Discover the most popular TV show the year you were born

1987: The Golden Girls

Thank you for being a friend! The Golden Girls has gone down in history as one of the best sitcoms in history, and for being a groundbreaking series that helped bring a voice to women of a certain age, to remind audiences that they could still be bold and funny, and even sexual. The NBC comedy aired from 1985 until 1992, spanning seven seasons. The show followed the lives of four older women, Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and her mother Sophia, who all lived together in Miami, Florida.

The Golden Girls was ahead of its time for more than just their refreshing portrayal of older women. It also dealt with issues that were not often talked about in the media at the time, such as coming out and same-sex marriage, HIV/AIDS (and the discrimination against those with the virus), immigration, and assisted suicide. Critics raved about the show, and during its seven seasons, the show received 68 Emmy nominations, which resulted in 11 Emmy wins, including Best Comedy Series in 1987.

One feat that The Golden Girls managed to accomplish is that all four of the leading ladies from the show earned Emmys for their performances, one of only three sitcoms to accomplish this (along with Will & Grace and All In The Family). The wins were definitely well-deserved, and the show has since found success in syndication, bringing the sass of Dorothy and the shady quips of Sophia to a whole new generation.