Beloved ’80s Sitcom Named Greatest Female Friendship on TV (Exclusive)

A beloved ’80s sitcom that helped define friendship on television is still winning fans decades later.

Ahead of International Women’s Day, Roku released new survey data ranking viewers’ favorite female friendships on TV—and one classic comedy took the top spot.

According to Roku’s survey, the No. 1 female friendship on television belongs to Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia from The Golden Girls.

The iconic foursome—played by Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty—anchored the NBC sitcom from 1985 to 1992. The series followed four older women sharing a house in Miami while navigating relationships, careers and life together, often gathering around the kitchen table for late-night conversations and cheesecake.

More than three decades after the show ended, their friendship remains one of the most beloved in television history.

During its seven-season run, The Golden Girls was both a critical and ratings success. The sitcom earned multiple Emmy Awards, including wins for each of its four leading actresses—a rare achievement in television.

Roku’s Top 5 Favorite Female Friendships on TV

Roku’s survey identified the following TV friendships as viewers’ favorites:

1. Dorothy, Rose, Blanche & Sophia — The Golden Girls
   The four Miami roommates whose witty banter and unwavering support for one another made them one of TV’s most iconic friend groups.
2. Monica, Rachel & Phoebe — Friends
   The trio at the heart of the long-running New York sitcom that became one of the defining shows of the 1990s.
3. Max & Eleven — Stranger Things
   The unlikely friendship between two teenage girls navigating supernatural chaos in Hawkins.
4. Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte & Samantha — Sex and the City
   The four Manhattan friends whose candid conversations about relationships and life helped define the HBO series.
5. Meredith & Cristina — Grey’s Anatomy
   The fiercely loyal “person” friendship between two surgeons that became one of the emotional anchors of the medical drama.

While the list spans decades of television, the top ranking highlights the enduring legacy of The Golden Girls, which continues to attract new viewers through streaming and reruns.

Other Female-Centered Favorites

Roku’s data also highlighted favorite portrayals of female historical figures in movies and television.

The top five included:

• Angela Bassett as Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It
• Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson in Hidden Figures
• Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen
• Jennifer Lopez as Selena Quintanilla in Selena
• Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady

Roku also shared its most-searched actresses on the platform in 2025. The list included Ariana Grande, Jenna Ortega, Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Anne Hathaway, Anna Kendrick, Zendaya, Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon and Margot Robbie.

Roku remains one of the largest streaming platforms in the United States. The company reported reaching more than 90 million streaming households, while The Roku Channel alone reaches nearly 145 million people.

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