I didn’t think I’d be so excited about Hulu creating a new series based on The Golden Girls, but here we are. The iconic 1980s sitcom featured Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Betty White, and Estelle Getty as four older women who were friends and roommates. It was more groundbreaking than I realized when I watched the original run as a child, as it was the first series to suggest that older women could live just as fulfilling lives as their younger counterparts and be fully-fledged characters in their own right.
None of The Golden Girls main cast are still alive now that Betty White has passed away, but their work has been immortalized via streaming on Hulu, and millions of people participate in Golden Girls fan groups, including younger audience members who have discovered the series for the first time alongside those who were heartbroken when Bea Arthur decided to leave The Golden Girls, effectively ending the series. Given this show’s popularity, I can understand why Hulu would think a new version would be a good idea, although I wasn’t originally as enthusiastic about Mid-Century Modern as I am now.
The Golden Girls is one of TV’s greatest achievements, delivering seven seasons of comedy — and while they’re all great, some are better than others.
Mid-Century Modern Could Be The 2020s’ Answer To The Golden Girls.
The main reason I wasn’t excited about the idea of a Golden Girls reboot is that it seemed like yet another redux of a classic series rather than a fresh, original comedy. However, the concept of Mid-Century Modern is different enough that it could stand on its own, making it appealing to people who have never seen The Golden Girls as well as to fans of the original series. The new series offers a twist on the premise of four older friends sharing a house, including the mother of one of the characters, while making significant changes to the concept.
I love the idea of a new take on an old concept, making something new and creative that owes a debt to a classic. Mid-Century Modern stars Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Ryan Murphy, making three of the four characters a different gender than the original, and it centers around the lives of three gay friends. I love this gay-themed twist, as too much LBGTQ+-centered media focuses on younger people, leaving those who are well past their 20s without the representation they deserve.
The Golden Girls was one of the first shows to promote acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, so creating a similar show starring three gay men pays tribute to the original series.
Even though I’m excited, I also realize that the Mid-Century Modern sitcom won’t work if it tries too hard to be Golden Girls 2.0. It’s one thing to update the concept, but the new series shouldn’t try to redo classic stories such as the episode where the women’s house was burglarized while they were out or Dorothy’s struggle to be taken seriously when she tried to get medical help for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I’d be extremely disappointed if Mid-Century Modern goes this way and would turn any such copycat episodes off in favor of watching the original version.
Mid-Century Modern sounds different enough that I’m willing to give it a chance, but it needs to focus on telling original stories that will appeal to audiences whether or not they also enjoy Golden Girls.
The Golden Girls was spectacularly successful because of the chemistry between the characters as well as stellar writing and the willingness to tackle serious subjects without sacrificing comedy. Mid-Century Modern sounds different enough that I’m willing to give it a chance, but it needs to focus on telling original stories that will appeal to audiences whether or not they also enjoy The Golden Girls. If it can do that, this series might become a new favorite that today’s audiences will look back on fondly years later.
