Worst of Golden Girls: Your Least Favorite Moments

[FormerMod-a1]

As much as I love this show, there are some real clunkers in it's run.  Some whole episodes and some just smaller plots or moments within an episode.  Some of the easy ones are whole eps - Empty Nest and Brother Can You Spare a Jacket.  

One moment I don't like is really all based on one word.  In the episode where Rose has a heart attack and her daughter comes to the hospital.  She tells the girls she won't let them see Rose because they are just roommates.  It's the word "roommates" that sets me on edge.  If she had said "you're just her friends" I would have been fine.  She was upset, she doesn't know them that well, keeping them out -I was fine with that.  It's just that choice of word seems so wrong. 

[sgittinger]

Um.

 

Blanche's bratty grandson.

Mary has a little lamb and Dorothy should mind her own business.

Dorothy's son gets married.

Not wild about Mammy Watkins.

Edited April 3, 2014 by sgittinger

[LilWharveyGal]

I've never been a fan of the Jasper de Kimmel episode.  I also skip the B-plots where Blanche and Rose get framed for shoplifting and where Blanche and Sophia fall for the wallet con at the mall.

[bigskygirl]

Dorothy being sick with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Rose's pain pill addiction and heart attack episodes.  The first season episode where the Blanche, Rose, and Dorothy were sick with the flu was funny.

[Stinger97]

I hate the episode in which Rose starts to "eat Life." In fact, most of the episodes that feature the girls at odds are my least favorites. 

Edited April 3, 2014 by Stinger97

[OSM Mom]

The part I love about the chronic fatigue episode is where Dorothy tells off Dr. Bud.

[sgittinger]

The CFS episode is saved by Blanche and her little balls of sunshine. Other than that, meh.

[Lily Adler]

Blanche becoming crazed from sleep deprivation and Dorothy telling off the doctor made that particular Very Special episode good. Infinitely better than the one with the lottery ticket and homeless shelter.

[MrMattyMatt]

The episodes with Blanche's brother coming out as gay.  I am gay and the it was quite a "pioneer" episode for that era, but for some reason, some of the exchanges made me uncomfortable, maybe it's a personal thing.   On the other had the episode with Dorothy's friend Pat the Lesbian was quite hilarious and one of my favorites!

[Lily Adler]

I love the one with Pat. Blanche's mistake in thinking lesbian was Lebanese made me laugh like a crazed hyena.

[sgittinger]

"Not LEBANESE, Blanche. LESBIAN".  "Lesbian. Lesbian. LESBIAN"...

[jonesingjay]

One episode I skip, is the one where Dorothy thinks Blanche is lying about being hit on by Dorothy's date. She makes it out that Blanche is lying and doesn't give her very good friend the benefit of the doubt. It always leaves me feeling that Dorothy really did believe those little joking jabs she took at Blanche about being easy/sex crazy, etc. are true and that that was all there was to Blanche.  

Come to think of it, I also don't like the one where both Dorothy and Rose believe Blanche slept with that guy who was running for senator. It's like -- they were always so quick to believe the worst about Blanche. I never did like that. 

[MrMattyMatt]

The Henny Penny episode.  Just don't care for that one.

[xander874]

That senator episode gets to me, especially because the guy is someone Blanche would never sleep with. And her friends treat her like dirt.

And I agree MrMattyMatt, I don't care for either Clayton episode (which makes me feel like I'm betraying my peeps, but oh well).

I might get in trouble for this, but a lot of the first season episode are so-so to me. They all have their moments, but I guess they were still finding their footing and they don't all fully work for me.

Edited April 4, 2014 by xander874

[FormerMod-a1]

I agree with both of those, jonesingjay.  It's a plot I don't like in any show I've seen it in, when someone's friends or family suddenly don't believe them over something they would never lie about.  They suddenly take the word of the person they don't know, or barely know, over someone they've trusted for years. And they also usually assign some malicious intent to their friend as well.

[jonesingjay]

I agree with both of those, jonesingjay.  It's a plot I don't like in any show I've seen it in, when someone's friends or family suddenly don't believe them over something they would never lie about.  They suddenly take the word of the person they don't know, or barely know, over someone they've trusted for years. And they also usually assign some malicious intent to their friend as well.

It always bugs me in any show. I get that Golden Girls is a comedy, but still there are plenty of heartfelt moments throughout the series. It never fails to make me cringe when the good friend who the character(s) have history with can be so easily discredited by someone the character doesn't really know very well. Dorothy and Rose both come off as bitches, and it's a good thing that Blanche was willing to forgive them as easily as she did. Did Blanche ever do that to either one of them?

