Rough Housing (24 Aug. 1979)

Cindy decides not to attend the Harvest Ball when Blair intimates that because of her tomboyishness she might be a lesbian.

Director:

Nick Havinga

Writers:

Brad Rider (teleplay), Brad Rider (story),

Stars:

Charlotte Rae, John Lawlor, Jenny O'Hara

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Charlotte Rae	...	Edna Garrett
John Lawlor	...	Steven Bradley
Jenny O'Hara	...	Miss Emily Mahoney
Lisa Whelchel	...	Blair Warner
Felice Schachter	...	Nancy Olson
Julie Piekarski	...	Sue Ann Weaver
Kim Fields	...	Dorothy 'Tootie' Ramsey
Julie Anne Haddock	...	Cindy Webster
Molly Ringwald	...	Molly Parker
Mindy Cohn	...	Natalie Green
Conrad Bain	...	Philip Drummond
Gary Coleman	...	Arnold Jackson
Todd Bridges	...	Willis Jackson
Dana Plato	...	Kimberly Drummond

Storyline

Cindy decides not to attend the Harvest Ball when Blair intimates that because of her tomboyishness she might be a lesbian.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 August 1979 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Metromedia Square - 5746 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

TAT Communications Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Cindy Webster: [Cindy gets out a long rope and gets Nancy and Blair to follow her into the center of the room] Come on you guys, it's tug-of-war practice time. We got to get on the ball before we get our brains knocked in.
Blair Warner: Listen, slugger, some of us want to talk about the dance.
Cindy Webster: [Cindy gets down on one knee and attempts to tie one end of the rope around Blair's left ankle] Now come on. You just plant your foot right here...
Blair Warner: [Blair lightly slaps Cindy's hand away from her and steps back a bit] Would you mind not...

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Connections

References Diff'rent Strokes (1978)

User Reviews

One of the first TV shows that adressed sexuality...

I applaud "Facts of Life" for not shying away from covering heavy subject matter, such as sex, drugs, abortion, breast cancer, prejudice, mental illness and other issues that have only been flirted with on previous television shows. And, one of the few programs where the "Very Special Episode" didn't center on pedophilia (although there was the one episode where Tootie is lured into child pornography, but that was very taboo on TV back then, so it still warrants praise). But I give this show high marks for tackling risky subject matter right from the get-go, as seen in this episode. I for one do not see why there'd be so much controversy aimed at this "Facts of Life" episode, being that since then, there have been programs with violence and sex. I felt that the very first "FOL" episode tackling possibly lesbianism was very commendable, especially since this is a show aimed at girls and young women. And many young girls go through that stage in there life where they don't know who they are, or who they're supposed to be, and, yes, that question regarding their true sexuality is often brought to mind, especially when we are often forced to comform to the roles of modern femininity. I mean not to trivialize young men who also feel the pressure of having to comform to traditional male stereotypes and who often get plastered for liking certain "female-oriented" things, but there have been plenty of TV shows and movies that have dealt with that...so, why can't a TV show deal with a young woman facing these issues?! And I personally feel they dealt with the subject matter very tastefully on "Facts of Life", especially this episode. They never once came out and said "lesbian", or "gay", but yet the viewer clearly knew what was being addressed. The first season of "Facts of Life" often gets panned and was ridiculed by TV critics, but I thought they did some great episodes in those days. Tackling other issues such as eating disorders and low self-esteem, as well as peer pressure, drugs and sex. I loved all 9 seasons of this show, and think it is one of the few shows that has truly evolved with time along with the characters, and one of the few all-female shows that has done so. I miss this show, being that today, we are either stuck with "Desperate Housewives"-type shows where the female characters are all at each other's throats, or shows where there is only one lone female character in a mostly male enssemble cast. But, not to get away from this episode, but it has broken new ground in television, as "Facts of Life" has always done so brilliantly.