The Golden Girls is one of those shows that seems fated to be timeless. Even now, thirty years after it premiered, there’s so much about it that continues to resonate with viewers. It’s not hard to see why. After all, these four women remain as feisty and compelling now as they were then, all the more so because there are still very few shows that focus on the interests and issues facing older women.
An equally strong explanation for the show’s continued popularity, however, stems from the way that the series’ observations about life are just as hilarious (and sometimes moving) now as they were in the 1980s and early 1990s.
The Older You Get The Better You Get. Unless You’re A Banana
Leave it to Rose to come up with some of the most profound commentary on life. Everyone knows that she has a penchant for sharing St. Olaf stories and other anecdotes about her family. In this case, she shares the wise words that her mother shared with her, that as one gets older, one inevitably gets better. It’s an earthy piece of wisdom, to be sure, but it’s also one that serves as an important reminder that getting older doesn’t mean that one has to give in to obsolescence and feebleness.
“Don’t Go See Ishtar”
Anyone movie historian knows that Ishtar was one of those movies that was probably destined to be a disappointment and, in fact, it went on to be a true box office disaster. Sophia, of course, is never one to stint on her opinions about anything, and it’s quite hilarious that she would make the observation to avoid this film (since clearly quite a few other people were doing it as well). Leave it to Sophia to have her finger on the pulse of popular culture.
You Can Lead A Herring To Water, But You Have To Walk Really Fast Or He’ll Die
Oh Rose, there’s really no quite like you. It’s really quite striking how often her stories focus on herring, and how often she can use this fish to make a point. In this case, as she points out, you can in fact lead a herring to water but, given that it’s a fish, if you don’t get them there fast enough he’ll die.
There might be a pearl of wisdom hidden somewhere in this rather bizarre observation, but even the most generous viewer might have some trouble finding it.
“You Really Haven't Grasped The Concept Of This ‘Gay Thing’ Yet, Have You, Blanche?”
One of the series’ most interesting storylines was Blanche’s attempts to come to terms and accept the fact that her brother Clayton was gay. She repeatedly tried to convince herself that it was just a phase that he was going through and that he would return to dating women in due course (and, in fact, she said that she didn’t mind him being homosexual. She just minded him dating men). In this witty little observation from Dorothy, she takes square aim at Blanche’s refusal to accept her brother for who he really is, and it manages to be both funny and insightful.
Rose’s Observation About Her Cousin Ingmar
When Sophia’s cross-dressing son Phil dies of a heart attack, she’s devastated with both grief and guilt. She feels particularly guilty that she wasn’t able to stop him from cross-dressing, and she blames herself for the fact that he chose to do it. In order to prove to her that she should let go of the shame, Rose tells one of her amusing (but also incredibly touching) stories, this one about her cousin Ingmar. It’s of course a very funny observation on Rose’s part-particularly the part about his bird imitations-but it’s also very touching, and it continues to be both hilarious and insightful to this day.
Sophia’s Observation About Gay Marriage
When Clayton announces that he’s going to be marrying his longtime boyfriend Doug, it puts Blanche into sort of a tailspin. However, it’s Sophia who comes to the rescue, explaining to Blanche why it is that these two men would want to go through with this ceremony, despite the fact that it still isn’t socially acceptable.
When Blanche thanks her for her observation, Sophia mock proposes to her, and it’s a funny little addition to an already brilliantly-written moment.
Sophia’s Note That She’d Rather Live With a Lesbian Than A Cat
Despite the fact that she is the oldest member of the household (and thus should be the most conservative), Sophia pretty consistently shows herself to be quite progressive in terms of her acceptance of queer people. In one particular instance, she makes the observation that, just as some people prefer dogs over cats, some people prefer one sex over the other. Personally, she remarks, she’d rather live with a lesbian than a cat. It’s a moment both hilarious and oddly touching.
“There Must Be Homosexuals Who Date Women. Yeah, They’re Called Lesbians.”
This exchange occurs during the conversation where Blanche is struggling to accept that her brother is dating men. In pursuit of her desire to put her brother into a category that she can understand, she muses that there must be homosexuals that date women, to which Sophia responds with the lesbian remark. Once again, it continues to be hilarious because it pokes holes in the logic by which many people seem capable of only offering conditional acceptance to the queer people in their lives.
Liza Minnelli And Arthur 2
One of the things that was always great about this show was that it was willing to tackle some truly difficult issues, including addiction. When it turns out that Rose has been addicted to pain killers for a number of years, the others urge her to go to recovery, and when she is hesitant, Dorothy inquires whether such women as Liza Minnelli were embarrassed, to which Sophia observes that she should have been, given how awful Arthur 2 was. It’s a hilarious moment, particularly if one has actually seen the movie in question (which is, sadly, quite an embarrassment).
“Dorothy, If He’d Been Gay Before He Would Have Had Better Taste In Jewelry.”
If Blanche loves one thing more than men, it’s talking about all of her sexual conquests. In one of her funniest anecdotes, she relates how her rejection of a man because of a cheap ring he bought her led him to turn gay. When Dorothy rightly points out that one is born gay, Blanche responds (without missing a beat) that had he been gay before he would have had better taste. It’s hilarious, of course, even as it also is more than a bit stereotypical.