The BEST episodes of The Golden Girls season 1

Every episode of The Golden Girls season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Golden Girls season 1!

Four previously married women live together in Miami, sharing their various experiences together and enjoying themselves despite hard times.

Last Updated: 12/12/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
In a Bed of Rose's
star
8.51
404 votes

#1 - In a Bed of Rose's

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/11/1986

Late one evening, Rose brings a man home and they spend the night together. However, in the morning she finds that he has passed away. Even worse, she later discovers he was married.

Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Little Romance
star
8.38
422 votes

#2 - A Little Romance

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/14/1985

Rose has been dating Dr. Jonathan Newman and begins to think their relationship is leading to the alter. However she begins to have second thoughts especially since he's a midget.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Truth Will Out
star
8.30
390 votes

#3 - The Truth Will Out

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/18/1986

Rose is apprehensive about a visit from her daughter and granddaughter, since their reason for coming is to settle Rose's late-husband's will. Meanwhile, Blanche gets caught up in the tabloids of a society murder.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Way We Met
star
8.28
406 votes

#4 - The Way We Met

Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/10/1986

One night after watching "Psycho," the girls find it hard to sleep so they stay up and reminisce about how they all came to live with one another.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Operation
star
8.23
399 votes

#5 - The Operation

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/8/1986

Dorothy is hesitant about having foot surgery just as she was scheduled to tap dance with Blanche and Rose at a dance recital.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Flu Attack (a.k.a. The Flu)
star
8.22
406 votes

#6 - Flu Attack (a.k.a. The Flu)

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/1/1986

A week before an awards ceremony, Blanche, Dorothy and Rose each come down with a nasty flu, which compounds their arguing over who will win a prestigious award.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Guess Who's Coming to the Wedding?
star
8.15
669 votes

#7 - Guess Who's Coming to the Wedding?

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/21/1985

Dorothy's daughter, Kate, comes to Miami with an announcement. She's engaged to a podiatrist named Dennis. Dorothy is thrilled but her happiness quickly turns to anger when she realizes that ex-husband, Stan, is going to be invited. After 38 years of marriage, Stan had left Dorothy for a woman half her age. Dorothy threatens to make a scene at the reception which places Rose and Blanche in the role of peacemaker.

Directors: Paul Bogart
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Second Motherhood
star
8.15
402 votes

#8 - Second Motherhood

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/15/1986

Blanche is romanced by a wealthy suitor who she learns has several small children. This fact dampens his proposal of marriage. Meanwhile, Dorothy and Rose go to bat with the bathroom plumbing.

Directors: Gary Shimokawa
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Competition
star
8.13
480 votes

#9 - The Competition

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/2/1985

In a bowling competition, it's Dorothy and Blanche verses Rose and Sophia. If Sophia and Rose win, Dorothy will allow Sophia to go back to Sicily for a visit with an old beau and if Dorothy and Blanche win Sophia will give her a pair of antique earrings.

Directors: Jim Drake
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Custody Battle
star
8.11
389 votes

#10 - The Custody Battle

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/7/1985

Dorothy's sister, Gloria, comes to Miami for a visit and asks Sophia to come live with her in California. Meanwhile, Blanche is furious when Rose is cast as Lady Macbeth, in a local play, and not her.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Blanche and the Younger Man
star
8.11
444 votes

#11 - Blanche and the Younger Man

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/16/1985

Blanche goes all out to try to look good for her latest beau, her aerobics instructor half her age. Meanwhile, Rose's dynamic mother comes for a visit and gets fed up with Rose's "mothering" ways.

Directors: Jim Drake
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Nice and Easy
star
8.09
396 votes

#12 - Nice and Easy

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/1/1986

Blanche's visiting niece is a chip right off the old block when she dates a different man all night every night. Meanwhile, Dorothy does battle with a mouse living in the house.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Heart Attack
star
8.07
416 votes

#13 - Heart Attack

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/23/1985

After a dinner party, Sophia suffers an apparent heart attack with a heavy storm delaying the paramedics.

Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Adult Education
star
8.06
411 votes

#14 - Adult Education

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/22/1986

Blanche's psychology professor sexually harasses her when she goes to him for help on a difficult test. Blanche's professor makes her an harassing deal: If she has sex with him, he'll give her an "A" for the exam. Meanwhile, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia each try to get a hold of tickets for a sold out Frank Sinatra concert.

Directors: Jack Shea
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Job Hunting
star
8.05
365 votes

#15 - Job Hunting

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/8/1986

When Rose loses her job at the grief center, she begins searching for other sources of work. Meanwhile, Blanche tries to lose a few pounds and Dorothy is excited when a man she once had a crush on, contacts her and asks her out.

Directors: Paul Bogart
Watch Now:Apple TV
That Was No Lady
star
8.03
399 votes

#16 - That Was No Lady

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/21/1985

Dorothy latest boyfriend Glen gives her a shock when he tells her that he's married. She surprises herself when she finds herself sneaking around to be with him. Meanwhile, Blanche unloads her old car on Rose in order to buy a new one.

Directors: Jim Drake
Writer: Liz Sage
Watch Now:Apple TV
Break-In
star
8.03
462 votes

#17 - Break-In

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/9/1985

After a Madonna concert, the girls arrive home to discover their house has been broken into. This leads the girls to seek out means to protect themselves, including a security system, guard dog and mace. Meanwhile, Rose becomes so paranoid that the robbers will come back she goes so far as to purchase a gun.

Directors: Paul Bogart
Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:Apple TV
Rose the Prude
star
8.01
593 votes

#18 - Rose the Prude

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/28/1985

Having not dated since her husband died, Rose reluctantly agrees to go on a blind date. This date turns into a serious relationship when she is invited on a cruise which would involve sharing a stateroom.

Directors: Jim Drake
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Engagement
star
8.01
812 votes

#19 - The Engagement

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/14/1985

In the Pilot, Sophia arrives after her retirement home burns down and Blanche prepares to get married.

Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:Apple TV
Transplant
star
7.99
540 votes

#20 - Transplant

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1985

Blanche's sister, Virginia, comes to Miami for a visit and Blanche is convinced she's after something. Later, while out to dinner, she learns just what Virginia is after, Blanche's kidney. Meanwhile, Rose and Dorothy babysit for an infant.

Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:Apple TV
On Golden Girls
star
7.98
467 votes

#21 - On Golden Girls

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/1985

Blanche's 14-year old grandson comes to Miami for a visit and brings a new meaning to the term "generation gap." Meanwhile, Dorothy studies for her French final.

Directors: Jim Drake
Writer: Liz Sage
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Triangle
star
7.98
537 votes

#22 - The Triangle

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/19/1985

A doctor Dorothy dates makes a pass at Blanche. But when Blanche tells Dorothy about it, Dorothy doesn't believe her. Dorothy accuses her of being a slut and when Blanche can't take no more she orders Dorothy to move out.

Directors: Jim Drake
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Return of Dorothy's Ex (a.k.a. Stan's Return)
star
7.97
403 votes

#23 - The Return of Dorothy's Ex (a.k.a. Stan's Return)

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/30/1985

Dorothy's ex-husband, Stan shows up to settle a piece of land they bought on their honeymoon. This leads to Dorothy and Stan spending the night together. Meanwhile, Rose and Blanche plan a vacation that Sophia is not invited on.

Directors: Jim Drake
Watch Now:Apple TV
Blind Ambitions
star
7.97
378 votes

#24 - Blind Ambitions

Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/29/1986

Rose's sister, Lily must deal with life as a blind person after recently losing her sight. Meanwhile, the girls hold a garage sale in order to buy a new TV but find it hard to part with things.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:Apple TV
Big Daddy
star
7.94
329 votes

#25 - Big Daddy

Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/3/1986

Blanche's father, Big Daddy, comes to Miami for a visit, with an announcement, he's sold the family plantation and is setting out to become a country singer. Meanwhile, Sophia places a "curse" on a neighbor who refuses to remove his tree that fell over onto the lanai during a storm.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:Apple TV