TV Tuesday: The Golden Girls - Season 1; Episode 1 (1985)

 

The Golden Girls - 1985

Coming up next on this edition of TV Tuesday, we have 1985's first episode of that instant TV classic "The Golden Girls", which sees roommates Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia navigate life in Miami, Florida.

The episode's cast includes Beatrice Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty, Frank Aletter, and F. William Parker.

So, we start with three roommates.  They are Blanche (who works in a museum), Dorothy (a divorced substitute teacher), and Rose (a grief counselor).  Together, they make up quite a team.  Blanche is a sexpot.  Dorothy is the sarcastic, cynical one.  And Rose is the ditzy one, who is always going on about things "back in St. Olaf".

One night, Blanche drops a bombshell on her friends.  She's getting married to a man after knowing him only two weeks.  Rose and Dorothy are shocked.  And also, Rose is worried about where they are going to live, because Blanche owns the house!

That same night, Dorothy's mother, Sophia, arrives, saying that her retirement home Shady Pines has burned down.  She's quite the character, speaking her mind about any subject.

Blanche's fiancé, Harry, arrives and meets the girls.  They all like him, except for Sophia, who declares him to be a "scuzzball".

We fast forward to Blanche's wedding.  Rose has a bad feeling about Harry and wants to tell Blanche, but Dorothy advises against it.  In fact, she forces Rose to keep quiet on the subject.

This proves to be more than a little uncomfortable for Rose.  Dorothy uses ever tactic to keep her quiet.

However, Rose is proved right.  A policeman comes to the door and tells Blanche that Harry has been arrested for bigamy.  He's got six wives and is wanted in four states.  She's dodged a bullet.

Three weeks later, we find Sophia has moved in permanently with the girls.  Dorothy routinely checks to see if her mother is alive, because "you never know".

Blanche comes out of her room following weeks of depression.  She tells the girls that they have helped her through it.  They vow to stick together even if they all get married.  Sophia, too.

Cast rundown:

   Beatrice Arthur...................................Dorothy Zbornak

   Betty White.......................................Rose Nylund

   Rue McClanahan.................................Blanche Devereaux

   Estelle Getty......................................Sophia Petrillo

   Frank Aletter......................................Harry

   F. William Parker.................................Minister

And that's it for The Golden Girls.  This first episode was the start of a phenomenon that has been enduringly popular.  Even today, there are board games, Christmas ornaments, and other memorabilia that you can purchase involving these funny ladies.

As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.

Out To Sea (1997)

Out To Sea - 1997

Our next film is the fantastically funny "Out To Sea".  This 1997 film stars two of comedy's greatest legends and features them as they join a cruise as dance hosts.  The two guys find two gals to fall in love with and a riotous time is had by all.

The film's cast includes Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Dyan Cannon, Gloria DeHaven, Brent Spiner, Elaine Stritch, Rue McClanahan, Hal Linden, Donald O'Connor, Edward Mulhare, Estelle Harris, Sean O'Bryan, Alexandra Powers, and Esther Scott.

Charlie (Matthau) and Herb (Lemmon) are two brothers-in-law who couldn't be more different.  Charlie convinces Herb to go on an all expense paid cruise with him in an effort to bring him out of the sad state he's been in since his wife's death.

Things don't go well when they find their airplane seats are in the last row.  Herb figures they are the seats used to transport criminals.  In front of them, they have a baby that throws up.

Once on the cruise ship, the two guys poke around a very expensive stateroom.  There, they run into Liz LaBreche and her mother, Mavis, who is not very happy that the guys are there.  "I have been on a plane for three hours.  I have been in a taxi for an hour and a half.  I need to take a crap and a nap and I do not need an audience!" says Mavis.  To which Herb quips, "Sounds like a party we can miss."

Once they get to their own stateroom deep in the bowels of the ship, Herb begins to suspect that something is up.  "A good fart will give you a concussion," he says as he looks around.  Charlie has to explain to him that the reason that everything is paid is because they are working the cruise as dance hosts.  Herb is furious, but there's nothing he can do.  It's either work or pay the full price.

They meet their boss later that night.  A strict guy named Gil Godwyn.  "I'm your worst nightmare," he says to Charlie and Herb, "A song and dance man raised on a military base."

As they watch his absurd opening number, Herb leans in to Charlie and asks, "What could his parents ever have done to him?"

Appearances on the boat are important, because the ship's owner, Mrs. Carruthers, is aboard.

Charlie gets out of dancing (because he complains of "taking on a lot of water in the forward compartment") and heads off to the casino where he meets up with Liz LaBreche.  The two have an instant chemistry.

Herb meets Vivian while dancing.  The two also hit it off and spend a good portion of the evening dancing and talking.

The next day Charlie and Liz spend even more time together when he gets out of dancing again and heads into port with her.

Of course, Gil Godwyn corners Charlie and threatens his job.  Charlie's got to dance or pay.  Charlie prevails upon Herb to teach him the finer points of dancing.

When the time comes for him to dance, Charlie sets his sights (unknowingly) on Mrs. Carruthers, who accepts his invitation gladly.

When Liz comes into the ballroom, Charlie has to maneuver his way around the room without her finding out that he's a dance host.  Poor Mrs. Carruthers finds herself in the middle of some unconventional dance moves.  When she asks Charlie the name of a particular dance step, he says, "This is called the Brazilian Creep.  In Brazil, of course, it's just called The Creep."

After fortifying herself with a drink, Mrs. Carruthers returns to Charlie and says, "I feel ravaged...thank you."  Gil is shocked, because he's seen the way that Charlie and Mrs. Carruthers were "dancing".

Also dancing that night are Herb and Vivian.  An earlier misunderstanding causes Vivian to behave icily towards Herb, but they soon patch up their troubles.

A hilarious moment in the film comes when Mavis LaBreche enters the ballroom.  She points to the dance host of her choice and tells his partner to "take a hike".

The two then proceed to do a rather aerobic dance routine, much to the delight of the other passengers.

Troubles abound for both of our couples during the course of the film.  The two guys even have to commandeer a lifeboat and shoot off flares to signal a plane that the ladies have chartered to take them away.  Will they succeed?  Will love conquer all?

Cast rundown:

   Jack Lemmon............................Herb Sullivan

   Walter Matthau..........................Charlie Gordon

   Dyan Cannon.............................Liz LaBreche

   Gloria DeHaven..........................Vivian

   Brent Spiner...............................Gil Godwyn

   Elaine Stritch.............................Mavis LaBreche

   Rue McClanahan.........................Ellen Carruthers

   Hal Linden.................................Mac Valor

   Donald O'Connor.........................Jonathan Devereaux

   Edward Mulhare.........................Cullen Carswell

   Estelle Harris.............................Bridget

   Sean O'Bryan.............................Allan

   Alexandra Powers.......................Shelly

   Esther Scott..............................Maria Collins

And that's it for Out To Sea.  An interesting fact concerns Elaine Stritch and Dyan Cannon.  Although they play mother and daughter, Elaine Stritch was only twelve years older than Dyan Cannon.  This was the final film appearance of Donald O'Connor and Edward Mulhare.

As always, if you wish to leave a comment, please remember our posting rules.