The Golden Girls (TV Series) Charlie's Buddy (1987) User Reviews

Fashion sense

[ziklag1990 · 7/10 · 14 April 2016]

Pretty good episode, but what sticks out for me is Dorothy and Blanche accidentally buying that same dress, and (considering the fact that Blanche IS the prettier and generally more attractive one) how much better the dress looks on Dorothy. Blanche is too short for it, and looks like a pumpkin way past picking time. Kind of amazing she couldn't see that; and that she didn't return it immediately and find another one.

Other than that, again, pretty good episode. Not their best, and and I kind of found the Rose/Charlie's supposed old friend plot line kind of yucky. Maybe because of the actor playing the buddy. It was hard to look at anything but his eyebrows, and when I finally managed to things got worse.

Rose's age

[LaverneandShirleysucks · 7/10 · 26 February 2022]

Buddy claims he knew Rose's husband Charlie during WW2 when he would write her letters during the war. Back in the first season Rose mentioned that she was 55 years old, so she'd be only 57 by this episode.

Buddy mentions at the beginning of the episode that it's been "43 years", but 57 minus 43 would make Rose only 14 at the time and a bit too young to be dating someone in the army and much too young to be married to him.

She's have to be at least 60 by this point for the dates to have accuracy.

Charlie's Buddy (#3.12)

[ComedyFan2010 · 6/10 · 18 January 2014]

One day a man comes over to see Rose and tells her that he was a friend of Charlie in the army. They spend time together and he tells her that he fell in love with her from the letters she wrote to Charlie. He asks her to go live with him. But Dorothy finds out that he never was with Charlie, he just worked in the institution with army records and this is all a fraud. But before she can tell Rose, she declines going to Boston with him and gives him Charlie's watch which he doesn't accept.

A sweet episode. I was nice to see Buddy not to Take Charlie's watch from Rose. Her kindness must have touched him. Not very realistic but nice.

And the final message was good as well. If the lie doesn't do any harm but just lets the person have the pleasure, no need to tell them the truth. Of course many situations aren't like this one, but in this case it did fit.

Dorothy's dress.

[jejjd-04275 · 6 February 2021]

How would I find who made the coral, long sleeve dress that Blanche and Dorothy bought? I as well agree with another reviewer that the dress is a much better look on Dorothy!

Moving and funny, sweet episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 8 May 2023]

Rose is elated when an old army friend of her husband's, Buddy Rourke arrives at the front door, the pair spend some time together, and he asks Rose to move in with him.

Great episode, it's nice to see a personal story for Rose, she's so often the funny one, the fall guy, but here we see the emotional side of her character,

'Pick up one for Rose, you could go as The Pointer Sisters,' it's a great one liner, it's a hilarious scene, and of course it's Sophia once again, who delivers the killer laugh.

One thing I've noticed, so far they haven't once actually filmed outside, that outside set wasn't particularly convincing, those birds must have wondered what on Earth was going on.

That dress, I know times have changed, but oh my days, it was hideous.

Sweet, moving and funny, 7/10.

Rose dodges a bullet.

[Eventuallyequalsalways · 6/10 · 5 October 2009]

The girls are gathered in the living room discussing Dorothy's new dress. When Rose expresses a liking for the dress, Dorothy decides to take it back to the store. She wants Sophia to go with her when she takes the dress back to the store. As Sophia walks out the door, a man is there with his hand raised to knock. His name is Buddy Hawk and he is an old wartime buddy of Charlie, Rose's former husband. He says he got Rose's address from Charlie's pension records, and he stopped by to pay her his respects. He invites Rose to have lunch with him the next day. At lunch the next day, Buddy tells Rose that Charlie used to read Rose's letters to her during the war. Buddy says he has been searching for someone like Rose all his life, but never found her. He said that he thinks he fell in love with Rose after hearing Charlie's letters. Then, he tenderly kisses Rose in the restaurant. Next day, Dorothy is showing off her new gown to Sophia. Suddenly, Blanche comes into the room wearing the exact same dress. Dorothy insists that Blanche return the duplicate. Rose comes in with the news that Buddy is going back to Boston, and he wants Rose to go with him and they plan on living together. Rose says that she might do it. Dorothy and Blanche become suspicious of Buddy when he asks Rose to give him all her money before they leave for Boston. Dorothy looks into Buddy's background and discovers he has spent 45 years in the Army pensions department. That is where he obtained all the information he has about Charlie. Dorothy and Blanche want to warn Rose about Buddy, but she has gone to the bank and they do not know how to get in touch with her. Then we learn that Rose has met Buddy. Even though Rose does not know he is a con man, she tells him that she does not love him and cannot go to Boston with him. She does reveal that she has a gift for him that she obtained from her safety deposit box. It is Charlie's old pocket watch. She offers it to him. Buddy, apparently is touched by the simple faith that Rose has shown in her memories of Charlie, and he tells her he cannot accept the gift, and he bids her adieu. That night, in her king size bed, Rose offers up a little prayer to Charlie. Her simple good memories of him when he was in her life have saved her from becoming involved in a bad situation.

Plot Review

[msudude22 · 4/10 · 13 October 2017]

I thought the plot of this episode was lame. Why would Rose just decide to move in with some guy she didn't know? I thought this was a week plot. Also the dress battle between Blanche and Dorothy was also lame. The laugh track was also extremely annoying on this episode. When Blanche is about to come out of her room wearing the same dress as Dorothy, the laugh track starts even before you see Blanche in the dress. I've never understood the point of laugh tracks.

Mediocre episode is too depressing to really stand out.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 30 September 2019]

Yes, there is the recurring gag of two of the ladies ending up with the same dress for an upcoming charity banquet, but that's the supporting story. The main plotline focuses on the arrival of Buddy O'Rourke (stage veteran Milo O'Shea) who is obviously trying to swindle Rose through the claim that he was Charlie's army buddy. There are a few touching moments, but overall, this is an episode that just doesn't stand up. O'Shea is fine and obviously learns a thing or two about having a conscience , and Rose's closing scene is sweet. It just misses the mark of what makes a great episode and one that leaves you uncomfortable.