blair and Jo. But when Blair and Jo get dates, Natalie is the odd woman out.

Directors: Asaad Kelada
The New Girl (Part 1)
star
6.87
55 votes

#24 - The New Girl (Part 1)

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/19/1980

The new school year brings a new student, Jo, a tough girl who hotwires the school van and takes off to a bar with Blair, Natalie and Tootie to meet guys. However, one of the guys they meet happens to be an undercover police officer who hauls them off to jail.

Directors: Bob Claver
Writer: Jerry Mayer
Where's Poppa?
star
6.88
8 votes

#25 - Where's Poppa?

Season 8 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/6/1986

A disconsolate Blair locks herself in the bedroom after her father pleads guilty to charges of insider trading.