The Girls' Families: The Rude & Ungrateful

[FormerMod-a1]

It seems most of the children were portrayed as some kind of negative.  From Rose's daughter that was mad at Rose when she thought she spent Charlie's pension to wrong-aged Micheal and Rose's other daughter sleeping together in (whose?) bed.   

 

But I loved Blanch's brother Clayton, and her Uncle Lucas.  I also like Dorothy's sister, Gloria.

 

[sgittinger]

"We share our lives". "No,you share a HOUSE". Shut up, Rose's bitch daughter.

[BellaLugosi]

Kirsten was the worst I think.  She was so cruel to the girls when Rose had a heart attack. Poor Rose's life would have been awful if she'd gone to live with her.

[OSM Mom]

Wasn't she the same one who bitched Rose out for spending all of Charlies money? Bitch. You're not *owed* an inheritance.

[Bastet]

I think that was the same daughter, despite being played by different actors.

 

Given the tall tales of Charlie's success Rose had spun, I don't fault Kirsten being shocked and disappointed upon seeing the numbers (that wouldn't actually be in the will, but whatever); even though it's Rose's money, to think she jeopardized her ability to support herself via reckless spending would be disappointing.  But she was so nasty about it!  Doesn't she outright say either "I'm ashamed of you" or "Dad would be ashamed of you"?  How about some common decency and compassion?

[RealityCowgirl]

Michael definitely was Stan's son. Blech. Never could stand that guy.

Edited May 11, 2014 by RealityCowgirl

[JohnnyGilda]

I LOVE the thread title, and agree that most of their close relations were just awful.  Rose's undermining sister Holly would be my pick for the worst, because her visit...she's just so...it's like she came to Miami specifically to screw with Rose's life.  Of all the Barbara Thorndike Memorial "One or all of the other Girls won't believe me" episodes, that one really pushed my buttons.

Edited May 13, 2014 by JohnnyGilda

[SunShine Gal]

"One or all of the other Girls won't believe me" episodes

 

 

Of all the girls, Blanche would be the hardest for me to believe. Like when that local politician said he slept with Blanche, but she actually didn't sleep with him. Blanche stretched the truth so much that it's understandable the others didn't believe her. Another example is when she showed them the 5 places she lost her virginity. BUT, Rose doesn't go around trying to deceive the others ever. So why wouldn't they believe Rose? They know she's not one to make up something like that without reason. Yet, they believed Holly without question and turned it back on Rose.

[Melgaypet]

I don't know. Blanche may have stretched the truth a lot, but to exaggerate her sexual exploits, not deny them. There's a difference between telling tall tales and straight-up lying to deny an accusation. I think they should have given Blanche the benefit of the doubt.

 

I do agree that it's bizarre that the girls would take Holly's side over Rose's.

[LucyEth]

Also agree taking Holly's side against Rose was just ridiculous.  The ages of Dorothy's children never made sense, they were obviously portrayed too young.  if Michael were the oldest and Dorothy and Stan were married 38 years, he should have been 38.  I think he was portrayed as 20 something.  Maybe Kate was older and the first born?  Kirsten's reactions and attitude toward the girls when Rose had the heart surgery was unbelievable considering she had visited them before and knew what their life was like.  They also threw in for the purposes of the episode that apparently she lived in Florida, guess she moved from St. Olaf at some point.  How about Blanche's grandson who was like 15 years old, wasn't he Janet's son?  She came to visit in the same Rose heart episode with a little girl, no mention of a son.

[TiffanyNichelle]

Rose's children were the worse all around. I hated those kids. Michael was a close second though. Then again I also hated Kate when she ran to Dorothy after her husband cheated on her. She runs home for support and when Dorothy does she gets mad when Dorothy doesn't like that Kate took Dennis back. It's not like Dorothy doesn't have any experiences with cheating husbands.

 

I never understood why none of the girls believed Rose about her bitchy sister. It's not like Rose wouldn't know the sister she grew up with better than Blanche and Dorothy who just met her a few days ago.

[bigskygirl]

I can understand Rose's daughter reaction when she got the hospital. She was scared, upset, and in shock. I remembered what it was like when my husband was diagnosed with Acute Renal Failure, and he was admitted into the hospital. I walked around like a well-trained robot going through the emotions. Kirsten was a saint compared to me. I got into a few times with my in-laws because of the nasty way they treated my husband.

 

I did not care for the way Rose treated her mother in the one episode.

[GrapeEarth]

How about Blanche's grandson who was like 15 years old, wasn't he Janet's son?

 

I always fanwank that Janet and her husband enjoyed their second honeymoon and had another child to try and save the marriage.

