Episode 310: The Facts of Life, The Nanny, Carol Burnett & Mama’s Family | Best Holiday Episodes!
The Conversation
- GO FIGURE -- Not a lot of Hanukkah or Kwanza episodes back in the 80s.
- Why did it take FIVE SEASONS before Facts of Life finally did a Christmas episode?
- S5, EP12 “The Christmas Show” - directed by Asaad Kelada.
- In S6, EP13 “Christmas in the Big House” -- Blair organizes a charity Christmas show for what she thinks is an orphanage -- but it turns out to be a men’s prison!
- Mickey Mouse Club veteran former Mousketeer Lisa Whelchel shows off her singing skills! Heck, all the ladies get to sing!
- NO ROOM AT THE INN? In the third Facts of Life Christmas episode, Blair’s mom gives birth -- It’s a Christmas baby episode!
- IS IT A WONDERFUL SHOW? Cloris Leachman gets center stage in the fourth -- and final -- Facts of Life Christmas episode, S9, EP10 “It’s A Wonderful Christmas”.
- Mama’s Family S6, EP14 “Mama Gets Goosed” -- The family is horrified when they meet their dinner -- a live goose that Mama plans to kill and cook for Christmas!
- The Nanny got a jump on Christmas episodes in S1, EP8 -- where complications from a gift Mr. Sheffield gives to Fran ends up fulfilling Gracie’s only Christmas wish!
- S3, EP14 “Oy To The World” -- The Nanny’s one and only ANIMATED EPISODE!
- S6, EP 10 “The Hanukkah Story” -- Susan and Sharon BOTH loved this Nanny episode where cultures clash when Fran tries to teach the Sheffields the importance of Hanukkah.
- PLUS -- BONUS HOLIDAY EPISODES from The Carol Burnett Show! - Alan Alda, star of the M*A*S*H TV show hit, sings with Carol! And plays one of Mama’s sons and Eunice’s brother in “The Family” in a hilarious, homecoming Christmas sketch.
- But is that a better episode than the Christmas special with incredibly famous opera stars, Eileen Farrell, Marily Horne and a surprise guest star Bob Hope?
- AND -- A BIG THANK YOU to our PATREON MEMBERS! We’ll tell you about NEW PERKS coming your way in 2025!
So, join Susan and Sharon as they talk Ray Charles, Community, dreidels, Alan Alda, vegetarian Christmas dinners, talking dogs, opera, “Big Spender”, Bob Hope -- and confessional confessions!
Our Audio-ography
Watch three of The Facts of Life Christmas Episodes on YouTube.
Watch “Mama Gets Goosed” on PlutoTV.
And “Santa Mama” on PlutoTV.
Watch The Nanny streaming on Peacock.
The Carol Burnett Show
S2, EP12 - Aired 12/16/1968 - Eileen Farrell, Bob Home and Marilyn Horne on YouTube.
S8, EP13 - Aired 12/21/1974 - Alan Alda Christmas episode clips:
- Nobody Does it Like Me with Carol Burnett on YouTube.
- “The Family” Christmas sketch with Alan Alda on YouTube.
LIGHT READING
Read On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
Read the Guardian article “How To Survive The Broligarchy” by Carol Cadwalladr.
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin at Baldwin and Co Books.
Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit at Bookshop.org
SHOP
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15% off on all merch at the 8TL Shop.
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SPECIAL MESSAGE
CREDITS
Credits: 80s TV Ladies™ Episode 310.
Produced by 134 West and Susan Lambert Hatem. Hosted by Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson. Sound Engineer and Editor: Kevin Ducey. Producers: Melissa Roth, Sharon Johnson, Richard Hatem Associate Producers: Sergio Perez. Sailor Johnson. Music by Amy Engelhardt. Copyright 2024 134 West, LLC and Susan Lambert. All Rights Reserved.
