That Was No Lady

I have a lot of opinions about this episode. It gets me pretty worked up, so brace yourself!

For those of you who have been following the blog for a while, you know by now that it's fairly common for the show to feature two plots in one epsiode: a main plot and a secondary plot. Well, this episode is no exception. I've decided to tackle the secondary plot first because it is far less convoluted than the main plot and it's not really comical enough to justify making it the theme of my closing commentary (I generally like to close on a lighter note when I can because I feel that this is more reflective of the ebb and flow of the show itself).

In the secondary plot, Blanche is trying to convince Rose to buy her old car so that Blanche can use the money to purchase a new car for herself. The car is in poor condition, but Blanche is planning to take advantage of Rose anyway. Although there are some funny aspects to this subplot, it's actually a little unsettling to me that Blanche is OK with deceiving one of her dearest and most trusting friends. It seems wrong to me. Of course, Blanche does the right thing in the end and confesses the truth to Rose, but in a real life situation, it would take me a while to truly trust Blanche again if I were in Rose's position. In fact, I think Rose is very forgiving of Blanche's little trick. Blanche is lucky that Rose is so generous in that way!

The main plot is more than just unsettling to me--it's upsetting and at times even infuriating. Dorothy is having an affair with a married man (Glenn). Initially, she was involved with him for 3 weeks before she learned that he was married, but she doesn't let that stop her from continuing to see him. The only person with whom I do not have a bone to pick in this episode is Sophia. All of the other characters disappoint me in some way or another during the course of the episode. In the interest of efficiency, I will address my issues with each character individually and in the reverse order of the gravity of their offences.

Rose (The least upsetting to me):
I think Rose could be a much better friend to Dorothy in this situation. While I fully agree with her that Dorothy should not be involved with a married man, I think that her approach is unnecessarily harsh. If one of my best friends said, "Evil is as evil does" to me, I would have terribly hurt feelings! Rose is condescending toward Dorothy in a very "holier than thou" style that just rubs me the wrong way. As one of her best friends, she should certainly encourage Dorothy to make the right decision, but her methodology is all wrong. Sophia is equally hard on Dorothy, but it's different when one's mother is harsh than when it's one's best friend. Mothers can get away with being harsh because it's their job. Friends should know better.

Blanche:
Blanche is enabling Dorothy and being a poor friend. For starters, Blanche's assertion that sometimes we have to "grab our happiness where we can get it" irks me in a major way. I can't approve of actively "grabbing your happiness" at the expense of another man's wife. It's selfish and cruel. Moreover, Blanche is supposed to be Dorothy's friend. A good friend wants the best for you, and I fail to see how being a married man's secret girlfriend constitutes the best possible relationship for Dorothy. Blanche should want Dorothy to be in a healthy, loving, trusting relationship with a man who is as good as his word. It's worth mentioning that Blanche has never had an affair with a married man even though they often imply otherwise in other episodes throughout the series.

Dorothy:
Dorothy knows better and I get very disappointed with her when she continues to see Glenn. People wouldn't cheat if they couldn't find such willing counter parts. It's one thing when Dorothy truly doesn't know that Glenn is marred, but once she learns of it, that should be the end right then and there. After all, her husband was unfaithful, too! She knows how much it hurts to be betrayed by someone whom you've come to love and respect and trust for so long. Even when she is with Glenn, she isn't happy. She feels guilty and ashamed of herself. That doesn't sound like happiness to me--nonetheless a relationship that could ever become something meaningful! I think Rose and Blanche represent different aspects of Dorothy's psyche as she struggles with her choices. Rose reflects the awful guilt that Dorothy is feeling and Blanche represents the rationalization of that guilt.

Glenn and Dorothy

Glenn (The jerk)
Here is a man who is an outright dirty liar and a selfish one at that! He starts out by lying to Dorothy and his wife simultaneously. Eventually, he tells Dorothy the truth, but not until she's so hooked that it's difficult for her to refuse him. All that crap about how he "loves her" is such a crock. If he really loved her, he would be with her. If his marriage with his wife was really over, it would be in the legal sense, too. Dorothy calls him out when she tells him that he just wants to have it both ways--and she is absolutely right! He wants the excitement of a new romance without giving up the life he's become comfortable living. Basically, I have very little respect for anyone who can look someone who loves and trusts them in the eyes and lie to them like it's nothing.