 

One thing I always appreciated was that in one episode Blanche makes the comment that she worries about her son even though he is only a CPA and then in an episode of "The Golden Palace" ( I'm a completest, who are you to judge me?) the same son comes to visit and surprises her by revealing that he's quit his CPA job to become a stand up comedian.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I did like Sophia's sister Angela, who later became Angelo after Nancy Walker had to leave the role due to health reasons. But other than that, the Girls' relatives were awful.

[Blakeston]

I'll never understand why Rose's kids, and her other immediate family members, were written nothing like the St. Olafians we heard about. Especially when the writers loved making St. Olaf-related jokes.

 

If anything, I would have expected the writers to make Rose's family members even more clueless than she was.

 

But only Cousin Sven, who wasn't from St. Olaf, got to have that kind of a personality. I guess making Rose's family members awful was an easy way to stir up conflicts.

 

I don't know. Blanche may have stretched the truth a lot, but to exaggerate her sexual exploits, not deny them. There's a difference between telling tall tales and straight-up lying to deny an accusation. I think they should have given Blanche the benefit of the doubt.

 

I do agree that it's bizarre that the girls would take Holly's side over Rose's.

 

The Holly thing was just the worst. With Blanche and the politician, at least, the other girls were willing to take Blanche at her word up until the politician said he slept with her.

 

They should have taken her word over his, but I can kind of understand why they didn't. He seemingly had nothing to gain and everything to lose by admitting to an affair, and they knew him to be completely honest about everything.

 

Whereas Blanche had plenty of reason to lie. She liked to make a big deal about how she would never have any involvement with adultery, but it wasn't particularly believable. Like when she said that the guy she met when George was serving in World War II was an excellent lover.

[ShadowSixx]

Kirsten was a bitch in all the episodes she was in. Couldn't stand her when Rose had to have a triple bypass and the girls wanted to see her and Kirsten said that they weren't family and only shared a house together and nothing more. Dorothy looked at her like she wanted to slap her.

 

It seems like they always have a hard time believing Blanche when she's trying to tell them the truth. This one had nothing to do with family but when Blanche told Dorothy that Elliott made a pass at her, Dorothy didn't believe her at all and automatically believed Elliott. Blanche has shown that she doesn't date married men or men that have girlfriends, like when she found out the guy who was in a wheelchair had another girlfriend in another state she quickly ended the relationship without hesitation.

[Blakeston]

Blanche has shown that she doesn't date married men or men that have girlfriends, like when she found out the guy who was in a wheelchair had another girlfriend in another state she quickly ended the relationship without hesitation.

 

Well, she did sleep with a married man at least once - those paramedics never give up!

 

I guess her exaggerations made her friends distrust her altogether re: men. It's not fair, but these are the same people who took Holly's word over Rose's.

[ShadowSixx]

Well, she did sleep with a married man at least once - those paramedics never give up!

 

I guess her exaggerations made her friends distrust her altogether re: men. It's not fair, but these are the same people who took Holly's word over Rose's.

 

As long as the sex ended before the paramedics revived his wife, she's in the clear lmao

[Maherjunkie]

I can understand Rose's daughter reaction when she got the hospital. She was scared, upset, and in shock. I remembered what it was like when my husband was diagnosed with Acute Renal Failure, and he was admitted into the hospital. I walked around like a well-trained robot going through the emotions. Kirsten was a saint compared to me. I got into a few times with my in-laws because of the nasty way they treated my husband.

 

I did not care for the way Rose treated her mother in the one episode.

But if your relatives were the Kirstens, that I can understand.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Stinger97
Formatting.

[The5thGoldenGirl]

Surely I'm not the only one who likes Blanche's daughter, Rebecca.  Not fat-Rebecca... baby-crazy Rebecca.  I really liked all the episodes with her.

[ShadowSixx]

I liked Rebecca and I even liked plus size Rebecca. I liked the relationship between Blanche and Rebecca they were so opposite in their beliefs that it worked. When plus size Rebecca was with Jeremy and tolerated his abuse because she thought she wasn't beautiful and thin like she use to be which shows realism. Plus size Rebecca didn't do anything annoying in her episode. Baby crazy Rebecca episodes were always entertaining and funny, the birthing center, sperm bank, when Blanche was believe to be Aurora's mother.

[AngeliqaPickles711]

In the episode where Blanches father died, I could not stand her sister- not sure if it was Charmaine or Virginia, but which ever one it was, you would of thought she could of just of been glad that Blanche was at the funeral.. She could of put the snark aside for one day....

[Maherjunkie]

It was Virginia who Blanche who was willing to give a kidney to not that long ago.

[ShadowSixx]

Blanche's mammy Viola wasn't all that great either. Now she isn't related to any of the girls by blood but since Blanche sees her as a family member anyway I can talk about her. She just pops over wanting Blanche to hand over a music box and then tells her that she had an affair with Big Daddy. Blanche shouldn't even have forgiven her just because Viola showed up at her wedding and watched her dance with her father. Very tacky of her to show up at the wedding knowing she was the mistress and that Blanche's mother found out about it.

