Sophia Petrillo was a bad mother - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 03-03-2020, 08:19 PM

I don't know if that was the show's intent right from the beginning but regardless, she never missed an opportunity to trash or humiliate her daughter.

She was even mean to Dorothy in those flashback episodes. Dorothy also talked about the awful things she did to her as a child. There was an episode where Sophia apparently turned Dorothy's prom date away and didn't tell Dorothy, leaving Dorothy heartbroken and her self-esteem in tatters because she believed the boy stood her up.

And despite taking her in, in her later years, she was open about favoring the other daughter, Gloria and son, Phil more. There was an even an episode where Sophia hooked Gloria up with Stan (for whom Dorothy was married to for 38 years with 2 kids before cheating on her and leaving her) of all people. She said Gloria needs a man with money and Stan was a good choice. But when he got rich, he tried to win her back and give her that lifestyle. Sophia said no and threatened to disown her.

Heenan Fan · 03-03-2020, 09:07 PM

Join the club. Compared to my worthless, drunken witch of a mom, Sophia was a great mother.

bandonurse · 03-04-2020, 09:35 AM

That whole issue bothered me a lot. I mean....a LOT.

Writers often put dialog into a sit-com that would be wildly unacceptable in real life. So we just have to grin and bear it, I guess. But had I been looking over those writers' shoulders when they went down that road, I would have given them a "smack up-side the head."

*Heenan Fan:

So sorry you had to go through that.

TVShowAddict · 03-30-2020, 10:00 AM

I dunno, it is just a show so it should not let it bother you, I am sure Estelle is a great mother in real life

Wawwie · 03-30-2020, 01:00 PM

Sophia was also a terrible mother to Phil. She completely disowned him and his entire immediate family all because some stupid dowry check from "Big Sally's" father bounced. So she never saw her son or her grandchildren over nonsense and then after Phil died, she had the audacity to blame "Big Sally" for Phil's cross-dressing.

Wawwie · 03-30-2020, 01:05 PM

Sophia is not even funny. She's just mean. Mean and selfish. If she was my mother, I would have let her rot at Shady Pines. She was lucky to have Dorothy. She sure as hell did not deserve Dorothy. Dorothy was way too good to that wicked witch.

Wawwie · 03-30-2020, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

There was an episode where Sophia apparently turned Dorothy's prom date away and didn't tell Dorothy, leaving Dorothy heartbroken and her self-esteem in tatters because she believed the boy stood her up.

Cruel and unforgivable.

OH Nuts! · 04-10-2020, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wawwie

Sophia is not even funny. She's just mean. Mean and selfish. If she was my mother, I would have let her rot at Shady Pines. She was lucky to have Dorothy. She sure as hell did not deserve Dorothy. Dorothy was way too good to that wicked witch.

Sophia could be a piece of work, but I think beneath all her insults she was jealous of Dorothy, who was smart, and IMO attractive. At the end of the day Sophia really loved Dorothy. Also Dorothy wasn’t exactly linoleum; when Sophia started to go too far, she was threatened with “the Home.”

ThatWriterChick1976 · 02-07-2021, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

There was an episode where Sophia apparently turned Dorothy's prom date away and didn't tell Dorothy, leaving Dorothy heartbroken and her self-esteem in tatters because she believed the boy stood her up.

While Sophia's my favorite Golden Girl, I didn't like what she did to Dorothy. As her daughter told her, she stole opportunities for a better life. That episode makes me cringe.

OH Nuts! · 02-07-2021, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wawwie

Sophia was also a terrible mother to Phil. She completely disowned him and his entire immediate family all because some stupid dowry check from "Big Sally's" father bounced. So she never saw her son or her grandchildren over nonsense and then after Phil died, she had the audacity to blame "Big Sally" for Phil's cross-dressing.

LOL the raisin was just jealous (again!) that Phil had better taste! Loved how his wife stood up to Sophia.

TVLegend · 02-07-2021, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatWriterChick1976

That episode makes me cringe.

Every episode from Seasons 6 and 7 was trash. They should’ve hired better writers.

