How to watch

Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia shared a Miami home, a lot of cheesecake and some of the sharpest one-liners in sitcom history. The Golden Girls ran for seven seasons and connected to Empty Nest, about a widowed pediatrician living next door, and Nurses, set at the same hospital. After the original finale, three of the ladies returned in The Golden Palace.

🕐 Release Order

Release order captures the way these shows overlapped on NBC and CBS in the late '80s and early '90s.

1. The Golden Girls (1985)
2. Empty Nest (1988)
3. Nurses (1991)
4. The Golden Palace (1992)

Because the shows aired at the same time, characters crossed over several times, and Empty Nest even began as a backdoor pilot episode of The Golden Girls.

📖 Story Chronology

For story order, start with The Golden Girls and the 1987 episode "Empty Nests", then follow the spin-offs as they branch out, ending with The Golden Palace picking up after Dorothy's wedding.

1. The Golden Girls Seasons 1-2 (1985)
2. The Golden Girls: "Empty Nests" (1987)
3. The Golden Girls Seasons 3-7 (1987)
4. Empty Nest (1988)
5. Nurses (1991)
6. The Golden Palace (1992)

Which Order Should You Choose?

If you are here for Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia, just watch The Golden Girls from start to finish and follow it with The Golden Palace. If you want the whole shared universe, watch Empty Nest and Nurses alongside, using the crossover episodes as signposts. Either way, the original series is the heart of the franchise and still holds up beautifully.

🔗 Related Guides

• Cheers Watch OrderGuide
• Frasier Watch OrderGuide
• All in the Family Watch OrderGuide

Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!