First of all, I tried doing a search on this (to see if it had been discussed before), but sad is one-letter short of doing a search. So, if this has already been posted, please disregard.


What do you think is the saddest episode of The Golden Girls? There was always humor mixed into the episode, but there were some real tear-jerkers. Did "Big Daddy's Death" get to you? Was it simply the final episode? How about when Phil died? Or was it something else.

I'm just curious here...

I haven't cried at any episodes but its sad to see the credits rolling after the final episode when you know thats it and theres never going to be any more Golden Girls .

Also 'Brother Can You Spare That Jacket' (i think thats the name) is sad too when the girls go to the homeless shelter and talk to some of the people staying there. Its sad to see an old friend of Sophias there without any family to look after her.

That's okay, Jim. We discussed heart wrenching episodes sometime early last year but it's good to have another topic for our new members

Sam

My cry-all-night episode picks:


High Anxiety
Dancing in the Dark
Not Another Monday
72 Hours
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun... Before They Die
Miles To Go
Hey Look Me Over
Home Again, Rose (Pt. 1&2)
One Flew out of the Cuckoo's Nest (1&2)

Yeah, I know, most of those aren't even considered sad! Oh well, I guess I'm just sensitive... *sobs*

-Lynne-

For me, the saddest episode has to be the final one, when Dorothy gives her speech at the house at the end and they're all crying. You can tell they're genuine tears and it doesnt matter how many times I watch that episode, it never fails to make my chin to start wobbling,lol The episode where Phil dies was also particularly touching, when Sophia suddenly let her emotions out. Probably one of Estelle's best performances in the show I think!

One of the saddest episodes is the one where Sophia meets the guy with Alzheimers down at the boardwalk. That one never fails to make me cry! xxx

The final episode is the saddest

Hey

I am new to this forum so HELLO EVERYBODY!

I think the saddest episodes are
NOT ANOTHER MONDAY - this is a real tear-jerker and the bit when Sophia picks the baby up at the end is just pure golden magic.

THE FINAL EPISODE - well goes without saying really, they all look so devestated esp. Rose and Sophia, the first time I saw that I had to go out of the room, I didn't see the credits! I am just a big baby!

72 HOURS - there are not many funny lines in this and betty portrays another aspect to her character, the fact that Rose is not alway STOOOPID! STOOOPID! STOOOPID! (as Blanche would say!) Very moving!

There are more sad eps but can't think at the moment I think the ep where Dorothy is doing a family tree and speaks into a dictaphone and at the end Sophia says :
"Well I hope you're not waiting for a hug!"
and Dorothy grabs her:
"Oh come here you tramp!" (something like that!)

There are a lot of moving scenes with just Dorothy and Sophia, I'm sure they bring a tear to many!

Mattuk

yeh that was a wild stab in the dark when they killed Phil off. its like - nothing lead up to it, then all of a sudden BANG Phil's dead.

the last episode was the worst in the "Sad" department. especially as Dorothy kept coming back to give the girls a hug, then, it stopped, and the girls all realised that she was gone forever. i cried the hole day everytime i thought of that.

isnt it wierd that Uncle Angelo was never killed off? i would have thought that he would have, but then again if he was then that is a big "funny" lifeline that they would lose.

yes that was a great Estelle performance, as you never really saw her cry, she would get angry, or particularly picky, but she didnt cry very much. well, none of the girls cried very much, but when they did it was very touching.

That is interesting that you find that touching, because I had the opposite reaction totally. I cringe every time I see Estelle do that scene where she stands up and says that stuff about Phil. Of course, everyone has different opinions...I was just struck by how bad and forced the acting was. It just made me think Estelle does comedy better than dramatic scenes. I don't know. I don't mean to devalue your opinion or anything at all, it's just my take on it.

For me the saddest episode is by far the final one.

Seven words: One Flew Out of the Cookoo's Nest (1 and 2)

:bunny:

I don't know many of the episode names, so I'll just say what I think were some of the saddest storylines.

• When Phil dies
• The one where Sophia's friend wants to commit suicide
• The one where Sophia's friend from has alzhiemers
• The final episode - Especially the last scene

They don't make me cry, but I do think they're sad.

Brian

Instead of choosing 1 episode, I have chosen what I think are the saddest episodes from each season.