 

Dorothy's sister Gloria was ugly in "The Monkey Show" episode. She comes over and down talks Dorothy's career saying she would be a real teacher instead of a substitute teacher and sleeps with Stan. 

Edited July 29, 2014 by ShadowSixx

[Bastet]

Sophia's behavior was the ugliest in that episode, although Gloria and Stan certainly gave her a run for the money.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Bastet

[AngeliqaPickles711]

Blanche's mammy Viola wasn't all that great either. Now she isn't related to any of the girls by blood but since Blanche sees her as a family member anyway I can talk about her. She just pops over wanting Blanche to hand over a music box and then tells her that she had an affair with Big Daddy. Blanche shouldn't even have forgiven her just because Viola showed up at her wedding and watched her dance with her father. Very tacky of her to show up at the wedding knowing she was the mistress and that Blanche's mother found out about it.

Very true. And come to think of it, the way she talked to Blanche wasn't great either.. The way I see it, instead of telling Blanche what to do- by sit down and listen- she should of respected Blanche when she was asked to leave.

 

Dorothy's sister Gloria was ugly in "The Monkey Show" episode. She comes over and down talks Dorothy's career saying she would be a real teacher instead of a substitute teacher and sleeps with Stan.

Gloria got on my nerves . It just amazed me how Sophia didn't realize what her sister did and said to belittle her and then she fixes Gloria up with Stan...and then when Sophia sees this and Gloria says "look ma, someone's getting angry" and Sophia jumps In and joins them by laughing- which forces Dorothy to go off on them

[ShadowSixx]

That's why Dorothy was rubbing in Gloria's face that she was poor. "She's out of M-O-N-E-Y."

[Cobalt Stargazer]

And of course yutz Stan misunderstands her and says, "Well, she's not getting mine!" referring to 'Fifi', and Dorothy exclaims, "She's not out of monkey, Stan, she's out of money!"

[bigskygirl]

It was Virginia who Blanche who was willing to give a kidney to not that long ago.

Ugh!!!  That storyline drove me bonkers. As a wife of a dialysis and kidney transplant patient, I found it a little insulting.

[Maherjunkie]

You mean "Transplant" or "Ebb Tide"?

[Blakeston]

Ugh!!!  That storyline drove me bonkers. As a wife of a dialysis and kidney transplant patient, I found it a little insulting.

What bothered you about it? That Blanche was willing to give Virginia a kidney, and Virginia still treated her like crap afterwards?

Edited July 31, 2014 by Blakeston

[bigskygirl]

I have no problem with Blanche willing to give her sister a kidney. I do not like the care for the why it was portrayed on the show. Virginia look good for someone dying and needed a transplant, and Blanche would not jump on the plane and just give up a kidney without major testing.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

To be fair, they had already tested the other sister, Charmaine, and it turned out that her kidneys were incompatible, leading Blanche and Virginia to have a conversation about how she'd never been able to do anything around the house or go out for cheerleading, etc because she had various odd health problems. Blanche said, "That girl was some kind of mutant."

[Maherjunkie]

Wouldn't a test still be a prerequisite?

[FormerMod-a1]

Isn't that how they found out they couldn't use Blanche's kidney?  She went to wherever Charmaine and her hospital was, but when Blanche came back she hadn't been the one to donate.

[Maherjunkie]

Oh yeah, because she's always been very petite.

[bigskygirl]

I went though major testing to be a possible donor for my husband. There was one for the tissue matching where my husband and I had to have a blood test at the same time. They took around four tubes of blood from both of us. I also had to be examine by a kidney specialist. Family history is a important, mental and physical wellbeing is talk about, and the doctor even ask me about my daily caffeine consumption. I was not able to donate due to my family history of diabetes, premature heart disease, and I already had an injury to my left kidney due to being hit by a car. At the time my blood pressure was borderline high due to hyperthyroidism. I guess if you show signs or have a thyroid problem, it can limit your chances for being a donor.

[Blakeston]

Isn't that how they found out they couldn't use Blanche's kidney?  She went to wherever Charmaine and her hospital was, but when Blanche came back she hadn't been the one to donate.

 

The way it was presented, though, was that Blanche flew to Virginia's region (did she still live in Atlanta?) expecting to donate, and then flew back after it turned out she wasn't a match. Surely she would have been tested before flying out there.

 

Maybe it could be fanwanked by saying that she was tested before she left, and it initially appeared she was a match, and it was only when she got there that they realized the blood vessel issue.

