relationships , they present possibilities and problemsolving strategies to girls in the audience fantasizing about future relationships , and they show adaptability and resilience when things don ’ t work out . In a nutshell , Patty is concerned with which guy to choose , Cathy with whether any guy will choose her .
Patty , on whom most of the show ’ s episodes focus , has two main problems : how to get a new guy she has a crush on to like her and what to do with Richard . In “ The French Teacher ,” Patty drastically improves her grade in French when she develops a crush on her attractive substitute teacher . In “ Patty and the Cut-Rate Casanova ,” she drops Richard for a smooth , flashy dancer , only to find out he ’ s not what he seems . In “ Don ’ t Monkey with Mendel ,” she falls for her new handsome genetics teacher , played by guest star Robert Goulet , and determines that he , rather than Richard or the other boys in her school , is the best choice to be the father of her future children . In “ The Greatest Psychologist in the World ,” she makes plans to spend the weekend at Harvard and attend the prom with a sophisticated college man . In “ Patty and the Newspaper Game ,” she meets the new college graduate that her father thinks is being groomed to take over his job as the managing editor of a newspaper and decides that he is the guy for her . In “ High Society ,” she competes with another popular girl in school , Sue Ellen , for the newest heartthrob at Brooklyn High . In “ Pen Pals ,” she flips for a unknown guy she exchanges letters with , prompting her father to remark to her , “‘ I don ’ t like you building up fantasies like this .’” In all of these cases , Patty acts impulsively , swept off her feet by the initial impression of the new flavor of the week . “‘ He ’ s the most sensational thing I ’ ve ever laid eyes on ,’” she claims of the new guy in her father ’ s office . “‘ A dreamboat is a dreamboat ,’” she coos after meeting a new 175