Overview

• Marking its Sept. 14, 1985 debut, the Emmy‑winning sitcom ran seven seasons, premiered at No. 1 and drew about 21 to 21.5 million households.
• Writers and producers highlight boundary‑pushing humor, with season‑one writer Stan Zimmerman noting jokes that slipped past censors once the show became a hit.
• Recent panels revisited long‑rumored tension between Betty White and Bea Arthur, with a co‑producer alleging Arthur used a slur for White, a claim others dispute or say they never heard.
• The series centered older women and tackled topics like HIV, homelessness and aging, with writers consulting experts for sensitive storylines.
• Casting lore remains central to its legacy, including Betty White and Rue McClanahan swapping roles, Estelle Getty’s promotion to series regular and the pilot’s dropped houseboy character, Coco.