The Golden Girls (TV Series) Ebbtide's Revenge (1990) User Reviews

Ebbtide's Revenge (#6.12)

[ComedyFan2010 · 8/10 · 20 February 2014]

Sophia's son and Dorothy's brother Phil dies from a heart attack. They go to the funeral where we also find out that Phil loved to wear dresses. Sophia and his wife Angela don't get along, Sophia has some issues with her and when they get home they try to figure out what it was.

Another good episode. They manage to make a funeral episode have some lighter moments, such as when the priest sees that feel is wearing a dress. But it stays emotional, whether it is when Dorothy is making the eulogy or when at the end Sophia tells how she was worried about his dressing and what she may have done. But Angela says that he was a good man and we see a great moment that brings tears to one's eyes

If a man's going to wear a teddy, it better be a masculine teddy.

[mark.waltz · 8/10 · 23 March 2021]

There's a major inconsistency in this episode concerning the funeral of Sophia's only son Phil, a man who enjoyed dressing up in women's clothing but otherwise was heterosexual. Sophia's mentioned him and his wife throughout the series so there was no reason to think that Sophia hadn't been there. In fact, in one early episode, she had gone back to New York City to attend one of their children's high school graduation. Daughter-in-law Angela had a different profession, working as a welder, and now she's a makeup designer at Macy's. For some reason, Phil is being buried in Miami so his family and friends (none of the children or his sister Gloria present, not to mention Uncle Angelo or Aunt Angela) come down there. Brenda Vaccaro is heartfelt as his wife, perplexed by the fact that her mother-in-law hates her. They barely speak until Sophia breaks down and reveals why, and it is here that the episode becomes touching because Sophia starts to blame herself for how her son turned out, not realizing that he was still a good man in spite of his need to crossdress. This episode is both sentimental and funny, and makes a very good point over its discussion that a person should be judged by who they were in their heart than by earthly judgments. It's one to have a Kleenex ready for the ending that shows Sophia at her most sentimentally motherly.

Mourning an Invisible Character

[trosevear · 8/10 · 14 June 2022]

The problem I have always had with this episode is that Phil was only ever talked about in a few brief instances here and there before this episode, but never actually shown as a real character, so why devote an entire episode to mourning a character that never really existed to the audience? It just seems a little much especially since this episode was one of the rare ones that didn't really have a B story. But, the preacher was the redeeming thing about this episode, from believing he was on a hidden camera TV show to hilariously asking if Dorothy was indeed a girl.

Timely Episode

[peterDM-30380 · 10/10 · 9 February 2021]

The Golden Girls never shied away from controversial topics, and this is one of the greatest examples of how they indirectly addressed loss at a time when so many gay men were dying of AIDS. The victim's loved ones were not only left with grief from their loss but feeling a sense of shame because of their loved ones' sexualities and how they died during a time when the weight of homophobia was very real. Sophia comes to terms with her son's alternative lifestyle, realizes his instincts were not because of his upbringing, and that he was a good man worthy of love. I hope this episode provided some clarity and comfort for parents who lost their children at that terrible time.

My Baby is Gone

[reb-warrior · 10/10 · 13 January 2024]

Touching episodes where Sopha lets go of her shame about Phil's cross-dressing and realizes it was ok to love him. It may be hard for some to understand Sophia's view of Phil, but she was from an older generation that followed a traditional culture.

We learn she felt shame about Phil's cross-dressing and wondered what she had done to make him that way. She blamed his wife for not fixing him. The fact is, he was just different, but he was a good man, husband, and father.

Estelle Getty did an amazing job showing her grief for her son at the end. It seemed so believable and such a real moment. I love that Rose was the one who used her skills as a grief counsellor, not to mention a St Olaf's story to finally get Sophia to open up. Blanche and Dorothy are visibly shaken as they watch Sophia break down and finally cry. Great job by all the actresses.

The episodes was still hilarious at times, yet they had this touching sad ending. We finally learned a little bit more about this never-seen enigmatic character of Phil, who was mentioned many times throughout the series, usually laced with humour. It's an episode about acceptance and love.10/10.