Five Reasons Why the Golden Girls is the Best TV Show of the 80's

In theory, it shouldn't have worked. Four older women sharing a house in Miami, cracking wise about men, menopause, sex and noshing on cheesecake every chance they got. And airing on Saturday nights no less. Who would stay home to watch that?

Millions, as it turned out. The Golden Girls proved golden for NBC. When the show premiered in 1985, it was an immediate ratings smash and became the talk of the town. During the show's seven year run, it received 65 Primetime Emmy nominations, 11 wins (including at least one statue for each of its four stars and two Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series) and four Golden Globe Awards. It was a mainstay in the Nielsen Top 10, routinely winning its timeslot and was one of the shows that reversed NBC's sagging mid-80's fortunes. Though the show ended in 1992, it lives on in reruns on WE tv and the Hallmark Channel, keeping old and new fans in perpetual stitches.

So what makes The Golden Girls such a standout in a decade that produced the Cosby Show, Cheers and the Wonder Years? Here are my five reasons why:

1. It was funny

Okay, this is an obvious one considering it is a sitcom, but sadly, too many so-called comedies are usually short on laughs and long on tedium. The Golden Girls never suffered such a fate. Between Dorothy's put-downs, Rose's tall tales of St. Olaf, Sophia's "picture it" stories and Blanche's bedroom antics, the laughs hit you like a freight train. In fact, unlike most shows, where you can pinpoint when it "jumped the shark," The Golden Girls only seemed to get funnier as time went on. Some of my favorite episodes are from the show's final season, including "The Commitments" (Dorothy's having a "British Invasion" in the bedroom courtesy of the actor from Beatlemania that she's dating, while Blanche's new guy won't sleep with her), "From Here to the Pharmacy" (Blanche dates a man who's just returned from the Persian Gulf, claiming they promised to be true to one another before he shipped out. Only Blanche can't remember who he is) and the series finale, "One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nest." If Dorothy's description of her sex life with Blanche's uncle Lucas (guest star Leslie Nielsen) doesn't make you bust your gut, you might want to check your funny bone.

2. The theme song

Even if you aren't a fan of The Golden Girls, or bite your tongue, have never seen the show, you know that theme song. Songwriter Andrew Gold composed "Thank You For Being A Friend," for his album, All This and Heaven Too and the song became a top 25 hit on Billboard's Top 100 Chart in 1978. Singer Cynthia Fee recorded the version we all know and love and I dare you to find someone who doesn't know all the words.

3. Never backing down

The Golden Girls was never shy about tackling some of the most controversial topics of the day. During the show's run, among the myriad of topics they explored were AIDS, interracial marriage, homosexuality (in one of my favorite episodes, "Isn't It Romantic," Blanche is indignant that Dorothy's gay friend, Jean, is attracted to Rose and not her) drug addiction, age discrimination, cross-dressing and plastic surgery. Additionally, the women always seemed to be up on the latest happenings, even though today, some of the pop culture references are dated. Still, I bet your grandmother never went to a Madonna concert (see episode "Break-In.")

4. The Writing

Though there were inconsistencies (how long Rose's husband, Charlie, had been dead, how Blanche's husband, George, died, the age of Dorothy's children, etc.) it is hard to argue with how brilliantly this show was written. From Dorothy and Sophia's mother-daughter talks, Sophia's expertly timed and often racy quips, to those sessions around the kitchen table in front of a cheesecake, the writers always struck the perfect balance between tears and laughter (though sometimes, you might find yourself laughing through your tears).

5. Bea Arthur, Betty White, RueMcClanahan and Estelle Getty

Actresses Elaine Stritch and Lee Grant were considered for Dorothy Zbornak, but truly, only the late, great Bea Arthur could do her justice (the role was created with her in mind). With her withering looks and big booming voice that left even the mightiest quivering, Bea Arthur WAS Dorothy. As the story goes, Arthur had no interest in playing Dorothy, feeling it too similar to her legendary Maude character. Adding to her trepidation was the original plan for Betty White to play man-hungry Blanche and Rue McClanahan to portray naïve Rose (retreads of their earlier characters, Sue Ann Niven of the Mary Tyler Moore Show and Vivian Harmon, also of Maude, respectively.) However, once White and McClanahan switched roles, it became a whole different ballgame. Add a dash of Estelle Getty and you had magic. Each actress personified her character flawlessly and the chemistry between the women was perfection. Those four and they roles they played were the only Golden Girls there could have ever been.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Girls