The Facts of Life Episode Rating Graph

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.

After returning from their summer vacation, the girls discover that Edna's Edibles has burned down. This leads the girls to discuss rebuilding and opening up a new business.

Blair is devastated when she learns that her boyfriend is into cocaine. Lisa Whelchel. Jo: Nancy McKeon. Kevin: Ryan Cassidy. Father Donovan: John Ingle.

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

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.

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

Jo and Blair have a hard time adjusting to college.

Tootie is excited about the impending visit of her brother Marshall, however is stay becomes one of fear when he invites the girls to a college party where beer is being served. After the party, a drunk Marshall, insisting that he isn't drunk, offers to drive Blair, Natalie and Tootie home. However, their trip home is interrupted by an accident.

For the Christmas season, Blair and some of her snobby friends plan on putting on a Christmas show at a home for boys. Her Christmas spirit quickly changes when she discovers that the home for boys is really a home for convicts.

It's finals week at Eastland and the girls are planning an all night study session. They soon find out that studying is going to be hard with so many distractions, including Blair and Jo's fears of the future in college and Natalie's fear of an upcoming Chemistry exam in which she must memorize the atomic symbols.

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

The local drive-in theatre is closing and the girls decide to pay it one last visit on the final night it's open. However, chaos reigns when people begin to loot the theatre and Blair gets into a cat fight.

Graduation has everyone rushing around and Natalie and Tootie are worried that their isn't going to be enough time for Jo and Blair to say goodbye, especially since Blair and Jo are at each other's throats, as usual.

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.

During an alumni weekend at Langley, Blair's mother and Jo's father bond which leads to Blair and Jo's fears of becoming sisters.

Mrs. Garrett receives a visit from the high-school sweetheart she ran out on, and she's swept off her feet all over again.

A no-win situation: Tootie asks Natalie for an honest opinion of her dreadful one-woman play about Eleanor Roosevelt.

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.

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.

The new Japanese student, Miko, is excited about being the newest student at Eastland as well as being in America. However, her strict father doesn't think Eastland is a good influence especially since she snuck out to see a rock concert and borrowed Jo's bike causing $400 in damage.

On a dateless Saturday night, the girls cruise downtown Peekskill in hopes of finding Mr. Right. However, a string of bizarre events leads the girls to hideout in their car at a closed gas station.

Jo is offered a job at a major company which is tempting but this causes her to reevaluate her dream of becoming a teacher.

Mrs. Garrett and the girls are all excited about Natalie's graduation and buy her a bookcase with a brand new set of encyclopedias on the assumption she's going to college. To her friends surprise, Natalie has a very different plan for life after high school.

With Mrs. Garrett out of town, Blair wants to be in charge of the shop so a reluctant Jo, Natalie and Tootie step aside and let her. Quickly Blair's handling of a competitor food shop goes awry.

Natalie is nervous after an interview for a job she applied for with the town newspaper. However, after she learns she didn't get the job, her strange behavior threatens her relationship with her boyfriend.

While working at the campus radio station, Jo finds herself needing to fill 5 hours of air time. Things start off on a bad note, when she can't find a key to the record cabinet, which leads, Natalie, Tootie, Blair and Mrs. Garrett to come to her rescue.

Jo and Sam's relationship grows more serious despite the fact that he has a young son from a previous marriage.

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.

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?

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

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.

A new student arrives at Eastland claiming to be a royal princess. All seems to go okay, but then Tootie catches her with a boy. Since it is against the rules to have an uninvited guest, Tootie starts to become suspicious.

Jo, Natalie and Blair are going to New York to see a Broadway play and a left out Tootie sneaks out to meet them in front of the theatre without Mrs. Garrett's knowledge. However, when Tootie doesn't find the girls she stops in a coffee shop across the street unaware she's about to get a dose of the downside of New York life.

Mrs. Garrett and the girls share their summer vacations: Natalie and Tootie at a Cape Cod resort, Mrs. Garrett and Jo on a musical fling in Atlantic City and Blair down on a farm in Iowa.

Needing advice on her love life, Blair asks her mother to visit, only to learn that mom needs advice even more than Blair does.

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.

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.

The girls have no plans for spring break until Natalie learns that her grandmother's condominium is available in Fort Lauderdale, where the boys are.

Mrs. Garrett enrolls in a Shakespeare class, but worries that she might neglect her business and have trouble fitting in with the college crowd.

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.

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.

Mr. Bradley gives the girls an assignment having to do with their family trees. However, Natalie is reluctant to show hers in class do to the fact that the family that raised her is her adopted family. This prompts Blair to help Natalie find the name of her real mother by using her mother's clout to cut through some red tape and sealed records.

Tootie's first date with Jeff since he started college leaves her feeling she must sleep with him to keep him.

Streetsmart Bronx native, Jo Polniaczeck arrives at Eastland.