• Season 1 - Blind Ambitions
• Season 2 - Empty Nests
• Season 3 - Old Friends
• Season 4 - Brother, Can You Spare That Jacket?
• Season 5 - Not Another Monday
• Season 6 - Mrs. George Devereaux
• Season 7 - One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nest - Part 2

Regards, James.

Couldn't have put it better myself, Darran. For me there will never be a sadder episode than One Flew Out Of The Cuckoo's Nest 1/2. I cry everytime and I rarely watch those episodes. The writing, humour and acting was just so perfect that it made the finale perfect too. That final scene gets me everytime, especially being such a big Dorothy fan. And those tears shed have to be real. You can just tell from the way Bea and the girls talk that that emotion is genuine. The one look that always gets me is Bea's final glance over to the camera. It is just so upsetting! Look out for that camera shot when Dorothy leaves and doesn't return.

Other tearjerker episodes of mine:

Old Friends
Stan Takes A Wife (in parts)
High Anxiety
Sick & Tired 1/2
Not Another Monday
Ebb Tide
72 Hours
MRS GEORGE DEVEREAUX (one of my absolute favourite episodes)
Ebbtide's Revenge
Home Again Rose

to mattuk!

The only GG episodes I've got emotional during are...

Not Another Monday - When Sophia hugs that baby at the end I start welling up

Old Friends - Alvin breaks down infront of Sophia because he can't remember anything.

Home Again Rose - When Dorothy, Blanche and Sophia are told Rose is being prepped for surgery. The shock on their faces seems so real. First time I saw that I was so moved/shocked.

One Flew Out Of The Cuckoos Nest (Part 2) - Self-explanatory, hehe. The very last scene where that sad music plays and Rose, Blanche and Sophia hug just gets me everytime, as I speak about it I've just gotten all goosebumpy, lol! I cried like a baby the first time I saw that. I always have to follow that episode up with the Pilot or another early episode otherwise it feels all depressing to think it's over for good.

Great topic! Good reading what episodes others find sad!

Sam

I cringe too i'm afraid , like you said, Estelle is far better at comedy than drama.


I forgot about that one. Its sad to know what can happen to you as you get older .

In my opinion one of the sadest scenes is the one in which Rose is sitting in her kitchen, alone, celebrating her birthday, talking to herself; I anyway think that Betty is by far the best actress of the four; playing the idiot is so difficult...

I have to agree with you

-Lynne-

Oh I had totally forgotten about that scene! When she says 'I love you Charlie' at the end, and her voice breaks a little - very dramatic.



Yup, that's very true. For instance my opinion is that I don't know why some here bother watching the show at all as they rarely have anything positive to say about it. Each to their own though

That's one of the few that makes me really sad. Was it that one Betty talks about in one of her books? She says one scene was very close to her heart - to do with the death of Allen - is this it?

Another is the one with Alvin - the alzheimers (sorry is its spelled wrong), I find that really sad and Sophia seems really 'hit' by it too.



I agree with you there Darran

The only time i have ever felt sad for Blanche is at the end of an episode about a baby or something...and a the end Blanche decides to ring her daughter who she has a bad relationship with and arrange a meet. It is so well done, quite awkward, and kinda unresolved but with a bit of hope, that with the music and the NOT over the top way BLanche acts makes is pretty sad and realistic.

Rose was very good also when in the episode where they think Sophia is dying, she tells Dorothy the silly story about how Charliie really died, then the camera closes up on her face when she remembers how she had to dress him before the ambulance arrived...that bit is very sad for me.
I also think she acts very wel in the ep where she meets Charlie and she thinks she is too dumb, that stuff was quite sad/moving too.

Dorothy, never got me sad, though she was GREAT when in The Return of Stan or something, she tells him off finally for leaving her the way he did, "the easy way out, a rotten thing to do" it was really heartfelt, very believable

I could never feel bad for Sophia though, it just didnt seem part of her character. I think they finally got it right in the final ep, where she thinks she has sneezed where in reality she is crying,,,,that was a good Sophia way of finding out you are crying, and it worked better.

IN MY OPINION< i hasten to add.

Oh lordy, That was the whole point! Sophia was never meant to be the emotional one in the group, but she wasn't a robot either, so do you expect her not to cry over her son's death?! If there'd been an episode where one of her children died and she didn't show any emotion over it, you'd be moaning about that too. And correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but although Sophia was a mean little cookie, I don't think she was so cold-hearted that she could only cry when confused with sneezing! It took most of the episode to come through and she tried her best to hide it by using smart wise-cracks , but when she was talking to 'Big Sally' the floodgates finally opened and everything she'd been bottling up came out. Personally I found nothing false about her performance there, but of course, that is just my opinion.

