Designing Women - General Discussion

[ButterQueen]

On 8/29/2019 at 1:03 AM, TaraS1 said:

I just watched that episode @annzeepark914!  One of my favorites! 

But I came to the horrifying realization that the episodes seem to be edited. Unless I completely blacked out and missed it, Julia and Suzanne’s exchange about Charles Darwin being Suzanne’s yard man were totally cut out. Same for Mary Jo’s lines in the Ursula episode about wearing Ursula and Suzanne’s bras on her head. That’s really disappointing. 

Too much is cut out.  On Antenna TV, there is 30 seconds of the show at the beginning followed by 6 minutes of commercials.

[ButterQueen]

Julia and Mary Jo get stuck under a bed in season 6 is a good one.

 

[ButterQueen]

On 6/25/2020 at 8:25 PM, Queena said:

I just watched the episode with the preacher who doesn't believe that women should be ministers. Julia started singing and my son turned the TV off. I wasn't upset. 

I thought she had a beautiful voice.  Loved her singing at Payne’s wedding.  😂

[ButterQueen]

On 6/26/2020 at 9:33 PM, Bastet said:

She was also intelligent and passionate, and seems to have been a great friend and mother.  She strikes me as someone with extremely narrow and ass-backwards world views - seriously, if you wrote this shit for a fictional character, you would hear howls of protest that you'd written an offensive caricature of southern Christian women, yet when fame handed Carter a book deal, 250 pages of antiquated lecturing is what she chose to offer the world - who, because of her profession, was surrounded by people who don't subscribe to her philosophies, and cared dearly for many of those people -- yet never realized hey, these are good people living good lives, so this narrow box I think the world should squeeze itself into clearly leaves a whole lot of people out; I should rethink what I was taught.

I can't tell from the book whether she never examined or just denied the rampant sexism at the root of her thoughts. 

Interestingly, the part where I disagreed with her least was the chapter on her decision to get plastic surgery.  That was frank discussion about how difficult it was to get accurate information from cosmetic surgeons, her fear when surgery day came, her desire to freeze time rather than wind it back ten years, the physical brutality of recovery, her “that’s not me” disconnect upon looking in the mirror post-op even after the swelling and bruising had subsided, and even a little - surprising for her - on the bullshit nature of “needing” it in the first place at only 45 years of age. 

I think the work she had done (a face lift between pilot and series, and then brow lift during season one’s hiatus) was subtle.  But I think it's sad how she, upon watching the first screening of the pilot, felt she looked compared to her costars -- the fact she looked older than the rest of them, because she WAS more than ten years older than them, made her so uncomfortable about the prospect of being known as "the old one", she went under the knife.  (This, of course, is heavily influenced by working in an industry that practically told women they should go out and shoot themselves, but at the very least not offend cameras with their person, somewhere between 35 and 40.)

She did say, “It makes me feel sorry for myself in an odd way that I was so amazed by my appearance.  What must I have been willing to settle for?  I wonder as I’m writing this.  Aren’t we pitiful sometimes.”  And a lot of her advice about choosing a plastic surgeon, if one is going to go that route, was sound, and she encouraged women to own what they had done rather than be embarrassed about it.

I didn’t read her book, but I read an interview Jean Smart did, and Dixie sounded like a wonderful mother, wife and friend.

[Queena]

On 12/25/2020 at 9:11 AM, ButterQueen said:

I thought she had a beautiful voice.  Loved her singing at Payne’s wedding.  😂

She doesn't or didn't sing my type of music. Her voice wasn't bad, but to my ears it was nails on a chalkboard. 

[sugarbaker design]

Just watched the 1-2 combination of Anthony's Graduation and La Place Sans Souci (San Sucky here we come!).  Two of my favorite episodes.

[GHScorpiosRule]

They aired the two part clip show last night which started with Julia’s AWESOME take down of that blonde twit Marjorie and telling her “So you know, and someday your children will know, that’s the night the Lights Went Out in GEORGIA!!!”*

*I probably didn’t get it it verbatim, but close enough!

