The Golden Girls (TV Series) Once in St. Olaf (1990) User Reviews

Once in St. Olaf (#6.2)

[ComedyFan2010 · 9/10 · 18 February 2014]

Sophia has issues with hernia and has to go to the hospital. Rose works in that hospital and has a conversation with a patient who is a monk and they find out that they both have been to St. Olaf. Soon they figure out that he is her biological father. And Sophia goes missing as she is forgotten in the elevator.

The episode isn't realistic some things don't make sense. Like how does her father recognize Rose, how was Sophia not noticed in there etc. But it doesn't matter because it is that funny.

The whole scene in the elevator when Sophia thinks that she is in heaven while talking to the guy "who shaves everybody" is absolutely great. So is the part of Rose talking as Dorothy puppet. The whole story with Rose's father is also great, such a good idea for her character.

He's alive? He's in Miami? He's human?

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 29 December 2019]

In spite of a few continuity errors (mostly concerning past episodes dealing with Rose's parentage), this is a decent episode with Oscar winner Don Ameche who plays a monk who turns out to be Rose's natural father. (I guess she realized somewhere along the line that it was not Bob Hope). It's pointless in the way of continuity (he never appears again), but there are some memorable mom, especially when Sophia is missing in the hospital after having an operation for a hernia. Two high class doctors react in horror at Sophia being a Medicare patient and rise does a funny hand puppet show imitating Dorothy and Blanche.

Found another error

[ralawa-69682 · 6/10 · 16 August 2019]

It wasn't as cohesive and fluid as other episodes. It lacked the natural energy to which we are accustomed, and even the prop crew missed things. When Dorothy pulled a queue number, 18, the next number was 17.

Funny as always, but miscast...

[IdaSlapter · 6/10 · 21 August 2023]

Like 95% of the Golden Girls episodes, this one is full of funny lines, wisecracks and great interactions amongst the characters, but there's one glaring problem with this one: the casting of the great Don Ameche.

He not only looks younger than Betty White, he SOUNDS younger. I'm not sure why they didn't ask him to say, either let his hair go grey, or just make it grey for the episode. But no, it's tinted brown, and that, along with his healthy tan, makes him look like more like a potential suitor for Blanche, but not at all like Rose's FATHER.

The subplot where Sophia gets lost in the hospital is funny though, so the episode is still worthwhile. Just very strange casting...