Golden Girls Live Forever

With the recent passing of Rue McClanahan, fans of the legendary '80s sitcom, "The Golden Girls," have come to the realization that Betty White is the last surviving cast member. And, without a doubt, White is at the peak of her career... and she's nearing 90 years of age! With her scene-stealing role in last year's "The Proposal," her recent, highly-rated guest host appearance on Saturday Night Live, and hilarious appearances on awards shows, White is creating buzz and goodwill wherever she appears.

But, with the deaths of Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty and McClanahan in the past few years, it's particularly bittersweet that White is experiencing this kind of unbelievable success - without her former co-stars. For us fans, she is the only living Golden Girl.

Unlike many sitcoms from the '80s, Golden Girls still holds up. The raucous laughs we enjoyed during its initial run still retain their ability to hit the funny bone. The combination of the strong writing, the actors' clear understanding of their characters, and best of all, the magical chemistry between the actors, have assured that Golden Girls remains a popular staple in re-runs.

Watching Golden Girls in re-runs has always been a joy. But, lately, it's been bittersweet considering most of the cast is deceased. Even though the show was marketed as a series about women in their retirement years, the girls always seemed so youthful and the idea of them growing "old" never seemed possible. But knowing that most of the actresses are gone, it's sometimes hard to watch the show the same way. I think the more popular-than-ever White could attribute her resurgence in fame to the fact that people simply want her to never leave because she IS so funny and charming. The cast of Golden Girls brought a style of comedy to television that will never be seen again; many of us lament that that type of comedy is gone.

But we should be thankful that the Golden Girls continue to be popular in re-runs and DVD sales. They truly are golden and will live forever.