I think my favorite characteristic of Suzanne is her strident “EXCUUZE ME! EXCUUZE ME!” 😂😂😂😂😂

And I remember that episode where Tony Goldwyn appeared. Broke my heart then and again when I saw the clip, and laughed as Julia, once again did an awesome SMACKDOWN.

[sugarbaker design]

12 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

And I remember that episode where Tony Goldwyn appeared. Broke my heart then and again when I saw the clip, and laughed as Julia, once again did an awesome SMACKDOWN.

I'm paraphrasing:

"If God were giving out sexually transmitted diseases as a punishment for sinning, then you would be at the free clinic all the tiiiiiiiiiiime!"

I don't know how she did it, but Dixie Carter stretched out the word time for four syllables!!!  This episode that @GHScorpiosRule mentions above aired in 1987 when hardly any shows, besides the news, even mentioned AIDS.  It's a hallmark of compassion and kindness.  When Kendall is shocked that Charlene wants to hold his hand, it's too much.  It's probably my favorite episode, ranks up there with There She Is (which is not a hallmark of compassion and kindness).

Edited December 30, 2020 by sugarbaker design

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, sugarbaker design said:

I don't know how she did it, but Dixie Carter stretched out the word time for four syllables!!!

For me, what she does with "all" is even better.  Add in "P.E." and she hits the trifecta of delightfully elongated words in one scene.

I couldn't stand her singing voice, but her line delivery was truly fantastic.  They all excelled at that.  Take Linda Bloodworth-Thomason's writing and have it come out of the mouths of these four women, and you have a show we're still watching and quoting nearly 35 years later.

Edited December 30, 2020 by Bastet

[ifionlyknew]

1 minute ago, Bastet said:

Take Linda Bloodworth-Thomason's writing and have it come out of the mouths of these four women, and you have a show we're still watching and quoting nearly 35 years later.

Sometimes you get lucky and the writing and acting line up perfectly.  The cast played off each other so well.   And they always seemed like they were having a good time.  So many times you hear about friction between cast members but these five looked like genuinely liked each other. 

The show's only Emmy was for hairstyling. Although the above mentioned episode "Killing all the Right People" was nominated.

 

[annzeepark914]

This show was so authentic to me based on my years of working with/being friends with southern women.  I remember that I wasn't going to watch it at first, suspecting that it would be a typical sitcom with that ba-dum-ba delivery (each single line of dialogue would get canned laughter, that kind of "humor"...Annie Potts said it was so great to not have to deliver dialogue that way).  When I finally started watch Designing Women, I was stunned.  A lot of the characters reminded me of my friends in Raleigh.  Suzanne was my favorite.  Suzanne traveling or up to some scheme with Anthony was even better. And the strange group trips were wonderful--especially the one with Daddy & sons, and the Florida trip meeting big booby Ursula.  Where the heck are all the great writers today (I keep asking)?

[GHScorpiosRule]

28 minutes ago, Bastet said:

For me, what she does with "all" is even better.  Add in "P.E." and she hits the trifecta of delightfully elongated words in one scene.

I couldn't stand her singing voice, but her line delivery was truly fantastic.  They all excelled at that.  Take Linda Bloodworth-Thomason's writing and have it come out of the mouths of these four women, and you have a show we're still watching and quoting nearly 35 years later.

I’m asking myself why I haven’t gotten the dvds for this show? I’m only interested in the Original Four-so it’s going to be the first five seasons only. As much as I liked and loved Jan Hooks on SNL, I just CANNOT stand what’sherface from Newhart.

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I’m asking myself why I haven’t gotten the dvds for this show? I’m only interested in the Original Four-so it’s going to be the first five seasons only.

