11 Captivating Fan Theories About 'The Golden Girls'

At first glance, an ’80s sitcom featuring four elderly women sharing a home in Miami might not appear to inspire the kind of fan theories that contemporary series often generate. Yet, a dedicated group of The Golden Girls enthusiasts has come up with some truly unconventional ideas about Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia’s lives.

Dive into these 11 intriguing The Golden Girls fan theories, perfect for contemplating over a slice of cheesecake on the lanai.

1. The ladies were involved in a secret crime organization.

Noting that The Golden Girls premiered just a year after Miami Vice—amid the height of the crack cocaine crisis—writer Michael Harriot suggests the women were part of a criminal organization, specifically trafficking “Colombian nose candy.” Harriot points to clues in the characters’ personalities and skills, as well as suspicions about relatives like Blanche’s father, Big Daddy, who often wore a white suit. (“His name was literally ‘Big Daddy!,’" Harriot noted. "That’s a pimp’s name if I’ve ever heard one.”)

2. The Golden Girls exists within a multiverse.

Binge-watching a series originally designed for weekly TV reveals numerous inconsistencies in The Golden Girls' storylines. Why do Rose and Blanche’s number of children vary between episodes? Did Rose attend college, or did she not even finish high school? Why do they host reunions and funerals in Miami for individuals who never resided there? And, crucially, when exactly did Sophia’s mother pass away?

Rather than struggling to make sense of these contradictions, the multiverse theory, suggested on Reddit, proposes that the characters inhabit multiple parallel realities that shift with each episode. This would explain how Rose could be allergic to cats yet also be evicted for owning one named Mr. Peepers.

3. Rose is secretly a killer.

Despite her kind-hearted demeanor and innocent charm, Betty White's Rose Nylund might not be as harmless as she seems. Evidence suggests Rose was linked to at least three deaths in the series. Her husband Charlie, a boyfriend named Al Beatty, and a neighbor named Frieda Claxton all died under mysterious circumstances—officially from heart attacks. But what if Rose possessed a hidden lethal ability? Perhaps she grew tired of Charlie’s low income, discovered Al’s infidelity, or simply couldn’t tolerate Mrs. Claxton’s abrasive personality. As Tiffany Luckey from Another TV Blog points out, never underestimate the quiet ones.

4. Dorothy and Stan secretly had a third child.

This theory ties into the multiverse concept but offers a plausible explanation for the show’s inconsistent timeline. Dorothy and her ex-husband Stan were married for 38 years before the series began, following a teenage pregnancy. Yet, only two of their children, Kate and Michael, are shown, both seemingly under 30. So, what became of the child who prompted their rushed marriage? Were they given up for adoption, estranged, or did they pass away? Sophia mentions someone who still calls her Grandma and costs her $10 every Christmas, but she never specifies who it is. Whatever the fate of their third child, one can only hope they inherited Dorothy’s traits rather than Stan’s.

5. The theme song is performed at Sophia’s funeral.

Sophia, the oldest of The Golden Girls, has faced numerous brushes with death throughout the series, having endured war, illness, and even two seasons of Designing Women. But what if Sophia was already deceased when the show began? A fan theory suggests that “Thank You For Being a Friend,” the cheerful theme song celebrating friendship, might actually be a funeral tribute to Sophia. Rose, who once overcame her fear of public speaking to deliver a eulogy, could be the one singing it. This idea challenges the show’s timeline, blurs the line between reality and fiction, and leaves viewers questioning what is truly real.

6. The series revolves around women experiencing different stages of dementia.

This theory—proposed by scholar Steven Thrasher, author of The Real Mud on The Golden Girls—argues that the show’s numerous continuity errors are evidence that the four women are experiencing different stages of dementia. This would clarify inconsistencies in their memories, such as Rose misremembering her parents’ last name, the unclear circumstances of Dorothy’s pregnancy with Stan, or the varying accounts of Sophia’s romantic escapades. It aligns with the show’s focus on aging and the challenges that come with it, adding a layer of poignancy to the humor.