I agree, Darran. IMO: Sure, Sophia is mean, but she's not a complete villain who won't even cry at her own son's death or her daughter's marriage/leaving. The point of Sophia doing those 'emotional' things at the end of the episodes showed that she was only human and that deep down, she was heartbroken. I think Estelle did a marvellous job of conveying Sophia in such a complex way.

I didnt mention Sophia in Phil's episode, I havent seen it, so there/ Im talking about her character in general.

And regards her crying at the funeral, I didnt mean she was so "cold hearted", I meant it was a good way to show how she ends up crying, very in character. Obviously everyones cries from time to time. It was very funny and typical of the flippant Sophia to think shes crying then only sneeze, then later do the opposite. Theres nowt cold or masty about it, which is how she got in the later series anyway.

Another powerful moment is when George returns from the grave, and Blanche is so unsure of taking him back. In the end, they hug, and she wakes up from her dream. That one still gets me...

Yep, me too. And also when she thinks she falling in love with Jamie (Georges brother), and when they're sitting in the restaurant and she recognizes that she only wants George back, and that she's still mourning.

The part about that episode I find fairly moving is when Rose has a go at Blanche saying she'd love the chance Blanche has got, to talk to Charlie again

This is probably one of the most touching scenes for me. I always end up crying, especially as Betty's voice breaks when she says "I love you Charlie. I miss you..."


I always find that one sad as well. I never really used to, as I was somewhat hardened I suppose by having older relatives, but now I find it especially sad considering Estelle's condition.

I get very touched by a lot of Blanche's scenes. She tries to cover up her missing George so much, but it comes out how much she really loves him and misses him. Also her relationship with her children; you get the impression she's truly sorry, and really would like another chance. It's not very often we see it from the estranged parent's view, as well. We understand her children's frustrations, yet we can see how hard Blanche is trying, and how much she really wnats the relationship to work.

I am always touched by Sophia's scene when Phil dies. It's really hard for a parent to bury their child, and you can see that in Sophia. You see a whole new side to her, the mother side (Dorothy almost seems like her mother at times to me), and IMO Estelle does that drama scene very well.

Ché

I agree. When I watched that episode for the very first time I had no idea what Sophia was going to do and it really touched me - I thought her acting was superb, not fake in any way. Normally I'd pick up on a 'forced' scene but I never thought that for one minute in this case.

Sam

I don't think there's sad episodes, but sad moments.

The saddest for me was with Blanche at Big Daddy's grave she turns to Dorothy and say's "I'm nobody's little girl." That always gets me no matter how many times I see it.

As other's mentioned, Rose alone in her kitchen on her birthday and Sophia's acceptance of Phil's death.

For some reason the final episode didn't affect me too much. I think it was because I had known they were spinning off and somewhere down the road they'd be reunited again. It probably would have been more emotional had GP not been in the wings.

Yes I agree. That's the thing I loved most about this show, even when the main plot was sad it wasn't depressing for the entire duration of the episode, there was always the comedy side to be seen. So, for me there was only sad moments. I have to agree with most here that Sophia's outburst in the Phil's death episode was the most touching scene and of course the final episode.

Yeah, that's a good point. There really aren't any "sad" eps. Just the certain moments that get you.

I wold say that (for me) the final episode was the saddest.
~bbm

That's not at all a sad episode but it makes me feel all misty eyed everytime I watch this special part of it I'm speaking of Sophia & Max's wedding episode!

When Sophia is in the bathroom all dressed up in her wedding dress, she closed the bathroom door coz Dorothy doesn't want her to marry Max : the dialogue or should I say Shophia's monologue and then Dorothy's one are both so touching!!

poo-poo-poo-poo

i cant remember the episodes name..the first one is a 2 parter

anyway, its the one when rose collapses at the high school reunioun the girls crash-

i think the saddest part is when rose is getting ready to go into surgery and kirsten comes and is talking with her..then rose says, "kiss mommy goodbye" and kirsten says, "mom dont say that" and rose says, "c'mon and kiss mommy goodbye."..ugh!!! that breaks my heart no matter how many times i see it..

another is when stan tries to win dorothy back on the auction episode and the last time he comes over he says, "youre my girl dorothy, you always will be" and walks out. then dorothy says, "3-2-1"...and he doesnt come back...and she says "for the first time i feel that its over, its really over"...poo!

