Instructor: Taylor Cole Miller

No image available Biography: Taylor Cole Miller is an assistant professor of media studies at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and co-editor of the academic collection, "The Golden Girls: Tales from the Lanai." He also makes TikToks about TV history under the handle @tvdoc.

Classes by this instructor


"The Golden Girls" and the Politics of '80s Television

The proliferation of new fan sites, thousands of homemade products, a specially themed Caribbean cruise and even a Golden Girls-themed skateboard in the instructor's office (purchased at Comic-Con) are all testaments to the enduring power and legacy of that famous 1980s sitcom. While other shows in the 1980s retreated from the overt politicization of television commonly found in 1970s TV, "The Golden Girls" tackled issues like older and queer sexuality, feminism, immigration, menopause, HIV/AIDS, homelessness and healthcare every week. Today, "The Golden Girls" is one of the most successful series in rerun syndication. In this course, we'll investigate the cultural, political and historical significance of television in the 1980s through the case study of "The Golden Girls." By the end of the course, you'll be well-versed in histories and debates about '80s TV, policy and culture while understanding the resurgent popularity of the show and nostalgia for other older sitcoms in the present political moment.


Instructor Bio: Taylor Cole Miller is an assistant professor of media studies at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and co-editor of the academic collection, "The Golden Girls: Tales from the Lanai." He also makes TikToks about TV history under the handle @tvdoc.


January 17-31, 2026, Online