Entertainment
20 Iconic 'Golden Girls' Moments That Will Make You Want To Revisit The Classic Show
One of the most popular and memorable sitcoms of the late ‘80s was The Golden Girls, and now that all seven seasons are available to stream on Hulu, viewers are finding their way back to the series. The show was ahead of its time, managing to tackle important social issues in the funniest of ways. There are so many to choose from, but here are some of the best Golden Girl moments of all time.
I watched a lot of sitcoms as a kid growing up in the ‘80s, but The Golden Girls was one of my favorites. The show may have been about four golden-aged ladies — Blanche (Rue McClanahan), Rose (Betty White), Dorothy (Beatrice Arthur), and Sophia (Estelle Getty) — living their best lives together, but its wit, strong female dynamic, and social messages transcended age, and could keep a kid like me entertained for hours.
Along with winning over generations of viewers, the show received critical acclaim and numerous accolades — 68 Emmy nominations, 11 Emmy wins, and four Golden Globe wins. After a successful seven-year run, the series ended in 1992, but now through the golden age of streaming (pun intended), The Golden Girls is back on the menu, and here are some of the best moments to get you started.
1. When Blanche Finds Out Jean Is A Lesbian
In Season 2, Episode 5, titled “Isn’t It Romantic,” Dorothy’s friend Jean (Lois Nettleton) comes to visit. She confesses that she’s in love with Rose, and when Dorothy and Sophia tell Blanche about the crush, she initially assumes they mean “Lebanese." when Blanche realizes they said “lesbian,” she is shocked and upset that Jean chose Rose over her.
2. When The Girls Get The Flu
In Season 1, Episode 21, titled “Flu Attack,” Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose are competing for the title of Volunteer of the Year. But when they all get hit with the flu, the ladies are forced to stay home and deal with each other, and the result is hilarious.
3. When The Girls Get Caught Up In A Murder Mystery
In Season 7, Episode 2, titled “The Case of the Libertine Belle,” the ladies attend a murder-mystery lunch, where Blanche ends up as the main suspect. This episode has one of Blanche’s most iconic lines — “I’m from the South, flirting is part of our heritage.”
4. When Dorothy, Blanche, & Rose Get Arrested For Prostitution
In Season 2, Episode 2, titled "Ladies of the Evening," Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche are on their way to see the new Burt Reynolds movie, and get mistaken for prostitutes. After getting arrested and put in jail, Sophia comes to bail them out. Blanche tries to convince her of their innocence, to which Sophia hilariously says, "I know that, I can't believe these dumb cops would think anyone would pay money to sleep with you."
5. When Blanche & Sophia Date The Same Man
In Season 4, Episode 1, titled "Yes, We Have No Havanas," Blanche and Sophia are both dating a man named Fidel. Of course, when Blanche flaunts her sexuality in front of him, Sophia has some of the best roast-worthy comebacks. Along with calling her a "50-year-old mattress," when Blanche seductively mentions she's going to bathe in a tub with just enough water to "barely cover her perky bosoms," Sophia coyly asks, "You're only gonna sit in an inch of water?"
6. When Blanche's Bra Deflates
In Season 2, Episode 14, titled "The Actor," Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche all fall for the same handsome actor. Not knowing he's playing all of them, they compete for his attention. To up her game, Blanche wears an inflatable bra, resulting in The Golden Girls' very own deflate gate.
7. When Blanche's Gay Brother Comes To Visit
In Season 6, Episode 14, titled "Sister of the Bride," Blanche's brother Clay comes to visit from Miami. When he tells the ladies he's here to have a commitment ceremony with his partner, Dorothy tries to keep Sophia from making her hilarious quips.
8. When Rose Plans A Funeral
In Season 2, Episode 4, titled "It's a Miserable Life," one of the ladies' neighbors dies while having an argument with Rose. She was one of the meanest people they knew, and when Rose plans her funeral out of guilt, no one shows up.
9. When Blanche Goes On A Diet
In Season 6, Episode 22, titled "What a Difference a Date Makes," Blanche goes on a diet, and has a hard time trying to keep her wits about her.
10. When The Girls Take Part In A School Play
In Season 6, Episode 26, titled “Henny Penny, Straight, No Chaser," Dorothy convinces the rest of her roommates to join a school play when the cast gets the measles. Blanche is pointedly cast as Goosey Loosey, and proclaims she's the most popular bird in the barnyard. As the four take to the stage in their bird outfits, it's nothing but laughs.
11. When Blanche's Artist Friend Visits
In Season 3, Episode 13, titled "The Artist," Blanche's artist friends comes over, and all the ladies compete for his attention. When Blanche tells the girls she's going to be the subject of his next sculpture, the girls aren't sure if its such a good idea.
12. When Dorothy Screams "Condoms Rose!"
In Season 4, Episode 15, titled "Valentines Day," Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose are at a store and Dorothy mentions that they should have protection. True to her nature, Rose can't figure out what kind of protection she's talking about. After trying to hint at it with no success, Dorothy screams, "Condoms Rose! Condoms, condoms, condoms!"
13. Sophia's Answering Service
In the Season 3 episode, "Larceny and Old Lace," Rose knocks on the door to Sophia's room, to which she answers in the voice of an answering machine. Rose, as sweet and clueless as she is, proceeds to leave a message at the door.
14. When Dorothy Introduces Her New Boyfriend
In Season 1, Episode 13, titled "A Little Romance," Rose introduces the ladies to her new boyfriend, a doctor named Jonathan. Upon meeting him, they're surprised to see that he's a little person, which leads to some awkward moments at dinner.
15. When Sophia's Sister Visits
In Season 2, Episode 15, titled "Long Day's Journey Into Marinara," Sophia's sister Angela (Nancy Walker) comes to visit. Eventually, her presence starts getting on Sophia's nerves.
16. When Dorothy Pretends To Be Married
In Season 3, Episode 17, titled, "My Brother, My Father," Dorothy pretends to be married to her ex Stan. When he sleeps in her bedroom to keep up the ruse, her angst and anger result in some of the shows funniest moments.
17. When They Get Butt Naked For Valentine's Day
In Season 4, Episode 15, the ladies reminisce about the Valentine's Day where Rose unknowingly booked a vacation to a nudist resort. After some initial hesitation, they decide to embrace their naked bodies and head to dinner in their birthday suits. But once they get to the dining room, they find everyone else fully clothed.
18. When Sophia & Dorothy Dress Like Sonny & Cher
In Season 5, Episode 18, titled "An Illegitimate Concern," Dorothy and Sophia dress up as Sonny and Cher for a talent concert. Their rendition of "I Got You Babe" is surely one to remember.
19. When Rose Calls Dorothy's Cupcakes Dry & Tasteless
In Season 7, Episode 19, Rose's boyfriend Miles tries to put the moves on Dorothy. When she tries to gauge how Rose will react, Dorothy asks how she would feel if Miles wanted her cupcakes instead of Rose's. Rose says she wouldn't mind but then chuckles and notes it wouldn't make sense for Miles to want her cupcakes because they're so "dry and tasteless."
20. When Rose & Blanche Tap Dance
In Season 1, Episode 18, titled "The Operation" Rose, Dorothy and Blanche are part of a tap dance trio. When Dorothy comes down with a foot condition that requires surgery, Blanche and Rose end up dancing as The Two Merry Widows.
For me, every episode of The Golden Girls was special in its own way, so it was really hard to narrow down the best. But now that the entire series is available on Hulu, viewers can sit back, grab a slice of cheesecake, and find their own favorite moments from the show.