[FormerMod-a1]

Well, Blanch and Dorothy wouldn't believe Rose about her cousin? (or was it sister) that she always tries to take the things Rose has.  Even when they found out she never told Rose about going to the movies with them and other things I'm blanking on right now.

[jonesingjay]

I'd forgotten about that! So, they've all pulled this with each other. You think they would've known better. Especially if you've been on the receiving end of it. 

[Lily Adler]

Has that situation ever happened where Dorothy was the one they discredited?

[Kaleidoscope Eyes]

The Brother can you spare a jacket one is my least favorite. I also don't like the one where Sophia's friend wants to commit suicide.

I guess any of the very special ones don't do it for me.

[TrininisaScorp]

I too am not a fan of the Very Special Episodes, especially Brother, Can You Spare a Jacket; I don't care for them, nor do I feel like they hold up well. 

I also don't care for the Barbara Thorndike episode.  Everyone felt at their worst and I couldn't stand that Dorothy couldn't look at the woman and not see how offputting she was.  On the flip side, I didn't like that Blanche/Rose didn't really try to like Dorothy's new friend.  I mean, Barbara was a racist and a snotty witch, so I'm glad Blanche/Rose tried to warn Dorothy off of her, but they were too heavyhanded.  I only sit through that episode for the scene at the literary restaurant because the names of the dishes never fail to make me laugh.   

The full moon episode doesn't do anything for me.  Sophia, who usually delights me, spent the episode being cruel and rather annoying, while Dorothy/Miles kissing was just out of order and Blanche getting duped by the Brit theif was silly.  I know we're all use to a lack of consistency on this show, but this episode felt like it lacked the general tone I know and love.

Lastly, I loathe the hurricane episode where Stan and Gloria sleep together and it's Dorothy who is seen as unreasonable in the situation.  It actually makes me mad whenver I see it.

[FinePoint]

Oh yes, the Mamy Watkins one! (was that her last name, Watkins? I couldn't remember.) I felt this woman, who carried on an affair with Big Daddy, no matter how real and deep their love was, should not be entitled to anything in the estate. Maybe she'd given the music box to Big Daddy; I don't remember. It just bugged me that she acted so entitled.

And the Brother Can You Spare a Jacket one. Came off too preachy to me, like hey, if any of you out there get a winning lottery ticket, you better donate it all. 

[Bastet]

I don't mind Mammy Watkins wanting the music box; she had given it to him, and thus it had sentimental value to her that it didn't have to anyone else.  What bugged me about her was the way she so casually informed Blanche she had carried on a longstanding affair with her father and then expected Blanche to be immediately okay with it.  And to be immediately forgive the fact this was the reason she up and disappeared from Blanche's life without a word.  She seemed to have forgotten that while she'd had decades to come to terms with things, Blanche had only minutes; they are inevitably not going to be in the same place about it. 

[emma675]

The one where Dorothy's son and Rose's daughter sleep together. Rose is such a bitch towards Dorothy in that episode just because she doesn't want to believe her daughter isn't the pure, perfect virgin she wants her to be.

[Boots]

Anything regarding their children. 

[spaceytraci1208]

The episode where the audience sees Sophia's busy day but the girls think she all she did every day was just buy a nectarine (or was it a peach?) from the market.

The one where Mario Lopez gets deported

The one where they bought a boxer and he sucked

When the girls go to counseling to resolve their issues

The one where Blanche gets tested for AIDS and Rose is a colossal bitch about it

[MrMattyMatt]

The one where Sophia buys the Boxer/Classical Musician..

[SunShine Gal]

I have several LEAST favorite:

The Rita Moreno episode felt like a totally different show. The GIRLS did a cameo on their OWN SHOW.

The homeless shelter episode, because I don't like hollywood preaching at me while they are hypocritical.

I really want to talk about the Kid Pepe episode though. From the beginning, I have a hard time believing that Sophia would buy a boxer on the street corner. She's supposed to be the savvy one, like in the episode where she's negotiating the price of a nectarine from a grocer. Yet, she falls for Kid Pepe's story like Jack and his magic beans. Then there's the rest of the story. It's too ridiculous for me to "get into". Like some episodes where they wrote Rose to be too stupid to be believable, like Rose thinking Bob Hope is her dad. Kid Pepe was too stupid from start to finish. Even the line, "because you're CCCCCUUUUUUBBBAN", falls flat when it was obvious from Dorothy's delivery that it's supposed to be a big deal.

