Stanley, king of the yutzes, shows up and needs a friend. Since Dorothy is busy with her new naval officer boyfriend, she calls in a favor from Blanche. The two hit it off platonically, but their new-found closeness still leaves Dorothy feeling a little jealous, confused, angry--magenta--all of which becomes exacerbated by the end of her own relationship. Meanwhile, Rose and Sophia team up to muscle in on Johnny No Thumbs by selling sandwiches at a construction site, a standard business venture for a couple of aging women.
Below is the Enough Wicker podcast transcript for Episode 28: Feeling Magenta? Eat a BLP!, analyzing The Golden Girls Season 2 episode, Take Him, He's Mine:
Lauren 0:00
Hello and welcome to Enough Wicker, a podcast where sometimes we feel magenta as we discuss our favorite television show, The Golden Girls. I'm Lauren.
Sarah 0:08
I'm Sarah.
Lauren 0:09
And today we're on the 28th episode of the series, Take Him, He's Mine.
Sarah 0:13
God, this one is magnificent. I -- this is one of my favorite emotional ones. I think the fact that it's -- it's so -- it covers such a complicated type of emotion. Like, this whole, you know, feeling jealous and feeling angry, but not feeling that you have a standing to, but sort of thinking that your friend is going to do what you think for -- you know, it's just -- it's such a complicated situation. And very true to life. And not in this black and white, weird sitcom way. And like, honestly, the magenta scene is one of my top three favorite scenes of the show of all time.
Lauren 0:51
Yeah, I mean, the magenta scene is iconic.
Sarah 0:54
Uh, yeah.
Lauren 0:55
For me personally, I remember -- even this time when I was watching it, I was like, yeah, wow. That is -- it's so well done. But I specifically remember, like, I have a sensory memory of watching it when I was, I don't know, 14 or 13 or something, on a rerun and being like, YES! Like I was, you know, I probably just got my period for the first time. Like, I was feeling all of these things. And I and I was like, yes. I'm not really sad, but I'm not mad, but I'm just, like, I feel like in this constant state of discontent, and I was like, that is exactly what it is. And then -- and you know, I think sorting through your emotions when you're a teenager is so difficult, because you have so many irrational emotions and whatever. And I think that's often just kind of written off as like, oh, you're teen. You'll get through and whatever. But it really sucks when you're going through it. It doesn't feel like you'll just get over it. And I don't think that kind of sorting through emotions, or misplacing emotions, or not even being able to really articulate what you're feeling ends when you're a teenager. I think that that continues to be something that we struggle with and I think one thing this episode really makes the case for is one, vocalizing your feelings even if you're not totally sure and two, when you don't feel like you should be feeling what you are, again, just communicating that I feel like could have really helped Dorothy in this -- in this one.
Sarah 2:15
Yes, no, you're right. And it's -- it's really -- it doesn't change when you're -- when you stop being a teenager. In fact, life gets more complicated. And I feel like there's more gray area...
Lauren 2:26
Bad news kids!
Sarah 2:29
Sorry, for all you youngsters out there. No, but, you know, it really -- it's -- it's very hard to sort through the gray area of life. Like I said, the black and white of just like, I'm mad, or I'm sad or this is my standing or this is how I feel, like, perfectly articulately. That's not real, you know? And it's like, there are moments like that, of course, but now, I really appreciate this -- this show -- this particular episode was the first time I really saw that whole murkiness that you were talking about played out, and I guarantee, you know, as a teen, I too was like, that's me! Woo-hoo!
Lauren 3:04
Yeah. So emo.
Sarah 3:05
So emo original. But yeah. But even the premise of this episode of Dorothy saying -- at some point she goes, "You know, I just know I'm terribly upset, because I'm letting this get me terribly upset." And wow. That is, like, so relatable. Just like, you're -- you're tripping over your own emotions that you can't even describe and then you're upset because you're upset. It's just this constant ball of ridiculousness. And it's really hard, like you said, if you're not used to articulating them, or you can't actually say it out loud, because you feel like you need to have a definition of how you feel exactly, you just --you're in this whirlwind. And it's just, it's fascinating, because also Dorthy goes back and forth in this scenario, which I've been in this kind of scenario in my real life where you're just like, yeah, it's fine. No problem. That's not gonna hurt my feelings. Whatever. You go have fun. This is awesome. And then immediately after you're like, I regret this. Why do I feel shitty? Why won't this person, who I gave sort of explicit permission to do this thing, even though she checked with me, like, now I wish that she had just read me internally and not done that even though I told her she could. You know? I mean, it's so real.