OK, stepping down from the soap box here, I do want to talk about the show's lovely ending. Naturally, Dorothy stops seeing Glenn, but the sweetest thing is how it goes over with the rest of the girls. Sophia and Dorothy have such an understanding and she handles Dorothy's final decision with such grace! Not one of the girls tries to scold Dorothy or congratulate her or anything--they just listen and act like supporting, loving friends! I think this really redeems them from earlier in the episode when they were busy enabling or being overly harsh. They are happy to sit and sulk with Dorothy if that's what she needs to feel better, and they are equally happy to get her out of the house and distract her if that's what she truly needs. I call that being a good friend! :)

One final note! When Rose is on the phone to Dorothy's boss at the the school (Mr. Yamamoto),  you get a glimpse into a few preconceived notions about Japanese people during the 1980's. She says, "I'd expect you to be fair, and polite, and good at math!" I just find it interesting because I feel that in 2011, that comment may be perceived as racist and offensive. Of course, Rose is almost always well-meaning, but it still stood out to me. Also, I like that she refers to the Tokyo Disneyland as Dinseyland and not Disney World. Too often people get those mixed up! There is only one Disney World, folks! All the other places are Disneyland. Let's keep it straight! ;)

***
Cheesecake count: 1

St. Olaf vs. Sicily: 0 to 1

References: The Amazing Kreskin, Jesse Owens

Quote of the day:

Dorothy: We spent the evening at a motel.

Rose: A motel? Dorothy! A cheap, tawdry, bare-balled den of iniquity?

Dorothy: We didn't drive to Sodom and Gomorrah, Rose!

A Little Romance

This is one of the funniest episodes of the show's first season! I love every episode (except for one...but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it!), however this is truly one of my favorites! In fact, with the exception of the dream scene, I think it's darn near perfect! I'm always impressed at the manner in which the writers are able to take humorous, even extraordinary plot lines and make them somehow relatable. In this particular instance, Rose is dating a little person. While I don't have many friends or acquaintances who have dated little people, I think the notion of being attracted to someone yet fearing judgement from others is very relatable! Height, weight, socio-economic standing, culture, intelligence, popularity--all of these characteristics can be an impediment (real or perceived) to forming a lasting relationship with another person.

Truthfully, there isn't a lot to break down about the episode in terms of plot themes. It's primarily comical in nature and the lesson is very simple: if you love someone, you accept him/her for who s/he is and you should not try to hide them. If you are ashamed of your partner, that is more of a reflection on you--and a poor one at that! Rose spent weeks hiding Jonathan from Dorothy and Blanche because she was ashamed of his size and feared other people's remarks. Of course, just when she finds the courage to date Jonathan openly he ends up dumping her for religious reasons--classic Golden Girls and a very funny way to end the episode! Additionally, Jonathan is so comfortable with himself and his size that it would be hard to imagine any woman being ashamed of him (if she were attracted to him in the first place, of course). It's hard to be ashamed of anyone who is so wonderfully confident, I think. 

I suppose the best thing for me to do is to direct you to the funniest parts of the episode so that you can keep your ears open for the best tidbits! For starters, Sophia's son (Phil) and his family are a running joke throughout the series. You never actually meet Phil, but you do meet his wife in one of the later seasons. Phil is a bit of a punchline for Sophia and you see a lot of that in this episode. Speaking of Sophia, the girls' faces when Sophia goes to introduce herself to Jonathan is easy to miss if you're not paying a lot of attention, but if you know Sophia, you know why the girls are so edgy in that moment! Haha! 

Don't expect a lot from the scene where Rose is dreaming. Jean Dixon is not a great actress as guest stars go and the little person that plays Rose's father isn't great either. The girls do their best to make the scene workable, though. It's my least favorite part of the episode, however.

