The Golden Girls
Updated: 12/16/2025, 8:54:03 PM Wikipedia source
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. The series comprises 180 half-hour episodes across seven seasons and features an ensemble cast led by Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty. Set in Miami, Florida, the show centers on four older women who share a home and navigate friendship, aging, and daily life. The series was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions in association with Touchstone Television. Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas, and Susan Harris served as the original executive producers. The Golden Girls received critical acclaim during its original run and earned numerous accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series and three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Each of the four lead actresses won a Primetime Emmy Award, making it one of only four sitcoms in history where all principal cast members received Emmy recognition. The show ranked among the Nielsen top 10 for six of its seven seasons. In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Golden Girls number 54 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time. In 2014, the Writers Guild of America placed the sitcom at number 69 in their list of the "101 Best Written TV Series of All Time". Terry Tang of the Associated Press reported that the series continues to attract new fans in the 21st century and characterized it as an example of a sitcom that has aged well.
Infobox
Tables
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | Rank | Rating | Viewers(millions) | ||
| First released | Last released | ||||||
| 1 | 25 | September 14, 1985 (1985-09-14) | May 10, 1986 (1986-05-10) | 7 | 21.8 | — | |
| 2 | 26 | September 27, 1986 (1986-09-27) | May 16, 1987 (1987-05-16) | 5 | 24.5 | — | |
| 3 | 25 | September 19, 1987 (1987-09-19) | May 7, 1988 (1988-05-07) | 4 | 21.8 | — | |
| 4 | 26 | October 8, 1988 (1988-10-08) | May 13, 1989 (1989-05-13) | 6 | 21.4 | 33.1 | |
| 5 | 26 | September 23, 1989 (1989-09-23) | May 5, 1990 (1990-05-05) | 6 | 20.1 | 30.8 | |
| 6 | 26 | September 22, 1990 (1990-09-22) | May 4, 1991 (1991-05-04) | 10 | 16.5 | 24.6 | |
| 7 | 26 | September 21, 1991 (1991-09-21) | May 9, 1992 (1992-05-09) | 30 | 13.1 | 19.2 | |
| Title | Release date | ||
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |
| The Complete First Season | November 23, 2004 | June 27, 2005 | August 17, 2005 |
| The Complete Second Season | May 17, 2005 | August 1, 2005 | September 21, 2005 |
| The Complete Third Season | November 22, 2005 | January 9, 2006 | October 1, 2005 |
| The Complete Fourth Season | February 14, 2006 | September 1, 2008 | December 5, 2007 |
| The Complete Fifth Season | May 9, 2006 | TBA | April 2, 2008 |
| The Complete Sixth Season | November 14, 2006 | TBA | December 3, 2008 |
| The Complete Seventh Season | February 13, 2007 | TBA | March 18, 2009 |
| The Complete Series | November 9, 2010 | TBA | November 7, 2018 |
| Four Complete Seasons (Seasons 1–4) | No release | October 26, 2015 | No release |
References
- The Walt Disney Companyhttps://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about/#our-businesses
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/21/arts/la-law-and-golden-girls-win-series-emmys.html
- Critical Thinking About Sex, Love, and Romance in the Mass Media: Media Literacy Applications
- TV Guidehttps://www.tvguide.com/news/tv-guide-magazine-60-best-series-1074962/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://www.deadline.com/2013/06/wgas-101-best-written-tv-series-of-all-time-complete-list/
- ‘Golden Girls’ appears to get better with pop culture agehttps://apnews.com/article/803d42ed224049ca9747001fe3e43032
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/08/business/media/08adco.html
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-04-28-ca-840-story.html
- The Dead Celebrity Cookbook: A Resurrection of Recipes from More Than 145 Stars of Stage and Screenhttps://books.google.com/books?id=ILvGSUX7olkC&pg=PA352
- The Golden Girls – The Ultimate Viewing Guidehttps://books.google.com/books?id=t_jTuiubE0AC&pg=PA13
- PrettyFamoushttps://web.archive.org/web/20161026121844/http://tv-shows.prettyfamous.com/stories/21670/tv-series-episode-finales-popular-mash-cheers-friends#80-The-Golden-Girls-One-Flew-Out-of-the-Cuckoo-s-Nest
- ClassicTVHits.comhttp://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1985.htm
- ClassicTVHits.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20221112010517/http://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1986.htm