Lauren 4:19
And not only told her that she could -- I think that the other thing that makes this episode so good and so layered is Blanche only goes out with Stan because Dorothy asks her to because he needs a friend. And Blanche I think, you know, like, I think it's hard, because you feel for Dorothy, but Blanche isn't doing anything wrong, in my opinion, like, pretty much the whole time until Dorothy like, obviously -- and she does the right thing once she realized Dorothy's upset, but she -- it doesn't occur to Blanche, because she's not doing anything wrong, that she should check with her. There's no romantic connection at all. There's no -- you know, she's just going out with him because they both happen to need a friend and it's -- it's really complicated, and like you said, like Dorothy doesn't -- she starts to articulate it and then she walks it back. And then she comes back again. And it's like, it's only a fraction, I think, of probably what's going on internally, which I feel is super relatable. And like, yeah, of course, we've all gotten mad at somebody for not reading our minds and then we get more mad, because they're still not getting it, you know, it's -- it's a blend.
Sarah 5:22
And then you get mad at yourself, because, you know that's an entirely ridiculous presumption by you.
Lauren 5:26
Exactly. Magenta!
Sarah 5:28
Exactly. It's very -- it's very real. And I just, you know, fuck. Bea Arthur should have won her Emmy for this, because this is, like, everything that she does in this episode, like you said, she represents, like, externally, all of the emotions that they eventually talk about that are compiled in magenta. But you know that internally there's so much more going on. You know, the whole supermarket scene she yo-yos back and forth a million times. And she gives the cold shoulder and she's sassy. And then she says she's fine. And then she's like, "No, I'm actually not fine." And you know, she's saying it in public and it's this whole hilarious scene, you know, with Le Sueur peas and everything. But -- but yeah, she does a great job representing just how all over the place it is, you know? "I'm either going to get ice cream or commit a felony. I'll decide in the car."
Lauren 6:18
Yeah, and it's so -- it's so illogical, because I think -- I'm not saying that she wouldn't have been upset if she and Jeffrey didn't break up, but she only really feels those feelings when she's already feeling bad about the Commodore, you know, and that relationship ending. Because he's being shipped off to some secret island, he dumped her.
Sarah 6:36
"So he dumped ya, huh?" "No, he can't have contact." "So he dumped you." "Yes"
Lauren 6:42
Yeah.
Sarah 6:42
And you're right! And it's -- I mean, that for me is super relatable too, where you're just like, you desire to have a partner, right? Or like someone in your corner and, you know, Stan represents the failed partnership, right? She goes, "How come every time I think I met Mr. Right, I'm wrong." And you know, so she's really feeling that lack and then she sees Blanche pairing off with her failed relationship. I mean, it's so -- it's very obvious that you're like, of course, I don't mind when I have this sexy Commodore man.
Lauren 7:12
Yeah, exactly.
Sarah 7:13
You know, the guy who knows how to tie her a lot of really neat knots. But yeah. But it's, to your point, that's when it really kind of hits home. Not to say that she didn't already feel complicated about it before, but she had a different distraction. So.
Lauren 7:27
She did and I think also, it makes it easier, I think, to feel bad for her, because of her approach to it in the beginning, which is to help Stan, right? Like, there is a -- I think this is also like, we sort of saw it last season, but this is really, I think, the beginning of them being friends after being divorced. And he shows up and he's, you know, he's super pathetic, because he lost the business and he doesn't have anywhere else to go. And you know, Sophia still meets him with that like, "Horse. Divorce. I could care less." You know, like, it's so -- she's still doesn't care, but Dorothy does and I think it is very big of her to be able to, you know, have compassion and want someone to help him. But also good for her for putting herself first and being like, "I'm not going to cancel my date with this guy because you're sad. But go out with my friend."
