The Facts of Life

The first season featured a large ensemble cast that was quickly trimmed, with main co-stars throughout the majority of the series consisting of Lisa Whelchel as Blair Warner, Kim Fields as Tootie Ramsey, Mindy Cohn as Natalie Green, and Nancy McKeon as Jo Polniaczek. The premise of The Facts of Life changed numerous times throughout the course of its run, coinciding with the changing lives of its young characters. From the fifth season onward, the setting of the series shifted from the Eastland School to a storefront that Mrs. Garrett turns into a bakery called Edna's Edibles, which later becomes a pop culture gift shop called Over Our Heads run by the girls. Additional co-stars added to the main cast throughout the series' run include Pamela Adlon, Mackenzie Astin, George Clooney, and Sherrie Krenn. In 1986, Rae left the series and was replaced by Cloris Leachman as Mrs. Garrett's sister Beverly Ann Stickle, who serves as the series' main star for its final two seasons.

Initially not a ratings success, The Facts of Life went on to become one of NBC's highest-rated series of the 1980s, becoming the network's highest-rated comedy series in its third season. A 1988 opinion poll conducted by USA Today found that the series was among the top ten most beloved programs among American teenagers at the time. Three television films based on the series were also aired, including The Facts of Life Goes to Paris (1982) and The Facts of Life Down Under (1987) on NBC, and The Facts of Life Reunion (2001) on ABC. The Facts of Life was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards throughout its run, including a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Rae in 1982.