Blanche is the funniest person in this episode hands down! She is so uncomfortable around Jonathan that she makes a fool of herself repeatedly. I found a clip of it for you if you would like to get a preview (or reminder as the case may be) of what to expect. Trust me...you want to see this. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1jvlIUJ2xU 

Actually, that is not even the funniest scene. All I'm going to tell you is to keep and ear out for the story of Blanche and Benjamin....

***
Cheesecake count: 1

St. Olaf v. Sicily: 0 to 1

References: Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Brooke Shields, Edward Kennedy, Jackie O.

Quote of the day:

Sophia: That guy over there. Is he a midget?

Dorothy: Yes.

Sophia: Thank God! I thought I was having another stroke!

The Custody Battle

One of the more brilliant phenomena of The Golden Girls is featured in the mother/daughter angle. Without the Sophia/Dorothy relationship, the show's themes could only be approached and evaluated through the lens of friendship. Having a mother and daughter pair allows the writers to examine some major (and albeit minor, too) life issues as seen from the perspective of a mother and her middle-aged daughter. No matter how old a woman gets, her mother will always nag her. Likewise, daughters will always roll their eyes at said nagging. It's simply the circle of life.

Dorothy and her sister Gloria

This time, Dorothy is fed up with Sophia nagging her about dating. Personally, I don't understand exactly why Sophia is so adamant about Dorothy finding someone to date. I'm sure Dorothy would be glad to find a good man to date if he came along. In fact, she even tells Sophia that when she finds someone worth dating--she will date him! Surely Sophia's harping on her to find a man isn't going to make Dorothy any more inspired to meet someone. The desire is already present. The problem is in the execution rather than the will. I can only suppose that Sophia's nagging isn't a product of her lack of reason, but a product of her desire for Dorothy to be happy.

Unfortunately, this little tiff for Dorothy and Sophia occurs just before Gloria (Dorothy's wealthy, widowed younger sister) arrives for a visit from California. Dorothy's relationship with Gloria isn't great, but it is a lot better than Blanche's relationship with Virginia and Charmagne or Rose's relationship with her sister Holly. Still, Gloria gets on my nerves. She definitely flaunts her wealth unabashedly and even has the audacity to ask Dorothy if her wealth, her children's success, and her happy marriage made Dorothy jealous or resentful. That would leave a bitter taste in my mouth if I were in Dorothy's place. Ultimately, Gloria offers to have Sophia move to California with her and Sophia accepts. Of course, Sophia ends up staying with the girls, but it's the reactions to this news that make the episode worth watching. It's cute how Blanche and Rose are so opposed to Sophia leaving. They all argue and tease each other all the time, but the way they love and value each other is truly precious!

Blanche and Rose heading out for a double date!

Dorothy and Gloria may squabble over who should get to live with Sophia, but it's nice that ultimately the sisters grow closer together in thinking that each was the favorite child. It's also touching when Gloria tells Dorothy that she in fact envies Dorothy's life. Gloria has money, but she is lonely and feels that she is unfulfilled. I think it takes a lot of humility to confess something like that, and while Gloria annoys me at the beginning of the episode, I definitely find her character more appealing after she and Dorothy talk things out. Additionally, Sophia's observation that many older people have children fighting over who has to house them rather than who gets to house them is a sad but relevant truth. She really is one of the lucky ones!

On to the minor notes that stood out to me. They are so random in nature that I'm simply going to put them in list format:

1. I think Sophia is too harsh toward Dorothy sometimes. If my mother told me not to expect a miracle when I went in for a makeover I would be in tears!

2. It's surprising that the writers chose Macbeth as the community theatre's play. Actors are so superstitious about that particular show! Some actors won't even call the play by name for fear of bad luck!

3. Rose claims to have 8 siblings! She is adopted, I wonder if any more of them are...off the top of my head, I am not sure. Maybe we will hear more in later episodes and I have simply forgotten?

4. There are many times in the series where the girls discuss marrying and moving out. I think this foreshadows the finale in a way.