Sarah 8:18
Exactly, exactly. It's pretty funny and I also love the bartering scene, where Blanche, also rightly so is like, "You don't even like this guy and now I have to go out with him? This is a big ask for me, you know? He has the personality have a dial tone." And you know the whole borrowing of cashmere sweater. You know, she doesn't want the cologne. Well, also I have no idea what the difference is between Chanel Number Five perfume or cologne, but clearly perfume is the daintier of the two. But yeah. Just -- of course when the promise of sailors is there, you know, Blanche will be ready in two minutes, which is great.
Lauren 8:56
And I guess you don't, you know, show all your cards to begin with, but it's Blanche Devereaux. Why not just start there? Like, you know, that's gonna get her.
Sarah 9:01
Yes. I know. There also are -- we've talked about this a little bit too, I think, where it's talking about borrowing all of the different clothing items and other things. You're just like, why -- you know, like with the bowling episode, why couldn't Dorothy where those antique earrings, Sophia? Like, come on. And why can't Blanche just regularly wear your cashmere sweater? I feel like you guys are all friends.
Lauren 9:24
Yeah, and also -- I mean, we referenced this in the last episode I think, but Dorothy's iconic silk tuxedo look is so -- is, you know, that's a moment. And I love...
Sarah 9:35
That's it's debut!
Lauren 9:36
Yeah, yeah. I love when Blanche gets back from going out with Stan and Dorothy is running down everything that happened and, you know, she's just like, "Oh, he's so -- you had -- you had Indian food and it was $5 or whatever."
Sarah 9:49
Warm beer.
Lauren 9:50
Yeah. But also, Rose and Sophia are really the side -- the B story here, but Rose is so perfect. And she's like, "Oh, try me. I'll think about I had for dinner." And it's so good and I do want to talk a little bit about the "bacon, lettuce and potato."
Sarah 10:07
Oh yeah. Bacon, lettuce and potatoes. "It's not cute anymore."
Lauren 10:12
It's another, you know, get rich quick scheme, which I feel is actually better than the minks, but not much.
Sarah 10:20
Correct. Yeah. Which is funny, like, two get quick -- get rich quick schemes within three episodes, which is amazing, you know? We've already had, you know, what we scalped tickets. We had that, which was kind of like an opportunistic situation. But, but yeah. There's -- there's just -- there's too much going on in the show. It's really funny, but I wonder if that's supposed to be some sort of deeper commentary about the 80s gig economy.
Lauren 10:45
Maybe!
Sarah 10:46
You know, what they have to do to get extra dough.
Lauren 10:50
And the scam -- the, I mean, there's the Mama Celeste thing, but I think it's -- I think it's much later when Sophia wants to sell the water from their home.
Sarah 10:57
Yeah, exactly. But anyway. Let's talk about Johnny...
Lauren 11:03
Johnny No Thumbs. Right. So I also -- we talked about this I can't remember which episode. I guess it was the bowling one actually. But the Sophia/Rose pairing is a particularly funny, I think, partnership, because they're so -- I think they're both kind of not shallow at all, but they're both sort of -- Rose is so easily convinced and Sophia is really only ever focused on one thing, which is often making money. So I think that really works well. And in this one in particular, it's so funny because originally like Rose is like, "Oh, yeah. We're gonna make sandwiches and sell them on a construction site or whatever," which is crazy. But she never bows out even after there's no tomato. So they have to make bacon, lettuce and potato sandwiches, which is -- it's like, at no point is Rose like, "Hm. Maybe we shouldn't be doing this when there's a Mafia guy across the street." Like...
Sarah 11:57
I know. It's amazing. Also, are the potatoes cooked? Or is this just a slice of raw crunch?
Lauren 12:02
I don't know. It's the chip.
Sarah 12:04
Very confused. Yeah, exactly. I can see -- I can see some, you know, some cooked french fries right on there.
Lauren 12:10
Yeah, it's a New Jersey thing.
Sarah 12:12
Yeah! Exactly. Yes, exactly. It's like a grease trucker situation.
Lauren 12:15
"Johnny No Knees."
