Thank You For Being A Friend: Remembering The Golden Girls

This video came together both quicker and slower than I expected. Originally I was hoping to release it on Betty White's hundredth birthday, but sadly she passed away shortly after I recorded the audio. Although this video is dedicated to her, I also want to acknowledge the work of Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, whose talents cannot be understated.

For anyone who watches these videos and wonder if they should seek out the series I'm talking about on their own; I strongly recommend checking this one out. Much of the humour holds up surprisingly well, and the more somber moments still hit cleanly. Certain aspects haven't aged well, but compared to some other shows I've covered, this one has more hits than misses.

In honour of Betty White, please consider a donation to American Humane. Betty White was an active member for over sixty years.

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7:23 - Beginnings
12:04 - Dorothy
27:53 - Blanche
39:00 - The Boys
45:30 - Rose
58:45 - Spin-Offs
1:01:38 - Sophia
1:11:18 - The Cost of Getting Old
1:17:41 - Farewell
1:22:08 - The Golden Palace
1:24:38 - Thank You For Being A Friend

[JoseBird]

I misspoke at 1:00:45. I meant to say Hurricane Saturday, not Sunday. The graphic on screen is accurate!

A commenter also confirmed that the Great Herring War story Rose delivers at 26:46 was not ad-libbed.

Also, Empty Nest had seven seasons, not 6.

[ForeignManinaForeignLand]

I used to watch Golden Girls with my nana. She's still alive and she's almost as old as Betty was. When she heard the news, she said, in her most earnest voice, "Ima beat Rose by getting to 100".

[honeyyb]

"No one wants to be thought of as Blanche"
Where'd you hear that??? Blanche is an ICON, single and retired with more than enough money to play with, living at the beach with her best friends, dating who she wants to when she wants to, answering to no one except said besties when they have to knock some sense in to her lol, homegirl is living the DREAM 😍

[benh]

I've never watched a single episode of the Golden Girls, but Blanche exclaiming how excited she was that she got to hug her dead husband before waking up legit made me start crying.

[xMrBungleXx]

It's so impressive how absolutely straight-faced Betty White was during the herring circus scene. It makes sense that Rose wouldn't laugh since punchlines often went over her head but the fact that Betty was able to keep it together while the others lost it in front of her is amazing.

[TuesdaysArt]

There was a Tumblr post that went around occasionally with a Golden Girls quote and a memorial in the order of when the actresses died. I'd always tear up whenever I saw Rose's "What happens if I'm the only one left?", I still cry just thinking about it. On the 31st, I drew a picture of Betty White reuniting with the other actresses and it felt almost cathartic...they're together again.

[Zimionz]

This show featured one of the sadest moments in all of TV history. When Phil (Dorothy's brother) dies, Sophia won't grief. She is still angry at him because he liked to dress up as a woman, which supposedly was an embarassement to her and the family. And she is angry at Phil's wife for not having done anything to stop it. But it turns out all that anger is actually directed at herself. Sophia blames herself because she thinks she might have done something to cause this. Phil's wife then tells Sophia, that her son had been a good husband, a good father and a good person. Her cold facade breaks, and she realizes her son, whom she loved dearly, is gone.

[Lilcutiepie]

My grandma loved this show! She passed in 08 of pancreatic cancer. She was a classy woman with a great sense of humor. She was only 67. I miss her.

[Prizzlesticks]

I was the only web producer at my news station working when Betty White passed, so I got the unique honor of writing an article about it. Every outlet was just reporting on her death and her role in the Golden Girls, and that was all fine, but I had the thought to shine a light on my favourite thing about her--her love of animals, something that is wholly relatable. And being a local news station, I also happen to know Betty White was made an honorary alumna of the WSU Veterinary program, presented with a white coat and everything.

Apparently, she was choked up for a moment, before joking, "So now that I have this white coat, if any of you would like to be spayed or neutered, I’m available."

And that's why I adore Betty White. She was such a genuine lady, and witty and funny to boot.