5. Sophia is a kleptomaniac! So funny!

6. Gloria brings gifts for Sophia and Dorothy and wraps them, but she tells them what's inside each box. Why even wrap them (This is not my observation. Someone posted that comment on a YouTube video and I thought it was a very good point!)?

Blanche on hearing the news that Rose was cast as Lady Macbeth over her!

***
Cheesecake count: 1

St. Olaf v. Sicily: 0 to 1

References: Bert Convey, Michael Landon, Jane Pauley, Willard Scott

Quote of the day:

Rose: Sophia can't leave...What about us? Who's going to keep after us, make us linguine, and tell us stories about Sicily?


Dorothy: I don't know, Rose. Maybe Mary Poppins has an Italian cousin. 

The Return of Dorothy's Ex

Exes...Yikes! Break ups are difficult enough when they just involve a person you've known for a few months or so. I don't want to think about the difficulty of dealing with ending a relationship after 38 years! Nevertheless, it's a reality for many people, and it's wise for the writers to focus on that particular subject from time to time (as they do here).

I can't personally relate to a relationship ending after 38 years, but to the extent to which I can relate, I know it would be completely heart-wrenching for me if I were in Dorothy's shoes! Surely after such a long time, two people become reliant upon each other in many ways. Personally, I would feel a great sense of emptiness. I would wonder where to go from that point and how to move on. In all probability, I would cut the person out of my life like a tumor in order to allow myself to heal from it as quickly and painlessly as possible. I'm getting depressed just thinking about the emotional upheaval it would mean for me. I don't know if Dorothy's strength in dealing with Stan is a result of her age (wiser and more grounded), her basic personality, or something else, but she is definitely one tough woman! 

Honestly, Dorothy is a saint for even continuing to speak to Stan, as far as I am concerned. Their son and daughter are grown, so I can't see any need for her to keep in touch with him. In this episode, he seeks her out to help complete some paperwork relating to when they were still married, but she certainly treats him very courteously given that he left her after 38 years without even saying goodbye. In the second episode, we learn that Dorothy only found out about the divorce because Stan's lawyer called to give her the news! Taking that into consideration, the fact that she will take time out of her day to help him fill out paperwork and have lunch with him is very generous on her part!

OK, so maybe Dorothy was a little more than polite to Stan as the evening progressed! The rest of the girls were shocked when they saw Stan walking around the house in Dorothy's night robe the next morning. Really, why wouldn't they be? Sophia handles it like a champ. She makes her opinion on the subject of Dorothy reuniting with Stan very clear, but she does it without being overly forceful. Blanche and Rose are in agreement with Sophia, of course. As friends, they have more leeway when it comes to knocking some sense into Dorothy's head. A mother has to exercise more restraint. I always find it easier to listen to my friends' criticism than to my parents'. Perhaps it's just easier to admit when you're wrong to your friends? I'm not really sure. Regardless, I think each of the girls handles the situation very well. They are all firm, but you never doubt that the girls will all be there for Dorothy no matter what decision she chooses.

No cheesecake...

Stan infuriates me in this episode! In later episodes, he has a few shining moments where I find that I can cut him some slack, but here I think he's a selfish yutz (as Sophia would say)! He just wants someone to be with him. Chrissy left him and so he went right back to Dorothy. He doesn't really love her, though. He is simply afraid to be alone, and he is using Dorothy as a comfortable Plan B. Even when Dorothy refuses him, he runs back to Chrissy. It was (at the very least) somewhat noble of him to pick Dorothy over Chrissy when given the choice, but if he really loved Dorothy, he wouldn't have let her go that easily. Anyway, I think it's frustrating. There's a difference between love/commitment and the fear of being alone. I would want to be with someone because they wanted me, not because the idea of being single frightened them into choosing me!

