 |
"It's like we say in St. Olaf, Christmas without fruitcake is like St. Sigmund's Day without the headless boy." This article is incomplete. You can help the Golden Girls Wiki by expanding it. |
Rites of Spring is the twenty-third episode of the fourth season of The Golden Girls and the ninety-ninth episode overall. Directed by Terry Hughes and written by Eric Cohen, it premiered on NBC-TV on April 29th, 1989.
Summary[]
As the girls vow to get in shape for an upcoming beach party, they recall past attempts at self-improvement.
Plot[]
Sophia is eating more than unusual because she lost a pound and feels like she needs to return to her average weight. The others have a Beach Party in two weeks and plan what they should do in order to look better in their beachwear.
When Rose suggests going to a Gym to work out they remember the time they did that before.
Jazzercise[]
he Personal Trainer Yvonne convinced Blanche and Dorothy to buy all the gear for the Aerobics Class, which made them look ridiculous and during the Warm Up, Yvonne had a cramp and Rose embarrassed herself by mistaking it for a exercise. In the end they went once more and gave up.
Hairstyles[]
As Sophia makes a Cheesecake for her to gain that pound, Dorothy remarks that they get a new hairdo, Blanche remembers the time they went to a Hair Salon that Sophia suggested. Seeing the older customers they were about to leave when the dresser Eduardo appeared, his good looks and charming ways eases the girls into having their hair done. However they ended up having Sophia's hairstyle.
Positive Thinking[]
As they try to think about other ways to lose weight, Rose recommends that they try being mind positive, but Dorothy reminds them of one night they did. Stan came to the door talking about this positive group and clearly it's a cult and Stan was attached due to a pretty lady. After shooing Stan out the four try one of the classes and clearly it was a failure.
As they reflect on their attempts Sophia's Cheesecake is ready and Dorothy remarks on Sophia's need for weight gain, but Blanche reminds her that her height might of shrunk and after comparing her to a craving they did when she first lived and it was right. Then as the girls look at the Cheesecake lovingly Rose reveals that the party was moved a day later so the girls can focus on their appearances tomorrow.[1]
Tall Tales[]
Picture It...[]
While the ladies are fretting about their appearances, Sophia says that in Sicily, she could solve their problem with one phone call. In her village, there was a man called Nicodemo the Ugly, and women would call him to be their date when they wanted to look gorgeous at a party. Dorothy is skeptical, but Sophia insists that the women paid through the nose -- which was also how Nicodemo gave them their change.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak
- Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux
- Betty White as Rose Nylund
- Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo
Guest List[]
- Herb Edelman as Stanley Zbornak
- Hilary Shephard as Yvonne
- Lloyd Bochner as Eduardo
Notes[]
Production[]
- Lloyd Bochner previously appeared in Season 2's "The Actor" as Patrick Vaughn.[2]
Cultural references[]
- The title refers to the musical ballet of the same name by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.
Continuity[]
- Apparently, despite not entering into a relationship with a priest in "Forgive Me, Father",[3] Dorothy was not above fooling around with Rose's preacher cousin, Lars, "before he gave up the pulpit back in St. Gustav," according to Blanche.
Goofs[]
- Sophia says she has never weighed more than ninety-nine pounds. However, in Season 7, Sophia talks about losing two-hundred pounds - an accomplishment from her 1920's list of hopes and dreams.[4] Additionally, in "An Illegitimate Concern", Sophia mentions that she gained forty pounds while pregnant with her son Phil.[5]
- When Blanche suggests that she weighed ninety-eight pounds while she was in college, Dorothy asks if she went to the University of Jupiter. Jupiter's gravity is 2.4 times stronger than Earth's, so a person would weigh considerably more on Jupiter, not less.
- During the segment at the all-female gym, Yvonne lists off all that they will need to do aerobics, and leg-warmers was one of them. Dorothy asks her why they need leg-warmers, and Yvonne replies, "How else can you keep your thighs warm?" Thighs are from the knees to the hips. Leg-warmers are worn on the calves, not the thighs.
- During the segment where Stan tries to get the ladies to join a self-help group, the camera swings toward Rose sitting in the chair closest to the kitchen door and right above her the boom mic is visible.
- Sophia removes her double-fudge amaretto ricotta cheesecake from the oven and places is it directly on the kitchen table with no trivet. Assuming that the cake with baked in a typical 350° oven, the minute she put it down either the tablecloth would've caught fire or, at the very least, started smoking.
[]
References[]
- ↑ The Golden Girls, Season 4, Episode 23, “Rites of Spring”. Cohen, Eric (writer) & Hughes, Terry (director) (April 29th, 1989)
- ↑ The Golden Girls, Season 2, Episode 14, “The Actor”. Fanaro, Barry and Nathan, Mort (writers) & Hughes, Terry (director) (January 17th, 1987)
- ↑ The Golden Girls, Season 2, Episode 18, “Forgive Me, Father”. Speer, Kathy and Grossman, Terry (writers) & Hughes, Terry (director) (February 14th, 1987)
- ↑ The Golden Girls, Season 7, Episode 10, “Ro$e Love$ Mile$”. Gamble, Tracy; Perzigian, Jerry; Seigel, Don and Vaczy, Richard (writers) & Passaris, Lex (director) (November 16th, 1991)
- ↑ The Golden Girls, Season 5, Episode 18, "An Illegitimate Concern". Cherry, Marc and Wooten, Jamie (writers) & Hughes, Terry (director) (February 12th, 1990)