Every Spin-Off Of NBC's Golden Girls, Ranked

NBC

After an amazing seven-season run between 1985 and 1992 on NBC, "The Golden Girls" is still revered today as one of the best sitcoms of all time. The award-winning series created by Susan Harris about four older women who live together and navigate life's ups and downs together has it all: A memorable cast of characters played by beloved performers, stellar writing that stands the test of time in terms of relatability and hilarity, and a catchy theme song that will live rent-free in your head after the first listen. And even after almost 35 years since the end of the landmark sitcom, viewers are still talking about the antics of Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur), Rose Nylund (Betty White), and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty).

Before the younger generations found it in reruns or through streaming, the series received much acclaim while it was still on the air. Naturally, the network wanted to capitalize on this popularity, so talks of a "Golden Girls" spin-off materialized as early as 1987. Long before the days of the Marvel or DC superheroes' interconnected stories on the big and small screens, these discussions resulted in three new shows that were set in the same shared universe to give the audience a wider look at the world around our favorite cheesecake-loving gals.

While none of these shows may have found the same success or longevity as the flagship show, diehard fans may still find it fun to dip their toes into these companion shows. And to help steer you in the right direction, we're going to rank every spin-off of "The Golden Girls."

NBC

Technically a spin-off of a spin-off, "Nurses" is still a constellation in the galaxy of "The Golden Girls." Paving the way for more modern medical sitcoms like "Scrubs" and "St. Dennis Medical," this series that aired from 1991 to 1994 followed a group of nurses who work at the Community Medical Center in Miami, which is the same hospital that employs Dr. Harry Weston of "Empty Nest." It was originally meant to be a vehicle for stand-up comedian Stephanie Hodge, who played the sarcastic Nurse Sandy Miller. However, after focus shifted more toward the rest of the ensemble cast, Hodge left after two seasons. "WKRP in Cincinnati" star Loni Anderson then joined the cast as hospital administrator Casey McAfee to fill the void in what would be the show's third and final season.

While "Nurses" may have been the second-longest running "Golden Girls" spin-off, it's the one that's mostly been lost to the sands of time. Hodge, Anderson, and Jeff Altman would go on to become better known for other projects. The show also isn't available on any streaming services or currently airing reruns. But if you want to be a franchise completist (or simply want to catch the guest appearances from Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty as they reprise their beloved roles), there are some low-quality episodes uploaded on YouTube.

CBS

After Bea Arthur decided to leave "The Golden Girls," the series came to an end with Dorothy marrying Blanche's Uncle Lucas (played by the incomparable Leslie Nielsen) and moving to Atlanta with him. Though she was supposed to move with her daughter, Sophia decided to stay in Miami with her remaining housemates — and that's where "The Golden Palace" picks up.

The sequel series stars Betty White, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty as their beloved characters embark on the new adventure (being business owners) on a new network (CBS). They sell their house and invest in an old hotel called the Golden Palace. However, after the girls finalize the purchase, they learn that only two employees remain on the staff. Along with hotel manager Roland Wilson (played by the now-renowned Don Cheadle), his foster child Oliver (Billy L. Sullivan), and chef Chuy Castillos (played by legendary comedian Cheech Marin), the trio of Rose, Blanche, and Sophia have to do their best to keep the hotel running.

While celebrity guests like Barry Bostwick, Ricardo Montalbán, and George Burns would pop into the hotel here and there, it was always great to see a familiar face from the original series like Debra Engle as Rebecca Devereaux, Herb Edelman as Stan Zbornak, and Harold Gould as Miles Webber. And of course, Arthur returned for a two-part episode as Dorothy came to visit Miami and check on her mother. However, despite the best efforts of the cast and crew (which included "Arrested Development" creator Mitch Hurwitz), "The Golden Palace" never really found its groove. The series ended in 1993 after one 24-episode season, but it is streaming on Hulu alongside "The Golden Girls."

NBC

Topping our list of "Golden Girls" spin-offs is "Empty Nest," which focuses on the neighbors of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia. When the backdoor pilot aired as part of the original show's second season, the episode showed George and Renee Corliss (played by Paul Dooley and Rita Moreno) as they suffered from empty nest syndrome once their kids move out of the house. However, the episode was not well-received. When the sitcom premiered in 1988, it touted a new premise that followed Richard Mulligan as pediatrician Dr. Harry Weston, who is recently widowed and learning to live on his own (with an adorable dog named Dreyfus) since his daughters are already all grown up and out of the house.

Throughout the show's seven-season run from 1988 to 1995, there was plenty of crossover with "The Golden Girls." Dr. Weston, Dreyfus, and Kristy McNichol's Barbara made some memorable appearances in the main show, while all four leads from the flagship series popped up to visit their neighbors every once in a while. In fact, after McNichol left "Empty Nest" during the fifth season and her replacement Lisa Rieffel (who played the youngest Weston daughter and college student Emily) was written out of the show ahead of the sixth season, Estelle Getty's Sophia moved back to the neighborhood (after the cancellation of "The Golden Palace") and became a fixture of the sitcom for its finale two seasons.

Despite the series lasting as long as its predecessor and winning an Emmy and a Golden Globe, "Empty Nest" has turned into a hit 1980s show that nobody talks about today. But if you want to revisit the Westons, the show has been uploaded to YouTube.