The Golden Girls: The Truth Will Out

THE GOLDEN GIRLS: 

THE TRUTH WILL OUT

Written by: Susan Beavers

Directed by: Terry Hughes

Airdate: January 18, 1986

Many family issues and struggles result from one source: money. The Truth Will Out is, in retrospect, not a sign of a daughter's greed so much as disappointment. I see it with new eyes, making a case that a character long thought of as evil is actually misunderstood.

Rose Nylund (Betty White) is both happy and worried about an upcoming family visit. Her daughter Kirsten (Christina Belford) and granddaughter Charley (Brigette Andersen) are coming, but it is not just a friendly stopover. Kirsten is executrix of Rose's will, so she is coming in part to look over the estate papers. That is what worries Rose. For her part, Rose's housemate Blanche Deveraux (Rue McClanahan) is more interested in a high society murder case to give much thought to whatever deep, dark Nylund family secrets there may be.

Secrets there are as Kirsten is upset to angry that her mother's estate does not have the millions that Kirsten's late father made. Rose tells Kirsten that she squandered the money on bad investments and get-rich-quick schemes, but the truth is much simpler. Rose, however, does not want to tell Kirsten out of fear of some kind. However, when Rose learns from her late husband's namesake that the only things she knows about Charlie is that he was handsome and very rich, she decides it is time for the truth. Charlie Nylund was not a good businessman. A mix of incompetence and generosity left him not broke but with few assets at the time of his death. Reconciled, Kirsten and Rose go to lunch, figuring the estate can cover a meal for three.

This is the first time we meet one of Rose's children and grandchildren. Rose has mentioned that she has a son, but Kirsten is one of the few Nylund children to pop up on the series. It is unclear whether Kirsten is married or not. They do still live in Minnesota, if not necessarily "Little Falls" (I don't think "St. Olaf" has been mentioned yet). Kirsten seems sensible and rational, making it strange to think she emerged from what Dorothy in the future would refer to as "the cradle of idiocy". As a side note, presuming that Alma Lindstrom, last seen in Blanche and the Younger Man, was still alive during the events of The Truth Will Out, Charley would have known her great-grandmother. 

There is only one section cut from The Truth Will Out in repeats. It is before Kirsten and Charley arrive where Blanche shows off some new purchases, Sophia keeps getting Charlie (the husband) and Charley (the granddaughter) mixed up and more about the murder case Blanche is obsessed with. She can't be that obsessed though, for despite it being the "Duncan Osgood" case, she at another time calls it the "Paxton Osgood" case. 

I think there is a sense among Golden Girls fans that Kirsten is basically a bitch for being so harsh against Rose over her lack of inheritance. I initially did not think well of Kirsten's reaction to finding out that she will not be living on easy street after her mother drops dead. I do still think that Kirsten was terribly wrong in emphasizing to Charley that Charlie Nylund was "very, very rich". Up to a point, I can see why she did. In The Truth Will Out, Rose mentions how Charlie was away from home so often due to work that he and the kids did not know each other as much as they would have liked. Still a bad thing to emphasize to your daughter on how their grandfather was loaded and they would be too once Grandmama kicked the bucket. 

Having a little more distance and perspective, I think Kirsten was somewhat right to be upset. I picture that Kirsten thought that with the inheritance she thought she would collect from the estate she could provide better and more to Charley. In short, she, I think, was counting on the money for her and Charley's future. Therefore, finding out that there was no money would devastate her dreams and plans. I can see now why she would be upset if we apply that thinking.

Still does not make it right to cut off your own mother because you are not getting more money, but it does not sound so cruel or arrogant if you look at it from that perspective. Your kids should be your top priority. Rose lied about the millions Charlie had in a way to protect him and make him successful to his kids. Kirsten may have wanted the money she thought she would get to provide for Charley. It also altered the way Kirsten saw both her parents, so I can somewhat see why Kirsten reacted as she did. 

Again, to cut your parent off over money is cruel, but looking at it again, I think Kirsten has gotten a bit of a bum rap over the will. 

On the whole, I think the performances are quite good. Belford has a more patrician air than I imagine someone who would be Rose's daughter would. Belford did well in more amusing moments such as presenting Dorothy and Blanche some very sweet logs. However, it was mostly drama that Belford had to do, and I think she did well. I thought Andersen was cute without being cloying. Her scene with White in which Charley discusses her childish ideas about going on a date with a prince or telling Rose all she knows about Grandpa were strong.

As a side note, Brigette Andersen died at 21 due to a heroin overdose. Seeing this sweet, adorable child give a good performance while knowing her ultimate fate makes it hard to watch. 

White again gave an excellent performance. She has the naive Rose who does not realize that the sugary logs are distasteful. She also has a more dramatic side, where she confesses the truth about Charlie. 

It is unfortunate that McClanahan, Arthur and Getty had less to do. To be fair, Arthur has a great moment where she attempts to dissuade Rose from giving out too much information by faking sleep only to reveal that she was perfectly awake. Getty too managed to throw out some good lines, such as when she is told by Rose that she and Charley are having a makeup lesson. "I hope the kid can help you. You wear more rogue than Miss Piggy", Sophia tells her. However, McClanahan had little to do but go on about the "Duncan/Paxton Osgood case". 

The Truth Will Out is an episode I saw with a new perspective. I grew less hostile to Kirsten Nylund. No, not sympathetic or thinking that she was in the right. However, I think she is not the monster many think she is. Well-acted though with the flaw of the Osgood case, The Truth Will Out works well. 

If Charley needed makeup tips, I figure Coco would have been as helpful to her as Rose would have been.     

7/10

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