The Facts of Life Season 4, Episode 5: Different Drummer

Ain't Miss Beholden

Jo discovers that her scholarship funds are being cut. However, the one thing that could keep her at Eastland, she refuses to do. That is to apply for a scholarship through Warner Industries, which is Blair's father's company.

30 min

The Source

Natalie makes up a source for the topic of her newspaper article on abortion and if she doesn't reveal who the source is, she could be kicked out of school. However, little does she know, that there is someone at Eastland who could fill the shoes of the "made up source".

30 min

The Sound of Silence

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

30 min

The Oldest Living Graduate

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

Dearest Mommie

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.

30 min

A Woman's Place

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.

Daddy's Girl

The IRS invades Blair's life when they question her tax return. Little does Blair know that the title her dad has placed on her is a cover to get out of paying income tax. Blair is even more heartbroken when she discovers that all the personal vacations she has taken with her dad have been written off as business trips.

The Big Fight

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.

For the Asking

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.

September Song

The latest man in Mrs. Garrett's life is Henry, her jogging buddy. However, their relationship could turn into a marriage when he proposes. Later, Henry hurts his back and the girls become nursemaids this gives Mrs. Garrett a quick taste of what living with Henry would be like.

A Royal Pain

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.

Magnificent Obsession

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"".

30 min

Under Pressure

When the girls learn the Mrs. Garrett has high blood pressure, they do everything in their power to lessen the load. Their attempts include, getting Mr. Parker to plan his own party and take care of a banking problem. However the exploits only make matters worse when Mrs. Garrett wonders why Mr. Parker doesn't want her to plan the party and Blair's attempt at trying to fix the bank problem leads to Mrs. Garrett's car being stolen.

Teacher's Pet

Jo has become close friends with her English teacher, Gail, even inspiring Jo to think about becoming a teacher herself. However, Jo is disappointed to learn that Gail is leaving Eastland presumably for a job that pays more but the real reason she's leaving is nothing Jo ever expected.

30 min

Let's Party!

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.

30 min

Best Sister (1)

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.

Best Sister (2)

Blair, Natalie and Tootie can't believe that Jo wants to become a nun and Blair accuses Meg of recruiting. However, the real reason Blair can't except Meg, comes to the surface when Jo and Meg begin talking about God which leads to violence between Jo and Blair.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

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.

30 min

Who's on First?

Natalie begins dating an attractive guy and begins spending all her time with him, which leaves Tootie out in the cold.

Help from Home

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.

30 min

Take My Finals, Please

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.

30 min

Graduation (1)

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.

Graduation (2)

As graduation day arrives, Monica is furious that Blair's father won't attend, Rose is furious at Charlie due to his sudden tranformation into a big spender and Natalie and Tootie are scared that they will lose Blair and Jo as friends when they leave for college.