The Golden Girls - Season 1 -

The substitute teacher and voice of reason. Her biting wit and "deadpan" stares became the show's hallmark.

of the show's feminist legacy in the 1980s.

The pilot features a gay cook named Coco (later dropped) and Blanche nearly marrying a con man. "Rose the Prude" The Golden Girls - Season 1

The man-hungry Southern belle and homeowner. Her vanity and romantic exploits drove many early plotlines.

Season 1 established the "formula" that would sustain the series for seven years: The substitute teacher and voice of reason

The sweet but naive widow from St. Olaf, Minnesota. Her bizarre Scandinavian stories provided the season's surrealist humor.

Rose struggles with intimacy for the first time since her husband's death, establishing her "pure" character. "The Heart Attack" The pilot features a gay cook named Coco

The show candidly discussed the economic realities of aging, including job hunting and health insurance.