- www.thetvratingsguide.comhttp://www.thetvratingsguide.com/1991/08/1987-88-ratings-history.html
- ClassicTVHits.comhttp://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1988.htm
- ClassicTVHits.comhttp://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1989.htm
- ClassicTVHits.comhttp://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1990.htm
- ClassicTVHits.comhttp://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1991.htm
- The Competitionhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0589837/?ref_=ttep_ep7
- Sister of the Bridehttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0589815/?ref_=ttep_ep14
- Golden girls foreverhttps://search.worldcat.org/oclc/936359346
- There Goes the Bride: Part 1https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0589857/?ref_=ttep_ep16
- One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nesthttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0589798/?ref_=ttep_ep23
- Entertainment Weeklyhttps://ew.com/article/2009/04/24/bea-arthur-golden-girls-memories/
- New Yorkhttps://books.google.com/books?id=z7gBAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA42
- Outhttp://www.out.com/entertainment/television/2010/10/03/catching-golden-girls-susan-harris
- Cracklehttps://web.archive.org/web/20101227145150/http://www.crackle.com/blog/crackles-creator-conversation-soaps-susan-harris/
- "TV Legends Revealed #35"https://web.archive.org/web/20110119085507/http://legendsrevealed.com/entertainment/2011/01/14/tv-legends-revealed-35/
- The Q Guide to the Golden Girls
- Sitcoms: The 101 Greatest TV Comedies of All Time
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-07-05-ca-20405-story.html
- "How Jewish Identity Is Portrayed (Or Not Portrayed) in Hollywood"https://today.duke.edu/2016/09/how-jewish-identity-portrayed-or-not-portrayed-hollywood
- "No, she wasn't Jewish, but Betty White had a very Jewish century"https://forward.com/culture/479899/no-she-wasnt-jewish-but-betty-white-had-a-very-jewish-century/
- Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanaihttps://books.google.com/books?id=2hAoCgAAQBAJ&q=Getty+Weiner%27s+mind
- Orange Coasthttps://books.google.com/books?id=52AEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA157
- "The Golden Girls"http://www.emmytvlegends.org/interviews/shows/golden-girls-the
- Mental Flosshttp://mentalfloss.com/article/56215/20-fun-facts-about-golden-girls
- Rue McClanahan on Blanche's accent on "The Golden Girls"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_DGIgDOg6c
- Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanaihttps://books.google.com/books?id=2hAoCgAAQBAJ&q=more+southern
- Closerhttps://www.closerweekly.com/posts/bea-arthur-feud-betty-white-golden-girls-138841/?display=listicle
- Southern Livinghttps://www.southernliving.com/culture/betty-white-bea-arthur-golden-girls-feud
- Huffposthttps://www.huffpost.com/entry/bea-arthur-betty-white-golden-girls-feud_n_68559148e4b06f37ceed1852
- CNNhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-wTJ2hQCK8
- My First Five Husbands...And the Ones Who Got Awayhttps://books.google.com/books?id=CIHOyZjQ-ZUC&q=gripped+in+panic
- Mental Flosshttps://www.mentalfloss.com/article/19134/7-things-you-might-not-know-about-golden-girls
- "The Golden Girls - Cast/Crew Documentary (2/9)"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QWtrRd9HvQ&t=447s
- "ABC Studios"http://tviv.org/ABC_Studios
- Periods in Pop Culture: Menstruation in Film and Televisionhttps://books.google.com/books?id=m0Ti0d-T4DwC&pg=PA188
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-10-30-ca-11702-story.html
- New Yorkhttps://www.vulture.com/2013/02/marc-cherry-remembers-writing-for-golden-girls.html
- Christopher Lloyd discusses "The Golden Girls" casthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro_uorR_e_Y
- Fox Newshttps://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/flashback/golden-girls-werent-so-chummy-off-the-screen-stars-son-reveals/news-story/6f1a33f4d0f9713751c5efdd5b371141
- Rue McClanahan Interview - Part 4 of 5https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaDIbjIXnlM
- Estelle Getty of 'Golden Girls' Dies at 84https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_a5q2CjyA8
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/arts/television/23getty.html
- Associated Presshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_a5q2CjyA8
- Fox Newshttps://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bea-arthurs-son-says-she-wasnt-really-close-to-anybody-despite-golden-girls-fame
- Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanaihttps://books.google.com/books?id=2hAoCgAAQBAJ&q=Golden+Girls+Forever:+An+Unauthorized+Look+Behind+the+Lanai
