The Golden Girls: Season 03  (1987)

Theatrical Release Information:
The Golden Girls: Season 03

The third season of The Golden Girls continues to chronicle the adventures of four over-50 ladies who lived under the same Miami roof: widows Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan) and Rose Nylund (Betty White), divorcée Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), and Dorothy's shamelessly outspoken mother, Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty). Season three opens with one of the series' many flashback episodes, "One for the Money," featuring Lynnie Greene in her recurring role as young Dorothy. The later episode "Blanche's Little Girl" marks the first series appearance of Blanche's daughter Rebecca, played this season by Shawn Schepps; "My Father, My Brother" finds comedian Bill Dana in the role of Sophia's brother Angelo, a priest; in "Mixed Blessing," Dorothy's son Michael (Scott Jacoby) announces his engagement to a black woman -- which wouldn't bother Dorothy so much were it not for the fact that the woman is 20 years Michael's senior; and in another flashback show, "Mother's Day," viewers are given their one and only glimpse at Blanche's late mother, Margaret, played by Helen Kleeb. In other episodes, Rose does her part for world peace by writing letters to Reagan and Gorbachev (and guess which one of the two world leaders responds!); and McLean Stevenson guest stars as Ted Zbornak, brother of Dorothy's redoubtable ex-husband, Stan (Herb Edelman). Rated the fourth most popular TV series in America during its third season, The Golden Girls also did all right by itself at Emmy award time, with Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty both winning statuettes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide