There are few tv reveals as universally beloved as “The Golden Ladies.” And there are even fewer reveals that also have a loyal (and rising) fanbase 40 years later.
“The Golden Ladies,” the comedy starring Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty as 4 older single girls dwelling collectively in Miami, premiered on NBC 4 many years in the past on Sept. 14, 1985.
The sequence is considered among the best sitcoms of all time, and it’s identified for coping with complicated points, together with some that had been deemed controversial on the time. “The Golden Ladies” didn’t shrink back from plotlines that handled sexual harassment, same-sex marriage, HIV/AIDS, elder care and immigration coverage, for instance.
Not solely had been the subjects groundbreaking, however so was the very premise.
“The concept of bringing collectively these girls, for essentially the most half, of their 50s, appeared revolutionary on the time as a result of typically, there would solely be a single older girl on a present,” stated Ron Simon, a senior curator on the Paley Middle for Media. “To have them collectively — working collectively, combating collectively, loving collectively — was simply one thing that type of led the way in which for a lot of various kinds of reveals to comply with.”
The sequence endures as a result of it’s a “comedian masterpiece,” Simon stated, but additionally as a result of it “offers with a pervasive societal downside in America: loneliness.” Seeing the characters come collectively and “create their very own household” later in life is one thing that speaks to numerous viewers, he added.
Moreover, the sequence theme music, “Thank You for Being a Buddy,” carried out by Cindy Payment — a canopy of Andrew Gold’s 1978 single — has turn out to be synonymous with the present.
Stan Zimmerman, a author, director and producer who wrote for “The Golden Ladies” simply as his profession was taking off, stated it’s transferring to see how many individuals the sequence touched, whether or not it helped them to really feel much less lonely or made them really feel seen and valued.
“I hear some lovely tales of how, particularly within the LGBTQ+ group; this was a present that they might sit down with their grandparents and all snicker at collectively,” he stated. “While you snicker at one thing, it type of opens your coronary heart and your thoughts on the similar time.”
Zimmerman, who wrote the e-book “The Ladies: From Golden to Gilmore,” launched in 2024, about his expertise in Hollywood as a author on hit tv reveals, emphasised that the recognition of the sequence just isn’t a relic of the previous, and the present continues to succeed in new audiences — a few of whom had been born many years after it first aired. All seven seasons of the present can be found to stream on Hulu.
In celebration of 40 years of “The Golden Ladies,” Zimmerman chosen what he considers to be the 5 finest episodes from the sequence.
‘The Engagement,’ Season 1, Episode 1
Pilots are very difficult, Zimmerman stated, and straightforward to get fallacious. “You need it to look such as you lived with these folks, and also you need to additionally see what the present might appear like.” However Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia’s introduction to the world was charming and welcoming, making it an apparent selection for a prime choose in Zimmerman’s thoughts.
“Susan Harris simply wrote a superb pilot, and clearly it’s brilliantly solid and directed by Jay Sandrich,” he stated. “These 4 characters simply complement one another so superbly and it’s simply so humorous and sensible, which is her trademark.”
‘Isn’t It Romantic?,’ Season 2, Episode 5
Zimmerman stated the conversations the sequence prompted about LGBTQ+ id had been particularly significant to him. On this Season 2 episode, Dorothy’s buddy Jean comes into city and stays with the ladies, however Dorothy doesn’t inform Rose and Blanche that Jean is a lesbian. When Jean develops a crush on Rose and phrase will get out, Blanche questions why she prefers Rose over her.
Whereas the premise could appear foolish, there are a number of traces of dialogue within the episode that had been fairly progressive on the time it aired. Jean says she’s not embarrassed or ashamed of her id, and Rose is heat and accepting of her after she reveals her emotions. “That was an vital step in LGBTQ [representation] on tv,” Zimmerman stated.
‘Not One other Monday,’ Season 5, Episode 7
In considered one of many episodes that contact on severe themes, this Season 5 storyline focuses on considered one of Sophia’s shut pals who’s bored with the bodily ache and struggling she’s needed to endure in her older years and contemplates suicide.
“I used to be simply so impressed that they might deal with that topic and do it so delicately and but nonetheless with humor,” Zimmerman stated. “That’s what was so nice about that present — it might straddle these two worlds. And to me, that’s life. You might be laughing and crying inside a minute.”
‘Grownup Schooling,’ Season 1, Episode 20
Blanche decides to take lessons at the area people faculty to get a level required for a promotion on the museum the place she works, however when she flunks a check, her professor affords to offer her an A if she’s going to sleep with him. Blanche speaks with the dean concerning the incident of harassment and he or she is dismissed as a result of there weren’t any witnesses.
Zimmerman, who co-wrote the episode together with his writing accomplice James Berg, stated he appreciated the possibility to method the subject of sexual harassment, particularly as a result of McClanahan had approached him and Berg proper after they began, imploring them to problem Blanche. “Don’t be afraid to offer me tales that can assist me develop this character,” Zimmerman recalled her telling them.
Plus, the writers had been capable of have somewhat little bit of enjoyable regardless of the heavy themes. “There have been just a few actually cool traces that we obtained to say that I didn’t suppose the censors would enable us to place in there,” Zimmerman stated, citing the road, “You’ll be able to kiss my A.”
“I feel when you might have successful present, and popping out of the mouths of these 4 women, it didn’t appear as offensive,” he added.
‘Blanche and the Youthful Man,’ Season 1 Episode 9
In Zimmerman’s remaining choose, Rose’s mom visits and friction ensues when Rose coddles her an excessive amount of. They talk about her mom’s ageing and concern about her dying. In the meantime, Blanche dates an aerobics teacher who’s significantly youthful than she is — therefore the episode’s title.
Reflecting on this episode, which was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award, Zimmerman, who wrote it with Berg, stated, “How, as a younger man, did I even know to jot down about this topic?”
There’s one other element on this episode that makes it considered one of Zimmerman’s favorites: He added a few of White’s personal phrases into Rose’s dialogue concerning the character’s late husband.
“We had learn an article within the New York Occasions the place Betty White talked about her husband, Allen Ludden, and took that quote and put it word-for-word into the script,” Zimmerman stated. “We by no means informed her, however she was speaking about Charlie the way in which she talked about Allen.”
“I all the time want I had informed her that’s the place that line got here from,” he added. “I by no means obtained to. It’s a giant lesson: Don’t have regrets in life. Seize these moments.”
