The Competition

Rose and Sophia wearing Blanche's new bowling outfit! ;)

Dorothy and Blanche team up against Rose and Sophia in a bowling competition. If Sophia wins, she gets to fly to Sicily and Dorothy will buy the plane ticket! If Dorothy wins, she gets Sophia's antique silver earrings. This is the first episode to give Sophia more time in the limelight. Her character turned out to be very popular with the audience. I attribute it to her ability to get away with saying whatever she feels inclined to say whenever she feels inclined to say it. This episode also shows off what a champ Sophia is! She's a great bowler, a great cook, and she's still got enough spunk to keep the fellas chasing her! Actually, I can't blame her for finding Augustine cute! I think he's cute (as men over 80 go). The whole story between them is very sweet. I think there's something appealing about love blossoming at an advanced age. It's nice to see that the young don't have a monopoly on romance.

The bowling competition definitely brings out the competitor in Rose. It's so funny that this sweet, cheerful little Minnesota farm girl is so cut-throat and relentlessly competitive, but I think it makes her a more well-rounded character. Not to mention that it's just hilarious to watch her go from docile and complacent to absolutely fierce when something turns into a contest. Her competitiveness becomes a running joke throughout the series.

A little trash talk before the big game!

Comedically, there were a few things that really stood out in this episode: Sophia's inexplicable knack for bowling, the relentless trash talking that goes on between the two teams of girls throughout the episode (Blanche and Drothy on one team versus Sophia and Rose on the other), and the cheap tricks that Sophia and Rose use to distract Blanche and Dorothy during the bowling match. It's appropriate that Rose and Sophia play dirty to increase their chances of winning. Rose is totally out for blood and Sophia wants to win to prove to Dorothy that she is not a feeble old woman (and she wants Dorothy to fund her plane ticket to Sicily, of course, per the terms of the bet). Plus, Sophia is not above cheating anyway. Like I said, she can get away with it somehow!

Sophia gives Dorothy the earrings after all.

There aren't any inconsistencies to report and all of the characters adhere to their general ways, so there's not much to be said about this episode in that respect. I would say, however, that if I were Dorothy, I would not have lost intentionally. I know she did it so that her mother could go to Italy, but I guess I just relate to Rose's competitiveness! If I were Dorothy, I would have gone for the win and talked nonstop trash. I would still buy my mom's ticket to Italy, though. That way I could give her what she really wants and still have walked away with the win! ;)



***Cheesecake count: Still 1. They are guzzling coffee and tea like crazy, though! I never noticed how much coffee and tea they drink, I guess

References: None stood out

St.Olaf vs. Sicily: 0 to 1

Quote of the day:

Sophia: How do I look?
Dorothy: Like a widow in mourning.
Sophia: Perfect! He'll know I'm available!

On Golden Girls

Before I get started, let me inform you that I am spending my Friday night updating my Golden Girls blog. I'm feeling like Dorothy tonight! Haha!

Who wouldn't want to start the day sharing breakfast with their best friends?

Of course, Blanche hits on the cop as soon as she gets the chance! ;)

OK, on with the show (pun completely intended). This is a very cut and dry Golden Girls episode. The girls are really on a roll making fun of each other nonstop and there's one basic plot focus: the ungrateful punk of a teenage grandson coming to visit and disrupting the usual ebb and flow of the girls' daily routine. Actually, he really gets on my nerves. Even after finding out that he (Blanche's grandson David) has been struggling with a difficult situation at home, it's hard for me to be all that sympathetic. I mean, how can anyone be so disrespectful when speaking to his grandmother? It's just bad manners. Nevertheless, I think the girls handle the situation beautifully and Dorothy does an especially good job of challenging David to think outside of himself/beyond his present situation. Sophia's method for handling David's attitude is not half bad, either! Also, my heart goes out to Blanche in this episode when she blames herself for David's troubles.

My favorite scene features Dorothy and Sophia trying to share a bed in order to give David a room to himself. The banter here is classic, but they also bond and reminisce about the last time they had to share a bed. I crack up when Sophia makes her voice deeper and says, "Mommy, I'm having a bed dream!" as she imitates Dorothy as a small child! All humor aside, I think their relationship is very special.

Blanche with her grandson (David)

Now, let's talk inconsistencies! Blanche claims to have a number of children. Off the top of my head, I know that she claims to have children named Janet, Rebecca, Matthew, Biff, Doug, and Skippy. However, we never once meet one of Blanche's sons. Rebecca is the daughter that makes the greatest number of appearances on the show. We only meet Janet at the tail end of the series and she does not look remotely old enough to be David's mother. We're talking maybe a 10 year difference. Actually, I just looked it up on IMDB and the actress who played Janet (Jessica Lundy) is only 3 years older than the actor who played David (Billy Jayne). Anyway, you would think something like the number of children a character has would be easy for the writers to keep consistent. 