That article was one of the best performing on our site for nearly a month, and I'm not even mad about it. She was a treasure.

[justingerald]

The thing is, it's still really and truly hilarious. Not just nostaglic, it's really really great, on top of being progressive and groundbreaking. Truly wonderful entertainment.

[christinaFaith]

I was devastated when I heard Betty White died. She was planning a big 100th birthday just a few months later. I was looking forward to that. And she is one of the best actresses of, well, ever. I still can't believe she's gone. It's like England finding out the queen died. That was Betty White for us in the US.

[wastedinspiration]

I literally broke into tears when he mentioned the dream episode. I've had that dream before, and I know that feeling when you wake up and it takes a minute to remember your world is the one that no longer has you loved one in it. This show was so good and so funny and so sad, and it deserves this tribute.

[bohemianspirit]

I discovered Golden Girls early last year.. My country was going thru a horrible 2nd Covid wave..and my mental health dipped to new lows.. I fell in love with the show - it made me laugh and learn and cry. I will never be able to fully express how much this show means to me - it has become on of my all time favorite's.
I introduced this show to my Conservative Indian mother who was curious about what I watched everyday and laughed so much. The show brought us closer when we had drifted apart - it was invaluable seeing my mother share stories abt her college crushes and laughing at the risqué (to my mom) jokes. The show has become something me and my mom exclusively share.
I'm not very religious but I sincerely hope Bea, Betty, Estelle and Rue have found happiness and peace wherever they have gone after their deaths..
Especially Betty White - that woman was a treasure and it broke my heart to hear her passing away at 99..Betty - I hope u brighten up the afterlife (if there is such a thing) just like u did on earth.

[chesthoIe]

Blanche was on a game show, and they were doing a "fill in this phrase" game. The phrase was, "Better late than..."

Blanche rang in, and said, "Pregnant."

My great-grandma stole that joke and repeated it everywhere.

[emm_uhh]

The episode where Dorothy is sick and the doctor dismisses her concerns really inspired me as a teenager. I have a form of EDS that's started to appear when I was 17. The doctors kept dismissing it as Carpel tunnel because of my age, until I found a rheumatologist 3 years later who gave me my diagnosis.

[lovelydia]

Seeing that episode with Dorothy and Chronic Fatigue syndrome it nearly bought me to tears. I don't have Chronic Fatigue but Chronic Pain and I have spent the last 3 years seeing a lot of different doctors and specialists to have them all tell me that I’m fine and it's in my head. I always wondered that if I were a man would they believe me. I did eventually get a diagnosis but it feels pretty bitter due to all the time and money I had previously put in. I just wish I had the balls to stand up and give those doctors a piece of my mind.

[jasonkeenan]

Back in 2010 I found this amazing vintage yellow Golden Girls t-shirt at a thrift store. When I wore it out, I swear I got a compliment on it every 10 minutes. Everywhere I went, total strangers went out of their way to tell me how much they loved the shirt and the show. I showed me how much of a treasure the show was and how much it meant to people. I don't know what happened to it thinking back on it, but I do have pics of me wearing it at least.

[seanm]

The Golden Girls means more to me than I could possibly put into words. It started with my grandmother watching it on Saturday nights with the other shows we watch together for while. Now my husband and I watch one episode a night on Hulu just watch all 7 Seasons again. It's just a very special show for me me and my family it has been for I work 30 years now. From my late grandmother to my husband and me. We all thank you for doing this.

[chrisdowney]

As truly devastating as it was to lose Betty White, I do have to say it is rather inspiring in some regard. She was 99 and people say she was gone too soon. It’s enough to inspire us all to live that kind of a full life.

[Indigo_Boi]

"Nobody wants to be thought of as Blanche…" 
First of all, sir, how dare you?! 😝
And second of all, I’ve been aspiring to be Blanche Devereaux since the moment I first saw her do that sassy walk in the opening credits (you know, in the nightgown, with her shoulders, all diva and fabulous). I was 6 years old and I knew then and there that she was everything I wanna be at that age.