The Facts of Life - Season 9, Episode 8

Blair hasn't yet twigged onto the reality that she's the crowd part of a three's a crowd

"A Rose by Any Other Age"
Original airdate: 11/28/1987

Episode summary: Blair is dismayed when a man she considers a potential suitor becomes smitten with Beverly Ann.

---

Recap: Tootie and Natalie are gathering up a bunch of stuff they no longer use in order to donate to the needy - just as Blair enters the room and orders them to clear out all their junk 'cause she has a study partner coming over. She then places a vase filled with pretty flowers atop the coffee table and spritzes her favorite perfume around the room...and when Natalie laughingly asks Blair if her study partner happens to be a guy, Blair primly says he's a third year honors student at Langley Law School and that their study date is not going to entail any hanky panky.
​
Blair lays out some snacks and turns on the stereo just before her study date, a mature looking guy named Larry Preston, arrives. He greets Blair in no-nonsensense manner, then shuts off the stereo before making it clear that he expects them to get right down to the business of studying. He moves the flower vase out of the way to make room for his textbook, and Blair pretends as though she somehow didn't think to bring her books to their study session and says she'll just share his by flirtily staring over his shoulder. A few seconds later, Beverly Ann stumbles into the room, then is all, "Oops!" 'cause she didn't realize that Blair was in the middle of a study date. After being introduced to Larry, Beverly Ann explains that she's looking for the Yellow Pages 'cause she wants to buy a pair of boxing gloves...and as Blair gently tut tuts her for continuing to interrupt the study session, Larry looks intrigued by Beverly Ann's interest in boxing gloves and asks her what's prompting this purchase. She explains that her son Andy has run into his first schoolyard bully, a thug-child named Spider, and needs to be able to defend himself. Larry asks if her husband is going to teach the imp how to box, and she tells him she only has an ex-husband...and that he's such a milquetoast that even she's capable of beating him up. LOL. A growingly irritated Blair picks up the textbook as a not-so-subtle hint for Beverly Ann to shut it and skedaddle - but then Larry starts prattling about how he used to be into boxing several years ago until he ultimately concluded that the sport wasn't for him. As Beverly Ann beams in besotted fascination, a weirded out Blair abruptly excuses herself to go see how Jo is doing (after she apparently threw out her back helping Natalie and Tootie haul around their old junk).

"I was once into boxing - until I realized I didn't want to be."

"Fascinating! Tell me more."

Natalie and Tootie are fussing over Jo when Blair enters the communal bedroom to ask a completely disinterested Jo to weigh in on the possible reasons her study date could be ignoring her. Blair then gazes at herself in the mirror to confirm that she still considers herself to be the vision of perfection...and after thinking more about the situation, somehow comes to the deluded conclusion that Larry is trying to win her heart by hiding how crazy he is about her and paying as little attention to her exquisiteness as possible. [Sounds about as reasonable as any Facts subplot, so sure.] 

Larry and Beverly Ann are still chortling about boxing when Blair sashays back into the living room. Beverly Ann announces that she's off to the kitchen to prepare some Chinese food using a wok, and Larry perks up at that and says he knows a lot about stir frying via a wok and would be more than delighted to give her some tips. Blair, who's still convinced that Larry is masterfully concealing his deep attraction to her, invites him to stay for dinner, and he happily accepts.

As Beverly Ann scampers off to the kitchen, Larry gushes, "What a delightful woman!" - just as Andy enters the room clutching a weed wacker, and explains that he needs it as a defence against his nemesis, Spider. Blair interjects to ask Larry if he'd like to go for a walk, and Larry says he would - but only if Andy tags along and they all go to a sporting goods store to buy the lad a pair of boxing gloves. 

After dinner, Larry gives Andy tips on how to use his new boxing gloves, then voluntarily tortures himself further when he asks Beverly Ann if she wouldn't mind showing him her Winnebago Memories photo album. As Blair sits between the two at the kitchen table looking visibly bored, Larry gushes to Beverly Ann about how impressed and amazed he is that she drove across the country by herself and took such stunning photos, and she blushingly quips, "It's nothing a woman of tremendous courage and vision couldn't do." LOL. Blair offers to show Larry some professional shots she commissioned during a recent trip to Europe, but he responds by checking his watch and telling her he needs to rush home right now to finish a paper that's due in the morning. He then turns his attention back to Beverly Ann and tells her that helping her prepare dinner was the most fun he's ever had with a wok, and she agrees and giggles about how charmed she was by his "priceless" stories. Blair offers to walk Larry to his car, but he's like, "No thanks" and beats a hasty retreat. After a perplexed Blair retreats upstairs, Larry returns to fetch a book he forgot in the living room. He thanks Beverly Ann again for a wonderful evening and smittenly adds that he hopes they can do it again sometime...and when she replies, "That'd be nice", he pulls her towards him and plants a giant smooch on her lips. She stares back at him in astonishment before leaning in to kiss him back - just as Blair emerges on the landing of the staircase and stares down at the puckered up pair in utter incredulity.

