So earlier today, it came across the wire that Betty White died. She was 99 years old and just a mere 2 ½ weeks away from being a centenarian. She was definitely a lively person…even at her advanced age. The world is definitely a little gloomier without her. Her passing brings me to this week’s moment in the Flashback Friday series: The Golden Girls television series.
How I first came across this moment? I first discovered The Golden Girls by way of an acquaintance in the Air Force that I met on the MilitaryVibes forums. She was a big fan and she quoted it once to my intrigue. I looked up the show and found that it played on Lifetime. So I checked it out.
What it meant to me then? Back then, in 2005, I thought of it as Living Single for older, White women. I wasn’t a dedicated watcher of the series but I’d catch an episode or so here and there. I do remember seeing the characters in other shows prior to my discovery of The Golden Girls. I recall Estelle Getty’s Sophia Petrillo being in an episode of Blossom.
What it means to me now? Today, I have a much greater appreciation for the series…and all of the actresses as they have all since passed. The series offered some great life lessons and there was always a famous guest star making an appearance. They brought some really nice humor to television. Part of me wishes I would’ve come across it years earlier…or maybe even appreciated it sooner. The whole “thank you for being a friend” will forever be in my vocabulary because of that show.