One of the saddest ep is no doubt about that : heart attack! Oh boy! When Sophia is lying on the cough she closes her eyes and says : I'm not dead I'm resting!

I have a bubble!

Dorothy : What is a bubble is it pain?

Personally the "1 2 3" line from that Stan ep didnt get me at all, I was realy expecting it, it was kinda predictable for me., and to have Dorothy spell it all out what it signified took away a lot of the impact too.

I found it much more powerful when Dorothy confronted Stan for the first time since they got divorced, telling him how bad it was for her, Bea acted really well in that scene, saying stuff like "you didnt give me the chance to say goodbye Stan and it was a rotten thing to do..." or something similar!

Also that heart episode; I didn't find ANY of the Sophia stuff tearjerking at all, but i LOVED the way Rose told Dorothy about how she dressed Charlie before the medics came....with no silly punchline at the end ether to ruin it! It reminds me of SOAP the way the ep suddenly gets serious for a while. That ep was written by Susan HArris, and to be honest I dont find her episodes to be the funniest at all, but the characterisation is really good in them, and they do have nice serious scenes!

The funniest writers for me seem to be NAthan and Fanaro, so many funny eps!!


On a different note, can anyone tell me what Sophia's character was like in Empty Nest once all Golden stuff had finished? Was she the same as she was by the end of the Golden Girls (ie over the top) or more kookie like at the start?
And what was Empty Nest like anyway? Was it full of one liners like the GG's? What was the humour like?

On ANOTHER note......last night in England they showed a documentary about how the religous right in America has influenced politics in the last 30 years. What a depressing show it was, shocking to see so much cra p spoken and being lapped up by so many seemingly normal people.

Anyway, it was great because it gave backgorund stories to some of The Golden Girls one liners which before might have been hard to understand for non US viewers.

Jerry Falwell was speaking lots, Jessica Haan was mentioned (so I FINALLY got the joke Dorothy cracked in Uncle Angelos ep!!) Tammy and Jim, Jimmy Swaggart Pat Robertson...they were all there!
It is great to know that at the same time those guys actually, frightneningly, had some degree of power that a show like the Golden Girls was able to, rightly, take the pissout of them. It shows that not ALL of America was brainwashed by these bigoted bozos. In fact the Golden Girls is something that shows that the worrying idea many people have of Americans being blinded by their own supposed importance, religious craziness, pro -freedom -yet- anti -evrything, is NOT true.

in any case...i STILL dont get Dorothy's joke bout Jerry Falwell going down that waterslide in a cheap suit!!!

to jamesuk

a few of the televangilists in the 80's were just very disheartening in retrospect..not all of them were like jim baker,etc..billy grahm being one of them-he is a definite inspriation and man of God. but its hilarious when the show makes a crack at them. it DOES show that not everybody bought into the deception.

but i cant help you on the falwell comment..im 28, but i may still be a little too young to remember what that was about..(hee hee, "too young" )

as far as the Ep. where stan doesnt come back, yes it was predictible, but it marked an end of an era..i dont think they ever got back together after that. then stan drove her limo at her wedding to unlce lucas..

the EP. where she tells him what she thinks fro the first time after the divorce is makes you want to sigh with relief..i cant imagine being with a man for 38 years and then getting a "stinkin phone call" from his laywer telling you its over..youre right on that count.

the humor on empty nest, in my opinion wasnt as quick witted and clever as the gg's, but it was still friggin hilarious. its been quite awhile since ive seen an episode of that because its not re-ran here in the states as far as i know..i dont think sophia had a regular spot on the show, but like i said, its been awhile since ive seen it..maybe i am getting old..my memory is flunking me. maybe someone else can help you with this question.

I agree. I've been watching Empty Nest on ABC1 [UK] daily and it has taken a bit of getting used to, because the humour isn't as quick witted and there don't seem to be many one-liners. It's a funny show, but I don't seem to be laughing out loud at many of the episodes just yet. Some of the funniest moments, so far, seem to come between Harry and Dreyfuss....the dog

Sam

I haven't been here in a while. So hello members old and new.

