The Golden Palace

OK, so the writing wasn't nearly as good as the Golden Girls. Sometimes the jokes were thin. And the humor wasn't nearly as witty. Nevertheless, I think the format worked. Also I like the other characters (Roland, Chuy & the kid). Some episodes were hilarious. I kind of wish it had lasted longer than one season. I guess it must have had low ratings. But still I like this show and think it was funny. It didn't deal with serious themes as GG did, but still I find it a nice spin-off to one of the greatest shows in TV history. I recommend it! See it. See it now. Watch it tonight and experience the laughs with familiar faces for the first time all over again.

The Golden Palace was not that bad. However the Golden Girls had already run it course. Also one flaw that could not be ignored was Dorothy's absence. Perhaps if she had remained with the show, then it may have survived for a couple more seasons. However it could never have had the same impact on audiences as its predecessor.

If this series had not been a sequel to the incredibly popular Golden Girls, it might have had a decent run. Unfortunately, the original series was just too beloved, too hilarious, and too perfect to continue without Bea Arthur in the form of The Golden Palace. I loved what someone posted - it would have been like the Beatles continuing without John Lennon.

Therefore, it's very hard to take The Golden Palace on its own merits, which are good ones. The show has a good premise. The GGs take over a Miami hotel, managed by Rowland, who is played by no less than Don Cheadle. The chef is Cheech Marin. Bea Arthur makes a couple of guest appearances, as does the character of Miles. Rue McClanahan, Betty White, and Estelle Getty all retain their wonderful characterizations, and if the show isn't as funny as The Golden Girls, it's still pretty funny. Yet it only ran one season, not even picked up by some affiliates because it was felt you can't toy with perfection.

The Golden Palace had all the ingredients for a good TV series except one. It wasn't the Golden Girls.

It was a perfectly good series! Why did they have to cancel it. I still have episodes on tape but haven't seen all. I know Dorothy's loss in 1992 was a hard one and I am glad they tried to keep the other three going. Just because Dorothy was gone, wasn't a reason to "kill-off" the other three! I was outraged when this show was cancelled! I wish someone would air reruns like, once a week! Once a week because there were only 24 episodes and it wouldn't repeat as often. Or lifetime could show it after they show The Golden Girls finale and then start The Golden Girls over again! COME ON!

"The Golden Girls" was a consistent winner from 1985 to 1992 on NBC, but Beatrice Arthur's departure and a slow decline in ratings killed the series. Or did it? By the fall of 1992, CBS thought they would strike while the iron was still somewhat warm by bringing the rest of the core cast (Rue McClanahan, Betty White and Estelle Getty) back with a new series and a slightly new situation. The three actresses were still the same characters and still in Miami, but McClanahan had sold her home and bought a hotel in the city. Naturally she brings White and Getty with her and comedy was supposed to follow. The trio just never had the chemistry or comedic/dramatic timing that they all shared with Arthur. The series also brought in hotel workers Cheech Marin and Don Cheadle (a complete unknown at the time who has become one of the best character-actors of the last few years, making the largest impressions in Steven Soderbergh films like "Out of Sight" and "Traffic"). The new additions, along with familiar faces like Herb Edelman and Harold Gould, ended up creating a helter-skelter group that always seemed to be chasing the magic of the old series. In the end, the Friday night time slot and anemic ratings doomed the program mercifully after one season and only 24 episodes. 2.5 out of 5 stars.