"Isn't It Romantic?" is an episode in the second season of The Golden Girls.
Rose befriends Dorothy's former college buddy (Lois Nettleton), not knowing that the woman is a lesbian.
Original air-date, November 8, 1986.
Tropes:
- Ambiguously Bi: Blanche is more outraged to learn that Dorothy's lesbian friend has a crush on Rose rather than her.
- Anguished Declaration of Love: Downplayed. Jean is falling hard for Rose, and the situation becomes rather awkward when the two of them stay up later than the other girls to play cards and talk. Rose insists that Jean share her bed that night rather than sleep on the couch. After Rose starts to drift off, a very upset and conflicted Jean finally whispers "I'm...quite fond of you..." Rose panics and starts pretending to snore, prompting Jean to sleep on the sofa after all.
- Brutal Honesty: Sophia doesn't mince words about Jean being gay and speaks frankly about it. When Dorothy hems and haws about the fact that she hasn't told Rose and Blanche about Jean's lesbianism, Sophia bluntly asks Jean if she wants them to know.
- Dirty Old Woman: Sophia happily rents X-rated movies from the video store and watches them with delight. Dorothy and Rose are shocked, while Blanche, unsurprisingly, seems fine with it.
- Gender-Blender Name: Jean's late partner, Pat. Blanche and Rose assume that it was short for Patrick, when it was actually short for Patricia.
- Good Parents: Sophia has a moment of this when Dorothy asks hypothetically what she would have done if one of her kids had been gay. Sophia says that she would have loved their kids just the same, and wished them happiness.
- Graceful Loser: A variation. Rose tells Jean, who has confessed her feelings, that she doesn't quite understand what she's going through, but says that she's flattered and offers friendship, acknowledging that it might not be enough for her. Jean smiles and assures her that it is enough, and they embrace.
- Incompatible Orientation: Jean, a lesbian, developing a crush on Rose, who is straight.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Shows up twice in the first few minutes of the episode.
- Sophia rents a pornographic film, and Dorothy chides her for getting a "dirty movie." Sophia tries to defend herself by saying "Dirty is in the eye of the beholder!"...but then they both see something happen on the screen and she amends her statement: "OK, that's a little dirty."
- When Dorothy tells Jean that she hasn't shared the latter's being a lesbian with Rose and Blanche, Jean remarks that if they're open-minded and mature enough to hear it, she'd prefer to tell them. As soon as she finishes talking, Rose comes into the room bearing a tray of "ice cream clown sundaes with sugar-cone caps"; Jean turns to Dorothy and says "It'll be our little secret."
- Lipstick Lesbian: Dorothy's friend Jean.
- Malaproper: Blanche confuses "lesbian" with "Lebanese" until Dorothy and Sophia correct her.
- Metaphorgotten: When Sophia is asked about how she feels about Jean being gay, she responds with this trope:Sophia: Jean is a nice person. She happens to like girls instead of guys. Some people like cats instead of dogs. Frankly I'd rather live with a lesbian than a cat. (Beat) Unless the lesbian sheds, then I don't know.
- Noodle Incident: The episode opens with Sophia renting a pornographic movie. As Dorothy tries to turn if off, she hits rewind instead; Blanche sees something on the screen and happily declares "I did that once!...it was his birthday." We never find out what "that" is.
- Not What It Looks Like: Upon Sophia walking into the kitchen right as Rose and Jean hugging each other after they talk it out about their feelings and differences, Jean claims that it's not what it looks like. Sophia claims that she already knows after listening in on their conversation through the door before walking in. When Rose chastises Sophia for this, Sophia points out she was only listening at the door because she couldn't see through the kitchen window, prompting an embarrassed Dorothy and Blanche to reveal themselves.
- Once More, with Clarity: When Dorothy corrects Blanche that Jean is "a lesbian, not Lebanese", Blanche keeps saying over and over again until she comes to a realization. "Lesbian? Lesbian... Lesbian!"
- Women Are Wiser: Sophia is aware that Jean is a lesbian even though Dorothy never mentioned it. Furthermore, she's been privy to it since Jean and Dorothy were in college—before Jean herself realized she was gay. Dorothy is stunned, but Sophia simply shrugs and says "A mother knows."
