‘The Golden Girls’: In Defense of Dorothy Zbornak, She Deserved Better

Bea Arthur was The Golden Girls star who opted to leave the show after season 7. Her decision ended the show’s iconic run. In an interview, Arthur’s son confided that his mother had tired of the process of filming a sitcom and was ready to slow down when she walked away. Other sources claim Arthur had grown resentful of the constant barrage of insults aimed at her character, Dorothy Zbornak’s looks. Both reasons are completely feasible. They are probably both right. Dorothy was treated awfully by her roommates. The character really did deserve much better. 

Dorothy’s roommates were mean to her 

Dorothy agreed to room with Rose Nylund and Blanche Devereaux after being cheated on by her husband, Stan Zbornak. Her mother, Sophia Petrillo, moved in soon after. Despite being in a similar position to Rose Nylund and Blanche Devereaux, Dorothy was almost immediately treated as the odd one. 

While Dorothy could sling insults with the best of them, she was insulted more than anyone else. Sure, she often pointed out Rose’s naive nature and casted judgment on Blanche Devereaux’s sexual promiscuity, but the jokes about Dorothy’s looks just hit differently. They felt personal. We think the character deserved better. 

Dorothy’s mother didn’t treat her any better

Dorothy Zbornak wasn’t picked on by just her non-related roommates. Her mother was truly horrific to her. Despite Dorothy doing everything she could to care for Sophia Petrillo, the ornery octogenarian never missed a chance to destroy Dorothy with her words. Dorothy was smart, savvy, and well-educated. She raised a family and did her best to keep a troubled marriage together. Still, Sophia looked at her as if she were a disappointment. 

Sophia lambasted Dorothy for her looks. She poked fun at her for her failed marriage and looked on incredulously when anyone showed more than a passing romantic interest in Dorothy. While many The Golden Girls fans love Sophia, we think she was awful to Dorothy. Dorothy certainly deserved better than she got from Sophia. It was especially noticeable when you consider how kind Sophia was to her other children, Gloria and Phil. 

Dorothy Zbornak’s ‘The Golden Girls’ story arc was good but still problematic 

Dorothy, thankfully, got the redemption arc she ultimately deserved. When the series ended, Dorothy got to walk off into the sunset with a man who made her happy. Before Lucas Hollingsworth, things were looking bleak in the love department. 

Sure, we were delighted to see her happy, but we don’t think it made up for all of the mean-spirited comments she dealt with from her roommates. Even her relationship with Lucas was problematic for Blanche and resulted in drama.

In short, Dorothy Zbornak deserved better, despite getting a good ending. After all of that, her character at least earned a better wedding dress. We can’t say we blamed actor Bea Arthur for being the one to call an end to The Golden Girls.