That's all I have.  If it ever comes in syndication/streaming on something I get, I'll watch the final two seasons again as I haven't seen them since they aired (actually, I probably re-watched some of them during the Lifetime run, but that was a very long time ago itself) and don't remember much other than "Carlene's Apartment" and "The Strange Case of Clarence and Anita".  But I don't want to own them; season five is already weak by comparison with Linda's attention on Evening Shade and Suzanne's part reduced because of Delta's uncertain availability.  By six and seven, they were inevitably down to a couple of good episodes and scattered funny moments in a show that just didn't feel right anymore.

Edited December 30, 2020 by Bastet

[ifionlyknew]

36 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Where the heck are all the great writers today (I keep asking)?

The 80s had some really good sitcom writers.  Linda Bloodworth Thomas.  Susan Harris from the Golden Girls.  Diane English from Murphy Brown. The guys from Cheers.

Something all the shows I mentioned all had in common was they were character driven shows.  The shows were about the characters and not whatever plot was written for the characters.  Some the best episodes of Designing Women were the ones where the characters just sat around talking.  With very few exceptions today's sitcom's don't even close to be as smartly written as Designing Women.

[annzeepark914]

1 hour ago, ifionlyknew said:

The 80s had some really good sitcom writers.  Linda Bloodworth Thomas.  Susan Harris from the Golden Girls.  Diane English from Murphy Brown. The guys from Cheers.

Something all the shows I mentioned all had in common was they were character driven shows.  The shows were about the characters and not whatever plot was written for the characters.  Some the best episodes of Designing Women were the ones where the characters just sat around talking.  With very few exceptions today's sitcom's don't even close to be as smartly written as Designing Women.

And then there were the dramas. LA Law. Hill Street Blues. Lou Grant. I know there were more, but these were my favorites. What happened to those writers? Good actors can act, but they need decent scripts. You'd think Hollywood would've had workshops for new writers. And I just saw a program about The Cosby Show, mostly a comedy but in a real life kinda way. The early years were "teachable free" and reminded us of our own goofy families, no matter what our ethnicity was.

[Kohola3]

I also liked that they addressed things like physical assaults on women with the defense class (I loved Julie's "Nooooooooooo"  when approached by the instuctor") and the episode where Mary Jo had to testify in court.  But the strength throughout was the wonderful timing between the characters.  Looking back, they really did deserve an Emmy.

To this day I still use the "the man should have to kill the bug" line complete with hand gestures.

I cannot watch the last two seasons, it makes me sad.

Edited December 30, 2020 by Kohola3

[GHScorpiosRule]

Well this is interesting. Mary Ann Mobley guest starred in the season five premiere. She was the recast to replace Dixie Carter’s character on Diff’rent Strokes when Phillip remarried in its last season!

I’m looking at the date and it looks like Dixie left to do this show!!! Best thing ever! I admit that I first saw her on Diff’rent Strokes and was extremely peeved when I saw she’d been recast!

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by GHScorpiosRule

[Hiyo]

Quote

This episode that @GHScorpiosRule mentions above aired in 1987 when hardly any shows, besides the news, even mentioned AIDS.  It's a hallmark of compassion and kindness.

Especially as Linda had written that episode due to comments her mother, who did have AIDS, had received in real life (especially the "killing all the right people" comment).

[GHScorpiosRule]

Holy Hell, I just saw season six's premiere for the first time. Who was the MORON who thought casting Julia Duffy was a good idea?

Why Julia didn't just kick her ass out of Sugarbaker/buy her out, I'll not understand. 

I don't recall the details of the problems between Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, and the creators of this show, but way to dump on Suzanne.

[ifionlyknew]

25 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I don't recall the details of the problems between Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, and the creators of this show, but way to dump on Suzanne.

This is from wikipedia:

 

In 1990, Burke publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the show on a televised interview with Barbara Walters and other media outlets. She argued on Entertainment Tonight that there was a labor dispute, and actors were often forced to work over 15 hours per day, with executives even blocking the doors and keeping actors on set. She also said that Dixie Carter, who had once been her close friend and maid of honor at her wedding to Gerald McRaney, was not speaking to her as Carter sided with her bosses. At the end of the fifth season of Designing Women in 1991, Burke was fired from the show due to her contentious relations with Carter and the Thomasons

 

Delta did make up with Bloodworth and Thomason because they created the show Women of the House for her in 1995.