I of course agree that the last episode is very sad. Not just because Dorothy leaves, which is of course very sad, but for scenes like when Stan takes Dorothy to her wedding and keeps silent when the priest asks if anyone objects...The girls hugging at the end is sad too, the way Sophia cry sounds real. Also earlier, when Sophia takes a photo of Blanche and Rose.

It's too sad to think that they all separated and sold the house. I like to think that when they get even older when Dorothy is widowed she moves back in with the girls. They find a way to buy back the house and even Sophia is there, still fit and well (and funny) at 100 years old!

One episode I find sad because it is just very poignant is the one where the girls think Sophia has a boring life when she catches a bus to buy a nectarine. And then we follow Sophia and see all that she gets up to in the course of that one trip to get a nectarine.

There are a lot of sad moments- simple things like Blanche reconciling with her sister, Sophia's friend with Alzheimers...I agree a lot of nice moments but not entire episodes that are sad.

thanks for the feedback ilovebea etc

when the funniest scenes of a show are between an actor and a dog, it must be kinda worrying!

They started repeating "Empty Nest" here in Australia for a while this year. I never found it addictive viewing. It was just a very amiable, gentle comedy. I felt it never could get its premise right- the daughters moving in and out of the house, and I didn't find the two daughters incredibly funny, just agreeably funny (though the neurotic one was of course funnier). Laverne the nurse was good. I agree- a lot of Dreyfus the dog jokes. His running gag was the way he moved his eyebrows!

All I remember about Sophia was that she would come around in scenes such as when she was doing her exercise routine, wearing her tracksuit. She would make a few quips and leave. I don't think she made a huge impact, just there to make the smart remarks. I don't remember her having integral storylines, though I may have missed later episodes.

I couldn't have put it any better myself, Sal. It's definitely gentle, none of those laugh-out-loud moments you come to expect from watching The Golden Girls [and for me, Nurses]. Dreyfuss gets a lot of laughs from the audience with those infamous eyebrow moments, lol!

We've just moved into the 2nd season so I expect there's a lot more to come

Sam

Yeah, I don't think I've ever cried at the GG, but there are some sad episodes, and moments too!

I don't know the episode names, but obviously, the last episode was a sad one. It's been a long time since I saw the one where Sophia's friend had Alzheimer's, or the one where another of her friends committed suicide (?), but I would include those as well.

I always thought the one where Miles had to go to Chicago w/o Rose was so sad. You know, when she reads the poem out loud at the very end...

Another sad moment I remember was when Rose's blind sister started bawling, "Come home with me! I can't make it by myself!!" I dunno, maybe it's just me, but that always makes me feel sad.

Ohhh yeah, and when Rose was describing how she and Charlie were... you know... and then he had a heart attack and she put his clothes on, and he died... oh man, so depressing

Hmm, then there was the weird episode that was mostly Blanche's dream -- when her husband came back and said he staged his death. (Sophia: "He STAINED HIS DESK??!") Even though I knew what would happen, it was always sad to me that she would wake up and realize he wasn't there, and it was all just a dream!

I'm sure there are tons of other things I can't remember ATM!

I cried several times watching the GG especially watching "sick and tired" and "72 hours" I watched 72 hours in French.
As I said before Max and Sophia's wedding ep is a very emotional one along with the one where Sophia caught pneumonia and the one she thought she was having a heart attack. I'm also thinking of the one she goes and buy a nectarine, the one she goes back to Brooklin with Dorothy to try to let her souvenirs ring a bell.

The ones where Dorothy and Stan are trying to get together again Stan says "to Dorothy and a wonderful new begining"

And a few other moments moved me to tears too.

Blanche's dream about George was very sad, when she wakes up esp.

I remember that episode where Dorothy and Sophia go back to Brooklyn, though only vaguely.

The best episodes were when they weren't too preachy and found the humour in serious subjects.

Another sad scene is when Rose is sat by herself in her kitchen back in St Olaf on her birthday and shes talking to 'Charlie' about her plans. It sounds as though Betty is really breaking up towards the end

dizzymuppet- yeah, that was sad. I had forgotten about that scene but remember it now.

I also want reiterate how sad the "Not Another Monday" episode was when Sophia was begging her friend to "remember life" and when Sophia picked up the baby at the end...

The saddest episodes for me were the ones where Sophia met the man with Alzheimer's, Phil died, and the final episode.