Interested in another pearl of wisdom from this show? A woman's best friends know more about that woman's boyfriend than he will ever know! That's not just something that's contrived for TV. That's for real! Other than that, the only other comment I have is this: Rose is a truly terrible storyteller, but her stories are so funny that it makes it OK! The whole story of Eddie The Aqua Midget is pretty funny, but Blanche's puns are what make it so completely hysterical! I'm into puns, so maybe it's just me, but it's one of my favorite Rose stories! :)


***Cheesecake count: 1

St. Olaf v. Sicily: 0 to 1

References: Lucille Ball

Quote of the day:

Rose: That's where I first met Eddie The Aqua Midget...I didn't realize it, but he was falling for me.
Blanche: Didn't have far to fall!
Rose: It started with little things.
Blanche: I bet!

The Heart Attack

Death is a common theme on Golden Girls. It will come up a lot throughout the series, but they take a slightly different spin on it each time. It's completely understandable that death is a theme of the show given that the characters are all over 50. As my grandpa said to my father on dad's 50th birthday, "It was when I hit 50 that I realized I probably had more birthdays behind me than ahead of me!" The look on my dad's face was priceless--but I digress! As I said, the show looks at death from a few different angles. This episode evaluates it primarily from a mother-daughter perspective, but Blanche and Rose throw their 2 cents in as well. Naturally, the show does an excellent job of balancing a difficult topic like death with a few hearty laughs. I know I've said it before, but it's really fantastic how the writers of the show can take something like death and make it comical without being irreverent. Obviously, the actresses are a part of making that work, too.

Personally, I find myself thinking of death more often than I think of growing old. I suppose this is because death is an absolute guarantee and being old is less of a certainty than death (but then again, I don't believe there's anything more certain in life than death...). Of course, the girls find themselves thinking of the things that they love most about life and the people that mean the most to them. Betty White does a beautiful job with her interpretation of Rose's feelings towards her late husband Charlie's death. According to the show's timeline, Charlie has been dead for 15 years. The story of how Charlie passed away is actually very fitting for Rose's character and very funny...you'll have to check that part out for yourself if you haven't already! ;) Regardless, Rose tells the story in a way that's funny but completely heartwarming and she only tears up slightly at the very  end. I think it's the golden moment of this episode, really (pun intended as always! Haha). While Rose is remembering the difficulty of losing someone close to her, Dorothy is grappling with the fact that she may lose her mother very soon. She notes that this is upsetting not simply because she will be losing someone she loves, but also because she will be an orphan. Plus, she has the additional fear that the loss of one's parents "pushes you up to the front of the line." Losing your parents seems like a bit of a trifecta of fear: loss of a loved one, becoming an orphan, and realizing that you're probably next. I'm not looking forward to crossing that bridge...let's move on to some concepts that are less depressing!

Listening to Blanche and Rose discuss how they want to be buried once they're dead is great! I love their ideas about the afterlife, too! Blanche is obsessed with whether or not there are men in heaven, and Rose reveals that she believes there to be separate heavens for each denomination. Sophia just wants them to shut up, of course, but she does tell the girls how much she loves them. She also tells Dorothy that she is her favorite child--a claim that she retracts immediately when she discovers that she's not actually having a heart attack and will, in fact, be fine. This makes me wonder, though, do parents really have favorites? They always say they don't, but...I guess I'll find out someday for myself! :)

So what about all of that food?! Overeating caused Sophia to feel sick to her stomach. Understandably, the doctor scolds her for overeating, but I think at her age...who cares? She's over 80! I say, if you've made it that far then you may as well just throw all caution to the wind, as it were. Additionally, I find it very annoying that (once again) they have a boat load of food and not a single piece of cheesecake in sight. In later seasons of the show, it shows up in almost every episode! Oh well...we'll get there. Finally, I just love how the girls almost use death as an excuse to gorge themselves on chocolate cake! It's something that I've thought of plenty of times! You never know when your last meal is going to be...do you really want it to be a watercress salad?

***Cheesecake count: 1

St. Olaf vs. Sicily: 0 to 1

References:
Princess Di and Pavarotti

Quote of the day:

Blanche: I want to lie in state and then be buried in Arlington Cemetery.
Rose: Why Arlington Cemetery?
Blanche: 'Cause it's full of men!