[GHScorpiosRule]

1 minute ago, ifionlyknew said:

This is from wikipedia:

 

In 1990, Burke publicly expressed dissatisfaction with the show on a televised interview with Barbara Walters and other media outlets. She argued on Entertainment Tonight that there was a labor dispute, and actors were often forced to work over 15 hours per day, with executives even blocking the doors and keeping actors on set. She also said that Dixie Carter, who had once been her close friend and maid of honor at her wedding to Gerald McRaney, was not speaking to her as Carter sided with her bosses. At the end of the fifth season of Designing Women in 1991, Burke was fired from the show due to her contentious relations with Carter and the Thomasons

 

Delta did make up with Bloodworth and Thomason because they created the show Women of the House for her in 1995.

Okay, I think I remember that Entertainment Tonight Interview...Delta sounded so sad. I've always liked her.

[annzeepark914]

After Delta Burke left the show, I stopped watching.  Her character was hilarious.

[ifionlyknew]

30 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

After Delta Burke left the show, I stopped watching.  Her character was hilarious.

Her departure changed the show.  It was like the air was taken out of the sails. 

I checked the ratings for after Delta left and I'm shocked they went up the season after she left.

[Cetacean]

4 minutes ago, ifionlyknew said:

Her departure changed the show.  It was like the air was taken out of the sails. 

That was pretty much the end for me.  I never made it through subsequent seasons.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I don't recall the details of the problems between Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, and the creators of this show,

This interview with Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and the surviving cast members commemorating the 30th anniversary of the show goes into detail.  The whole thing is great, but if you just want that story, scroll down to Part VI, The Drama.

The biggest problem, IMO, was the stupid husbands (Gerald McRaney and Harry Thomason) didn't keep their damn mouths shut in the press; they made everything worse.

[annzeepark914]

For some reason, I remember McRaney was blamed for encouraging Delta to demand more money. At least that's what I read in the newspaper or maybe People--not sure. And the others were upset cause they felt her actions were endangering their jobs.

[ML89]

4 hours ago, ifionlyknew said:

Her departure changed the show.  It was like the air was taken out of the sails. 

So many shows work because of the cast and Designing Women is one - it's those people because, wow, do they make some ridiculous concepts work. Once Suzanne left, it was like taking a wheel off a car. Doesn't help that the only thing I ever liked Julia Duffy in was Wizards and Warriors. The writing also fell apart too.

Weird side note - one of the writers on Designing Women and Evening Shade was Thom Bray, who played Murray on Riptide, another show that worked because of the cast.

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, Bastet said:

This interview with Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and the surviving cast members commemorating the 30th anniversary of the show goes into detail.  The whole thing is great, but if you just want that story, scroll down to Part VI, The Drama.

The biggest problem, IMO, was the stupid husbands (Gerald McRaney and Harry Thomason) didn't keep their damn mouths shut in the press; they made everything worse.

Thanks for the link, @Bastet. 

When you mentioned the stupid husbands, a light went off above my head, so to speak. It made me remember seeing Gerald McRaney talking about how everyone was being mean to new wife, Delta, or something. And after reading the entire article, I agree! Shoulda kept their traps shut.

[Jaded]

9 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

For some reason, I remember McRaney was blamed for encouraging Delta to demand more money. 

I remember my Mom saying that was what happened in Suzanne Sommers case too in regards to Threes Company. Not sure how true that is though. When I've seen Suzanne talk about it over the years she's acted like it was her idea. 

[ML89]

13 hours ago, Bastet said:

This interview with Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and the surviving cast members commemorating the 30th anniversary of the show goes into detail.  The whole thing is great, but if you just want that story, scroll down to Part VI, The Drama.

