Every episode of ..And Just Like That so far compared to episodes of the Golden Girls: An Homage to Betty White
I have often said that Sex and the City is just a rip-off of the Golden Girls. Indeed the DNA of the show is the same, characters that embody the four humors, excellent fashion, and raunchy sex talk. Now with ...And Just Like that in the mix, the characters are now the same age as the Golden Girls.
So in honor of the great Betty White, I thought it might be worth it to compare the episodes of AJLT to episodes of the Golden Girls that have similar plot lines to see which show executed it better -- *spoiler alert*: it's the Golden Girls, the Golden Girls did it better every time, hands down no question. Nevertheless, this was fun, so I figured I would share my very scientific findings.
AJLT Hello It's Me (S1 E1):
Charlotte cajoles Carrie into attending her daughter's very over-the-top piano recital instead of heading off to the Hamptons with a Big. Meanwhile, Miranda and Charlotte are each dealing with parenting issues.
For Miranda, it's her spoiled and unremarkable son's constant sexcapades with his new girlfriend in all over her Brooklyn apartment.
Charlotte on the other hand is locked in a power struggle with her daughter over her non-binary gender expression.
For some reason, in this episode, we have to watch the dude from Law & Order jerk off, and then die after using a Peloton.
GG Strange Bedfellows (S3 E7):
Dorothy, Blanche and Rose are volunteering for City Council candidate Gil Kessler. Sophia abstains because she thinks the candidate is a wimp and doesn't like something she can't put her finger on.
While delivering a package to the candidate, Blanche is mistakenly identified in the papers as Gil's mistress. Blanche vehemently denies the rumor, while Gil publicly claims it's true in order to brighten his spotlight and change his wimpy image.
After being admonished by Blanche for lying to the public, Gil confesses in front of the press. After his initial confession, he continues to reveal not only his dead name but the details of his transition. Vindicated upon hearing Gil's dead name, Sophia is happy to learn that she was right about all along! He is indeed Italian.
This episode likely portrays the first openly trans person on TV.
AJLT Little Black Dress (S1 E2): Big's boring funeral where Carrie wears an unremarkable outfit and Standford reveals himself to be terrible.
Samantha sends gifts.
GG In a Bed of Roses (S1 E15): Rose sneaks her beaux in for a late-night rendezvous. In the morning Sophia discovers that the man is dead.
For the rest of the episode, Rose struggles with how to describe the circumstances of his death to the man's next of kin whom the man told Rose was his sister. When she calls she finds out that the man was married and that she was the side piece. We also learned that this is also how Rose's husband died because she has that good good.
AJLT When in Rome (S1 E3): This episode is too stupid, my brain won't let me do it).
AJLT Some of My Best Friends (S1E4):
The set-up alone is so damn painful: Charlotte needs to window dress her party because it’s too “vanilla” and yes, that is a the actual joke they made about it. The *sigh* twist is that Lisa's (Ari Nicole Parker) party is all Black people. Now see this is where you lose me because Charlotte is decidedly not invited to the cookout. There is no way in hell, she was invited to this party...Harry, maybe, but Charlotte? Definitely no.
Why are we doing this??????????? The scene *deep sigh from the depths of the bowels of my ancestors* ends with Charlotte white saviores the day by validating what’s her name’s taste in art.
Golden Girls Old Friends (S3 E1): While at the boardwalk to “watch the old men rearrange themselves as they come out of the water 💦”, Sophia meets an elderly Black man who we later learn is suffering from Alzheimer’s. They connect by trying to guess who is peeing in the ocean and reminiscing about their dead spouses. It’s tender and heartfelt and hilarious in turns. The episode went on to win 2 Emmy’s.
Meanwhile, Blanche accidentally gives Rose’s teddy bear Fernando to a Sunshine Cadet named Daisy while collecting things to give to a charity swap meet. After realizing her mistake, Blanche attempts to get the bear back but is foiled when the Cadet decides to hold it hostage.
When confronted--Daisy the sweet Cadet reveals herself to be a hard negotiating full-on criminal.
In the end Rose gets what she wants.
AJLT Tragically Hip (S1 E5): Charlotte’s issues with Rock boil over as Carrie deals with orthopedic issues.
While convalescing after hip surgery Carrie is forced to pee her bed when a drunk and negligent Miranda gets fingered by Carrie’s boss while smoking weed and taking shots in Carrie’s apartment.
GG Isn’t it Romantic? (S2 E5) The episode begins with Dorothy walking in in Sophia watching porn. Jokes ensue, Dorothy lets the crew know that her college friend Jean is on her way to visit after the death of her spouse Pat.
Blanche and Rose retire to the kitchen while Dorothy privately worries to Sophia that the group might not get along with Jean because she is a lesbian, Sophia assures her it will be fine.
Upon Jean’s arrival she, Dorothy, and Sophia have a brief and respectful discussion about whether or not Jean is out and if Dorothy should disclose that to her roommates.
As the week progresses Rose and Jean bond over their similar upbringings (both were raised on dairy farms) and spend time together exploring Miami.
As all of this is going on Sophia continues to rent porn and watch it in the shared space. That’s real, that’s really the B storyline of this episode.
Jean, however, decides to leave mid-week because after she realizes that she is falling in love with Rose but before she leaves each roommate learns about this particular demographic detail in a hilarious fashion.
First Blanche:
Who is mostly confused as to why Jean wouldn’t naturally fall for her.
Then Rose:
Ultimately, the women all prove themselves great allies and the audience learns a lesson about acceptance.
So there you go, proof that anything AJLT can do Golden Girls already did better. In all seriousness, this really highlighted how truly revolutionary Golden Girls was. They were talking about pretty "transgressive" topics for the 80's. That bold openness extended beyond the screen for each one of these actresses who were allies all in their own right. So with that I guess I can finish this out by saying:
We love you Betty White thank you for being a friend.
