6. Blair Warner & Jo Polniaczek (The Facts Of Life)
The Facts of Life was a coming-of-age sitcom that lasted for nine years and revolved around a group of young girls at an all-girl school; it also just happened to be a spin-off of Diff'rent Strokes and geared toward a younger audience with its after-school special like episodes that centered on moral dilemmas. While Charlotte Rae got top billing as Edna Garrett, the weight of the show - by season two - was carried on the shoulders of Lisa Whelchel (Blair Warner), Nancy McKeon (Jo Polniaczek), and the dynamic of their character's relationship. Jo was the tough-talking motorcycle-riding tomboy from the Bronx while Blair was the boy-crazed wealthy debutante. Needless to say, they butted heads, exchanged quips, and stared daggers at one another on more than one occasion. The chemistry they shared was palpable and electric, and even when they were sniping at one another, you expected them to kiss at any moment (and no matter your gender or orientation, you wantedthem to because they were that awesome together). The great irony of all of this is the fact that Whelchel, a born-again Christian, is against homosexuality; this is truly saddening considering her character always had the best clothes, boots, hair, and attitude on the show that endeared her to gay fans.
Tommy Bobby Watanabe is an aspiring American novelist, stage actor, playwright, former LGBT rights activist, and has three years of independent professional wrestling experience and has been a big fan since 1998. An avid horror movie buff and comic book aficionado, TBW is honored to be featured on WhatCulture with some of the Internet's most talented writers and looks to spread his own knowledge and wit to WhatCulture's loyal readers.
