The WORST episodes of The Golden Girls

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

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
Empty Nests
star
6.58
280 votes

#1 - Empty Nests

Season 2 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/16/1987

In this pilot for another series (Empty Nest, obviously the concept was retooled), the girls' friend Renee is feeling depressed and lonely with her children grown up and moved out and her husband's workaholic habits.

Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:Apple TV
Snap Out Of It
star
7.41
201 votes

#2 - Snap Out Of It

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/13/1990

Dorothy decides to help Sophia with the Meals on Wheels program and runs across a reclusive man who hasn't stepped out of his apartment since the 1960's. Meanwhile, Blanche's birthday is coming up and Rose becomes determined to find out her real age.

Directors: Matthew Diamond
Watch Now:Apple TV
The President's Coming! The President's Coming! (2)
star
7.49
95 votes

#3 - The President's Coming! The President's Coming! (2)

Season 5 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/5/1990

When the FBI agent announces that George Bush will make a visit to their home, the girls continue to reminisce and Dorothy quickly readies a list of points she wants to make to the president.

Directors: Lex Passaris
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Never Yell Fire in a Crowded Retirement Home (2)
star
7.60
122 votes

#4 - Never Yell Fire in a Crowded Retirement Home (2)

Season 6 - Episode 25 - Aired 4/27/1991

Sophia cannot recall the events that lead to the Shady Pines fire.

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The President's Coming! The President's Coming! (1)
star
7.61
111 votes

#5 - The President's Coming! The President's Coming! (1)

Season 5 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/5/1990

An FBI agent investigates the girls' life's for a possible visit from President Bush. This leads the girls to reminisce about times they have spent together.

Directors: Lex Passaris
Watch Now:Apple TV
Never Yell Fire in a Crowded Retirement Home (1)
star
7.62
252 votes

#6 - Never Yell Fire in a Crowded Retirement Home (1)

Season 6 - Episode 24 - Aired 4/27/1991

The deathbed confession of an ex-patient at Shady Pines means bad news for Sophia, since in her confession she stated that she and Sophia started the 1985 Shady Pines fire.

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Hey, Look Me Over
star
7.62
281 votes

#7 - Hey, Look Me Over

Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/1991

Rose discovers an old camera of Charlie's with some undeveloped film still in it. After getting it developed, Rose is stunned when one of the pictures shows Charlie in bed with Blanche. Meanwhile, Dorothy tries to get Sophia to have her hearing checked.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Rose Fights Back
star
7.63
178 votes

#8 - Rose Fights Back

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/21/1989

When the company that Rose's husband worked for, cuts off their pension plan, Rose must face the fact that she's going to get a new job, one that pays more. However, she quickly finds herself dealing with something she never expected, age discrimination. Meanwhile, Sophia goes wild buying things in quantity at a Shopper's Warehouse.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Writer: Marc Sotkin
Watch Now:Apple TV
A Midwinter Night's Dream (2)
star
7.65
113 votes

#9 - A Midwinter Night's Dream (2)

Season 7 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/29/1992

The full moon and festivities prompt strange happenings including Blanche's jewelry being swiped, Sophia trying to break a curse and Dorothy and Miles sharing a passionate kiss.

Directors: Lex Passaris
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Not Another Monday
star
7.66
215 votes

#10 - Not Another Monday

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/11/1989

Sophia's friend has come up with an idea that will change her life. She wants to commit suicide and she wants Sophia there to hold her hand. Meanwhile, Blanche, Rose and Dorothy become singing nursemaids to a sick baby that they are taking care of for the weekend.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Writer: Gail Parent
Watch Now:Apple TV
Even Grandmas Get the Blues
star
7.68
245 votes

#11 - Even Grandmas Get the Blues

Season 6 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/2/1991

While babysitting for her granddaughter, a man mistakes Blanche as being the baby's mother and Blanche does nothing to set him straight. Meanwhile, Sophia gets ready for the Festival of the Dancing Virgins, a celebration of mothers and daughters but Dorothy wants no part of it.

Directors: Robert Berlinger
Watch Now:Apple TV
Dorothy's Prized Pupil
star
7.72
288 votes

#12 - Dorothy's Prized Pupil

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/14/1987

Dorothy feels that it's her fault when her prized pupil wins a writing contest which inadvertently signals the INS that he's an illegal alien.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:Apple TV
All That Jazz
star
7.76
185 votes

#13 - All That Jazz

Season 5 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/2/1989

Dorothy's son, Michael, shows up on her doorstep with news that he's separated with his wife and needs a place to stay. However, Dorothy quickly gets tired of his freeloading and dumps him on Stan. Meanwhile, Rose's stress is getting terrible and is reluctant to talk to her boss about cutting back on her "things-to-do" list.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Pope's Ring
star
7.77
207 votes

#14 - The Pope's Ring

Season 7 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/14/1991

The Pope's in town and Sophia goes to his mass. When she goes to kiss his ring, it slips off into hers. Meanwhile, Rose is convinced Miles is hiding something from her, so as a birthday gift, Blanche gives Rose a detective to spy on Miles.

