Top 10 Dorothy Episodes Of The Golden Girls

The Golden Girls is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. One of the things I loved about the show was the ladies’ different personalities.

Dorothy is known as the smart one of the group. Often she finds herself the butt of jokes directed at her manly looks and her lack of a social life. Golden Girls fans will agree Bea Arthur was perfect in the role and delivered in her performances.

So I thought I’d make a list of the best Dorothy episodes of the series.

10. The Custody Battle

Throughout the series, it's implied Dorothy had a bit of a sibling rivalry with her sister Gloria. Sophia often talks about how prettier and richer Gloria is, which makes Dorothy feel inferior. In this episode from the first season, Dorothy and Gloria find themselves competing over Sophia after Gloria asks their mother to move to California.

Earlier in the episode, Dorothy gets into a disagreement with her mother and asks Sophia to give her some space. Yet, upon with Sophia moving away, Dorothy realizes how much she needs her mother in her life. Everything works out in the end with Sophia deciding to stay, and Dorothy realizing she was Sophia's favorite child.

9. There Goes The Bride

During the show's seven-year run, a possible reunion between Dorothy and her ex-husband Stan was foreshadowed. Season six set the tone for a reconciliation with the two after Stan becomes a success after inventing a new kitchen gadget.

Dorothy accepts Stan's proposal much to the disapproval of Sophia. Much of the two-parter has Dorothy trying to convince Sophia how Stan's changed. Sophia eventually comes around and gives Dorothy her blessing. However, Dorothy's big day is ruined when minutes before the ceremony Stan asks her to sign a pre-nup.

Your heart breaks for Dorothy as she cancels the wedding, putting an end to her and Stan's reunion.

8. Love Me Tender

The girls have dated their share of duds over the years. In this season four episode, Dorothy has a disastrous date with a guy named Eddie. Despite their bad date, Dorothy continues to see Eddie, leaving her roommates wondering what the two have in common. Dorothy divulges to Rose the only reason she's with Eddie is because he's great in bed. Soon everyone knows Dorothy's secret. In one of the best scenes, Blanche bursts into the kitchen asking "Eddie's a love machine?" as Dorothy angrily glares at Rose for revealing her secret.

That scene alone is enough to earn it a spot on the list.

7. Son-In-Law Dearest

The beginning of the episode starts out with Dorothy in a joyous mood as she awaits her daughter Kate's arrival. Dorothy is expecting Kate to announce her pregnancy, however Kate reveals her husband Dennis had an affair.

Knowing what it's like to be cheated on, Dorothy's heart breaks for her daughter. But her sadness turns to anger when Dennis shows up and convinces Kate to give him a second chance. Despite Kate and Sophia's warnings to stay out of the couple's business, Dorothy can't.

Dorothy's protective mother mode is on high as she explains to Dennis how hard it is to see her child in pain. She then issues a stern warning to Dennis not to break Kate's heart again.

6. Sick And Tired

Throughout the series, the girls experienced health problems. In the season five opener, Dorothy has come down with a mysterious illness that leaves her tired all the time. Visits to numerous doctors result in no answers since test results seem to indicate she's fine. Dorothy is at her wit's end, and wonders if this is all in her head.

But Dorothy finally gets answers when Dr. Chang diagnoses her with chronic fatigue syndrome. Dorothy is relieved to learn the news and find out she's not crazy like the other doctors said. At the end of the episode, Dorothy gets the chance to tell off the New York psychologist who shrugged off her illness as part of her getting old.

5. What a Difference a Date Makes

At a teen Dorothy faces the ultimate humiliation when she's stood up by her prom date John Neretti. She plots to get her revenge when John visits Miami and calls her. However, she changes her mind after seeing how handsome John's become.

During dinner John tells Dorothy the reason he didn't take her to prom is because Sophia turned him away when he showed up. Later Dorothy confronts Sophia and blames her mother for ruining her life.

The episode ends on a happy note when Dorothy finally gets her prom experience when John escorts her to the high-school prom she's chaperoning. Dorothy then makes up with Sophia after John explained Sophia turned him away because he was dressed as a bum and said her daughter deserved better.

4. One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nest

Golden Girls fans have mixed reactions on the series finale, but I have to included it on the list. After seven seasons on the air, the show came to an end. One of the reasons reportedly was Bea Arthur wanted to leave.

For the finale, the writers decided to give Dorothy a fairy-tale ending. The beginning of the two-parter has Dorothy going on a date with Blanche's Uncle Lucas, played by Leslie Nielsen. The two don't hit it off and decided to play a prank on Blanche by pretending they're engaged. The prank works in riling up Blanche, and it also brings Dorothy and Lucas closer together.

Realizing they're actually in love with each other, Dorothy accepts Lucas' real proposal. There wasn't a dry eye left in the eyes of Golden Girls' fans as Dorothy and Lucas wed, then she said goodbye to her roommates as she prepared to move to Atlanta.

3. My Brother, My Father

This list wouldn't be complete without the episode that won Bea Arthur an Emmy for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

The last thing Dorothy wants is to be anywhere near her ex-husband. But the two are forced to pretend they're still married when Dorothy's Uncle Angelo visits. Chaos ensues when a hurricane leaves the group stranded at the house, including Rose and Blanche who are wearing nun outfits.

Dorothy and Stan are forced to share a room together, and he tries to woo Dorothy by serenading her. But the moment is interrupted by Sophia, who crawls into bed with them.

The next morning is the day of what would've been Dorothy and Stan's 40th wedding anniversary. Stan convinces Dorothy they should get back together and renew their vows with Angelo officiating the ceremony. However, Angelo reveals he's not really a priest, then Dorothy and Stan come clean about being divorced.

In the final moments of the episode, Stan claims he was joking about the vow renewal. Yet, as he leaves, Dorothy's left pondering her feelings for Stan.

2. Dorothy Prized Pupil

Dorothy takes her work as a substitute teacher seriously. She loves teaching and reaching out to kids who want to learn. In Dorothy's Prized Pupil, we see the bond Dorothy has with her students. Saved by the Bell star Mario Lopez plays Mario, one of Dorothy's students.

After Mario wins an essay writing contest, Dorothy throws him a surprise party. But the celebration is cut short when the Department of Immigration reveals Mario is in the country illegally. Mario is scared about being deported, but Dorothy promises she'll be by his side every step of the way.

Throughout the episode Dorothy is racked with worry and guilt over being the cause of Mario's deportation. The episode ends on a sad note when Mario informs Dorothy he's being deported, and Dorothy vows to keep fighting to bring Mario back.

1. Guess Who's Coming to the Wedding?

Dorothy is the center focus of the second episode of season one. She's ecstatic her daughter Kate is getting married. Yet, when it comes time for the big day, Dorothy's excitement turns to anger when she comes face-to-face with her ex-husband Stan.

In the pilot episode, it's revealed that after 38 years of marriage, Stan left Dorothy for another woman. Dorothy is still bitter about the way Stan ended their marriage. During the wedding and reception, Dorothy manages to hold in her emotions with the help of Blanche and Rose.

But after the guests leave, Dorothy decides to confront Stan. Dorothy doesn't hold anything back in unleashing her pent up anger towards her husband. She calls Stan a coward for not having the guts to tell her face-to-face about his divorce plans. As Stan tries to reply, Dorothy tearfully tells him "goodbye."

Yet, as Golden Girls fans know, that wouldn't be the last Dorothy saw of Stan.