- Intimate Portraithttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6lZupLt8HU
- Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2010https://books.google.com/books?id=YX_daEhlnbsC&pg=PT2528
- HomeFactshttps://www.homefacts.com/address/California/Los-Angeles-County/Los-Angeles/90049/245-N-Saltair-Ave.html
- mw- .mw- .mw- 34°03′58″N 118°26′51″W / 34.066°N 118.4474°W / 34.066; -118.4474https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=The_Golden_Girls¶ms=34.066_N_118.4474_W_region:GB_scale:5000
- Todayhttps://www.today.com/popculture/golden-girls-house-goes-sale-see-what-inside-really-looks-t187081
- Colucci 2016 p. 317-318
- Colucci, 2016 pg. 324
- Colucci, 2016, p. 333
- The Costume Designerhttps://costumedesignersguild.com/articles-videos/articles-archive/costume-design-costars/
- Colucci, 2016 pg. 333
- New York Posthttps://nypost.com/2002/01/28/bea-ing-stylishformer-golden-girl-bea-arthur-talks-about-comfort-clothes-going-barefoot-and-her-famous-maude-wardrobe/
- Colucci, 2016, 333
- Colucci, 2016, 338
- MentalFlosshttp://mentalfloss.com/article/54393/7-must-have-items-rue-mcclanahans-estate-sale
- Colucci, 2016, 339
- The Atlantichttps://web.archive.org/web/20250118230902/https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/09/the-golden-girl-who-was-a-man-named-coco/405091/
- USA Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2022/10/27/who-was-oldest-golden-girl-guide-characters-ages/8076744001/
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-golden-girls
- Vulturehttps://www.vulture.com/2017/03/the-golden-girls-creators-on-finding-new-fans.html
- "The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time"https://variety.com/lists/greatest-tv-shows-of-all-time/
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-09-17-mn-20345-story.html
- Los Angeles Timeshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-21-ca-650-story.html
- The Huffington Posthttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/the-golden-girls-and-gay-marriage_n_1506091.html
- Vanity Fairhttps://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/04/queen-elizabeth-golden-girls
- The Golden Girlshttps://deadline.com/2020/06/hulu-the-golden-girls-blackface-episode-removal-1202971999/
- The Golden Girlshttps://www.vulture.com/2020/07/the-real-mud-on-golden-girls.html
- Golden Girlshttps://parade.com/news/golden-girls-writer-reveals-he-got-death-threats-over-controversial-episode
- Walt Disney Companyhttp://disney.go.com/disneyinsider/history/legends/find-legends
- "The Golden Girls"https://web.archive.org/web/20140820053627/http://www.tvland.com/shows/the-golden-girls
- "Preview 2: The Golden Girls Arrive on Logo April 13th"http://www.logotv.com/video/misc/885521/preview-the-golden-girls-arrive-on-logo-april-13th.jhtml
- Huluhttps://www.hulu.com/the-golden-girls
- Laughing Placehttps://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2021/08/13/fathom-events-to-celebrate-nearly-40-years-of-the-golden-girls-this-september/
- "The Golden Girls – 25th Anniversary Complete Collection"https://web.archive.org/web/20131115072440/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Golden-Girls-Complete-Collection/14375
- The Golden Girls: A Lifetime Intimate Portrait Serieshttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AYEL4M
- dvdizzy.comhttps://www.dvdizzy.com/thegoldengirls-season1.html
- amazon.co.ukhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Girls-Complete-First-Season/dp/B0009FU7S6/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=AGU2BRXVYG70&keywords=golden+girls+season+1&qid=1638691640&sprefix=golden+girls+seas%2Caps%2C76&sr=8-4
- The Night Seasonhttps://books.google.com/books?id=FMclBgAAQBAJ&q=golden+girls
- dvdizzy.comhttps://www.dvdizzy.com/thegoldengirls-season2.html
- amazon.co.ukhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Girls-complete-Season-DVD/dp/B0009YVD8K/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=3QPDAWTHOWRD7&keywords=golden+girls+season+2&qid=1638692912&sprefix=golden+girls+season+2%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-3
- www.jbhifi.com.auhttps://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/golden-girls-the-season-2/851970/
- dvdizzy.comhttps://www.dvdizzy.com/thegoldengirls-season3.html
- amazon.co.ukhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Girls-Season-Complete-DVD/dp/B000BQJO7S/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=3QPDAWTHOWRD7&keywords=golden+girls+season+2&qid=1638692912&sprefix=golden+girls+season+2%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A3HJ5KX20SNUR3&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE3U1E2WFdTSVZZOFEmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyMDY1MzAxWkNPQk1DR0U3NzdCJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3MjMyNjUzUkpSVVU5UENUSVpKJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
