Blanche's Little Girl S3E14

Synopsis: Blanche’s estranged model daughter Rebecca comes to visit, but there’s a lot more of her than Blanche remembers… meanwhile, Sophia deals with her strict boss at Pecos Pete’s Chow Wagon.

80s Flashback

Dorothy: “Blanche is depressed, Rose.”

Rose: “Do you think she’s depressed about Rebecca?”

Dorothy: “No Rose, she’s depressed because Marblehead Manor is only on once a week.”

Crazy Continuity

The character of Rebecca returns in season 5 but as a different actress, and no mention of her having ever been fat or a model.

Also, it seems like Candi the Stewardess must of gotten fired for losing that big bolt and ended up working at Pecos Pete's Chow Wagon.

Lastly, even though Blanche and Becky haven't talked in four years, I refuse to believe that she's never been to Blanche's house, where she lived with George.

Let’s Get Political

Blanche: “I’m so happy I could cry.”

Rose: “Blanche, you are crying.”

Dorothy: “Admit it Rose, you worked for Allied intelligence during World War II.”

Lewd Ladies

Blanche: “Girls you’ll never guess what I got in the mail today.”

Rose: “If it’s another one of those adult toys from the back of a sleazy magazine I’m not interested.”

Picture It

Sophia: “Picture it: Sicily, 1922. An attractive peasant girl, who has saved her lira, embarks on a glorious vacation to a Crimean resort on the Black Sea. For weeks, she frolics at the seaside resort and enjoys the company of many young men, all of whom adore her.”

Edna: “All of them?”

Sophia: “Shut up, Edna. I work alone. All of them. When it's time to return to Sicily, three different suitors beg her to stay. But she can't decide who to choose, so she chooses none of them. But she agrees to meet with them at the same resort many years later. To her trio of suitors, that eventful gathering was referred to as 'Rendezvous With Sophia.' But to the rest of the world, it was better known as the Yalta Conference.”

Zbornak Zingers

Rose: “Oh there’s so many different ways to say farewell: Auf wiederhoren, arrivederci, adios, hasta luego…”

Dorothy: “Get lost.”

Rose: “See there's another one, good Dorothy.”

Insult Watch

Sophia: “You’re Blanche’s daughter, the model. What did she model, car covers??”

Rose: “So Becky, what brings you to Miami?”

Sophia: “My guess is a small barge.”

Product Placement

Dorothy: “We'll just leave you to your negotiations.”

Rose: “Before we go, can we get you some milk or some Double Stuf Oreos?”

McCracken: “No, thank you, ma'am.”

Dorothy: “Boy, he's tough.”

Sassy Sophia

Sophia: “I tell you, it sure makes me appreciate the special relationship I have with my daughter. Pussycat?”

Dorothy: “Yes, Ma?”

Sophia: “Dial your sister for me. I never remember the area code.”

Back in St. Olaf

Rose: “You know Sophia, the problems you’re having at work remind me of something that happened back in St. Olaf.”

Sophia: “Please, dust reminds you of something back in St. Olaf.”

Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Stanley

Jeremy: “Yeah I wanna get there early, and buy Becky a Dodger cap, see how many people mistake her for Tommy Lasorda.”

Dorothy: “That's it. That is it!!”

Blanche: “Dorothy, now calm down. We'll bring you back a cap too.”

Best of B.E.D.

Rose: “You're daughter's a fashion model?”

Blanche: “She's just beautiful. Always has been. Gorgeous blonde hair, sparklin' blue eyes, a figure men would mortgage a house for. We were always so much alike.”

The Boob Tube

Blanche: “I'm so nervous about seeing Becky after such a long time, you know. I want everything to be perfect…But I haven't seen in her in about four years, I don't know what to say to her.”

Rose: “Johnny Carson had that same problem the other night with F. Murray Abraham.”

Reel References

Sophia: “Oh boy, what a day.”

Dorothy: “What happened Ma, Butch and Sundance steal your seat on the bus?”

Golden Quotes

Dorothy: “Oh Rose stop! Rose, why is it when any one of us makes an observation, the first thing we hear from you is 'Back in St. Olaf.' Did it ever occur to you we might be sick and tired of hearing 'Back in St. Olaf,' 'Back in St. Olaf,' 'Back in St. Olaf??'”

Rose: “Gee, no. I never realized. I'm sorry.”

Dorothy: “Oh, that's okay...”

Rose: “Back in that town whose name you're tired of -”

Dorothy: “ROSE!”

and

Dorothy: “It is not easy being a mother, if it were easy fathers would do it.”

Critique: This is one of those “special” episodes, and a controversial one, but it still maintains lots of humor. There are many who despise this episode because Becky's fiance is such a monstrous person. And Sophia makes lots of fat jokes. But nothing really offends me, and the writers are trying to make a point. This episode really takes a hard look at verbally abusive relationships but still maintains humor throughout. The jokes are geared towards Blanche’s large daughter, who is hardly obese to begin with (and the most offensive thing about her is that she wears an acid washed jean jacket with acid washed jeans), but I think that’s why the whole thing is just sort of silly. Like when Sophia says it’ll take Blanche several hours to get a good look at her daughter. It’s ridiculous, but some of those lines are Estelle Getty at her finest. And I would of loved to actually see Pecos Pete's Chow Wagon. Fun fact: Shawn Schepps, who plays Rebecca, would go on to write the movie “Encino Man” and be a writer and producer on Showtime’s “Weeds.” GRADE: A-