[LucyEth]

I have to agree with most of your choices.  I also dislike "Brother can you spare a jacket" and the one where Mario Lopez get deported.  I get annoyed at the one where Dorothy's daughter Kate comes to Miami and they plan her wedding. Kate making Dorothy call Stan and invite him really pisses me off.  I may be in the minority on this one but "Sophia's Wedding" is a big dislike for me.  Her and this Max have not seen each other in like 50 years, he just buried his wife and they fall in love and get married.  At his advanced age, he picks up and moves to Miami.  Also, the girls not knowing they did not have an apartment or even asking where the apartment is when they leave but ultimately come right back.  I mean Dorothy even says "come back soon" as they are out the door.  So unbelievable!

[MrMattyMatt]

The "Kate's Wedding" episode was pretty bad, I agree.  To show up and announce you are getting married (there in Miami in a matter of days) and then to expect your newly divorced mother to call and invite her ex-husband, definitely did put Kate in a bad light.  It was the first season, so I give it a pass.

[ButterQueen]

I watch them all, repeatedly, but......

1. Empty Nest Spinoff

2. Rose's "heart attack" when she moves out.

3. Dick Van Dyke and the circus.

4. Rose's daughter and the will.

5. Mr. Terrific

6. Dorothy's son-in-law cheating.

7. Rose's daughter and Dorothy's son sleeping together.

8. Stan's cousin Magda visits

9. Sophia buys a boxer.

10. Dorothy's son quits his job.

11. Rose's heart attack -- after the class reunion scenes.

12. The Rusty Anchor popularity contest.

Edited May 2, 2014 by ButterQueen

[LilWharveyGal]

Just out of curiosity, ButterQueen, what is it you don't like about the Magda and Rusty Anchor episodes?

 

By the way, I loved you in Gone With the Wind. ;)

[ButterQueen]

I don't really have specific reasons, those are just two episodes I don't care if I miss.

Gone a With The Wind????

Edited May 3, 2014 by ButterQueen

[LilWharveyGal]

Sorry to be obscure.  I was referring to this:

 

Blanche:  So what was this great disappointment in your life, Rose?

Rose:  Butter.  I wanted to be Butter Queen.

Blanche:  Ah yeah, what an actress.  She was so good in Gone With the Wind.

[ButterQueen]

I just heard this the other day and came back to respond! Yay! I love this show!

[Kiddvideo]

I always liked Mammy Watkins. It's the first episode I remember where Rose was just dumb and not naive. So many good quotes. Mammy Eisenhower (but only the Nixon kids got to call her that); Rose had a nanny who treated her like her own kid (is there anyone here who doesn't think she was talking about a goat? I especially loved how Rue played that scene with her head cocked and eyes a little unfocused as she shook her head); and my favorite line from the episode when Blanche thought Mammy was there to retrieve the bible and Mammy said, "No thanks, I don't drink."

Was that also the episode where Blanche said that Big Daddy would stand up and declare he "could whoop anybody in this town"?

[truthaboutluv]

The one where Blanche gets tested for AIDS and Rose is a colossal bitch about it

Small clarification, Rose is the one who gets tested for AIDS, which is why she's a colossal bitch throughout the episode.

[Blergh]

How can anyone who saw it forget the episode in which Rose inheritted an ailing PIG and they all turned into one-dimesional cons to try to care for it just to get a large windfall? Talk about veering into 'Here's Lucy' territory?

[SunShine Gal]

I don't really like that episode. It's a stupid idea in the first place AND I felt sorry for the Pig. I'd rather have had a story about how they were doing something real in their lives... like how they argue over trying to pick a movie to see, or where to go out to dinner. Oh, that's just me and MY family? I'd even rather have had another fake clip show of all the girls sitting and chatting about their lives before they met. No. They had to have Rose announce that she was going to have a "Baby".

[FormerMod-a1]

One of my least favorite's is on right now.  Rose treats her mother like a 5 year old.  And even when her mother asks her to stop, and proves she's fine on her own, she just keeps being condescending and scolding.    But also apparently she doesn't worry like this when her mom doesn't visit.  Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.  Not a great Rose episode.  

[Boots]

Sophia's fart jokes. Ugh. 