[mishy]

The way it was presented, though, was that Blanche flew to Virginia's region (did she still live in Atlanta?) expecting to donate, and then flew back after it turned out she wasn't a match. Surely she would have been tested before flying out there.

Wouldn't she be tested by Virgina's doctors? I'm sure they could have sent all the criteria that Blanche needed to meet but wouldn't it make more sense for her testing to be done wherever Virgina was? Once I was going to do be a donor for a family friend whose baby was sick because I had the same blood type and something else that I shared with the baby, they wanted me to come to that persons doctor to be tested, not go to my doctor and have the results forwarded. It's been a while but I thought it seemed like Blanche was donating out of obligation and assumed as her sister she would be a match.

[Blakeston]

Once I was going to do be a donor for a family friend whose baby was sick because I had the same blood type and something else that I shared with the baby, they wanted me to come to that persons doctor to be tested, not go to my doctor and have the results forwarded. It's been a while but I thought it seemed like Blanche was donating out of obligation and assumed as her sister she would be a match.

 

Were you a plane ride away from the other person's doctors, though?

 

If I were in that situation, and they had me fly out without knowing anything about whether I was a match or not, and it turned out I wasn't, I'd be pretty miffed that they didn't do any testing beforehand.

[mishy]

Were you a plane ride away from the other person's doctors, though?

 

If I were in that situation, and they had me fly out without knowing anything about whether I was a match or not, and it turned out I wasn't, I'd be pretty miffed that they didn't do any testing beforehand

.

Nah, we live in the same town. But I suppose this just doesn't bother me. As for being miffed about flying out, I wouldn't be mad because at least I got to visit with my sister (for what may be the last time) however estranged we may be. But I totally get where everyone is coming from on the subject.

[ShadowSixx]

Michael was stinky in that episode when he moved into the girl's house temporarily and Blanche told Dorothy that she had to let Michael grow up. When Michael asked Dorothy for money and Dorothy was a little hesitant in doing so, Michael gets an attitude and says he hates doing things like that because Dorothy makes him feel like he's asking. Uh duh that's what you were doing Michael.

[Maherjunkie]

What girl's house?  You mean Stan's house?

[legaleagle53]

The poster meant "girls'" not "girl's."  Apostrophe placement makes all the difference!

[AndySmith]

The few realtives I did like (don't remember all the names)

 

* Dorothy's sister Gloria, but only the 1.0 version

* Sophia's sister Angerla

* Blanche's brother Clayton

* Blanche's brother-in-law (George's brother, what was his name?)

* Blanche's daughter Rebecca (fat and thin version)

 

The rest were mostly...meh. Kind of annoying, but what really irritated me about them was they thought they could whatever they wanted, and expected unconditional support from the Girls NO MATTER WHAT OR HOW RIDICULOUS IT WAS. Granted, the Girls did sometimes overreact, but it's like they weren't allowed to offer a counter-opinion at all. Yes, Rose may not have treated her mother in the best way (being way too overprotective), but finding out your mom lives with an ex-con? Rose was right to be upset about that.

 

The worst offenders, though, would be:

 

* Michael

* Anyone related to Rose

* Gloria 2.0

[Maherjunkie]

I agree, but am not as hard on Michael as the others.

[threebluestars]

I always liked Blanche's niece Lucy.

[Maherjunkie]

We forget who was easiest to love:  Big Daddy!

[legaleagle53]

And Clayton.  I loved how he was never afraid to call Blanche out on her homophobic reaction to his sexuality (and especially to his marriage to Doug).

[Cherpumple]

Well, they certainly make a husky couple!

 

Two family episodes that irked me were more about inconsistency of story than annoying relatives.

 

1) The one with Rose's blind sister Lily. That episode gave me whiplash- at first Rose got mad at her because she made some mistakes while trying to be independent (and who can blame her, she was in a strange house for the first time). Then half way through Rose got mad because she was not independent enough and needed to learn how to take care of herself. Whaaa?

 

2) The one where Dorothy brings Angela to Miami as a surprise. First of all, the source of the fight (shenanigans at the Christmas party in 1955) could've been cleared up in about two seconds the day after the party; I mean, how could Sophia not remember the dude under the table throwing up on her shoe at the time, but she could remember it 30 years later? And second, Dorothy's mother and favourite aunt haven't spoken in 30 years, and Dorothy is completely unaware of this???? That makes no sense! 

 

3) I think they were just completely messing with us regarding Michael's age. In at least one episode it's indicated that he is indeed the child that prompted the shotgun wedding, and not only is he nowhere close to being the 40-something he should be (38 years + years after the divorce), but when we first meet him he's 29 (pornstache Michael) and then later on when he's with Lorraine he's 22. Ridiculous!

 

the Barbara Thorndike Memorial "One or all of the other Girls won't believe me" episodes

 

This is a hilarious name for those episodes!