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The Golden Girls article
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Jean is one-off character in the 1985 NBC sitcom The Golden Girls. She is one of Dorothy's friends from college, and is an out lesbian. After the death of her wife Pat, Jean came to visit Dorothy in Miami, where she fell in love with Rose.
Jean appears in the Season 2 episode "Isn't It Romantic?". She was portrayed by the late Lois Nettleton.
Personality[]
Jean is a kind and intelligent woman with a good head on her shoulders. While she is an out lesbian, she prefers not to advertise her sexuality and prefers to open up about it if she believes people will be able to handle it.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Jean grew up on a dairy farm, and she helped out with milking the cows until they got a milking machine. At her first slumber party, she and the other girls fought over who had the cutest date for the prom.[1]
While in college, Jean met Dorothy Zbornak and became good friends with her. Though Jean had not come to terms with her sexuality at the time, Dorothy's mother Sophia claimed that she knew Jean was a lesbian. Jean came out some time after college, and began seeing a woman named Pat in 1978. They were together for eight years until Pat died in 1986.[1]
Life after Pat[]
After Pat's death, Jean went to Miami, Florida to visit Dorothy. Upon her arrival, Dorothy revealed to Jean that she hadn't told her roommates, Blanche Devereaux and Rose Nylund, that Jean was a lesbian, and they had assumed Pat was a man when she was telling them about her. Jean initially gives Dorothy permission to tell her roommates about her sexuality, but decides against it after Rose presents her with ice-cream clowns. Blanche offers to treat Jean to a night out with the best pick-up spots, but Dorothy and Jean change the subject or make the excuse Jean isn't "ready for men".[1]
The next day, Jean and Rose bond over their farming childhood, so they decide to go see a matinee together. They return in tears after seeing the Cry Me A River Double Bill, and while Rose goes to get herself together, Jean asks to speak to Dorothy alone. She reveals to Dorothy that she wants to go back home as she believes she is falling in love with Rose. The next night, Jean and Rose spend the night playing cards and talking about else other until 2:00 AM. Rather than wake Dorothy, who will share a bed with Jean due to Sophia's cold, Rose suggests that they share her bedroom. As Rose is nearly asleep, Jean confesses that she is in love with Rose. Rose, shocked at this revelation, pretends to be asleep so that Jean doesn't get embarrassed.[1]
The next morning, Jean packs up and goes to tell Dorothy that she's leaving earlier than expected, but Rose stops her. Jean apologizes for what she said, admitting that she planned her life around Pat and being lonely and confused after she died. Rose doesn't mind Jean's confession at all, saying that if she was gay she would've been honored to be with her. Nonetheless, she asks Jean not to leave unless she feels that a friendship with Rose isn't enough. Jean is happy to just be friends with Rose and agrees to stay.[1]
Relationships[]
Pat[]
Jean's same-sex partner. Jean and Pat were together for eight years until Pat's death in 1986. Jean truly and deeply loved Pat, saying that she was a kind and decent woman and she had planned to spend the rest of her life with her.
Appearances[]
The Golden Girls (1985-1992)[]
Season 2
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| 1. "End of the Curse": | Absent | 14. "The Actor": | Absent | ||
| 2. "Ladies of the Evening": | Absent | 15. "Before and After": | Absent | ||
| 3. "Take Him, He's Mine": | Absent | 16."And Then There Was One": | Absent | ||
| 4. "It's a Miserable Life": | Absent | 17. "Bedtime Story": | Absent | ||
| 5. "Isn't It Romantic": | Debut | 18. "Forgive Me, Father": | Absent | ||
| 6. "Big Daddy's Little Lady": | Absent | 19. "Long Day's Journey into Marinara": | Absent | ||
| 7. "Family Affair": | Absent | 20. "Whose Face is This, Anyway?": | Absent | ||
| 8. "Vacation": | Absent | 21. "Dorothy's Prized Pupil": | Absent | ||
| 9. "Joust Between Friends": | Absent | 22. "Diamond in the Rough": | Absent | ||
| 10. "Love, Rose": | Absent | 23. "Son-in-Law Dearest": | Absent | ||
| 11. "'Twas The Nightmare Before Christmas": | Absent | 24. "To Catch a Neighbor": | Absent | ||
| 12. "The Sisters": | Absent | 25. "A Piece of Cake": | Absent | ||
| 13. "The Stan Who Came to Dinner": | Absent | 26. "Empty Nests": | Absent | ||
Trivia[]
- According to Lois Nettleton, Jean's name is a tribute to Jean Shepherd Jr., the author of the book that was the basis for the 1983 American film A Christmas Story.
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References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Golden Girls, Season 2, Episode 5, "Isn't It Romantic". Duteil, Jeffery (writer) & Hughes, Terry (director) (November 8th, 1986)