[SunShine Gal]

Rose's mother comes across like a rational, well-adjusted person. Rose is nothing like her. I'm surprised that the writers didn't take the opportunity to go over the top with her mother's personality. If they had, it would have explained Rose's beliefs more. Her mom was too normal.

Edited May 31, 2014 by SunShine Gal

[bigskygirl]

I hated the episodes where the girls got sick. The one earlier episode where Blanche, Rose, and Dorothy got the flu was a good one, and Sophia ends up winning the award and comes with a cute date was good.

[Aja]

I always watch the episode with Rose's mother just because I love the subplot with Blanche dating Dirk. ("This is strictly off the record, but Dirk's nearly five years younger than I am." "In what, Blanche, dog years?") But yeah, the whole story with Rose's mother is just bizarre. Particularly in light of the St. Olaf stories that revolve around her family. Alma doesn't fit that picture at all. And it REALLY bugged me when Alma said that she LIVED with a younger man (who had just GOTTEN OUT OF PRISON) for THREE YEARS and Rose knew nothing about it. Alma gave Rose a dirty look when Rose had the nerve to be somewhat shocked and surprised by that revelation. Then Rose quickly says "Well, the important thing is he made you happy" or something. Really? If my elderly mother told me she'd been secretly living with an ex-convict for three years and I knew nothing about it…oh my god. What the hell was wrong with their relatives?

[Blergh]

"That's For Me to Know" (Season Seven).

 I usually liked Dorothy but IMO, this episode epitomized one of those times she got away with more than she should have. Yeah, I know Sophia was literally opening a Pandora's Box by telling Dorothy that she had something in a box and it was PRIVATE but, Dorothy was SO determined to record 'THE family history ' [read: HER interpretation of the family history] that she broke it open expressly against Sophia's permission. Then rather than apologize for having blatantly violated Sophia's privacy and gone against her wishes, Dorothy kept self-justifying her motives saying that her grandson Robbie had to know ' THE family history' and practically ordered Sophia to quit being mad at her. OK, Sophia fessed to a hithero unknown first marriage but even then, Dorothy went FULL BLAST to dictate the account of it even AFTER Sophia told her it would 'change their relationship forever' . Yes,  I will admit that it was touching that Dorothy explained how Sophia having her earlier arranged marriage annulled so she could eventually marry the man she loved [Dorothy's father Sal] was a 'strike for women's rights' AND a good thing and it was good that Sophia realized that she shouldn't be ashamed of her past actions there. However; I REALLY wish Sophia had told Dorothy that, even though it WAS good of Dorothy to get her to think of the annulment on positive terms, that that STILL did not justify Dorothy into breaking into her stuff and going against her express wishes AND that Dorothy was just going to have to accept that it would be a LONG time after a LOT of effort on Dorothy's part before Sophia would consider Dorothy someone to TRUST again.  Sorry, two wrongs on Dorothy's part weren't made right by her new interpretation of Sophia's past, IMO.

[truthaboutluv]

I don't know, I can't get really bothered by anything Dorothy ever did in regards to Sophia because those two were both so awful to each other at times, honestly Sophia more so than Dorothy, that I just shrug most of that stuff away.

[legaleagle53]

Even the line, "because you're CCCCCUUUUUUBBBAN", falls flat when it was obvious from Dorothy's delivery that it's supposed to be a big deal.

 

It WAS a big deal.  That was Pepe's cue to use his alternate audition for Julliard (a variation on Shylock's famous rant from The Merchant of Venice) because he failed his original audition.

Edited June 3, 2014 by legaleagle53

[MrMattyMatt]

The Count Bessie episode.  However the fried chicken scene was hilarious!

[BooksRule]

I agree with most of the episodes listed that they were not good ones.  I also didn't like the one where the girls went on vacation (I forget to what tropical getaway) and found themselves sharing one tacky room and sharing a bath with those obnoxious young guys.  Then, they all thought they were shipwrecked only to find that they were just a little ways from the resort hotel.  I just didn't find it funny at all.

 

Another one was the one with Blanche's slutty niece.  She was acting just like Blanche and was scolded for it?  It's not how I would want to see a niece of mine act, but if she is of age then it was none of Blanche's business.  It irked me for some reason.

 

I'm sure there are others, but I'll have to give it some thought. (Although I think there were many more good episodes than clunkers)

[Kiddvideo]

Lily, Rose's blind sister. It wasn't a VSE, but I can't say I'm a fan of the serious story lines. The yard sale B story doesn't balance it out for me, either.