Directors: Lex Passaris
Writer: Kevin Abbott
Watch Now:Apple TV
Little Sister
star
7.80
180 votes

#15 - Little Sister

Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/1/1989

Rose's sister, Holly comes for a visit and becomes quick friends with Dorothy and Blanche, and leaves Rose out in the cold. However, when Rose catches Holly with Blanche's boyfriend and tries to tell Blanche, Dorothy and Blanche refuse to believe her.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:Apple TV
Ebbtide's Revenge
star
7.80
253 votes

#16 - Ebbtide's Revenge

Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/15/1990

Dorothy must give the eulogy at her brother (a cross dresser), Phil's funeral. Meanwhile, a feud between Sophia and Phil's widow reaches a peak leading Sophia to reveal her hidden feelings about her son's alternative lifestyle.

Directors: Matthew Diamond
Writer: Marc Sotkin
Watch Now:Apple TV
Room 7
star
7.81
242 votes

#17 - Room 7

Season 7 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/23/1991

Sophia has an after-life experience, seeing her late husband in heaven, while choking on a piece of candy. Meanwhile, Blanche is distraught over the demolition of her grandmother's plantation, so the girls travel to Atlanta. Once there, Blanche handcuffs herself to the radiator.

Directors: Peter D. Beyt
Watch Now:Apple TV
And Ma Makes Three
star
7.81
269 votes

#18 - And Ma Makes Three

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/20/1988

Feeling sorry for a lonely Sophia, Dorothy allows her to come along on a date with her and Dorothy's latest beau. However, pretty soon Sophia begins tagging along on every date which puts a rift in Dorothy's romantic plans.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Impotence of Being Ernest
star
7.82
226 votes

#19 - The Impotence of Being Ernest

Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/4/1989

Rose is crazy about her latest boyfriend, Ernie, but can't understand why he doesn't approach the subject of sex so when she forces the subject she learns the truth, he's impotent.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Blanche Delivers
star
7.84
202 votes

#20 - Blanche Delivers

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/1990

Blanche's daughter wants to give birth in a birthing center while Blanche is preoccupied by the possibility of Rebecca delivering in a local hospital. Blanche doesn't want to be embarrassed by the fact that her daughter was artificially inseminated.

Directors: Matthew Diamond
Watch Now:Apple TV
Stand By Your Man
star
7.84
194 votes

#21 - Stand By Your Man

Season 6 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/1/1990

Blanche meets a man at the library and only after they make a date does she realizes he's in a wheelchair. Meanwhile, Rose wants to keep one of the puppies from Dreyfuss' litter despite Blanche's feelings.

Directors: Matthew Diamond
Writer: Tom Whedon
Watch Now:Apple TV
Ebbtide VI: The Wrath of Stan
star
7.84
206 votes

#22 - Ebbtide VI: The Wrath of Stan

Season 7 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/15/1992

It is the annual "Buy Sophia New Shoes" day, and Dorothy is forced to take her. Blanche also tags along, mentioning that it might be fun. Meanwhile, Uncle Angelo drops by and Rose is there. Since she is trying to find a good story to report on, she is more than happy to hear Angelo's story. Apparently, his apartment building is infested with huge bugs. When the ladies watch the news, Rose insists they watch the news story about the bugs. Dorothy then tells Rose she and Stan are the landlords. Rose then tells her she didn't realize there was a family side to the story. She won't give up on the story, and a minute later, the cops show up to arrest Dorothy. They have a trial, and Stan drops his attorney for a younger woman who knows nothing. The defense lawyer is unbeatable by giving compliments to the witnesses which makes them vulnerable to his advantage. Stan and Dorothy end up losing and are forced to live in a sleasy apartment building for a while.

Directors: Lex Passaris
Writer: Marc Sotkin
Watch Now:Apple TV
Love for Sale
star
7.84
295 votes

#23 - Love for Sale

Season 6 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/6/1991

The girls prepare for the Children's Hospital Bachelorette Auction and a reluctant Dorothy decides to participate. She is in for a quick surprise when Stan walks in and begins bidding. Meanwhile, Sophia's brother, Angelo, comes to Miami, broke and with no place to live.

Directors: Peter D. Beyt
Watch Now:Apple TV
If At Last You Do Succeed
star
7.84
218 votes

#24 - If At Last You Do Succeed

Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/6/1990

Stan has finally hit it big with a new invention but still Dorothy can't be happy for him. Meanwhile, Rose and Blanche fight over some war bonds that if cashed could bankrupt St. Olaf.

Writer: Robert Spina
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Till Death Do We Volley
star
7.84
237 votes

#25 - Till Death Do We Volley

Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/18/1989

Dorothy's old friend, Trudy comes for a visit and this revives their old rivalry between each other. However, the visit turns tragic when Trudy suddenly dies and Dorothy blames herself.

Directors: Terry Hughes
Watch Now:Apple TV