Sarah 12:17
"Johnny No Knees." Yeah, again, like, a Mafia connection. I love the Palermo. We have the dimension of a piano wire. Just everything about the scenario is amazing. And there is like, Dorothy's so wrapped up in her situation with Blanche, but there is one mention where she's like, "Do you think it's a really good idea to get involved with these Mafia guys?" Which, like, I'm sitting on the other side of my TV being like, yeah, I'm pretty sure, I think we should just bow out of this one.
Lauren 12:43
Yeah. But so, they're kind of doing that. So that's what they're preoccupied with most of the episode, but I think it all kind of comes together when Dorothy -- after Dorothy and Jeffrey break up. And Rose has another one of these, like -- it's --- she does this a lot with things that aren't St. Olaf, which I feel like I didn't really realize before, but she goes off on a tangent about how like, "The minute I heard you were dating a sailor, it'd be nothing but heartbreak." And it's a super long monologue about what sailors do and there's another mention of the Orient, which is nice, right?
Sarah 13:18
"They'll show you some tricks they learned in the Orient." I was like, god damn. That's fucked up.
Lauren 13:22
Yeah! But the monologue is so good. And Betty White is so great, because it's really long. I think it's very hard to, like -- and you can kind of tell she's a little, like, out of breath at the end of it. But it is so...
Sarah 13:32
Yeah, she's -- she does. She does it in, like, one breath.
Lauren 13:34
Yeah. It's wonderful. And then she goes, "The Vikings where seafaring people." Like, it's so great. It's such a good scene.
Sarah 13:40
I know! Because it actually could be -- like you said, it's a little different from her usual St. Olaf stories and it's sort of like, why do you know this? Why are you going off about this? It's kind of similar to her fantasy about, like, you know, being locked up and having to escape from prison with a dessert spoon last episode. But, but yeah. But I love that they anchor it being like, "The Vikings! Duh!"
Lauren 14:03
Yeah. "You don't get it!"
Sarah 14:05
"You don't get it? Of course, I know about this"
Lauren 14:06
And another running theme in the show that is actually kind of a bummer and I think like, you know, we talk a lot about how feminist this show is, and it definitely is, but I think there is this -- and it always gets disapproved, so I guess it actually is pretty feminist-y when you look at it that way, but there's a lot of instances of the girls and Dorothy in particular, not believing Blanche when she says something about a man. So there's the, you know, the thing with Elliot, but then later we're gonna see Gil Kessler. Like, there's a lot of that where they're like, Blanche, he must have done it.
Sarah 14:07
That's just the theme.
Lauren 14:42
Yeah.
Sarah 14:43
And honestly, but what's funny -- it's funny that you said that, because there is the scene where Blanche comes in after her first date with Stan and it's, you know, it's super early in the morning, right? Because it's, like, 5:30? Is that the one? Or is that the second date? I complete -- no, no, the second date. Because that's when it really sets things off, because she comes home late, where she's bewildered by why Stan, you know, was ever in Dorothy's life. But the second time she comes in, and they're like, "Blanche, it's the morning!" And she goes, "So it is," in this flirtatious way. Which like, again, that's her personality and it's -- it's such a complicated thing, because you're like, okay. And this is, you know, this is why the show is so relatable. This is the same kind of gray area, where it's like, okay, you have this flirtatious woman and she says these things, and it makes -- it's insinuating that something happened, but then she goes around and says that it's not, you know. So it's like, I get the confusing signals. And it's very -- but it's also like, at the same time, like you said, from a friend when she's actually being serious and not being her silly, flirtatious self, that's like, you know, that's where you really need to trust your friend, but -- and that's where the issues come up. But it is interesting that they play off that way and I wondered why they inserted that line, because it does make you as the viewer also question like, what happened? And, you know, she's sort of just playing with it there. It's just -- it's very interesting. I just picked up on that this time, especially so. Because as Dorothy you're just like, what the fuck am I supposed to believe? What's going on, you know? But yeah. Doesn't excuse it at all, but it's also just interesting of, again, processing the murky emotions, where of course Dorothy goes into, "You must have slept with him!" You know, like, "Why were you out all night?" It's pretty -- it's pretty wild.