- Sanityhttps://www.sanity.com.au/products/2001693/Golden_Girls_The_-_Season_03
- dvdizzy.comhttps://www.dvdizzy.com/thegoldengirls-season4.html
- amazon.co.ukhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Girls-Season-DVD/dp/B001DJ9M1K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1GPYZI6JQ6SNQ&keywords=golden+girls+season+4+dvd&qid=1638693438&sprefix=golden+girls+season+4+dvd%2Caps%2C68&sr=8-1
- www.jbhifi.com.auhttps://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/golden-girls-the-season-4/205314/
- dvdizzy.comhttps://www.dvdizzy.com/thegoldengirls-season5.html
- www.jbhifi.com.auhttps://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/golden-girls-the-season-5/222922/
- dvdizzy.comhttps://www.dvdizzy.com/thegoldengirls-season6.html
- www.jbhifi.com.auhttps://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/golden-girls-the-season-6/237247/
- dvdizzy.comhttps://www.dvdizzy.com/thegoldengirls-season7.html
- www.jbhifi.com.auhttps://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/golden-girls-the-season-7/247317/
- showbizmonkeys.comhttps://www.showbizmonkeys.com/tv.php?id=2004
- www.jbhifi.com.auhttps://www.jbhifi.com.au/movies-tv-shows/movies-tv-shows-on-sale/tv-comedy/golden-girls-the-season-1-7/340415/
- amazon.co.ukhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Golden-Girls-Season-1-4-DVD/dp/B0156ILD8I/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=1A9UTMPM6E23F&keywords=golden+girls+dvd&qid=1638695332&sprefix=golden+girls+dvd%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-3
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/25/news/tv-weekend-3-of-the-golden-girls-in-a-new-home.html?scp=1&sq=The%20Golden%20Palace&st=cse
- The Golden Girlshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-06-07-tv-777-story.html
- Empty Nesthttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-10-08-ca-3135-story.html
- Backstagehttp://www.backstage.com/news/golden-girls-live-sent-to-shady-pines/
- Yahoo Entertainmenthttps://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/golden-girls-tour-drag-bans-lgbtq-attacks-theater-234006312.html
- The Daily Telegraphhttps://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/city-east/thank-you-for-being-a-friend-brings-the-golden-girls-to-the-stage-as-puppets/news-story/715a4b5a3535352470bd7c530d07683b
- TheaterJoneshttp://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20191117091441/2019-11-17/Eisemann-Center-for-the-Performing-Arts/The-Golden-Girls-Show-A-Puppet-Parody
- Animation Magazinehttps://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/bojack-horseman-director-recycles-classic-sitcom-into-golden-girls-3033/
- Disney.comhttps://books.disney.com/book/murder-by-cheesecake
- Disney.comhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/805874/death-on-the-lanai-by-rachel-ekstrom-courage
- The Advocatehttps://web.archive.org/web/20100801033740/http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/07/29/Gracias_Por_Ser_Una_Amiga_Golden_Girls_Hits_Spain/
- YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPYq7bmpldw
- The Philippine Starhttp://www.philstar.com/entertainment/140171/rivalry-never-was
- Amediahttps://web.archive.org/web/20110511142327/http://www.amedia.ru/girls/
- El Paíshttp://www.elpais.com/articulo/Pantallas/MANVER/_KITI_/ACTRIZ/ESPANA/TELEVISION_ESPANOLA_/RTVE/TVE/comienza/rodar/Juntas/revueltas/version/chicas/oro/elpepirtv/19950609elpepirtv_3/Tes
- Vertelehttps://web.archive.org/web/20101129083629/http://www.vertele.com/noticias/27930/lograr-reparto-asi-historico
- Vertelehttps://web.archive.org/web/20101118103844/http://www.vertele.com/noticias/28445/chicas-oro-relucen-estreno-millones
- Vertelehttp://www.vayatele.com/tve-1/las-chicas-de-oro-espanolas-ni-son-renovadas-ni-lo-merecian
- Sabahhttps://www.sabah.com.tr/yazarlar/gunaydin/baliksirti/2009/05/08/altin_kizlarin_setine_gizli_kamera_koymak_gerek
- IMDbhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt5986310/
- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/heard-the-one-about-the-us-sense-of-humour-696765.html
- AM New Yorkhttp://www.amny.com/eat-and-drink/golden-girls-cafe-rue-la-rue-has-soft-opening-in-washington-heights-1.13075453
- WNBC Newshttps://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Golden-Girls-Cafe-in-Manhattan-Closes-After-Less-Than-a-Year-458880873.html