Summary
I didn’t think I’d be so excited about Hulu creating a new series based onThe Golden Girls, but here we are. The iconic 1980s sitcom featured Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Betty White, and Estelle Getty as four older women who were friends and roommates. It was more groundbreaking than I realized when I watched the original run as a child, asit was the first series to suggest that older women could live just as fulfilling lives as their younger counterpartsand be fully-fledged characters in their own right.
None ofThe Golden Girlsmain castare still alive now that Betty White has passed away, but their work has been immortalized via streaming on Hulu, and millions of people participate inGolden Girlsfan groups, including younger audience members who have discovered the series for the first time alongside those who were heartbroken whenBea Arthur decided to leaveThe Golden Girls,effectively ending the series. Given this show’s popularity, I can understand why Hulu would think a new version would be a good idea, althoughI wasn’t originally as enthusiastic aboutMid-Century Modernas I am now.
All 7 Seasons Of The Golden Girls, Ranked Worst To Best
The Golden Girls is one of TV’s greatest achievements, delivering seven seasons of comedy — and while they’re all great, some are better than others.
Mid-Century Modern Could Be The 2020s' Answer To The Golden Girls
The New Series Offers a Fresh Take on the Original Concept
The main reason I wasn’t excited about the idea of aGolden Girlsreboot is that it seemed like yet another redux of a classic series rather than a fresh, original comedy. However, the concept ofMid-Century Modernis different enough that it could stand on its own, making it appealing to people who have never seenThe Golden Girlsas well as to fans of the original series.The new series offers a twist on the premise of four older friends sharing a house, including the mother of one of the characters, while making significant changes to the concept.
As a writer myself, I love the idea of a new take on an old concept, making something new and creative that owes a debt to a classic.Mid-Century Modernstars Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Ryan Murphy, making three of the four characters a different gender than the original, and it centers around the lives of three gay friends. I love this gay-themed twist, as too much LBGTQ+-centered media focuses on younger people, leaving those who are well past their 20s without the representation they deserve.
The Golden Girlswas one of the first shows to promote acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, so creating a similar show starring three gay men pays tribute to the original series.
The Problem With Trying To Recapture The Golden Girls' Success Today
The New Series Has To Be Able to Stand On Its Own
Even though I’m excited, I also realize that theMid-Century Modernsitcomwon’t work if it tries too hard to beGolden Girls2.0. It’s one thing to update the concept, butthe new series shouldn’t attempt to redo classic stories such as the episode where the women’s house was burglarized while they were outor Dorothy’s struggle to be taken seriously when she tried to get medical help for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I’d be extremely disappointed ifMid-Century Moderngoes this way and would turn any such copycat episodes off in favor of watching the original version.
Mid-Century Modernsounds different enough that I’m willing to give it a chance, but it needs to focus on telling original stories that will appeal to audiences whether or not they also enjoyGolden Girls.
The Golden Girlswas spectacularly successful because of the chemistry between the characters as well as stellar writing and the willingness to tackle serious subjects without sacrificing comedy.Mid-Century Modernsounds different enough that I’m willing to give it a chance, but it needs to focus on telling original stories that will appeal to audiences whether or not they also enjoyThe Golden Girls.If it can do that, this series might become a new favorite that today’s audiences will look back on fondly years later.
The Golden Girls
Cast
The Golden Girls follows Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), Rose Nylund (Betty White), Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty) as they live together in Miami. Throughout its seven seasons, the beloved series created by Susan Harris won 11 Primetime Emmys and continues to be one of the most beloved sitcoms of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