7. Dorothy is actually male.

This Reddit theory, described more as a childhood misunderstanding than a formal fan theory, is supported by numerous jokes from Blanche, Rose, and Sophia about Dorothy’s “mannish” traits. Some speculate that Bea Arthur left the show due to discomfort with the constant remarks about her less traditionally feminine appearance. Scholar Kate Browne observes that Dorothy’s mannerisms, speech, and style often lean toward a more masculine identity, contributing to the show’s “queering.” However, Dorothy’s appearance doesn’t inherently define her as queer or trans, nor should it justify ridicule from friends or family—or anyone else.

8. Dorothy’s daughter experienced a miscarriage that remains unspoken, explaining the absence of her grandson.

In the contentious “blackface” episode Mixed Blessings, Dorothy’s 23-year-old son Michael becomes engaged to Lorraine, a 44-year-old woman. At the episode’s conclusion, as they elope, Lorraine announces her pregnancy, sparking a debate between the future grandmothers over whether the baby should be named “Roger” or “Lamar.” However, in a later episode, All That Jazz, Michael arrives at Dorothy’s home, revealing his wife has kicked him out—yet no one mentions the baby. Given Lorraine’s age, it’s plausible that a miscarriage occurred off-screen. Otherwise, it’s surprising no one inquired about the child’s whereabouts while helping Michael secure a saxophone gig at the Hacienda Hut.

9. Rose unknowingly dated her ex-boyfriend’s brother, who also had a relationship with Blanche, yet neither woman realized the connection.

Just as the timeline for Dorothy and Stan’s first child doesn’t align, no one ever points out the striking resemblance between Miles Webber, Rose’s boyfriend from season 5 onward, and Arnie Peterson, the man she dated briefly in season 1 after her husband Charlie’s passing. While both characters were played by Harold Gould, there’s a theory that explains their similarity beyond shared casting.

In the episode "Rose the Prude," Blanche convinces Rose to double-date with her, pairing Rose with Arnie, Geoffrey’s brother. Rose hesitates but ends up enjoying her time with Arnie, while Blanche’s date falls flat. Later, when Rose meets Miles, some fans speculate he’s actually Geoffrey, Arnie’s brother and Blanche’s former date. The reason neither recognizes him is due to the passage of time and Miles’ involvement in the witness protection program, which explains his altered identity and unfamiliar backstory.

10. Blanche’s late husband George has an unexplained link to Sonny Bono.

Sonny Bono, the entertainer-turned-politician and Cher’s ex-husband, plays a significant role in two The Golden Girls episodes tied to Blanche’s husband George. In "An Illegitimate Concern," Dorothy and Sophia impersonate Sonny and Cher for a talent show, while Blanche grapples with George’s infidelity after discovering his illegitimate son, David.

Later, in "Mrs. George Devereaux," Bono appears as a devoted admirer of Dorothy, while Blanche deals with the revelation that George faked his death. Was George simply a Sonny Bono enthusiast, or is there a deeper connection between the Palm Springs mayor and Blanche’s late husband? Whatever the case, Sonny seems to appear whenever George’s drama resurfaces—both in reality and in Blanche’s dreams.

11. Ross and Monica Geller from Friends might be Sophia’s grandchildren.

Friends and The Golden Girls share several similarities. Both theme songs, “I’ll Be There For You” and “Thank You For Being a Friend,” celebrate friendship, and the shows were designed by the same production designer, John Shaffner, who created Blanche’s tropical bedroom and Monica’s iconic purple apartment. In the Friends episode "The One with the Flashback," Monica (Courteney Cox) reveals that her spacious apartment, which would be unaffordable for a chef, belongs to her 87-year-old grandmother, who moved to Florida. While Sophia isn’t the only elderly New Yorker to relocate to Florida, it’s intriguing to imagine Sophia passing down her rent-controlled apartment to Monica before her stroke and move to Shady Pines.