The women bring their separate views of death into focus after Sophia suffers the symptoms of a heart attack.
Tropes:
- Big Eater: Sophia puts away a lot of Italian food, which contributed to what everyone initially thought was a heart attack.
- Jewish Mother: On finding out that Dr. Harris is Jewish.Sophia: Why are so many doctors Jewish?
Dr. Harris: Because their mothers are. - Hollywood Heart Attack: Discussed and subjected to a case of
Science Marches On. Rose tries to comfort Dorothy that Sophia isn't having a heart attack by stating that "A heart attack's bigger... I've seen a heart attack," comparing it to the heart attack that killed Charlie. She's proven right in this case, but a very common warning from medical professionals in the years since is that not every heart attack looks the way people expect, in particular that heart attacks among women are often far more subtle and asymptomatic, meaning if Sophia did have a heart attack, it's depiction here would have been a good example of Reality Is Unrealistic. - Mood Whiplash: Rose's monologue about Charlie having a heart attack while they were making love is initially hilarious, given the odd circumstances. It stays funny when she reveals that they had an argument because she tried to dress him in white pants, but it was after Labor Day, and he said he couldn't do that. But when Dorothy asks her what happened next, Rose quietly says "And he...told me he loved me...and then it was over." She ends the monologue describing how she dressed his corpse while waiting for the paramedics, tears forming in her eyes and her voice breaking with grief.
- Out with a Bang: Rose tells Dorothy that she has first-hand experience with a heart attack, as Charlie died of one...in the middle of making love to her.
- Skewed Priorities: When Dr. Harris finally arrives to check on Sophia, the first thing she does is insist that he eat something, telling Dorothy to "fix him a plate." Keep in mind that she believes she's dying at this point.
- Rose comments that Charlie's major concern after the heart attack that killed him was not wearing white after Labor Day.
- Supreme Chef: This is the first episode to establish Sophia as one of these: she spends three days straight preparing for a dinner party with the neighbors, cooking up a massive Italian feast. Blanche comments that the food she had in Italy itself doesn't compare to Sophia's amazing dishes.
