There have been many notable examples of , but is still notable for the extent to which it was willing to address the issue during the notoriously homophobic 1980s. This was largely through Blanche’s brother Clayton, who both comes out as gay and gets engaged to a man.
In both cases, he is willing to challenge his sister on her biases and her (not very subtle) homophobia. It’s no wonder that he has become something of a gay icon, and he well deserves his place as one of the best secondary characters in the series.
Sophia is, of course, responsible for some of the . However, she meets her match when her sister Angela comes to visit, not once but twice. Nancy Walker perfectly captures what a sister of Sophia’s would look like, and there is undeniable chemistry between her and Estelle Getty.
While she’s more than willing to get on Sophia’s nerves, it’s also clear just how much the two love and care about one another. Whenever the chips are down, their bond shows itself to be absolutely unbreakable.
Aunt Angela isn’t the only member of Sophia’s family to show up - her brother Angelo also makes an appearance. Once again, there is undeniable chemistry, and Bill Dana puts his formidable comedy talents to good use in the character. Angelo is irascible and ornery, and he has a particular weakness for women (which leads to many very funny scenarios).
However, as funny as he is, it’s also clear that he has a lot of loyalty to his sister Sophia, and the two maintain a strong bond throughout his time on the series.
Though Blanche was capable of great kindness, revolved around her daughter, Rebecca. Of all of Blanche’s children, Rebecca was the one who received the most screen time, and she repeatedly showed that she was the same kind of strong woman as her mother.
Despite Blanche’s protests, she was willing to go through with being artificially inseminated, and she also proved that she was quite willing and able to strike out on her own as a single mother. No matter what her mother, or others, might have thought, she was going to live life on her own terms.
Of all of the many relationships that take place in , the one between Rose and Miles is arguably one of the best. Though he has his fair share of secrets - including the fact that he is part of the Witness Protection Program - Miles clearly loves Rose very much.
This is all the more extraordinary given their very different lives since he is a professor and she is a farmer’s daughter. However, he respects Rose for who she is, and it’s this fundamental respect that makes him such a great character and also helps to explain the strength of their relationship.
There are some things that many fans don’t know about Sophia, but one thing is for sure: she dearly loved her late husband Sal. Though he is mentioned in the first season, he only starts to appear on-screen later, and Sid Melton, the actor who plays him, is perfect for the role.
Though he can be a bit of a boorish buffoon, it is still clear that Sal dearly loves Sophia. The two of them have a feisty and complicated relationship, but it is precisely this that allows Sal to be both one of the series’ best and funniest characters.
