The Good
This is a show that, like its main characters, gets better with age.
The Bad
I think they should include a bunch of scripts from these shows on a DVD-Rom so that screenwriters like myself could print them out and read them.
The Golden Girls: The Complete Fifth Season seems to actually get a little bit more serious for this installment of episodes. Sure, this show always dealt with ideas and issues that the older generations face, but I don’t recall the show doing it as much as it seemed to in this season. Yet, don’t think that it is one of those shows that is has lost anything because it always levels the serious with the comedic. Whether they are dealing with dementia, meeting the president or babies, this show always managed to come up with the perfect blend of laughter and serious emotions.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
As a true blue fan of The Golden Girls, I have to say that Buena Vista has again released a three disc box set that doesn’t disappoint.
Features
The commentary tracks that are on these discs are really good. They are done by Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Betty White. What I think was a good idea was that they didn’t have the ladies doing the commentary tracks together. Each of them gets their own time with a specific episode. Sure some offer better insights than others, Rue McClanahan likes to talk about the show’s costumes, while Bea Arthur only talks intermittently, but I still found what they had to say to be worth listening to. Where in the world was Estelle Getty?
Video
Full Screen - 1.33:1. The Golden Girls has never been known for being one of those shows where the lighting was another character, so it stands to reason that not a lot would change with this fifth season. Personally, I am a fan of the simple look that this show employed if for no other reason than it forces viewers to concentrate on the rich characters.
Audio
Dolby Digital Stereo Sound. The audio on these discs was really good. Nothing too special or award winning but it was good. This show had such a perfect blend of characterizations, that I never felt like any of the main stars were competing with one another for screen time or jokes. As a result, the audio is clean while also feeling quite natural.
Package
Yet another cover which features the four girls and a bunch of monogrammed palm trees. The main color is an orange/gold mix. The back features one shot of the girls and a stroller. There is a nicely written description of what this show is about, a “Bonus Features”/Technical specs listing and some more specs at the bottom of the packaging. The three discs unfold with a listing of the episodes on each disc, as well as a bunch of pictures from various episodes.
Final Word
The writing on this show is so solid. I say that because while some TV on DVD sitcoms seem a tad cheesy when watching them now, I find that The Golden Girls still holds up because it precisely goes against type. This isn’t a show about older women who are dainty. These are very active people who have lives and desires and haven’t given up their ability to dream. That is something that I think the writers of this show got and that is why it endeared itself to so many people.
The Golden Girls: The Complete Fifth Season isn’t a show about older women, it is a show about human beings dealing with life and loving every moment of it.
The Golden Girls was released .
