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‘The Golden Girls’: Fans Hated Dorothy’s Wedding Dress from the Series Finale

After seven seasons on NBC, 'The Golden Girls' aired its final episode in 1992. Fans became emotional as they said goodbye to the four elderly roommates who brightened their Saturday evenings. The series finale is still one of the most talked about episodes of the show. Dorothy's wedding dress is one of the ongoing debates of fans.
by Carol Cassada
Published on
2 min read

In September 1985, The Golden Girls premiered on the NBC Network. The series follows the lives of Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), Rose Nylund (Betty White), Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty). The show was a hit with viewers and critics and earned numerous awards. After seven seasons, the show came to an end in May 1992. Although it concluded on a happy note with Dorothy’s wedding, fans weren’t pleased with her dress.

Rue McClanahan in a blue bridesmaid dress, Estelle Getty in a pink dress, Leslie Nielsen in a tuxedo, Bea Arthur in a white wedding dress, and Betty White in a blue bridesmaid dress in a photo from 'The Golden Girls.'
Rue McClanahan, Leslie Nielsen, Estelle Getty, Beatrice Arthur, and Betty White I Joey Del Valle/NBCU Photo Bank

‘The Golden Girls’ fans criticized Doroth Zbornak’s wedding dress

The series finale of The Golden Girls has Dorothy finding true love. Dorothy goes on a disastrous blind date with Blanche’s uncle Lucas Hollingsworth (Leslie Nielsen). The two then play a practical joke on Blanche by pretending they’re engaged. However, things take an unexpected turn when Dorothy and Lucas fall in love. Lucas asks Dorothy to marry him for real, and she accepts.

The couple marries, then moves to Atlanta, an emotional but sweet sendoff for the show. With the finale focusing on Dorothy’s big day, one would expect her to wear a showstopper gown. Dorothy’s wedding dress was less than flattering and continues to be criticized by The Golden Girls fans.

The dress debate continues to be a hot topic on Reddit. “I thought the accents in the front were curls that were made in kindergarten with construction paper,” wrote one fan. Another commenter shared their dislike, “That wedding dress was a hot mess! They did Dorothy wrong with all the frumpy, shapeless outfits.”

Each character had their unique style

One of the things that made The Golden Girls famous is the different personalities of the women. When it came to styling the characters for the show, the wardrobe department made sure the clothing fit the ladies’ personas. For Dorothy, the stylists choose loose-fitting clothing because of Arthur’s desire for comfort.

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Aside from the relaxed and comfortable clothing, Arthur also had a strict demand for footwear. Arthur wasn’t a fan of wearing shoes and liked to walk around barefoot. Although Fans often panned Dorothy’s wardrobe, however, Arthur loved the character’s style. In a 2002 interview with New York Post, Arthur praised the show’s stylist Judy Evans for the signature looks. “She knew Dorothy had a dramatic side, so she’d give me crazy earrings to wear. She was extraordinary,” Arthur explained.

Dorothy Zbornak’s appearance was the topic of many jokes

The Golden Girls was still a ratings hit entering its seventh season, so it was a surprise when the show was cancelled. The reason was that Arthur was ready to call it quits. Arthur had grown dissatisfied over the years, and one of her complaints were the jokes directed at Dorothy’s appearance. As seen on the show, the rest of the girls mocked Dorothy’s tall stature or her manly physique.

Although the jokes stopped, Arthur’s unhappiness continued and by season 7, she felt the show had run its course. Despite Arthur’s complaints, the show gave her and Dorothy a proper goodbye. Fans may disagree with Dorothy’s wedding dress choice, they were happy to see her find the man of her dreams.

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