The Golden Girls is the show that is beloved to generations, and it has maintained it’s popularity and charm across the world.
The show revolves around the lives of four older women who go though common place difficulties and issues but with each other they find strength and love and give us all the fun and joy in the world.
They are Dorothy Zbronak (Bea Arthur), Sophia (Getty) , Blanche (Rue McClanahan) and Rose (Betty White) .
The show was an instant hit and found itself a loving fan base, and why not? All the actresses were respected veterans. They were all well-trained and talented ladies from Broadway, so quality was in abundance.
But then one must wonder, all the popular shows back then had amazing writing and trained actors. So what makes the Golden Girls so excessively popular?
Good Writing?
The show had some amazing writers that gave the plots a wonderful blend of linguistic variety, comedy and funny stories that the characters had to share. ( Especially with Sophia and Rose)
The ‘shade’ ( juggats) was to die for and the back and forth between the characters always was something to take notes from. It’s a good way to learn how to be mean but with class and a smile, so the victim gets confused.
And with the plots there was just so much variety and surprises and adventure, that it makes one feel full after watching any episode.
Unique, Different Characters?
Lots of shows derive humor from having different personalities interact with each other. Like in this show Dorothy is the sensible one, Blanche is the overtly sexual one, while Rose is the coy and naive one. So it’s fun to watch them all take digs at each other.
So perhaps the special sauce is that they are all older women; so it adds to the comedy. It’s still proper but it’s just hilarious, and honestly how many shows do we have that feature women who aren’t in their twenties and somehow have amazing jobs?
They are a unique set of characters, and no other show has been able to do the same.
It just feels fun and real and refreshing.
So what makes it special?
What makes The Golden Girls hold up is the wholesome,realistic life lessons it has to share.
This makes the show a pure joy and something with emotional and long term value. As a person who started watching the show as a teenager I feel like this show is an investment. It makes you plan things out with more maturity and it made me understand how my parents must feel.
I loved the episode in which Dorothy confronts her cheating ex-husband Stan on her daughters wedding day. She talked about how she felt like she deserved better and how his behaviour had hurt her. Such good heart felt drama, and Bea Arthur’s voice just makes everything better.
The same can be said about how Rose is afraid of being alone. It really makes you want to reach out and take care of your friends and relatives.
And as fun and enjoyable it is to watch Blanche’s escapades , it’s nice to see her be open and vulnerable about her insecurities.
Overall it’s an amazing show. And it would good for a Pakistani audience.
They’ll love it, because we deserve good content.
Maheen Ahmed – Writing to make culture
@lahore_la_notte
