I have just learned some very troubling news...
The Associated PressLOS ANGELES — Estelle Getty’s son says the 84-year-old actress has died
I will write more later. Right now I want to curl up with my favorite season of "The Golden Girls" and Netflix "Mannequin."
She will be missed!
It might be described as a mistake, maybe, but for the past year (and more) I have been going about the arduous task of watching the entire "Golden Girls" series on DVD. One might ask, "Why?" and I might need to remind one that I don't have cable so its difficult to take a walk down memory lane by clicking through the dial to Lifetime. After finishing "Sex and the City" so long ago, I decided to jump to the antecedent and get a glimpse of television history. Oh boy, did I get that in more.
Watching a sitcom on DVD, at least at first, can be very difficult. A half hour is not very much time, but a nine half hours of repetitive television writing, especially in those early seasons, can really suck the fun out of the better part of three hours (though episodes of "The Golden Girls" are very enjoyable to throw back on a lunch break). It's been quite a trip, but I finally made it through all 180 episodes.
If I could give my opinion on the series, I would say that it is most certainly excellent. There are so many episodes that are worth watching. Some that are just hilarious. Some that are very obviously ahead of their time. Some that are surprisingly current and touching. My all time favorite I think would be the one where Dorothy and Sophia dress as Sonny and Cher and sing "I've Got You Babe." Fabulous. I wish I could find a clip.
The series really hit its stride in seasons 3 and 4. You could really see it try a resurgence in season 6. I really thought that Dorothy and Stan were going to get back together. Having Leslie Nielsen come swoop up Bea Arthur without a fight was pretty weak. It would have been nice to see Stan and Dorothy get back together, but I guess some things are not meant to be. By season 7, the series was truly done, and I'm glad it bowed when it did. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to see "The Golden Palace" because its always great to see an old friend.
For now, for better or worse, Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia are still with us. Bea Arthur has completed a one-woman show on Broadway. Rue McClanahan has finally written the book she was meant to pen, "My First Five Husbands ... And the Ones Who Got Away" (It's available this month, go get it! She's led an amazing life). Betty White has lived a long and lovely life and now works tirelessly for animals, her lifelong passion. And sadly, our champion Estelle Getty lives out of the public eye, suffering from a debilitating disease, but still committed to raising money for AIDS research and living each day to the fullest.
It was a pleasure exploring the work of these fine women. So, I find myself at an interesting juncture: What next? From "Sex and the City" to "The Golden Girls," I may take a brief stop with the serials "Dead Like Me" and "Entourage" before moving on to "Six Feet Under." I want a reason not to go there, but I haven't found one. So, hopefully the next one won't take me all year to finish.
For fun, a clip of Estelle Getty, Betty White and Rue McClanahan:
