The all-Black 'Golden Girls' reboot was exactly as magnificent as you would expect

Picture it: Zoom, 2020. Four incredible actresses reunite virtually to reimagine an episode from the best sitcom of the '80s (yeah we said it), and it's funny, sweet, and incredibly creative. The Golden Girls got a 2020 reboot with an all-Black cast, and even though Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty are forever icons in TV lore, they’ve got some serious competition from Tracee Ellis Ross, Regina King, Alfre Woodard, and Sanaa Lathan.The virtual reboot was the first installment of a new series called “Zoom Where It Happens,” put on by some of Hollywood's greatest talents. This week's Zoom reimagined the Golden Girls episode “Flu Attack” from the show’s first season with Ross as Rose Nylund, King as Dorothy Zbornak, Woodard as Sophia Petrillo, and Lathan as Blanche Devereaux.

Costume changes, surprise guest stars and errrthaaang ???????? #ZoomWhereItHappens #GoldenGirls - fill out your census and register to vote ??#BlackExcellence pic.twitter.com/tEuewVnjj3

— Mickaëlle X. Bizet (@MickaelleXBizet) September 9, 2020

Even the iconic opening theme tune, “Thank You For Being a Friend,” became a gospel anthem with internet sensation Aaron Scott’s viral 2016 reworking of the theme bookending the episode. If you watched ‘til the closing credits, Sanaa Lathan even whipped off her wig and swung it around her head as Scott sang the tune. It’s a definite mood.

Oh man, this did my heart so good! Sanaa Lathan, Regina King, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Alfre Woodard - I was mouthing the dialogue right along with you. Thank you for being our friends tonight ????. #GoldenGirls #ZoomWhereItHappens pic.twitter.com/U1sZJC0qD7

— ?Trina G: Music Evangelist? (@dharma69) September 9, 2020

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard), hosted by Lena Waithe, and co-produced by Ava DuVernay, the Zoom one-night-only event was put together to raise awareness and inform the American public about their voting rights and the need to register and complete the census. The event page also mentioned that this first installment in the Zoom Where It Happens series, “is spotlighting and supporting Color of Change—the nation's largest online racial justice organization.”[video_embed id='2029313']MORE TV NEWS: Priyanka reacts to being named the first-ever winner of 'Canada's Drag Race' [/video_embed]The Golden Girls has long been a legendary show for generations of viewers and the enduring characters of simple-minded Rose, sarcastic-Queen Dorothy, hot-to-trot Blanche, and ornery-sage Sophia could not be more beloved. Fans watching the Zoom table read could not contain their enthusiasm for the reboot.

Howling. ?? Sanaa Lathan, Regina King, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Alfre Woodard are killing this! #GoldenGirls #ZoomWhereItHappens pic.twitter.com/AWN1ioT6yF

— Lisa Harris (@lisakay1215) September 9, 2020

I had a terrible day! But this helps lol #GoldenGirls #ZoomWhereItHappens pic.twitter.com/CbPrCMOkEm

— Steve Harvey's Old Wig????? (@LOxtails) September 9, 2020

Ok... @justsanaa is giving me Blanche Blackerouex Realness!! Nicely done ma’am!! #ZoomWhereItHappens #TheGoldenGirls

— Terésa Dowell-Vest, M.F.A. ???????️? (@dowellvest) September 9, 2020

Yasssssss! Bringing The Golden Girls realness! ??????#ZoomWhereItHappens pic.twitter.com/2JzhdRiaCg

— Sherrie Bass (@sherriebaby09) September 9, 2020

“Flu Attack” is one of the most fan-beloved episodes of the series, which ran from 1985-1992. In it, all of the girls come down with the flu right before a big community awards ceremony, and get on each other’s nerves, stuck in the house trying to regain their health in time for the big night. Some of the best one-liners, like Blanche wondering what electrical appliance Dorothy has under her blanket, or Dorothy finishing all the orange juice, to this day still slaaaap. During the virtual table read, the actors pulled out all the stops to make the read seem as seamless as possible. There were blackouts for scene changes, costume-wardrobe changes, music, wigs, and lots of props.The Zoom broadcast had over 100K rsvps with many fans struggling to access the live-stream as it happened, which felt like a total “back in St. Olaf” moment (shut up Rose).

100,678 folks RSVPed to #ZoomWhereItHappens! First come. First served. Doors now open.

Hosted by @LenaWaithe with @ReginaKing @justsanaa @TraceeEllisRoss @AlfreWoodard. Directed by @GPBmadeit. Love to @TessaThompson_x @michellechel @StephanieAllain! ??https://t.co/QM717UlVz0— Ava DuVernay (@ava) September 9, 2020

The "Zoom Where It Happens" series will air every Tuesday until November 3, the day of the 2020 American presidential election.[video_embed id='2030948']BEFORE YOU GO: Michaella Shannon is a small town talent who wants her voice to be heard [/video_embed]