Lauren 16:29
And then she does that -- it seems, you know, I think it's -- it's -- it's billed as a crazy thing where she goes to the hotel room, and it's definitely over the top, but I think, you know, if you've ever been overcome by emotions, you've probably done something that seemed totally illogical and, you know, crazy to anyone else at the time. And I think even when, I guess, in my experience when I'm doing that thing, you know, like, not exactly going to a hotel room, but whenever I'm doing something when I know it's -- it's crazy, I still I'm just like, but I have to do it. Like, I have to get a peace of mind. And I think that that's what she does so well. And that scene -- that scene is a little wacky, but like, the emotion that she has, the magenta feeling that she has, I think is -- it really comes through.
Sarah 17:18
Yeah, absolutely. And then just to liven it up, obviously, it's just some dumb girl, but the laugh that she does is priceless. It just takes that scene and just makes you have that levity. Just like, taking a deep breath at the end of it.
Lauren 17:30
And you know, it kind of also, like, it -- it makes sense that Stan wouldn't sleep with Blanche, because obviously like he's a yes and he's whatever, but he at least right now in the past few times we've seen him, he doesn't seem like he would -- even he would do that and we -- we have come to know that Blanche wouldn't, right? Like so, that doesn't super make sense for the two of them and also he only sleeps with younger women. Like, there's so many things that -- that make it seem like...
Sarah 17:50
That don't add up.
Lauren 17:59
Yeah!
Sarah 17:59
Exactly, exactly.
Lauren 18:01
"Suzanne Summer's on The Tonight Show." So good.
Sarah 18:05
I know, speaking of blast from the past references, like last episode. But yeah. I think you're right that, like, even -- even Stan or at least the Stan that we know him now as, even if Blanche was game, which of course she's not, I really think that he would be complicated about it as well. So. But of course Dorothy doesn't know that, and she, you know, she's just -- she's swimming in this emotion, like we said, and she went out, maybe she was gonna get ice cream, but she ended up in this hotel in her pajamas. And I just -- I love that scene, but obviously when she comes home, and you know, Blanche and -- I'm sorry, Rose and Sophia are, you know, talking about their flower arrangements that they kept from -- from, you know, the threat of the Mafia of Uncle Vito in Palermo, but, which also is just so hilarious and ridiculous I know, but what a good -- what a good anchor, Dorothy asks where Blanche is, you know, and she sort of touches Rose's shoulder in this loving way that really just says like, I'm okay now and I'm gonna go apologize to her and I'm gonna go talk this out with her. You know? It's the same idea of the B-story, like, they're worried, especially Rose, you know, where she's talk -- when she's talking to Sophia in her "picture this" story about -- about Ellis Island and Spillsbury, Massachusetts. You know, she's that -- that is the moment where they actually act concerned, because again, as we see on the show, when roommates are fighting, it's not an easy thing to live in that situation, particularly when they're both your friends and you want them to, you know, fix things up. So, I just love that little touch on Rose's shoulders of Dorothy being like, I've cooled off. I've blown off my steam. Like, I still am confused about my emotions, but I'm going to apologize to my friend and make it right. And just in that one touch! It's just, like, it's such a lovely, lovely moment that says so much with no words.
Lauren 19:52
Yeah, there's a -- there's a lot of that, I think, which is using a physical -- like, a physical gesture to indicate affection, you know, in a friendship-y way. And I think also when Dorothy goes to apologize to Blanche, Blanche is very -- I think it is indicative of Blanche understanding Dorothy, even though Dorothy can't say it, like, you know, there's that -- that scene in the supermarket that's like, she's okay, she's not okay, whatever. And then Blanche, you know, Blanche is the one who delivers the magenta speech and she's not the one who's having those feelings in this instance, right? Like, she's just recognizing it in her friend and I think -- I think we talked about this in "Job Hunting," where I said that, like, we said that we'd wished that they would have trusted the audience a little bit more to understand the friendship, and I think in this one, they do. Blanche totally gets why Dorothy's upset. She decides, like, on her own that she's not gonna see him anymore, and then she has this really emotional conversation with her where she's, like, you know, it's okay, it's fine. And even though she was sort of the one who was wrong in this, she totally just is there for her friend. And that's, like, the whole theme of this show is, you know, friends are the best!