On spring break in Fort Lauderdale and to the surprise of everyone, especially herself, Blair falls in love with a mere building manager.

Natalie is excited about a job offer to write a weekly column for a New York newspaper. The fact that the job would make her miss school as well as bring her unnecessary pressure causes her to get into an argument with her mother. During the argument, Natalie brings up the fact that she's adopted, this leads her adopted mother to give her the name of her birth mother.

Fabian and Bobby Rydell visit the girls, and together they recall the look and sound of the 1960s.

Jo's cousin, a 14 year old tomboy, who is lovesick, calls for her help.

Jo begins a pizza business with her mom's secret pizza recipe that has everyone's mouths watering, including a fraternity house that buys pizzas in bulk. However, the business begins running Jo and her workers, Natalie and Tootie ragged which leads Jo to make a business decision on how to make pizzas faster and cheaper.

Blair is thrilled that her name is going to be part of Eastland, since a large amount of money from her grandfather's estate is being donated for the building of a new library. However, while doing a story on him for the newspaper, Natalie uncovers a shocking truth, Blair's grandfather was a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

Blair's latest boyfriend, Chad, means everything to her and she goes all out trying to please him. However, one evening when he takes her out to a dance, he leaves with another woman. This leads Blair to contemplate breaking off this ""controlling"" relationship with a man she claims to ""love"".

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.

Jo goes away for her first ""college weekend"" with her latest boyfriend Jason at Yale. Just after Mrs. Garrett leaves to take Jo there, Blair's sister, Meg, arrives for a surprise visit. Meg showing up unexpected is not the only surprise she has in store, she wants to become a nun. That fact is something Blair has a hard time dealing with. Meanwhile, Jo arrives back early after the car breaks down. She later has a spiritual experience and decides she too wants to become a nun.

Blair is selling Countess Calvert cosmetics, and she uses Natalie as a model.

Mrs. Garrett is surprised by a visit from her ex-husband, Roger, who wants the two of them to remarry. However, his gambling ways rub off on the girls who begin gambling on poker games and loosing what little money they have..

Jo has been accepted at Langley College along with Blair but doesn't tell anyone that she has since she doesn't plan on going due to her and her parents financial situation. However, when she takes a trip home for the weekend, she learns that her entire family found out the truth and are now counting on her to do well.

Mrs. Garrett and the girls all become concerned about Blair's bizarre behavior, she's skipping class, dating nonstop and is out all night every night, all this just after a breakup with her first serious relationship, Cliff.

Natalie's planning a weekend of romance with her boyfriend, but when her Grandma Mona drops in unexpectedly, her romantic intentions are postponed.

Mr. Bradley's need to have Eastland win prompts him to manipulate Sue Ann into competing in a running competition. Sue Ann had previously ran but this year decided not to, however, Mr. Bradley uses Cindy's better racing times to goad Sue Ann into competing.

After her commencement speech is rejected, Jo refuses to make a speech at all, but then learns that her grandfather has come all the way from Poland to hear it.

Tootie and Natalie go to visit Tootie's aunt Sylvia. However, they are unaware they are showing up right in the middle of a fight. Sylvia and her husband are an interacial couple and Sylvia has just gotten a job offer in New York and Brian is not to happy about moving.

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

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.

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

Conclusion. When Mrs. Garrett goes to Africa with her new husband, her sister moves in with the girls. Blair: Lisa Whelchel. Andy: Mackenzie Astin. Jo: Nancy McKeon.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.""

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.

Natalie has a big crush on Tim and has filled Blair's slambook with words of praise. However, in Blair's slambook instead of signing your name you sign a number, Natalie's number is 10. When Blair tells Tim who number 10 belongs to, Natalie is furious and wants revenge no matter who she hurts in the process.

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.

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.

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

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

Molly is down in the dumps due to her parents getting a divorce. So she gets some help from the girls who plan to reunite her parents. Things hit the fan, when her father arrives with a new girlfriend.

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

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

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

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.

An ex-Eastlander, Alison makes a visit to Eastland to see old friends, Blair, Natalie and Tootie. Coming back brings back memories of when life was a lot simpler, since now she is married and has a baby daughter, Emily. When Alison leaves, however, she forgets to take along one important thing, Emily.

Blair, Tootie and Natalie organize a reunion with the girls from Eastland. This brings Nancy, Cindy and Sue Ann back to town each with successful lives. Cindy has become a model, Nancy is engaged and Sue Ann a vice president for a company. However, each also has a distinct downside to their success. Meanwhile, Jo feels left out of the reunion.

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

Beverly Ann and the girls head for New York, when Tootie decides to audition for her first Broadway show. However, when she arrives, she quickly learns that she has plenty of competition working against her.

Richard Moll returns to the home he left in Jo's care to find it's been flooded: someone left the water running in the hot tub.

