Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'The Facts of Life' and 'Diff'rent Strokes'

Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: The Facts Of Life/Diff’rent Strokes succeeded because it doesn’t even try to come close to the way the original episodes were staged. Everyone had fun with embodying the iconic roles they were given, and it showed.

The core “Facts” cast – which also included Kathryn Hahn and Gabrielle Union (as classmates Jo and Tootie) and Ann Dowd stepping in as their housemother Mrs. Garrett – was unimpeachable, with the adult actresses summoning their best teen selves (notably Hahn’s huffy performance as boy-phobic Jo). But it was Aniston who reminded us that her true place is on a situation comedy. ... There was decidedly more there there when it came to the “Diff’rent Strokes” episode, titled “Willis’ Privacy.”

For Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes, the onus was on the two casts — and instead of strategizing to pair actors and roles in intended harmony, this was mostly “Wouldn’t it be funny if…” stunt-casting. There were exceptions, starting with Ann Dowd. ... I don’t know if it’s good or bad that however much I enjoyed the two Live in Front of a Studio Audience episodes, I was far more amused by the retro commercials interspersed in the ad breaks.