The Golden Girls

Bernadette Giacomazzo

doi:10.5771/9781538166567

The Golden Girls

A Cultural History

Published 2023

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doi.org/10.5771/9781538166567
ISBN print: 978-1-5381-6655-0
ISBN online: 978-1-5381-6656-7
Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham

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Zusammenfassung

"This book is a much-needed addition to the growing body of scholarship around this beloved sitcom. An essential read for The Golden Girls fans and media studies scholars alike." — Library Journal, Starred Review

Over the course of seven years and 180 episodes, The Golden Girls altered the television landscape. For the first time in history, Americans (and, later, the rest of the world) were watching sexagenarians—and one octogenarian—leading active, vital lives. These were older women who had careers, families, lovers, and adventures, far from the matronly television characters of the past.

In The Golden Girls: A Cultural History, Bernadette Giacomazzo shows why this iconic sitcom is more than just comedy gold. She examines how, between all the laughs and the tales of St. Olaf, these women tackled tough issues of the time—issues that continue to resonate in the twenty-first century. From sexual harassment, ageism, and PTSD to AIDS, inter-racial relationships, and homosexuality, Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia weren’t afraid to take on topics which were once considered taboo.

This first-ever cultural history of The Golden Girls explores how the show forever changed the world’s perception of what it means to grow older, and showed us the healing power of friendship, community, and sisterhood. It gave the voiceless a new voice and unveiled all the possibilities of what “family” can mean—no matter one’s race, religion, creed, or sexual orientation.

Schlagworte

Aging Sophia Television history sexual harassment Golden girls social commentary tv series tv show The Golden Girls Rose Rue McClanahan Estelle Getty Dorothy Bea Arthur Betty White 80s sitcoms 80s television series 80s television shows Blanche Hot in Cleveland social issues older women sitcoms television series television show

Keywords

television homosexuality parenthood

Chapter Expand | CollapsePage
Preface
- Contents
- Introduction
1–10 Chapter One A Brief History of the Girls 1–10
11–22 Chapter Two Grandmas Gone Wild 11–22
23–40 Chapter Three Back in St. Olaf 23–40
41–60 Chapter Four Gypsies, Tramps, and Sluts 41–60
61–94 Chapter Five Shady Pines, Ma 61–94
95–100 Interlude - An Ode to “Ebbtide’s Revenge” 95–100
101–108 Chapter Six The Tough Stuff 101–108
109–132 Chapter Seven A Comedic Master Class 109–132
133–138 Chapter Eight The End of an Era 133–138
139–146 Chapter Nine Friends of Dorothy 139–146
147–150 Conclusion 147–150
151–154 Acknowledgments 151–154
155–170 Notes 155–170
171–178 Bibliography 171–178
179–188 Index 179–188
189–192 About the Author 189–192

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