The biggest problem, IMO, was the stupid husbands (Gerald McRaney and Harry Thomason) didn't keep their damn mouths shut in the press; they made everything worse.

Fantastic article, thank you for posting!

[Egg McMuffin]

I watch the show on Antenna TV, and I’m pretty much done after season 5. Season 6 was an opportunity to reinvent the show, but the new characters were awful, pale copies of the originals. Charlene was a bit ditsy, but also a deeply principled person (the 80s equivalent of Edith Bunker). Carlene was just an idiot. Can you imagine doing “The Rowdy Girls” with Carlene instead of Charlene? Nope. Allison, as others have pointed out, had no redeeming qualities. What if she had been someone with good business sense? Or at least the ability to go toe-to-toe with Julia occasionally? Julia Duffy didn’t really belong on the show - she didn’t seem southern at all.

It’s a shame that none of the actresses won an Emmy. Jean Smart, to me, is the heart and soul of the show. As much as I like Delta, I think the show could have survived her departure had Jean stuck around.

I don’t agree with Linda Bloodworth-Thomason’s attempt to link her lack of success on CBS in the 1990s to Les Moonves’ sexual harassment scandal. As far as I can see, there’s no link. He didn’t harass her. He just chose not to pick up any more of her shows. Of the four shows she did four CBS, only one - DW - was truly successful. And she really mishandled DW in its later years. “Evening Shade” was a timeslot hit, and wasn’t great creatively. It wasn’t successful in syndication either. “Hearts Afire” eked out a three year run, but wasted a great cast and also has rarely been rerun. “Women of the House” bombed. “Emeril” (done for NBC) was also a dud. HBO actually shot six episodes of her series “12 Miles of Bad Road” and chose not to air it. How many chances does she want? She was lucky she got that $50 million deal. I’d argue her track record didn’t warrant it.

 

 

[Taryn74]

3 hours ago, Kyle said:

Charlene was a bit ditsy, but also a deeply principled person (the 80s equivalent of Edith Bunker). Carlene was just an idiot. Can you imagine doing “The Rowdy Girls” with Carlene instead of Charlene? Nope.

Excellent point!

[Cetacean]

4 hours ago, Kyle said:

Charlene was a bit ditsy, but also a deeply principled person (the 80s equivalent of Edith Bunker). Carlene was just an idiot.

While the originals might have been semi-caricatures (Julie=strong, independent woman, Suzanne=shallow, beauty queen, Charlene=simple country girl, Mary Jo=single mom, divorcee) they were still well rounded individuals with multiple sides to them.  Carlene and Allison were simply one-note roles with no depth or interest.  They would not have fit in, at any point, in the early seasons.  The show should have been cancelled when Jean and Delta left and spared us the pain of those last seasons.

[sugarbaker design]

10 hours ago, Kyle said:

It’s a shame that none of the actresses won an Emmy. Jean Smart, to me, is the heart and soul of the show. As much as I like Delta, I think the show could have survived her departure had Jean stuck around.

 

 

It's hardly ever mentioned it was the double whammy of losing both Burke and Smart, and the subsequent awful replacement characters that signed the show's death warrant. I agree that Smart's Charlene was the heart and soul of the show.  Smart could do more with a simple gesture than most actresses can do with a page of dialogue.  That's why she won 3 Emmys.

One of my favorite scenes is when Julia tells everyone she has cancelled her cruise to watch little devil Randa Oliver. Smart's simple response of "Julia" spoke volumes.

[WhitneyWhit]

Once they calmed Carlene down, I actually came to like her, but Alison? What a horrible character. I always thought Alison is who Suzanne would have been with a less talented actress and poor writing. Alison was just mean with no redeeming qualities and it wasn't fun watching her have such contempt for the people around her. Yes Suzanne often thought she was better than most but she loved the girls and Anthony, she was human and had a warmth about her, something Alison lacked.

