In an earlier episode, the "Golden Girls" introduced us to Blanche's sister Virginia (Sheree North) who needed Blanche for one reason. Here, we get to meet Dorothy's very rich younger sister, Gloria (soap veteran Doris Belack) who has decided that she needs mother Sophia for herself. Belack, a quite different look than Dena Dietrich who replaced her for the two part hurricane episode later on, is quite funny, and she has great chemistry with both Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty. It's ironic that right after Jeanette Nolan appeared as Rose's mother that both Blanche and Rose became rivals to play Nolan's film role of "Lady MacBeth" in a local production, and how jealous Blanche reacts to Rose's good fortune.
But this is the Petrillo family story, a combination of sister rivalry (not as heated as Blanche and Virginia) and Sophia's desire to be wanted by both of her children, and well written. There are many good lines for all three characters, and while I like Dietrich later on, I would have preferred that Belack been made a recurring character because she is different enough from Dorothy in looks (and closer to what Sophia would look like in her younger guise) yet equally feisty and commanding, although honest in the confessions she makes to Dorothy later in the episode.
But this is the Petrillo family story, a combination of sister rivalry (not as heated as Blanche and Virginia) and Sophia's desire to be wanted by both of her children, and well written. There are many good lines for all three characters, and while I like Dietrich later on, I would have preferred that Belack been made a recurring character because she is different enough from Dorothy in looks (and closer to what Sophia would look like in her younger guise) yet equally feisty and commanding, although honest in the confessions she makes to Dorothy later in the episode.