 |  |
The shine is still on The Golden Girls, even after years in reruns.
( In 1995 I wrote a column entitled All That Glitters for Get Up &
GO! magazine. It was a tribute to The Golden Girls. Here in
remembrance of Rue McClanahan, who passed away this week
at age 76, I am offering a slightly edited version of the column
which I think remains relevant ).
I love to watch reruns of The Golden Girls and never cease to
marvel at how clever this warmhearted sitcom was, and still is.
Nothing on TV today even comes close to capturing the nature of
life for single older women. Each character embodies qualities of
women we all know—except, perhaps, Estelle Getty, who defies
every example we’re familiar with of how and “old lady” should
behave. It may well have been Getty’s spunky and raunchy
character that gave the show its transgenerational appeal
I was very excited when I attended a CBS luncheon several years
ago and sat next to one of the show’s creators. I asked how the
idea was born, and the answer was simply this: Back in the mid-
1980’s, Miami Vice was the hot show and CBS wanted to
compete in that time slot. They knew that part of the program’s
appeal was the Miami scene, so the writers asked, “What else is
there in Miami?” The answer: “Old people.” The rest, as they say,
is history. The Golden Girls, created by Susan Harris, debuted in
1985 and instantly became the number-one show in the country.
Thirty years later, it continues to tickle and touch us, to show us
that friendship and communal living can be a wonderful alternative
to being married with children. Such arrangements may, in fact, be
the way of the future for many single women who miss the
companionship of a family but can’t or don’t want to remarry.
These days everyone seems to be concerned with redefining the
family—or perhaps we’re simply facing the truth about what a
family is. Basically, it’s made up of those who provide you with the
love and nurture—people you can count on. Despite their
squabbles, the Golden Girls demonstrate the importance of
committed friendship between diverse personalities. If ever we
needed that message, we need it now.
Rest in peace, Rue.. , you made a lot of people laugh…