Tread Perilously is a podcast in which hosts Erik Amaya and author Justin Robinson watch the “worst” episodes of popular TV shows, attempting to determine if they would continue to watch the series based on the most off-key moments.

This Week: The Golden Girls‘ “Empty Nests”

Tread Perilously begins a month of backdoor pilots with The Golden Girls episode “Empty Nests” — the first attempt to launch Empty Nest.

When Renee, the girls’ neighbor, begins to lean on them more and more after her daughter moves away to college, Rose suggests she has empty nest syndrome and Dorothy suggests Renee should tell her husband, George, that she’s lonely. Back at their house, we discover George is a particularly busy general practitioner and Renee has a brother with Dissociative Identity Disorder. We also learn they have a pesky neighbor named Oliver who is too obnoxious to live. But will it all spell a series we want to watch?

Erik and Justin note a certain “first draft” element to the writing. They also agree on the film, Go. Justin takes a strong stance on backdoor pilots. Erik offers a hot take on Cowboy Bebop. The pair stump for Cobb Vanth yet again. Rita Moreno continues to be a show all-star while David Leisure proves to be the opposite. Erik’s attempt at a Robert Redford impression ends up decidedly Shatnerian. Favorite Golden Girls lines are referenced. Bea Arthur’s neutral expression provides some much-needed laughs. Erik tries to recall the actual Empty Nest and blames Odoacer for the disappearance of the pixie cut.

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