Blanche & The Younger Man

Dirk and Blanche

If you know anything about me, you know that this episode will be a favorite of mine just based on the title alone. ;) I apologize for the lack of deliberation on my part in keeping these postings updated. I really will try to be more proactive in getting them up! I wouldn't want to disappoint all of my adoring fans! Haha!




Anyway, I know it's kind of cheesy, but I just get a warm, calming feeling every time I hear the theme song for this show. I can be in the crabbbiest of moods, but when I hear, "Thank you for being a friend..." I just start to feel happy and relaxed. This brings me to a sad note, Andrew Gold passed away this week. He wrote the theme song featured on the show. It got me to thinking, though, that I truly hope that someday when I'm gone, I will have left behind something that is a source of happiness to someone else in the way that his song is for me. How perfect is it that his last name is Gold, by the way? Interesting coincidence, I think.

This episode is titled after Blanche's subplot, but I actually think the subplot with Rose and her mother stands out as the central plot for this episode. If you've been following my posts at all, you know that I prefer to start with the darker themes and then get into the lighthearted, funny stuff so that we can end on a happy note (as nearly all of the episodes end on a happy note, it only seems appropriate!). Ergo, we'll take a look at the issue with Rose and her mother and then get into Blanche and her cougar-happy ways!

Rose and her mother (Alma)

If I ever have a daughter that treats me the way Rose is treating her mother...Lord help her! I was annoyed for Alma (Rose's mom) within the first few moments of her visit. Alma is perfectly capable of taking care of herself and Rose insists on babying her to death. Of course, Rose's intentions are good (when are they anything less?), but I feel embarrassed for elderly people when other adults speak to them as if they are children. Granted, sometimes elderly people believe themselves to be more capable than they really are and they require assistance to get through the day. This is perfectly understandable and I would imagine that it would be very difficult to have to tell someone (especially someone you love) that they are simply not able to live as independently as they have been accustomed. Ideally, adult children would have the ability to discern to what extent their elderly parents are capable of living without assistance and react accordingly.

Actually, this represents yet another reason why I love this show so much. I spend very little time thinking of my parents' and my twilight years, but that time will someday come and it is better to be preparing yourself for what may lie ahead. Golden Girls gets me thinking about how I would react in their situations, and I don't believe that I would spend much time contemplating my life after 50 and beyond if it weren't for some of the themes I see on the show.

I enjoy looking at the mother-daughter relationship from the "later in life" angle. Mother-daughter relationships are often depicted when the daughter is a teen, but seeing it from the perspective of two older women is definitely more rare. I also like how Rose and Alma's relationship is contrasted with Dorothy and Sophia's. I think the writers did a good job demonstrating the differences and similarities here: the desire to protect one another versus the inclination to be overprotective, for example. Rose and Dorothy's attitudes towards their mothers are actually very appropriate given their characters. Rose is more nurturing and as such it is more understandable that she would become overly protective of her mother. Dorothy is more practical. She sees that her mother needs assistance in some ways, but is generally quite independent and Dorothy gives Sophia adequate freedom and space. The conversation that ultimately remedies the friction between Rose and her mother is so touching! I think we all dread the day that our parents will someday leave us. It can be a haunting thought and it is no wonder that Rose can't even bring herself to think about it.

Stop! Cougar time!

The entire subplot with Blanche and Dirk (the cougar bait) is perfect from beginning to end! To start with, it creates a perfect comedic counterbalance for the graver Rose and Alma subplot. Additionally, it is an easy way to work in one-liners that allow the girls to slam Blanche for her vanity. Finally, hearing Dirk tell Blanche, "You remind me of my mother," toward the end of the episode just wraps it up perfectly! I like that Alma had a 3 year relationship with a younger man, too. It gives the 2 subplots some overlap and allows the episode a bit more uniformity/solidarity. I think the best part of all of it, though, has to be how relentless Dorothy is when she teases Blanche about Dirk.

Blanche: A man [Dirk's] age is used to a trim body with good tone.
Dorothy: So buy him a princess phone.

You can't beat that stuff!

