The Golden Girls was created by Susan Harris in 1985, and ran for seven seasons. The show focused on four older women: Blanche (Rue McClanahan), Rose (Betty White), Dorothy (Bea Arthur), and Dorothy’s mother, Sophia (Estelle Getty), who share a house in Miami. The show was popular and well-reviewed for its run, with each main member of the outstanding cast winning an Emmy. The Golden Girls was constantly funny, with many laugh-out-loud moments. However, it also dealt with serious topics in a realistic way – not to mention that focusing a show on middle-aged women at all was truly groundbreaking. The show has remained enormously popular since it ended, and the golden girls have become friends to viewers of all ages. Cue the theme song, and let’s look at the show’s best episodes, ranked.
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9 The Case of the Libertine Belle
Buena Vista Television
The girls go on a murder mystery weekend trip, only for things to become real when Blanche is accused of killing her boss. Dorothy turns into a detective to solve the case, with the episode taking cues from shows like Murder, She Wrote. It’s a fun spin on the typical Golden Girls episode, with the audience following Dorothy on the case as she reveals Blanche’s co-worker to be the killer. It also has a great line where Blanche cites flirting as part of her heritage.
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8 In a Bed of Rose’s
In this episode, Rose’s new boyfriend, Al, spends the night with her, only to be found dead in her bed from a heart attack the next morning. The absurdity only grows when she finds out he was married, and has to explain Al’s death to his wife. Rose also reveals that her husband died the same way, beginning her running fear of being a curse in bed. It’s wildly funny, but it also allows her to open up about her husband’s loss.
7 A Little Romance
Rose’s dating life brings hilarity and a touch of seriousness in this episode, which was one of Betty White’s favorites, according to Outsider. When the girls meet Dr. Jonathan Newman, Rose’s new boyfriend, they are shocked that he is a little person. They try to be on their best behavior, but Blanche can’t stop making inadvertent height-related references. Watching Blanche berate herself and fall into hysterics over what she’s doing is the funniest part of the episode. As funny as it is, it also presents Jonathan as a normal, well-respected character.
6 Grab That Dough
This episode sees the girls head to Hollywood after Sophia wins tickets for them to go on a game show. Things go wrong right from the start, when they lose their luggage and have to sleep in a hotel lobby. Things get even worse on the show, with Rose and Sophia playing against Dorothy and Blanche, who insulted the former two. Dorothy and Blanche give in to their competitive sides, yelling at their fellow teammate - with some incredible insults - and doing everything to win. They do win, with a prize that is a great finale to an outrageous and chaotic episode: an electric skillet and a lifetime supply of soup.
5 It’s a Miserable Life
Another fun episode, this one sees Rose fight with the miserable Mrs. Claxton about saving a tree on her property. When Mrs. Claxton dies after Rose tells her to drop dead, Rose blames herself, and takes it as a sign to give Mrs. Claxton a proper sendoff. They get into more chaotic fun at the funeral home, with director Mr. Pfeiffer – who gets told off by Sophia after assuming they’re planning ahead for her funeral. This episode takes what could have been dark or depressing and makes it completely hilarious, doubling down on how awful Mrs. Claxton was, rather than having a heartwarming redemption.
4 Ladies of the Evening
This is one of the show’s best and all-around funniest episodes. Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose go out on the town after Blanche wins tickets for a Burt Reynolds movie premiere, but find themselves arrested for prostitution. The whole cast is great, and their banter inside the cell is hilarious. Sophia comes to save the day and gets in an all-time great line expressing her disbelief that anyone would pay for a night with the three of them. It’s perfectly capped off with a cameo from Reynolds himself, taking Sophia on a date.
3 Old Friends
This episode shows how The Golden Girls could feature something serious in a simple way. Sophia befriends Alvin, a man who seemingly has Alzheimer’s. Though they get along, the disease eventually makes him lash out at her, with his daughter revealing that he is going to a home for care. It’s heartbreaking to see Sophia lose her friend and be reminded of her own age and loss of independence, though she has a nice, touching moment with Dorothy at the end that contrasts their usual sharp banter.
2 Isn’t it Romantic?
This is another example of the show tackling a serious issue with kindness and humor. Dorothy’s friend Jean, who is a lesbian, comes to Miami for a visit. She also develops a crush on Rose, and confesses her feelings. Though Rose avoids the confession at first, she later kindly tells Jean she doesn’t share those feelings, but offers her friendship instead. This kind, accepting treatment of a lesbian character was groundbreaking, and the episode still broke up the seriousness with humor – in one of the show’s funniest moments, Blanche mixes up Lebanese and lesbian.
1 One Flew Out of the Cuckoo’s Nest
Both parts of this episode make for the show’s great series finale. Blanche sets Dorothy up with her uncle, and the two quickly get married, with Dorothy leaving the house. Before leaving, Dorothy sneaks back in for a final goodbye with her friends. All the emotions of this heartbreaking goodbye were genuine, according to Today; it felt like Bea Arthur was really saying goodbye to everyone. The cast is excellent throughout, and the whole episode is a satisfying – if slightly sad – end, while still being a celebration of the show and the women who became like family.