Babysitter Blair leaves her sister with the others while she attends a tea, and returns to find they somehow misplaced her.

Natalie discovers that Tootie has a hearing problem. Tootie forces Natalie to keep quiet and refuses to get some help for her problem.

Wanting to give Natalie a gift for helping her with her chemistry, Blair takes a peek in Natalie's diary to see if she could get an idea on what to get. However, gifts are the last thing on Blair's mind when she discovers that Natalie thinks she's an egotistical witch.

Blair's mother is scheduled to have plastic surgery but calls it off to make a visit to Eastland to see her daughter. However, a mistaken phone call leads Blair to discover the truth, her mother may have breast cancer.

Tootie's father comes for a visit and doesn't like the activities that Tootie is being exposed to. Believing that Mrs. Garrett is a bad influence, Mr. Ramsey decides to have Tootie transfer out of Eastland.

Mrs. Garrett begins teaching a sex-education class at Eastland and her tactics are against the more prudish suggestions of Mr. Bradley. Meanwhile, Blair takes the ideas from class and expirements with her latest boyfriend, Steve.

Blair is sure that an old friend of hers', Harrison Andrews is going to invite her to a cotillion, however she is thrown for a loop when he invites Jo.

Natalie hits it off with Neil, a boy she meets at a dance and they later begin studying together. However, rumors are spread that Natalie and Neil did more than just study which brings on calls from a number of boys who want to study with Natalie. Natalie encourages these rumors when she goes out with the boys due to the fact that Blair, Jo and Tootie laughed at the notion that Natalie could be a sex symbol.

Tootie is lured into doing a photo shoot for a fashion photographer.

Mrs. Garrett learns that the company that she worked for, for years has gone bankrupt thus canceling her pension fund. This prompts her to get a second job, one that pays more that the job at Eastland. She ultimately begins thinking of quitting her job as school dietician.

Jo's got a great part time job as a mechanic working along side her boyfriend, Doug. However, when her talent of fixing motorcycles causes her to get a promotion to weekend service manager, Doug gives her the cold shoulder since she is now his supervisor.

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

Assigned by the paper to get the inside dirt on Pledge Week at Langley, Natalie crashes the rush party of the sorority Tootie wants to join.

Beverly Ann's ex shows up unexpectedly, hoping for a reconciliation.

It's not music to his ears when Jo's dad learns that her boyfriend plays piano at a dinner joint.

Natalie deals firsthand with facts of life as she overnights with her boyfriend Snake, and faces the reactions of her friends and Snake.

A friend of Jo's, Buzz, who attends a military academy, needs her to fix him up with a wealthy socialite, since he made a bet with some of his buddies. So Jo fixes him up with Blair who thinks he dates wealthy women including Gloria Vanderbilt's daughter.

One evening, a tired Blair falls asleep at the wheel and has a car accident landing her in the hospital with a gash in her for-head. This leads her to begin worrying about how her once ""perfect"" self will recover from this tragedy.

Jo's job at the social services center gets a bit hairy when her supervisor, a suicide prevention counselor, threatens to leap off a building.

Jo interviews an Eastland alumna. After her interview Jo changes her mind about giving money to the school.

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.

Blair is so caught up with her latest boyfriend that she forgets about an English assignment in which she has to write a poem. So, at the last minute she plagiarizes a poem by Emily Dickinson and turns it in as her own. Things get worse when she's the only one who gets an A and Mr. Bradley enters her poem in a contest.

Mrs. Garrett's old friend, Gwen comes to town for a visit with her old gossip buddy, but she also comes to town to confront Edna about the affair Gwen thinks she had with her late husband.

The girls surprise Blair on her birthday with a party featuring singer and dancer Betty Kean who, like ""The Man Who Came to Dinner,"" stays on and on and on.

Tootie plans to join a road show after graduation despite her parents' objections, while Natalie plans to find an apartment where she can write in peace.

Blair's after-hours visit with a professor reputed to be a womanizer stirs up a storm of vicious rumors on campus.

Shortly after winning an award, Jo learns that her jailbird father, is getting paroled and that he would like to attend the awards ceremony. However, an ashamed Jo, tries to keep her father from attending as well as tries to keep secret the fact that her dad is in prison.

Jo's father shows up to announce that he's won a publisher's giveaway, and is determined to give Jo everything he could never give her before.

Andy latches on to a ""big brother,"" who's living for today because tomorrow may never come.

Tootie and Blair give an aspiring comic a career boost by staging a performance attended by Jim McCawley, talent coordinator of ""The Tonight Show.""

Blair discovers that even she can't buy admission to law school if she doesn't pass a four-hour test she hasn't studied for.

Jo's boyfriend, Eddie, surprises her by making a sudden visit to Peekskill, but she gets even more of a surprise when he proposes marriage.