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Bedtime Story is the seventeenth episode of the second season of The Golden Girls, and the forty-second episode overall. Directed by Terry Hughes, and written by Barry Fanaro, Terry Grossman, Mort Nathan and Kathy Speer, it premiered on NBC-TV on February 7th, 1987.
Summary[]
Trying to decide on sleeping arrangements for visiting relatives, the ladies reminisce about places where they have previously slept, from a train station to Sophia's bed.
Plot[]
As Sophia cooks a midnight snack for all of them (save Rose who is making Chipped Beef), Dorothy reveals that an Uncle is coming, however, Rose reveals that her Cousin is coming in the same week. As they describe both Rose's and Dorothy's flaws in bed. Sophia reminds them of a cold snap when the heating broke as well.
The Cold Snap[]
They all ended up in Sophia's bed as she had an electric blanket. They were fussing over the sides of the bed and then Rose wanted to say her prayers. While the prayer was very heartfelt, Dorothy pretended to be God to get Rose to sleep.
As they cooked the food, they plated it up with Dorothy as an act of kindness while having some of Rose's Chipped Beef.
The Stormy Night[]
As a storm begins Blanche remembers the night Rose came to her room in fear and refuses to leave, having heard that some killers have escaped (states away). So, Blanche lets her sleep in her bed only for her to want a story, so Blanche tells a scary one that has Rose sleeping in the wardrobe.
Dorothy has hardly touched the Chipped Beef which has Rose asking her to have more, just then a quick power cut has Dorothy throwing it in Sophia's purse and not wanting to draw notice reminds the girls that the still need to work out sleeping arrangements.
Down with the Sickness[]
Dorothy of course wants to share with Sophia as it has always worked, only time it didn't work is when Dorothy was sick, when she had Bronchitis, Sophia reflects on how she has always been a bad patient. Dorothy remembers the treatment she used to have as a child and how Sophia would put it on Dorothy's rag doll to show her it didn't hurt.
Clowns on a Train[]
The last story has the girls talking about returning from Edna McCartney's funeral. They end up in a station, which has strange ideas including the trains leaving early. They try to sleep only for the next train to arrive, one with circus people on board but despite Rose's requests, the clown is uninterested. Without a resolve for their relatives, Blanche suggests that they pay for them to stay at the local Holiday Inn, which the girls agree with and Sophia reveals the Chipped Beef in her purse which she has improved.[1]
Tall Tales[]
To be added.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak
- Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux
- Betty White as Rose Nylund
- Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo
Guest Stars[]
- Randy Bennett as Stationmaster
- Charles Bouvier as Clown (uncredited)
Notes[]
- This is the first anthology episode of the series.
- Dorothy's dislike for Rose's chipped beef recipe is based on fact, as chipped beef on toast was commonly served to service members of the United States Armed Forces and considered emblematic of the military experience, much as pea soup is in Finland or Sweden. In American military slang, it is commonly referred to by the dysphemism "Shit On a Shingle" (SOS).
Cultural references[]
- While Rose and Dorothy are discussing the 14th Annual Hog Expo and Dorothy breaks into the song "Sunrise, Sunset". Bea Arthur starred as Yenta the Matchmaker in the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof.
Continuity[]
- Dorothy says that Sophia is the only one with an electric blanket. Sophia got the electric blanket from her other daughter, Gloria, in "The Custody Battle".[2]
Goofs[]
- In the first flashback, Blanche says she needs to be on the right side. Rose says she needs to be on the left. On the next flashback where Rose and Blanche are in Blanche's bed, Blanche, without complaint goes to the left side of the bed and Rose without complaint goes on the right side of the bed.
- In the first flashback, Blanche says that it is currently a Saturday night. Dorothy also mentions that she needs to go to work early tomorrow. Tomorrow would be a Sunday and Dorothy, a teacher, would not have to go to work on a Sunday.
- When Blanche tells the story about the elephant dolls, her hand jumps from the hem of the comforter to her chest and back.
- When Blanche tries Sophia's food and Dorothy tries Rose's food, the camera passes over the plates and clearly shows spaghetti on Blanche's plate, but she tells Sophia that the ziti was delicious.
[]
References[]
- ↑ The Golden Girls, Season 2, Episode 17, “Bedtime Story”. Fanaro, Barry; Grossman, Terry; Nathan, Mort and Speer, Kathy (writers) & Hughes, Terry (director) (February 7th, 1987)
- ↑ The Golden Girls, Season 1, Episode 12, "The Custody Battle". Grossman, Terry and Speer, Kathy (writers) & Drake, Jim (director) (December 7th, 1985)