***
Cheesecake count: 1


References: Sly Stalone and Cary Grant


St. Olaf v. Sicily: 0 to 1. Now let me be specific! We hear about Rose's farm life and about life in Sicily in this episode, but I will not add these references to the count because it has to start with "Back in St.Olaf" for Rose or "Picture it: Sicily, 19XX" for Sophia (or some variation of those story openings) to count in my tally.


Quote of the day:


"Personally, I like to lay into a kid with a melon baller. It's got a nice weight, good balance in the hand, and it's portable." -Sophia Petrillo 

The Triangle

Blanche hits Elliot when he tries to make a move on her.

This scenario is very relatable. It's understood that when your best friend calls "shotgun" on a man, you back off (even if you're attracted to him, too)! In this case, Blanche was a good friend and backed off of Elliot for Dorothy's sake. I was surprised, however, that Elliot chose to hit on Blanche in spite of his blossoming relationship with Dorothy. Does he seriously think that getting involved with two women is a good idea when those women are roommates? Not that I condone infidelity, mind you, but if you're going to be unfaithful you ought to at least be stealthy about it!

Blanche tells Dorothy the truth about Elliot.

My heart really goes out to Blanche in this episode. I would find it very difficult to have a close friend put her trust in a man she hardly knew rather than put her trust in me. Moreover, Dorothy calls Blanche some very cruel names when Blanche was only trying to be a caring, honest friend. I am especially bothered by Elliot's ability to lie to Dorothy's face! The idea of asking someone a question flat out and having them look you in the eye and lie to you just makes my blood boil! It means that you are more concerned with your own self-interest than the interest of someone that you're supposed to care about. Not only that, but you are completely taking advantage of the other person's complete trust for you! Ugh! Liars just irk me!

I have to hand it to Rose for helping to get the truth out of Elliot. People may think that Rose is just a big dummy, but she can be very smart when it counts. Actually, for a woman who is often naive, she was very crafty! Blanche is so quick to forgive Dorothy's cruelty toward her, and I think that is a strong testament to the solidity of their friendship. Blanche is often depicted as overly proud, but she puts her pride aside effortlessly to renew her friendship with Dorothy.

Making up! 

Apart from the central plot, I do not have much else to add. I will only say that I can hardly believe that Mama Celeste makes better pizza than Sophia! Also, this episode features Sophia's first story about Sicily! I wonder who tells more stories about their hometown between Sophia and Rose? So far it's Sophia 1 and Rose 0, but there is plenty of time for that to change! Maybe I'll keep score of that, too.

Cheese cake count: Still 1

References: Jerry Vale and John Forsythe

Rose stories v. Sophia stories (St.Olaf and Sicily respectively): 0 to 1

Quote of the day:

"I know I look square, but I'm like my father's tractor. I take a while to warm up, but once I get going I can turn your topsoil until the cows come home." -Rose Nylund

Transplant

One surprising thing about the girls is that not one of them speaks glowingly about any of her sisters. You would think that out of four women, at least one of them would have a sister to whom they were very close, but that is simply not the case. I find it hard to really relate to this aspect of the show because I have a very good relationship with my sister. Frankly, such discord between sisters looks miserable!

The girls comforting Blanche.

We meet Blanche's sister (Virginia) in this episode. Blanche has another sister named Charmaine, but she never makes an appearance on the show. Interestingly, Blanche never mentions having a brother and when she speaks of her childhood you only hear of her two sisters, but in later seasons we discover that she has a younger brother named Clayton whom she adores. That is not the only plot inconsistency in this episode. Rose asks Blanche, "She's your sister. How can you hate your sister?" However, in later seasons we learn that Rose has a sister (Holly) whom she also claims to hate.

Regardless, this episode is especially grave because Blanche is struggling to decide whether or not she will donate a kidney to Virginia whom she has disliked for her entire life and toward whom she harbors much resentment (and who will die without a transplant). To me, this seems like an absolute no-brainer, but I suppose that decisions like these are a lot easier to make when the situation is only hypothetical. I also think that this episode challenges the viewer to ponder their own relationships--"Who would get your kidney?" It's almost impossible not to ask yourself the same question. I like that Blanche and Virginia are able to resolve some of their hostility. It adds perspective to the situation.

