Everyday life is hard. One has to work, eat healthy, have a social life, get enough sleep, drink enough water, do laundry, try to have a romantic life, and a meaningful hobby. This to do list assumes life is going smoothly. What happens when your best friend betrays you? You get dumped? Or tragedy strikes? It is exhausting to be a functional human in a modern world. Thankfully when the going gets tough, there is a Golden Girls episode for that. Blanche, Sophia, Rose, and Dorothy have seen it all and can help one get though hard times. The Goldens Girls first aired on September 14, 1985 and ran for seven seasons. It inspired for two spin offs. It won multiple awards including two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series and three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. In addition, all four actresses won individual Emmy awards. The original idea for the show came about when actresses Selma Diamond (Night Court) and Doris Roberts (Remington Steele) made a joke while presenting NBC’s fall line up about “a new series called Miami Nice” about retirees in Florida. Brandon Tartikoff, NBC president, heard this was was inspired. Thank goodness he was because how else who would get though life? Here are 7 Golden Girl Episodes to watch when life hands you lemons.
When You Have the Flu Watch “Flu Attack” Season 1, Episode 21
Getting sick is so inconvenient. You have this giant to do list and people depending on you and your body basically says “not today human.” There’s nothing to do but rest, drink plenty of fluids and watch this episode to console yourself. The big Volunteer of the Year Awards Banquet is coming up and the girls are all nominated. This makes things very tense at home. Rose brings home the flu and infects Blanche and Dorothy but not Sophia. While convalescing on the couch, the women fight. Sophia tries to cancel the other women’s reservations and gets the feeling that one of them is going to win. The sick women rally and attend even with their flu symptoms. Sophia ends up winning and delivers a speech that makes the other women make up.
When You Get In Legal Trouble Watch “Ladies of the Evening” Season 2, Episode 2
Sometimes, by no fault of your own, you will have legal problems. But that’s okay because the girls have too. In this episode the house is getting fumigated so Rose, Blanche, and Dorothy go to the premiere of Burt Reynold’s new movie. Blanche picks a hotel based on the number of men in the lobby. This backfires when the women are mistaken for prostitutes while having innocently having a drink at the hotel bar. Sophia bails them out of jail.
When You Have to Deal with a Difficult Person Watch “It’s A Miserable Life” Season 2, episode 4
From time to time you will encounter difficult people in the world. Normally these people are just hiding their unhappiness and loneliness. That is the case in this episode where the girls try to save an old tree which is a noble cause. Unfortunately, the tree is on the property of a bitter older woman named Freida Claxton. Blanche and her get into a heated debate. Blanche tells Freida to drop dead. Unfortunately, she soon does and Blanche feels horrible. When the girls discover how lonely Freida was, they organize a funeral for her so she can be properly mourned.
When You and Your Friend like the Same Person Watch “Yes, We Have No Havanas” Season 4, episode 1
When searching for your life partner, there are going to be some bumps along the way. One of these can be your friend being into the same person as you. This is disastrous. Lucky for us the girls can show us how to handle this. (Or at the very least laugh at it.) Sophia and Blanche fall for the same man, Fidel Santiago, an elderly Cuban man in the cigar business. When Fidel dies, it is revealed that Blanche and Sophia were not the only special women in his life. Most of the funeral attendees are current lovers.
When Helping a Friend Who is Going Through Hard Times Watch “Not Another Monday” Season 5, Episode 7
There are times that seem so bleak and unescapable that one cannot see any light. The only thing that makes sense is ending life through suicide. Great friendships can help prevent this. That is exactly what Sophia’s friendship does in this episode. Her friend Martha Lamont is so tired of being in pain and wants to commit suicide to end her life. Sophia is able to support her friend through this dark time and change her mind. While this episode may seem heavy for Golden Girls, comedy can be cathartic. It explores this complex issue in a heartfelt way.
When Dealing with a Cheating Partner Watch “An Illegitimate Concern” Season 5, Episode 18
Dating and relationships are not easy and require work. There are times when trust is broken like when a partner cheats. Blanche can help you navigate this. Blanche finds out her husband George cheated on her when his son, David Patton, comes looking for him. Blanche tells David that George is dead but becomes angry when David presses her for information about his father. Blanche is left with the emotional fall out of a cheating partner.
When Considering Therapy Watch “Three on a Couch” Season 3, Episode 11
Therapy is the answer for so many of life’s difficult situations. When you have physical illnesses such as a cold, you go to the doctor for help to get better. Going to a therapist is no different. When something is hard to process mentally, it is helpful to get a trained, outside person to help guide you though this. It does not make you a lesser human. Even the girls found it useful. After a period of on-going fighting and bickering, they go to therapy to work it out. Between therapy, Sophia’s wisdom, and some cheesecake things get sorted out.
The Bottom Line . . .
There is not an issue out there that Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, or Sophia haven’t faced. It is one of the many reasons The Golden Girls is still relevant today. If you are feeling down or overwhelmed, a half an hour with the girls can make you feel better. Thank you Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia for being our friend.
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