TVSquad

If you're a fan of '70s and '80s TV, you've probably been having a bunch of a "wha the?" moments over the last year or so. When this particular little white-haired older lady shows up on a show, she doesn't look familiar, but then you hear the matronly but deep voice, and you realize who you've just seen on your screen.

It's Mrs. Garrett! Only by the time you realize it, she's gone, leaving you to wonder if you were imagining things.

Don't worry; you're not going insane. We've been seeing a lot of Charlotte Rae, who played Edna Garrett on Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life, on TV lately, mostly playing tiny roles that involve maybe a few lines at the most. In fact, just last night, she played a suspect's mother on an episode of Life.

While ABC, NBC, and CBS have historically remained in a cutthroat battle for viewers, each network has shared one common trait: come the season of network promotional campaigns, all actors must be prepared to look absolutely ridiculous.

After the jump ... Remember this pop cultural gem (video below) that gained traction on the Net not too long ago? The sheer oddity of the clip alone forces us to ask ourselves several questions: do these people all live together? Why is Marla Gibbs dressed like an astronaut? Does Bea Arthur do everybody's shoppingl? CAN'T NELL CARTER JUST SIT DOWN AND REST HER FEET FOR A SECOND? (Seriously, give her a break!)

It's Halloween, so you know that like most holidays we're seeing more and more TV-related lists. AOL TV has picked the top 20 witches of all-time.

I have to admit that when I first saw this piece I couldn't even name 20 witches that we've had on television. Sure, I immediately thought of Samantha and Endora on Bewitched, Willow on Buffy, The Vampire Slayer, Tabitha on Passions, and the girls from Charmed, but after that I really had to scratch my head on how they were going to come up with 20. But then I saw that they extended the rules to include witches from cartoons and TV movies, so after that it's probably pretty easy. Though I think it's an easy way out to pick all the girls from Charmed.

Witchipoo from H.R. Pufnstuf is there, as is the girl from Wizards of Waverly Place. I've never seen this movie Worst Witch they speak of, but they pick more than one witch from it so maybe it's more well known than I realize. I love the fact they picked Amanda from Tucker's Witch.

Of course, the list isn't perfect. Nancy Grace isn't on it.

Oh, they don't make 'em like this anymore.

After the jump is a video from the NBC 60th Anniversary show in 1986 (very interesting). It's rather surreal. We get to see Bea Arthur, Nell Carter, Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett from Facts of Life), Marla Gibbs, and Alfonso Ribiero sing a song about "family." That's the NBC family, that is, as all of them were starring on shows at the time (Facts of Life, Golden Girls, Gimme A Break, 227, and Silver Spoons). Punky Brewster herself makes an appearance too, but only to say three words and gives a thumbs up. Barbara Eden introduces the song. The most cringe-worthy moment isn't any of the singing, it's when Gibbs and Carter pass each other on the stairs and casually say that they love each other's shows.

Can you imagine a network doing this now? I want to see Hugh Laurie, Stewie, the guys from Prison Break, Marge Simpson, and Gordon Ramsay get on stage at the next Emmy Awards and sing about the FOX family.

[via Best Week Ever]

(S14E18) What? An episode where Abby's good luck finally rears its ugly head? Nah, couldn't be! Why would the producers of ER want to give Dr. Lockhart any good luck after the roller coaster that has been her life this past season? Oh, I know why...her life is going to fall apart again on next week's season finale. So, I guess it's like giving her something sweet before she needs to swallow yet another bitter life pill.

Well, we can enjoy it for a little bit, can't we?

There's a quality I really admire in older women. It's the "I no longer give a crap what you think of me" quality. They've seen it all, done it all, been there and back and have no reason not to speak their minds. It's so damn refreshing in a world of publicists and politesse to hear some old curmudgeon honestly and blithely offer their withering assessment of the world.

The now 80 year-old Charlotte Rae, television's Mrs. Garrett of Facts of Life fame, gave a mouthful to reporters on the red carpet of the LA premiere of Joan Collins and Linda Evans' theatrical turn in Legends. When asked about Collins, Rae responded, "Joan Collins is a bitch! There's no doubt about it. Everyone says she's an extremely difficult person." The Insider sprung the tape of Rae's remarks on Collins in a backstage interview. Collins reply: "Who is this cow!" I don't know what it is about these catty old broads, but I love them.

[Via After Elton]