JR1 · 02-07-2021, 09:13 PM

Yes- the last two seasons, overall, paled in comparison to the show at its creative zenith.

In earlier seasons, Sophia visited Phil and didn't have that big a problem with Phil's wife.

MikeLutton · 02-07-2021, 09:16 PM

sophia is my favorite so funny

OH Nuts! · 02-07-2021, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeLutton

sophia is my favorite so funny

She WAS funny but she could also be a witch. She never stepped over it too much with Dorothy, cause when she did, Dorothy swatted her right back.

TVLegend · 02-07-2021, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JR1

Yes- the last two seasons, overall, paled in comparison to the show at its creative zenith.

In earlier seasons, Sophia visited Phil and didn't have that big a problem with Phil's wife.

The show started to decline by Season 5 and took a turn for the worst in Seasons 6 and 7.

03-03-2020, 08:19 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,096	Sophia Petrillo was a bad mother I don't know if that was the show's intent right from the beginning but regardless, she never missed an opportunity to trash or humiliate her daughter. She was even mean to Dorothy in those flashback episodes. Dorothy also talked about the awful things she did to her as a child. There was an episode where Sophia apparently turned Dorothy's prom date away and didn't tell Dorothy, leaving Dorothy heartbroken and her self-esteem in tatters because she believed the boy stood her up. And despite taking her in, in her later years, she was open about favoring the other daughter, Gloria and son, Phil more. There was an even an episode where Sophia hooked Gloria up with Stan (for whom Dorothy was married to for 38 years with 2 kids before cheating on her and leaving her) of all people. She said Gloria needs a man with money and Stan was a good choice. But when he got rich, he tried to win her back and give her that lifestyle. Sophia said no and threatened to disown her.

03-03-2020, 09:07 PM	#2
Heenan Fan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Oct 19, 2016 Posts: 6,001	Join the club. Compared to my worthless, drunken witch of a mom, Sophia was a great mother.
	__________________ "Hello, Adam's Ribs? I'd like to place a takeout order please. OK, you got a pencil? I want 20 pounds, no make that 40 pounds of your best ribs, THE JUMBOS! And I want some BBQ sauce...a GALLON! I'm having a party. My mother's out on parole." - Hawkeye

02-07-2021, 09:16 PM	#13
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,885	sophia is my favorite so funny
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

03-04-2020, 09:35 AM	#3
bandonurse Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2015 Location: Mentor, Ohio Posts: 1,082	That whole issue bothered me a lot. I mean....a LOT. Writers often put dialog into a sit-com that would be wildly unacceptable in real life. So we just have to grin and bear it, I guess. But had I been looking over those writers' shoulders when they went down that road, I would have given them a "smack up-side the head." *Heenan Fan: So sorry you had to go through that.

03-30-2020, 10:00 AM	#4
TVShowAddict Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 12, 2018 Posts: 298	I dunno, it is just a show so it should not let it bother you, I am sure Estelle is a great mother in real life

03-30-2020, 01:00 PM	#5
Wawwie Member Forum Star Join Date: Jul 26, 2006 Location: New York Posts: 14,376	Sophia was also a terrible mother to Phil. She completely disowned him and his entire immediate family all because some stupid dowry check from "Big Sally's" father bounced. So she never saw her son or her grandchildren over nonsense and then after Phil died, she had the audacity to blame "Big Sally" for Phil's cross-dressing.

03-30-2020, 01:05 PM	#6
Wawwie Member Forum Star Join Date: Jul 26, 2006 Location: New York Posts: 14,376	Sophia is not even funny. She's just mean. Mean and selfish. If she was my mother, I would have let her rot at Shady Pines. She was lucky to have Dorothy. She sure as hell did not deserve Dorothy. Dorothy was way too good to that wicked witch.

02-07-2021, 09:13 PM	#12
JR1 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 07, 2009 Location: USA Posts: 742	Yes- the last two seasons, overall, paled in comparison to the show at its creative zenith. In earlier seasons, Sophia visited Phil and didn't have that big a problem with Phil's wife.