Still Golden: ATX TV Festival Celebrates "The Golden Girls" 40th Anniversary with Script Reading and Reflective Panel

The ATX TV Festival in Austin marked a major milestone for one of television’s most beloved comedies with a 40th Anniversary celebration of The Golden Girls. Presented by Hulu on June 1st, the first day of Pride Month, the marquee event featured a lively staged reading of the pilot episode and the Season 2 classic “Isn’t It Romantic?", followed by a heartfelt panel discussion about the show’s legacy, cultural impact, and the importance of telling stories about women of all ages.

Stepping into the iconic roles were Constance Zimmer as Dorothy, Carrie Preston as Blanche, Yvette Nicole Brown as Rose, and Pamela Adlon as Sophia, with Nathan Lee Graham reading stage directions (and embodying gay housekeeper Coco in the pilot), Dan Bucatinsky as Harry, Vella Lovell as Jean, and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman rounding out the cast as a priest and police officer. The script readings were met with laughter and applause, especially during emotionally charged moments like Blanche’s reaction to Jean’s coming out.

Moderator Hope Sloop (Decider) opened the conversation by reflecting on a comment from rehearsal: Shows about women simply existing past 40 are rare on TV today. Pamela Adlon highlighted the ageism prevalent in the industry, noting that the Golden Girls were portrayed as “out to pasture" in their early fifties, an age she and others on the panel have since surpassed while still thriving in their careers.

Yvette Nicole Brown emphasized how Act Your Age, a show she stars in on Netflix, continues the legacy of The Golden Girls by centering women over 50. “We just need people to create opportunities for people our age," she said. “There’s still so much good stuff to mine."

Constance Zimmer called out the invisibility of women in their fifties on screen, a decade she argued is too often skipped in storytelling. Dan Bucatinsky added that The Golden Girls resonated with audiences of all ages and genders because it focused on universal themes like love, friendship, and chosen family—timeless concepts that remain relevant today, particularly within the queer community. Pamela Adlon and others praised shows like Hacks and And Just Like That… for continuing to explore similar territory.

The actors praised the show’s multi-cam format, shared stories of watching with their families, and highlighted the series’ cultural resonance, especially with the LGBTQ+ community. “It’s about finding your people," said Dan Bucatinsky, reflecting on how The Golden Girls offered comfort and recognition to audiences who may not have found acceptance in their biological families.

That theme of chosen family carries directly into Mid-Century Modern, the Hulu comedy that Bucatinsky writes and produces, starring fellow panelist Nathan Lee Graham. The show follows three gay best friends in Palm Springs, living under one roof and navigating aging, love, and reinvention with humor and heart. For Bucatinsky, Mid-Century Modern isn’t just inspired by The Golden Girls, it’s a continuation of its spirit, bringing multi-generational, queer stories to a new era of television.

That message rang especially true on June 1st, the first day of Pride Month, as cast and audience alike embraced the show’s enduring legacy of inclusivity, laughter, and love. For longtime fans and new ones alike, Hulu now offers a full library of the franchise’s history and future: all episodes of The Golden Girls, its spin-off The Golden Palace, and Mid-Century Modern are available to stream—three generations of stories that celebrate friendship, queerness, aging, and being unapologetically yourself.

The panel shifted to a discussion of aging itself—how it’s viewed in Hollywood and how it felt personally. Yvette Nicole Brown declared, “The alternative to aging? You’re dead. So why are we trying to hide it?" Vella Lovell, approaching 40, admitted the conversation gave her hope. “You’re taught to be silent about your age," she said, “but this panel changed something for me."

Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman shared how The Golden Girls was formative for him, especially in how it portrayed older women as wise and powerful. “Every agent, manager, and mentor I’ve ever had has been an older woman," he said. “This show shaped me."

The conversation wouldn’t have been complete without honoring the late, great Betty White. Yvette Nicole Brown tearfully recalled meeting White for the first time on Pound Puppies, saying she “ugly cried on sight" and was embraced without hesitation. Constance Zimmer spoke of White’s effortless professionalism, even when struggling with memory loss on set, and Pamela Adlon described how White’s kindness and generosity left a lasting legacy.

The panel closed on a fun note with each cast member sharing which Golden Girl they most identified with. Dorothy and Rose were the most common answers, with plenty of nods to Sophia’s sass and Blanche’s bedroom confidence. “Four white women live inside me," joked Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, summing up the show’s broad emotional relatability.

As the panel wrapped, it was clear that The Golden Girls still has plenty to teach us—not just about aging gracefully, but about living fully, laughing loudly, and loving the people who show up for us. Or as Yvette Nicole Brown put it: “We need to show the next generation that getting older is something to look forward to."

All episodes of The Golden Girls, The Golden Palace, and Mid-Century Modern are now streaming on Hulu. Click here for more coverage from ATX TV Festival.