Sarah 21:04
Right! And, like, she has that line where she goes, "No way to really explain it, but fortunately between friends, you don't have to." And I know, right? It's just so perfect. But yeah. This -- this episode means a lot personally to me. It's very, very translatable to a lot of situations that I've been in. But not -- not chasing a friend's ex-husband or anything but, you know, or -- or being caught up in the Mafia with bacon, lettuce and potato. But also going back to a more light-hearted sort of gesture, or with a look rather that says a volume even delivered during a line, when Stan is so depressed at the beginning of the episode, he just goes, "I lost it, Dorothy." She just goes, "You never had it, Stan."
Lauren 21:52
So good.
Sarah 21:53
But looks to the side in this, like, only Bea Arthur could do this in this way. Like, that line is very funny on paper, but the way that she combines the looking and this exasperation of, like, what -- what are you even upset about? Like, give me a break, you know? She just she makes it so much better than it even could ever be living on a page. I love that so much.
Lauren 22:16
Yeah, that's so true. And there's the line where he's "one chromosome away from being a potato," which is of course foreshadowing to the Zbornee! Like, we have a lot to come.
Sarah 22:29
Exactly. The -- it's very, very dark when Rose -- when they're talking about grief counseling, which by the way, she's back to grief counseling at this moment.
Lauren 22:39
No explanation.
Sarah 22:40
Yeah, well, she didn't get that hospital administrator job, so what are you gonna do? But, she says that she set the highest suicide rate in the office. Like, it's so dark, but still really funny the way that Betty White delivers it. Like, she's clearly upset by it, but you could delve into that really intensely, but they just let it blow by, and it's actually really funny in a fucked up way. And also Sophia's, "I hurt my back! I'm paralyzed!"
Lauren 23:07
"Oh, it's you."
Sarah 23:09
Speaking of getting rich quick schemes, like, what litigious America of just an old lady getting slammed in the supermarket. It's just fantastic. Also, there's a funny story, speaking of old ladies, of my Great Aunt going through the supermarket and accidentally bumping into this old codger, you know, like, some crabby old dude, that's just kind of a menace in society of the little Bayonne, New Jersey life that they had, and everybody knew him as kind of being a bastard. She bumps into him by accident with the carriage, you know, and he starts doing this whole kind of like a Sophia thing like, "Oh my god! It hurt me!" And all this other stuff and she -- because she hit him in the ass and she just goes, "Knock it off. It's the best thing to happen to you all day." And then just keeps going and gets complimented by some lady in the next aisle being like, "Thank God you said that! He's such an ass!" Or something awesome. It just reminded me of that scene. So perfect. And also my -- probably my favorite Sophia line in this entire one, where again, it just blows through in the middle of other jokes and dialogue, she just says, "Oh, I thought you were Blanche," when Dorothy's coming in looking for Blanche she goes, "Once I thought I was Bess Truman, but then they switched me to 20 milligrams a day." It's, like, the medication jokes, you know, are throughout this entire series and it's a perfect touch for, you know, the age that the ladies are at, as well as Sophia being, like, managed by medicine and medication. But, it just -- it falls in there perfectly. It is instantly forgotten about, until you watch it and you're like, oh my God. It almost happens too fast for me to even pre-laugh in that situation.
Lauren 24:50
Yeah, I mean, it's just another -- you know, the underlying thing in every single episode, even though there's these big plot lines that demand your attention, is these girls are still old. Like, they're still -- you're still gonna deal with disputes between friends and weird romantic feelings and exes and things like that in your 50s, 60s, 70s, and that by itself is unique. And I think what, you know, why this show is so loved.
Sarah 25:21
Exactly. And you're also going to deal with having to balance your medications.
Lauren 25:24
Exactly, yeah.
Sarah 25:26
All -- everything that comes with it. So awesome. Well, I love this episode. 'Take him, He's mine.' Perfect. Are we ready to wrap up?
Lauren 25:34
I think so!
Sarah 25:35
Awesome. Well, next time please join us. We're gonna discuss saving trees, but killing people.
Lauren 25:40
RIP Freida Claxton!
Sarah 25:44
Goodbye.
FIN