Virginia and Blanche

 The following points are almost completely irrelevant, but in the scene where the girls are in the back room babysitting an infant and Rose is going through the baby's things, she picks up a brown stuffed dog. I had the same dog growing up! His name was Samuel Spaniel. Also, it bothers me that Dorothy never supports the baby's head when she's holding him! I understand that they're not using a real baby, but the woman raised two children! She should know how to hold a baby!

Cheese cake count: 1! We finally see cheese cake 16 minutes into the 4th episode!

Quote of the day:

Rose: [My dog Fluffy] was loving, he was loyal, he was fun, he never left my side!
Dorothy: I wish my ex had been like Fluffy. It would have solved a lot of problems.
Sophia: You could've had him fixed.

Rose The Prude

Rose on the cruise ship.

This episode is chock-full of firsts for our girls! It is the first episode to feature Rose and the first episode that lacks a wedding-themed plot line. More importantly, however, it is the first episode where the characters begin to develop their respective niches--particularly Blanche. Until now, Blanche has made a few little comments here and there about men and/or sexuality, but in this episode she surpasses subtlety. The banter among all of the girls really takes off in this episode as well. Sophia and Blanche tease Dorothy about her looks and Dorothy and Sophia make cracks about Blanche's...well..."appetite." In some ways, it is arguably the first real episode of the series, namely in terms of what viewers can expect out of the show as it progresses. Granted, we have yet to encounter any stories about St.Olaf from Rose or about Sicily from Sophia (and we still have not seen a cheese cake!), but all of the basic character traits are now firmly established.

The entire episode is concerned primarily with issues related to sexuality, relationships and aging, but two scenes in particular stand out as exceptional to me. First, the scene where Rose discusses her apprehensions about becoming intimate with a man other than her late husband. Second, the scene in the kitchen where Dorothy enlightens Blanche about the difficulties of the aging process. The former is very accurate in terms of the degree to which women rely on their closest friends to help them make tough decisions--including decisions about relationships (so be extra nice to your lady's friends, fellas!)! I am also impressed by how skillfully the writers and actresses are able to balance the humor of the situation with its gravity, and this balance is even evident in the way the girls are seated; Rose caught in the middle, Blanche to her right representing humor and Dorothy to Rose's left countering that with solemnity/concern. In the latter scene, we watch Blanche as she discovers the horror of leaning over a mirror as a 50+ woman! It's very funny, of course, but one of the great things about The Golden Girls is the ability of the characters to express concern about the disenchanting aspects of aging while simultaneously laughing it off!

Rose and Arnie

There is a bit of a plot inconsistency that will become apparent in later episodes. The actor who plays Arnie Peterson (Harold Gould) later has a recurring role as Rose's boyfriend Miles Weber, whom she dates on and off for much of the series. I don't exactly know why the writers insisted on changing the name of the character, but perhaps it was to take the plot of the show in a different direction. Actually, Arnie (er...Miles, who actually has yet another name as we will see later) is my favorite of all of the girls' love interests!

The girls' reaction to Rose's news after she kisses and tells!

Cheese cake count: Yep...still 0. I am curious as to which episode will have the first slice!

References: Charles Boyer and O. Henry, both fairly recognizable figures.

Quote of the day:

"If you take a chance in life, sometimes good things happen, sometimes bad things happen. But, honey, if you don't take a chance, nothing happens!"

-Dorothy Zbornak

Guess Who's Coming To The Wedding?

Dorothy meeting Dennis, her daughter's fiance, for the first time.

Like "The Pilot", the second episode in The Golden Girls is wedding-themed. Dorothy's daughter Kate is preparing to marry a doctor named Dennis. Although I think the writers do a good job of addressing the difficulty of estranged relationships, there is actually a lot about this episode that I find frustrating. Before I delve into that, however, I want to quickly discuss Rand McNally.
     Often throughout the series, one of the girls (generally Dorothy since she is the most knowledgeable and the most well-read) will reference a pop icon or some other entity that has become a bit obscure or unfamiliar over the years. I will try to clear up any confusion about these references whenever possible. This episode didn't have too many references outside of Donny Osmond and Paul McCartney (both very recognizable figures), but apparently Rand McNally is a map publisher. Now when you watch the episode, the joke won't be over your head!

Stan...and his hair.