***Cheesecake count: 1...still...

St. Olaf vs. Sicily: 0 to1

References:
Andy Griffith, John Cameron Swayze, and Walt Disney

Quote of the day:

Blanche: Dirk is nearly 5 years younger than I am.
Dorothy: In what, Blanche? Dog years?
Blanche: However, I have decided to overlook that minor detail and succumb to the Vesuvius of passion that is about to erupt from me. 
Sophia: Stand back. We're going to get something on us!

Break In

Before I get started, let me just say that I had the pleasure of watching this episode with Brittany, one of my best friends! For me, that's a huge part of what makes "The Golden Girls" so special: bonding with your best girl friends (and guy friends, too!).

Discovering that they had been robbed.

Boy, this episode hits on a bunch of issues that are truly relevant! There's intimidation of women/elderly, the presence of a man as a perceived sense of security, and finally gun safety. Of course, this is "Golden Girls", so there are plenty of fun and lighthearted moments, too! Let's talk about the dark stuff first so that we can end on a fun note, shall we?

Rose is probably the central character in this episode, but Dorothy's attitude and display of character completely steal the show in my book! She really proves that she's the strong, reasonable one of the bunch time and time again. I love how she handles herself when that creep of a salesman tries to scare the girls into buying a 10,000$ security system! His nonsense about how 1 in 4 people will be the victim of a violent crime is such an obvious ploy to squeeze money out of them. As a woman, I find it offensive and disgusting that a man would try to take advantage of a woman by making her feel afraid and vulnerable. Additionally, they are all older women and I am always sickened when I hear stories about elderly people getting scammed. Dorothy keeps the girls from making an imprudent decision, however. She tells the man that they will buy a security package from a competing security company and then kicks him out of the house!

Rose's encounter in the parking garage.

I am also interested in the girls' debate about whether or not the presence of men makes a group of women safer. Rose says that she feels safer if a man is present, but Dorothy calls it a false sense of security. Of course, Dorothy's assertion is more logical, but personally I feel safer when I am with a man, too. I think this is a social construct that is hard to escape sometimes. Girls are raised to be very cautious of strange men. In fact, sometimes I don't think men realize that a woman walking at night by herself is going to be very suspicious of a man if he approaches her abruptly or comes too close to her. I've had discussions about this very thing with my girl friends and there seems to be a consensus that when we're alone we are more suspicious of others. Walking with a boyfriend, brother, father or male friend (etc.) tends to lessen this feeling, however.

Rose is such a sweet character! It's very hard to watch her be so helplessly afraid because she's easily the gentlest spirit on the show and the one whom the audience will feel the greatest need to see protected. The idea of Rose wielding a gun is just totally disturbing. If one of them has to handle a gun, it should definitely be Dorothy! Rose is truly lucky to have such a good friend in Dorothy. Rose is able to break down in her friend's arms as she does without fear of being judged or harshly criticized. I'm glad that Rose is able to put her fear aside finally, but I wonder if she would have been able to do so if she had not had that encounter in the parking lot. I also wonder how long her fear would have crippled her if she had not had that encounter, though. It's kind of a sad prospect if you think about it in more realistic terms and outside of the context of resolving something in a 30 minute story.

"I'd rather you shot Lester!"- Blanche

Enough of the tough stuff! There are some great moments in this episode. First of all, I love that the girls were at a Madonna concert the night they were robbed. I like how they are painted as hip and trendy despite their age! Additionally, I love how Dorothy quotes Dirty Harry in order to try to intimidate the robbers! You don't even have to watch the episode! Just imagine Bea Arthur's voice quoting Clint Eastwood's most famous line from that movie. It's just too much! Oh...and Blanche maces herself in the face.

One minor thing--Blanche makes fun of Dorothy's mink stole for being out of style, but it's the same stole that Blanche borrows on her date with Harry in the very first episode. Maybe styles changed very quickly at that time?

***Cheesecake count: 1

References: Madonna...I'm not linking anything to her name. You know who she is!

St.Olaf vs. Sicily: 0 to 1

Quote of the day:
Rose: [The robbers] were probably looking for drugs!
Dorothy: We have Maalox and estrogen! How many junkies have gas and hot flashes?