Sitcomdle

Episode guide

Essential Episodes of The Golden Girls

NBC, 1985 to 1992

Our 4 character guides for The Golden Girls point to 23 key episodes across 7 seasons. Of those, one turns up in two or more guides, so it comes first, followed by every episode in air order.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

The essentials(1)

Episodes that matter to more than one character, the most shared first.

  1. Season 1, Episode 1

    "The Engagement"

    In 2 guides
    • Blanche Devereaux: Blanche's wedding to Harry is called off at the last minute when he is arrested for bigamy.
    • Sophia Petrillo: Sophia moves into the house after her retirement home, Shady Pines, burns down.

Every key episode by season(23)

Season 1(6 episodes)

  1. Season 1, Episode 1

    "The Engagement"

    An essential, in the guides for Blanche Devereaux and Sophia Petrillo. Read the notes

  2. Season 1, Episode 2

    "Guess Who's Coming to the Wedding?"

    • Dorothy Zbornak: Dorothy must face her ex-husband Stan at their daughter Kate's wedding.

  3. Season 1, Episode 3

    "Rose the Prude"

    • Rose Nylund: Rose agonizes over taking a cruise with Arnie, her first romance since her husband died.

  4. Season 1, Episode 11

    "Stan's Return"

    • Dorothy Zbornak: Dorothy spends the night with a newly single Stan, who mistakes it for a fresh start.

  5. Season 1, Episode 15

    "In a Bed of Rose's"

    • Rose Nylund: When a date dies in her bed, Rose fears she is cursed; Betty White won her Emmy for this episode.

  6. Season 1, Episode 24

    "Big Daddy"

    • Blanche Devereaux: Blanche's father visits and announces he has sold the family home to become a country singer.

Season 2(2 episodes)

  1. Season 2, Episode 1

    "End of the Curse"

    • Blanche Devereaux: Blanche thinks she might be pregnant and is crushed to learn she is starting menopause.

  2. Season 2, Episode 19

    "Long Day's Journey Into Marinara"

    • Sophia Petrillo: Sophia's sister Angela moves to Miami, and Sophia suspects she wants to take everything she has.

Season 3(3 episodes)

  1. Season 3, Episode 1

    "Old Friends"

    • Sophia Petrillo: Sophia befriends a widower on the beach and learns he has Alzheimer's disease; Getty won her Emmy for it.

  2. Season 3, Episode 14

    "Blanche's Little Girl"

    • Blanche Devereaux: Blanche struggles with whether to confront her daughter Rebecca's abusive boyfriend.

  3. Season 3, Episode 17

    "My Brother, My Father"

    • Dorothy Zbornak: Sophia asks Dorothy to pretend she is still married to Stan for a visit from her priest brother; Arthur won her Emmy for it.

Season 4(3 episodes)

  1. Season 4, Episode 2

    "The Days and Nights of Sophia Petrillo"

    • Sophia Petrillo: While the others worry she is too frail, Sophia spends a packed day protesting, performing, and volunteering.

  2. Season 4, Episode 4

    "Yokel Hero"

    • Rose Nylund: Rose is nominated as St. Olaf's Woman of the Year, and the girls follow her home to Minnesota.

  3. Season 4, Episode 6

    "Sophia's Wedding"

    • Sophia Petrillo: Sophia falls for her late best friend's husband, Max, and marries him, though the marriage does not last.

Season 5(2 episodes)

  1. Season 5, Episode 1

    "Sick and Tired"

    • Dorothy Zbornak: After doctors dismiss her symptoms, Dorothy is finally diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

  2. Season 5, Episode 4

    "Rose Fights Back"

    • Rose Nylund: When Charlie's pension is cut off, Rose hunts for work and lands a job at a TV station.

Season 6(5 episodes)

  1. Season 6, Episode 2

    "Once, in St. Olaf"

    • Rose Nylund: While volunteering at a hospital, Rose meets her biological father.

  2. Season 6, Episode 9

    "Mrs. George Devereaux"

    • Blanche Devereaux: Blanche's secret admirer appears to be her late husband George, seemingly back from the dead.

  3. Season 6, Episode 12

    "Ebbtide's Revenge"

    • Sophia Petrillo: At her son Phil's funeral, Sophia reveals her true feelings about his life.

  4. Season 6, Episode 14

    "Sister of the Bride"

    • Blanche Devereaux: Blanche's gay brother Clayton comes to Miami to announce he is getting married.

  5. Season 6, Episode 16

    "There Goes the Bride"

    • Dorothy Zbornak: Dorothy secretly reunites with Stan and plans to remarry him while Sophia vows to stop the wedding.

Season 7(2 episodes)

  1. Season 7, Episode 23

    "Home Again, Rose"

    • Rose Nylund: Rose has a heart attack and undergoes bypass surgery as her friends face the thought of losing her.

  2. Season 7, Episode 25

    "One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nest"

    • Dorothy Zbornak: Dorothy falls for Blanche's uncle Lucas, marries him, and says goodbye to the girls.

Seen them all? Test yourself with the The Golden Girls trivia quiz, or meet the The Golden Girls characters.

Play today's Sitcomdle

More episode guides

Other NBC sitcoms and shows from the 1980s.

The Golden Girls charactersAll 34 showsEvery sitcom character A to Z