The Golden Girls: Season 1
1985 · 25 episodes · ★ 7.9
What Season 1 of The Golden Girls
Season 1 of The Golden Girls Has 25 episodes and premiered on September 14, 1985. Here's the complete episode guide with air dates, runtimes and ratings.
Season 1 Episodes
1x01 The Engagement
In the Pilot, Sophia arrives after her retirement home burns down and Blanche prepares to get married.
Directing: Jay Sandrich · Writing: Susan Harris · Starring: Frank Aletter, Meshach Taylor, Charles Levin, F. William Parker
1x02 Guess Who's Coming to the Wedding?
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.
Directing: Paul Bogart · Writing: Winifred Hervey · Starring: Kurt Smildsin, Lisa Jane Persky, Dennis Drake, Herb Edelman
1x03 Rose the Prude
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.
Directing: Jim Drake · Writing: Mort Nathan, Barry Fanaro · Starring: Harold Gould
1x04 Transplant
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.
Directing: Paul Bogart · Writing: Susan Harris · Starring: Sheree North
1x05 The Triangle
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.
Directing: Jim Drake · Writing: Winifred Hervey · Starring: Peter Hansen
1x06 On Golden Girls
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.
Directing: Jim Drake · Writing: Liz Sage · Starring: Billy Jayne, John Hostetter, Karl Wiedergott
1x07 The Competition
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.
Directing: Jim Drake · Writing: Mort Nathan, Barry Fanaro · Starring: Ralph Manza
1x08 The Break-In
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.
Directed by Paul Bogart · Written by Susan Harris · Starring Christian Clemenson, Robert Rothwell
1x09 Blanche and the Younger Man
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.
Directing: Jim Drake · Writing: Stan Zimmerman, James Berg · Starring: Jeanette Nolan, Charles Hill
1x10 Heart Attack
After a dinner party, Sophia suffers an apparent heart attack with a heavy storm delaying the paramedics.
Directing: Paul Bogart, Jim Drake · Writing: Susan Harris · Starring: Ronald Hunter
1x11 The Return of Dorothy's Ex
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.
Directed by Jim Drake · Written by Kathy Speer · Starring Simone Griffeth, Herb Edelman
1x12 The Custody Battle
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.
Directed by Terry Hughes · Written by Winifred Hervey · Starring Doris Belack
1x13 A Little Romance
Rose has been dating Dr. Jonathan Newman and begins to think their relationship is leading to the altar. However she begins to have second thoughts especially since he's a midget.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Mort Nathan, Barry Fanaro · Starring: Jeane Dixon, Billy Barty, Tony Carreiro, Brent Collins
1x14 That Was No Lady Mid-Season Finale
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.
Directing: Jim Drake · Writing: Liz Sage · Starring: Alex Rocco
1x15 In a Bed of Rose's
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.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Susan Harris · Starring: Priscilla Morrill, Richard Roat
1x16 The Truth Will Out
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.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Susan Beavers · Starring: Bridgette Andersen, Christine Belford
1x17 Nice and Easy
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.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Stuart Silverman · Starring: Hallie Todd, Ken Stovitz
1x18 The Operation
Dorothy is hesitant about having foot surgery just as she was scheduled to tap dance with Blanche and Rose at a dance recital.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Winifred Hervey · Starring: Anne Haney, Bill Quinn, Robert Picardo, Belita Moreno
1x19 Second Motherhood
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.
Directing: Gary Shimokawa · Writing: Christopher Lloyd · Starring: Kevin McCarthy, Terry Wills, Alan Blumenfeld
1x20 Adult Education
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.
Directing: Jack Shea · Writing: Stan Zimmerman, James Berg · Starring: Jerry Hardin, James Staley
1x21 Flu Attack
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.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Stan Zimmerman, James Berg · Starring: Silvana Gallardo, Ray Reinhardt, Sharon Spelman, William Cort
1x22 Job Hunting
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.
Directing: Paul Bogart · Writing: Kathy Speer · Starring: Richard Venture
1x23 Blind Ambitions
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.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Bob Colleary · Starring: Polly Holliday, Stuart Fratkin, Annie Abbott, Bill Gratton
1x24 Big Daddy
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.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Mort Nathan, Barry Fanaro · Starring: Murray Hamilton, Tony Frank, Gary Grubbs, Peggy Pope
1x25 The Way We Met Season Finale
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.
Directing: Terry Hughes · Writing: Mort Nathan, Kathy Speer, Winifred Hervey · Starring: Edan Gross, Shirley Prestia, Dom Irrera
Season 1 Cast
Bea ArthurDorothy Zbornak25 episodes
Betty WhiteRose Nylund25 episodes
Rue McClanahanBlanche Devereaux25 episodes
Estelle GettySophia Petrillo25 episodes
Tony CarreiroWaiter2 episodes
Dom IrreraWaiter2 episodes
Herb EdelmanStanley Zbornak2 episodes
Richard VentureMiltonEpisode 1
Jeanette NolanAlma LindstromEpisode 1
Alex RoccoGlenEpisode 1
Jerry HardinProfessor CooperEpisode 1
Billy JayneDavidEpisode 1
Hallie ToddLucyEpisode 1
Silvana GallardoEmceeEpisode 1
Peter HansenElliot ClaytonEpisode 1
Doris BelackGloriaEpisode 1
Kevin McCarthyRichardEpisode 1
Priscilla MorrillLucilleEpisode 1
James StaleyDean TuckerEpisode 1
Bridgette AndersenCharleyEpisode 1All Seasons
Season 21986 · 26 ep. · ★ 7.6
Season 31987 · 25 ep. · ★ 7.8
Season 41988 · 26 ep. · ★ 7.7
Season 51989 · 26 ep. · ★ 7.6
Season 61990 · 26 ep. · ★ 7.6
Season 71991 · 26 ep. · ★ 7.9Where to Watch Season 1 of The Golden Girls
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Episodes Does The Golden Girls Season 1 Have?
Season 1 of The Golden Girls has 25 episodes.
When Did Season 1 of The Golden Girls Premiere?
Premiered on September 14, 1985.
Where to Watch The Golden Girls Season 1?
Subscription required, on Disney Plus and Tivify (availability may vary by country).
What is the best episode of Season 1?
According to the TMDB audience rating, episode 1x01, "The Engagement," has a 8.3.