72 Hours (Golden Girls)

"72 Hours" is the title of the fifth episode of the second season of the American sitcom The Golden Girls, which originally aired on November 1, 1986. The episode revolves around Blanche Devereaux's fear of contracting AIDS after receiving a blood transfusion at a hospital.

Blanche learns she may have received tainted blood during a surgery years earlier. She is informed that she needs to wait 72 hours for the blood test results to be available. The episode explores Blanche's emotional turmoil, anxiety, and confrontation with her own mortality as she awaits the potentially life-altering news. It also examines how her roommates, Dorothy, Rose, and Sophia, support and react to Blanche's distress.

The episode is notable for addressing the topic of AIDS during a time when public understanding and acceptance of the disease were limited. It aims to destigmatize the illness and promote empathy for those affected by it. The episode is often cited as an example of how The Golden Girls tackled socially relevant and sometimes controversial issues within the framework of a comedy series. The humor in the episode is derived from the characters' contrasting personalities and their attempts to cope with the stressful situation.