THE SHOW: Before Living Single, Sex and the City, Queer as Folk, or Girls, there was another quadruplet of TV friends eating cheesecake together and having casual intercourse. That’s right: The Golden Girls. When it launched in 1985, The Golden Girls was considered somewhat edgy for its depiction of independent, older women friends wearing caftans and cracking risqué jokes without being put in their place by dudes. Now on in reruns in 2013, it is SUPER edgy for the same reasons (also those caftans are starting to come back in style).

You know the lineup: Sweet midwestern Rose (Betty White), sexy, southern Blanche (Rue McLanahan), snarky New Yorker Dorothy (Bea Arthur), and her mother, sassy Sicilian Sophia (Estelle Getty). All in their “golden years”–they used to seem super old to me but I think they’re supposed to be about 55, which no longer seems that old—the four women end up in Miami, living together in Blanche’s house where sitcom hijinx ensued week after week for seven seasons. It’s a schlocky premise made schlockier by a laugh track and a lesson at the end of every episode. What made this show great though (and it’s great) is that these four were more than archetypes; they were three-dimensional characters with real backstories and bonds to one another, passing the Bechdel Test with flying colors before it even existed. Sure, they may have argued over men (like the time Blanche and Sophia both fell for Fidel Santiago) or women (like the time Dorothy’s friend Jean fell for Rose) from episode to episode, but if they taught us anything it’s that friends are what matters and there’s nothing a shared dessert in your bathrobe can’t fix (also that women can have casual sex after fifty without being smited. Also, it’s worth it to stock your closet with fancy bathrobes). The Golden Girls has been on in the background in reference, rerun, or DVD box set form for most of us throughout our lives, but it enjoyed a special resurgence in 2004 when Anna and Summer discovered their shared fandom of the show on The O.C. Sure, they were two twentysomething high schoolers who liked the same guy, but The Golden Girls brought them together the way nothing else could. This is where The Golden Girls shines. What other hokey sitcom that airs multiple times a week on the Hallmark Channel can serve as such a bridge between frenemies? For the modern woman, who’s taught to compete with and trash her counterparts almost as much as she’s taught to value her youth and beauty, a show about four old lady BFFs is powerful stuff.

WHEN TO WATCH: Your older cousin whom you don’t see that often and one of her friends are staying with you for the weekend while they attend their high school friend’s wedding. (You aren’t invited to said wedding.) When they get home from the rehearsal dinner, the three of you make awkward conversation about jobs and dating and the price of apartments in your city (so much higher than it used to be!), but they’re a little tipsy and things are going from bad to worse. You’re about to fake a headache and sneak off to bed when you remember that The Golden Girls airs every night from midnight to 2:00 am on the Hallmark Channel. “How about some TV?” you say. “Oh look, The Golden Girls is on.” You wait for their reply. Invariably, they’ll say they love The Golden Girls. Everybody loves The Golden Girls, even your cool cousin and her friend who both have weirdly perfect eyebrows and are just the right amount of tan and one of whom did fancy braids just for the rehearsal dinner (you’ve never been able to pull of fancy braids, not even at actual weddings, let alone rehearsal dinners).

EPISODE GUIDE: You’ll watch whatever episode is on, but if things go your way it will be a mid-series episode featuring at least one of the following scenarios: Dorothy and Sophia have a mother-daughter conflict, Blanche stands up to someone attempting to slut-shame her, Rose has a problem at work and asks Dorothy for advice, some sort of date mix-up occurs (the guy is married, or Blanche and Dorothy both have blind dates with the same person, or the guy is way younger or older than everyone thought he’d be, or he dies in bed, or something). Invariably, Dorothy will be the funniest and Blanche will be the sexiest and Rose will be the sweetest and you’ll kind of wish Sophia didn’t get quite as much air time. Whichever four episodes are on (bless you, Hallmark Channel, for airing four episodes a night); you can count on shoulder pads, bawdy jokes, and QT on the lanai. And since The Golden Girls is an old-school “lessons and hugs” sitcom, the conflicts wrap up quickly and you don’t need to keep track of any information between episodes. Perfect for when you’re already a little drunk and looking to get more so.

WHAT TO WEAR: If things are really going well, suggest throwing on some fancy robes or shoulder-padded jackets to keep the mood light. These are guests in your home, so it’s your duty to provide them with all the satin, nylon, and rayon they can handle. Since you stayed in while they were at dinner, you might already be wearing one of your Golden Girls robes (you have several) when they get back. Perfect!

CONSUMABLES: Cheesecake, obviously, and wine. If it’s hot out or you happen to have the ingredients lying around anyway (you do, but act like it’s a coincidence), consider making a Miami-friendly tropical drink like a mojito, or a Blanche-approved mint julep. You can eat or drink pretty much anything while watching The Golden Girls as long as you set out four forks per plate.

FUN FACTS: A good hostess always has a few tidbits of information up her sleeve. For example, did you know that Rue McLanahan was originally meant to play the role of Rose, and Betty White was to play Blanche? Or that Elaine Stritch originally cast as Dorothy? Or that Mitch Hurwitz, the creator of Arrested Development, got his start writing dirty jokes for The Golden Girls? Your cousin and her friend probably didn’t know that stuff either, so wow them with your knowledge! (During the commercial breaks, of course.) A few mojitos in, you’ll be tempted to play the “Which Golden Girl are you?” game. This is risky. Only do this if you know without a doubt that you are the Dorothy, the smart one, able to fell your enemies with a single withering glance. Because lovable as they are, each Golden Girl has her share of bad qualities, and you don’t want to get into a situation where everyone’s trying to decide who’s the dumbest, or who’s the least relevant, or who’s had sex with the most people. If the mood is right, suggest going to that karaoke bar up the street that has “Thank You for Being a Friend” in the songbook. The mood will probably not be this right (it’s a good show, but it’s just a show) but you should have the plan in your back pocket anyway. RESULTS: If the Golden Girls do their job, your cousin and her friend will have a blast at your house and you’ll go from being the younger, dorkier cousin at Thanksgiving to being known for your good taste, well-stocked liquor cabinet, and pop-culture expertise. Because when The Golden Girls works, its message of ladyfriendship transcends awkwardness and braid jealousy. Instead of fearing competition from other women, aging, and the irrelevancy we’re promised after age 40, Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia serve as a reminder that we can have something more, something better. “Women should support one another,” they say. “You look great in that rayon robe,” they say. “Want some cheesecake?”