As for Carlene, like I said, once they calmed her down and she stopped being such an idiot, I actually came to like her. BJ seemed redundant since we already had Julia, that was also the season they decided to turn Mary Jo into Julia-lite, so it was like we had three Julias running around, it was too much.

Edited January 25, 2021 by WhitneyWhit

[JAYJAY1979]

I think had the show just cast Jan Hooks and kept Delta...it would have worked.  In fact, the whole 'Sugarbaker scholarship' story that Allison/Carlene did would have worked better with Suzanne.  Suzanne had a mothering/smothering side that she displayed with Anthony...so it wouldn't be out the realm that she would do that with Carlene. 

 

[GHScorpiosRule]

"The Strange Case of Clarence and Anita" aired last night and had my blood pressure sky rocketing like it did when it aired the first time and as I watched those hearings. ESPECIALLY at that asshat senator who accused Anita Hill's entire testimony as being perjury. I'm stating it here, because the episode aired it toward the end.

I counted the minutes of commercials from when the episode started and ran for one two minutes before fading into the first. Nearly 8 minutes! Back in the day, the commercial break would have been two minutes. Maybe three. Now I'm wondering just what they cut out, because the rest of the episode, especially Mary Jo, was EXCELLENT.

Allison might as well have worn a T-Shirt that said "Phyllis Schlafly is my Hero!" plastered on her front.

It was eerie how much Dixie's make up worked to look like Joan Crawford.

And now I'll be deleting, deleting, deleting, until the first season rolls around again.

[lurkerbee]

Hal & Dixie are together again.

RIP, Hal Holbrook. You were a joy to watch.

[ljenkins782]

9 hours ago, lurkerbee said:

Hal & Dixie are together again.

RIP, Hal Holbrook. You were a joy to watch.

95 is a great run, but still sad news. Such an easy charm and so talented, he and Dixie were an amazing pair on this show.

[ButterQueen]

On 1/27/2021 at 12:25 PM, GHScorpiosRule said:

"The Strange Case of Clarence and Anita" aired last night and had my blood pressure sky rocketing like it did when it aired the first time and as I watched those hearings. ESPECIALLY at that asshat senator who accused Anita Hill's entire testimony as being perjury. I'm stating it here, because the episode aired it toward the end.

I counted the minutes of commercials from when the episode started and ran for one two minutes before fading into the first. Nearly 8 minutes! Back in the day, the commercial break would have been two minutes. Maybe three. Now I'm wondering just what they cut out, because the rest of the episode, especially Mary Jo, was EXCELLENT.

Allison might as well have worn a T-Shirt that said "Phyllis Schlafly is my Hero!" plastered on her front.

It was eerie how much Dixie's make up worked to look like Joan Crawford.

And now I'll be deleting, deleting, deleting, until the first season rolls around again.

I love that episode so much....especially Mary Jo’s rant.

“ All we want is to be treated with equality and respect. Is that asking too much? I'm sorry, I don't mean to be strident and overbearing, but you know nice just doesn't cut it anymore. I'm mad because we're 51 percent of the population and only two percent of the United States Senate. I'm mad because 406 men in the House of Representatives have a pool, a sauna and a gym, and we have six hairdryers and a ping pong table. I'm mad because in a Seminole, Oklahoma police station, there's a poster of a naked woman that says "Women make bad cops." I'm mad because in spite of the fact that we scrub the nations' floors, wash the dishes, have all the babies and commit very little of the crime, still we only make 58 cents on the dollar. And I don't know about the rest of you women out there, but I don't give a damn if people think I'm a feminist or a fruitcake! What I'm going to do is get in my car and drive to the centermost part of the United States of America and climb the tallest tower and yell, "Hey, don't get me wrong, we love ya, but who the hell do you men think you are?!!"