"What would you say if I told you how completely entranced I am whenever I look at you?"

"That it's nothing a vibrantly youthful grown woman wouldn't blush at like a giddy schoolgirl."

Later that night, Blair wakes up Jo to tell her she's considering cosmetic surgery 'cause she simply can't wrap her brain around how a youngish man like Larry could possibly prefer a grizzled geriatric over her. Jo shrugs and points out that it was just a kiss, then makes it clear that she has no interest in further discussing her "plight" and shuts off the light.

The next morning, Beverly Ann gushes to the Facts gals (sans Jo) about what a beautiful day it is, and that she's never felt so young, yet so old at the same time. She blushingly shares that she and Larry smooched last night...and that despite their vast age difference, there was lots of chemistry there [though none that I was able to detect]. When no one thinks to inquire what in blazes happened to her beau Oliver who she was dating as recently as the previous episode, Natalie applauds her May-December action and points out that a lot of past-their-prime men date much younger women. Blair counter-quips that Beverly Ann shouldn't take Larry across any state lines, then denies that her overt bitterness is any kind of sign that she's jealous of Larry's interest in the old gal. A startled Beverly Ann hastily tells Blair that she'd back off Larry in an instant if she thought she had any interest in dating him - but Blair denies being attracted to Larry before snidely pronouncing, "You and Larry look ridiculous together" and adds that when people see them together they're no doubt thinking he's out with his mother. As Natalie and Tootie stare over at Blair in appalled disgust, Larry telephones to ask Beverly Ann if she wants to get together later - but she brusquely tells him she has plans, then hangs up and high-tails it out of the room.

Later, the Facts gals invite Beverly Ann to join their gin rummy game - but she declines, mumbles that she doesn't feel much like a winner, and dejectedly shuffles out of the room. Jo says it's a damn shame that things didn't work out with Larry, and Blair correctly guesses that everyone is blaming her for humiliating Beverly Ann when she inferred what an embarrassing spectacle it'd be if she were to start publicly dating the much younger man. She insists that she was merely being honest and straightforward...then pauses and admits that she was also being insensitive, hurtful, and selfish. When Beverly Ann reenters the room a few seconds later, Blair apologizes for her catty comments regarding her hook-up with Larry and urges her to give him a call. Beverly Ann says she's actually kinda reluctant to do that 'cause she's a bit skeered about what people are going to think, and Tootie's like, "Who cares?" and reminds her that she's always telling them that they can't live their lives to please other people. Beverly Ann's like, "But this is different 'cause it's me" and isn't sure she wants to start up anything serious with a man who's clearly young enough to be her son...but when Tootie coos about how much she'd enjoy a romantic, candlelit dinner with a handsome fella who's obviously head-over-heels for her, Beverly Ann defiantly picks up the phone and dials Larry's number.

"You're always telling us not to give a hoot about what other people think."

"I make it a point never to live by my own platitudes."

Beverly Ann and Larry return from a fun evening at the carnival, and Blair gaily asks them how their date went - just as Andy enters the room pressing an ice pack on his eye after getting punched in the face. He happily reports that when Spider pushed him, he pushed back using Larry's boxing techniques - but then Spider's brother entered the mix and decked him. Blair takes him to the kitchen to re-ice his black eye...and as Beverly Ann worriedly wrings her hands about Andy's bully conundrum, Larry offers to talk to Spider, adding that it's a father's job to do that sort of thing and that it could be good practice for when he gets married and has kids. He asks Beverly Ann if she ever thinks about remarriage, but she just shrugs disinterestedly and mumbles, "Not so much." A baffled Larry says he always thinks about the potential of marriage whenever he starts seeing someone 'cause he considers himself "too old to date just for the heck of it". When Beverly Ann wistfully retorts, "Yes, I guess you are", Larry's all, "Uh oh.." and says he hates reaching the point in a [short-lived sit-com] relationship when he strongly senses that one of them is going to end the evening with 'it's getting late' before the inevitable dumping ensues. He weakly says he's not going to assume that they're about to break up, then gives her a cheek kiss and promises to call. Beverly Ann murmurs, "OK" ... and after he exits the house, she sadly declares, "But it is getting late."

Thanks for reading! If you are enjoying TVofYore's recaps, consider thanking me by buying me a "coffee"!

---