As I said before, there is a lot about this episode that bothers me. To begin with, Dorothy is a progressive, educated woman and yet she is so caught up in the fact that her daughter is marrying a doctor. Then, she discourages Kate from having her wedding in the Bahamas. Why shouldn't Kate and Dennis decide where they want to get married? The obsession with a man who can "provide" is evident here. You don't hear the story of how Kate and Dennis met or whether or not he is kind and affectionate toward her. Instead, his defining quality is that he is wealthy. Kate isn't exactly supportive of Dorothy's situation, either. Given that Dorothy's husband (Stan) left her on very bad terms, you would think Kate would try to be a bit more compassionate toward her mother--especially when Stan whips out the pictures of his new wife and himself and flaunts them in front of Dorothy! Kate ought to have said something like, "Oh, I'll look at those later, Dad!" The worst of all, though, is when Stan toasts to his daughter's wedding and makes the comment about how happy he is with his "new life mate." Dorothy's reaction is very funny and adds to the humor of the show, but Stan's comment is rude and ill-timed. If I were Kate I would have been angry on my mother's behalf. To Stan's credit, however, he does stay to hear Dorothy out when she lectures him about the way their marriage ended.

On to the things I liked! Dorothy's many sides are showcased. You see her as a loving (and somewhat obtrusive) mother, an angry ex-wife, and a fragile daughter all at once. This speaks to the diverse roles that a person plays in a lifetime. I especially like how Dorothy is able to toughen up and tolerate Stan's presence in the interest of pleasing her daughter but then turns right around and expresses her anger toward him, too. She throws the rice in his face, slams the door in his face, makes cracks about his hideous toupee, but she never makes a scene that would take away from her daughter's special day. I think it's a testament to parental love! :)

You don't get a lot of Blanche, Rose, and Sophia in this episode. Still, Sophia saves the day after she comforts Dorothy and the bit with Blanche holding Dorothy's hand is easily the funniest part of the episode to me! And don't even get me started on Dorothy's outfit for the wedding. No kidding this is a journey through shoulder pads! 

Cheese cake count: 0...beginning to wonder when I will start to see these cheese cakes!

Quote of the day:

"Anger is a lot like a piece of shredded wheat caught under your dentures. If you leave it there, you get a blister and you got to eat Jell-O all week. If you get rid of it, the sore heals and you feel better!"- Sophia Petrillo

"The Engagement (The Pilot)"

This show is just so well written! I think "The Pilot" does an excellent job of setting the tone for the rest of the series. The dialog wastes no time in establishing the banter between the characters and establishing their personality quirks. It was wise of the writers to drop Coco the cook, however. I feel that in a show designed to demonstrate and applaud the independence of women living out their golden years, having a hired assistant detracts from this sense of independence. Plus, having a male as a recurring main character takes away from the femininity of the show. 

Left to right: Blanche, Dorothy and Rose. Sophia front center.

In a single episode, the writers managed to establish a great deal about the characters' backgrounds. Rose and Blanche are widows and Dorothy is a divorcee. You learn that Rose, Blanche and Dorothy were married to Charlie, George and Stan (respectively) and that Sophia, Dorothy's mother, survived a stroke and was living in a retirement community until it burned down (presumably just shortly before she makes her entrance on the show). Blanche is revealed to be the owner of the house and Rose and Dorothy became her roommates after responding to an ad that both had read at the supermarket. A few things that will become staples of the show that are not established in this episode include: Rose's St. Olaf stories, the girls' shared love of cheesecake, and Blanche's sex drive. Also, Sofia is painted as more of a supporting role in this episode, but is written as a main character in the episodes to follow.  


The Golden Girls digs a little deeper, too. Aging is (understandably) a recurring theme of the series and Dorothy and Rose's conversation in the kitchen at the beginning of the episode sets the tone for the nostalgia that the girls all feel for their former youth and beauty. You see it again when Blanche refers to herself as an "old fool" later in the episode. The loss (or perceived loss) of beauty as a woman ages has certain psychological consequences and Blanche is often used in the series as a basis for representing this struggle for women. 

Coco the cook. His only episode.

There are a few inconsistencies in the episode. In the scene above, Coco is present when Blanche reveals that she has agreed to marry Harry, but when the next scene commences, Coco is no longer present. Additionally, the police officer refers to Blanche as Blanche Hollingsworth rather than as Blanche Devereaux. Hollingsworth is Blanche's maiden name and all of the girls go by their married names throughout the entirety of the show, even Dorothy (a divorcee). 


***Cheesecake count and quote of the day***
The girls eat more cheesecake than most people do in a lifetime! I want to tally the number of times you see cheesecake featured in the episode. Also, I will post a quote from the episode that stood out to me. 


Cheesecake count: 0


Quote of the day:


He left me 38 years later for a stewardess that he met on a business trip to Hawaii. It was her first flight. They said on arrival, "Give the passengers a lei." She got confused. -Dorothy Zbornak