I think had they hired Judith Ivey for season 6 and skipped Julia Duffy, the show would have been better.  I love season 7, episode 1 where the women get drunk.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RIP Hal Holbrook. ❤️💔❤️💔

[ButterQueen]

On 7/28/2020 at 1:23 PM, Kohola3 said:

 I think of brides who spend thousands of dollars on gowns that will look absolutely ridiculous in a few years. Looking back at wedding pictures from the eighties, it makes me laugh.

I got married in those years and my dress was almost an identical match, in style, to Princess Kate’s dress.  I was so happy when she appeared in her dress.  Of course mine was the cheap version.  My sweet momma picked it out with me.  It is still a classic and gorgeous look.  My sister-in-law loved it so much, she wore it for her wedding.  ❤️

[ButterQueen]

On 2/2/2021 at 8:15 PM, ljenkins782 said:

95 is a great run, but still sad news. Such an easy charm and so talented, he and Dixie were an amazing pair on this show.

I loved how he called her “Sassy”.

[ButterQueen]

I’m watching Carlene’s apartment from season 6.  I love when they call the Queen.  😂😂
 

Allison to Carlene.  “They probably have your parents’s home in Hooterville surrounded about now”

Edited February 7, 2021 by ButterQueen

[GHScorpiosRule]

FYI: Season one resumes on February 22!!!

[GHScorpiosRule]

YAY! Season One is finally airing!

I know I read about it in the article up thread that talked about the fallout with Delta, but I forgot--and it was so obvious in the pilot:

Suzanne doesn't have a Southern accent! It was barely there in the second episode, with the most awesomest takedown that Julia did of that snotty Marjorie.

Now I'm going to be paying attention to see when it comes out in full! It was just weird to hear the Southern in Julia's voice, but not in Suzanne's!

When did Anthony show up? Because he wasn't in the first two episodes, and Antenna is using the opening credits where he's part of the cast. Probably from Season Two?

Scott Bakula: YUM! 

[Hiyo]

It’s like watching the first episode of The Golden Girls, Blanche didn’t initially have a Southern accent either...

[sugarbaker design]

1 hour ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

When did Anthony show up?

According this post:

Anthony Bouvier was originally supposed to make a one-time appearance in the sixth episode of season one. The script for the episode wasn’t yet complete when Meshach Taylor auditioned, so instead he was instructed to improvise with the other cast members. The producers were so impressed with the chemistry between Taylor and the four female stars that Anthony became a recurring character, and then a series regular. Taylor was the first cast member to be nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the show.

Edited February 24, 2021 by sugarbaker design

[JAYJAY1979]

Suzanne in season 1 was more subdue and intellectual.

Julia in season 1 was almost too harsh especially to Suzanne.  I didn't sense the warm sisterly vibe in season 1.

Mary Jo in season 1 was so mousey and demure.  I much liked her better in season 2 to 5 when she's more confident and acts like the Greek chorus. 

Charlene was more feminine and gullible in season 1.  In later seasons, she was less gullible and I think her fascination with absolutely nothing became more a thing.

I think Anthony comes during the Thanksgiving episode in season 1

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

Charlene was more feminine and gullible in season 1.

I cannot stand Charlene in the first season!  It's just the same thing over and over again: She falls for some man's lies, won't listen to anyone when they try to open her eyes, then finally realizes she's been duped and declares she's never going to trust anyone again, so everyone rallies around and says, no, no, that's what's so great about you.

The absolute worst is when they are getting DEATH THREATS for testifying against her boyfriend who's fencing stolen goods, and she keeps insisting he's a great guy, wouldn't steal, and the death threats are just joking around.

Ugh.  She's such a better character as season two gets going, but then they saddle her with the boring blob that is Bill.

2 hours ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

I think Anthony comes during the Thanksgiving episode in season 1

I thought so, too, but it's actually the episode before that (when Suzanne thinks she burnt down Design House) when he first appears.  I think the Thanksgiving episode was filmed first, though.  And that Thanksgiving episode is Bernice's first appearance.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Aaand Suzanne’s Southern accent makes an appearance by Episode Three! 😄😄