Designing Women - General Discussion

[annzeepark914]

In reality, yeah.  But this was Designing Women's enhanced reality and it was funny.   In retrospect, that episode reminded me a bit of the movie, Four Seasons when the older couples went on a sailboat cruise and the recent widower brought along his new, young, very kind and decent & pretty/sexy girlfriend.  The other women reacted much like the Designing Women gals.  Geez, I haven't seen that movie in years.

[bigskygirl]

I hate it when they pretend Mary Jo is a single mother. Her two kids had their father in their lives, and she was receiving child support from him. She was a divorced parent, not a single mother.

[sugarbaker design]

If you're divorced, and you haven't remarried, you're single.

If you have kids, and you're female, you're a mother.

Mary Jo was a single mother.

[bigskygirl]

A single parent is a parent with no support at all from the other parent. She is co-parenting with her ex husband. Her kids see their father, and she is getting child support from him. If he decided he wanted nothing to do with the kids and did not pay any type of child support for them leading Mary Jo to handle everything on her own, she would be considered a single parent.

[sugarbaker design]

We're just going to have to agree to disagree on the definition of single parent.

[Gothish520]

On 6/1/2018 at 3:41 PM, annzeepark914 said:

In reality, yeah.  But this was Designing Women's enhanced reality and it was funny.   In retrospect, that episode reminded me a bit of the movie, Four Seasons when the older couples went on a sailboat cruise and the recent widower brought along his new, young, very kind and decent & pretty/sexy girlfriend.  The other women reacted much like the Designing Women gals.  Geez, I haven't seen that movie in years.

I remember that movie! Even remember the little neighborhood theater where I saw it. Good movie, and Bess Armstrong played the young girlfriend.

Edited June 7, 2018 by Gothish520

[Gothish520]

@bigskygirl, Wikipedia agrees with you. Most dictionary definitions are more vague and agree more with @sugarbaker design. 

Regardless, one of the things that kind of irked me was how Mary Jo was quite literally late every single day. Good thing there was no HR department keeping tabs on her attendance.

[bigskygirl]

Allison did bring up being on time and giving notice for appointments. but of course, it did not go over well.

[Taryn74]

I have to wonder if the literal/implied definition of single parent is one of those signs-of-the-times things?  I'm 44 and I have quite literally never heard of the term "single parent" being used to describe anything other than a parent who lives with and raises the children alone, whether or not they are receiving child support from the other parent.  I would use the term co-parenting to indicate that both parents share custody of the children (i.e. the children actually live with each parent at different times, not just live with one and visit the other).  A parent who pays child support but never visits the children would be absentee.  One who doesn't even pay child support would be a deadbeat.

[auntlada]

It's been a long time since I've seen the show regularly, but in my memory, Ted was a haphazard, half-assed father -- except for the episode where he wanted custody. At least, I think I remember that. He got married and decided the kids would be better off with him and what he probably thought was their new mom (that's how Mary Jo saw it anyway).

Edited June 7, 2018 by auntlada

[Gothish520]

18 hours ago, auntlada said:

It's been a long time since I've seen the show regularly, but in my memory, Ted was a haphazard, half-assed father -- except for the episode where he wanted custody. At least, I think I remember that. He got married and decided the kids would be better off with him and what he probably thought was their new mom (that's how Mary Jo saw it anyway).

I think Ted took the kids fairly regularly, but I believe you are right in that he sometimes canceled or tried to make arrangements outside of the agreed visitation, and I think Mary Jo complained that he was late with the child support checks. So he wasn't exactly a model ex-husband and father, but not a total scumbag.

[Bastet]

18 hours ago, auntlada said:

It's been a long time since I've seen the show regularly, but in my memory, Ted was a haphazard, half-assed father -- except for the episode where he wanted custody. At least, I think I remember that. He got married and decided the kids would be better off with him and what he probably thought was their new mom (that's how Mary Jo saw it anyway).

Yeah, he loved the kids and was fairly reliable with the support payments, but when it was just him, he preferred to bounce around doing whatever he wanted, and see the kids so long as his visitation schedule didn't interfere with something more fun to do.  He was also the "Well, Daddy lets us do x,y,z" Fun Dad.  When he got into a new relationship (in which he was disappointed that she wasn't as good at the have my favorite meal prepared perfectly and on the table when I get home type of stuff as Mary Jo had been), then he was all about wanting the kids to come help him play happy family.

[Maherjunkie]

He wasn't even that great about support, when Mary Jo worked at the fast food place.

[bigskygirl]

I remembered Mary Jo whining about her kids spending the holidays with their father. And yes, there was the one problem with the child support the one time, but she did take part of the blame because she put a part of it in saving bonds she could not touch for another year. I also remembered when he was getting remarried that he said the kids could live with him if they wanted to. He was not fighting her for custody.

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 6/1/2018 at 2:41 PM, annzeepark914 said:

In reality, yeah.  But this was Designing Women's enhanced reality and it was funny.   In retrospect, that episode reminded me a bit of the movie, Four Seasons when the older couples went on a sailboat cruise and the recent widower brought along his new, young, very kind and decent & pretty/sexy girlfriend.  The other women reacted much like the Designing Women gals.  Geez, I haven't seen that movie in years.

Yes but Ursula was NOT a girlfriend of one of the guys, she was a nanny, hired help, which is why I never understood her playing charades with the others.  Plus Ursula was WAAAAY too into the guys drooling over her which is why Suzanne sent her home.  As for having a nanny on the trip, I think it was so the adults could sit and chill with each other without interruption.  Why I remember these details of an episode that was taped over thirty years ago I may never know......

Also, why would the adults need so much time sitting and chilling when the ladies already chill out eight hours a day with each other......

[annzeepark914]

It was another of their awful "couples vacations" like the ski trip and the trip to the mountains (dancin' with Daddy and his boys).  Just another opportunity to throw the gals into a crazy situation. Gee, I miss that show and re-runs are never shown on any of our channels.

[WhoaWhoKnew]

4 minutes ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

 

Also, why would the adults need so much time sitting and chilling when the ladies already chill out eight hours a day with each other......

Lmao, yes! They also slam Suzanne for just lounging on the couch, but that's all they did!

Anthony was always coming back from a delivery at least.

[annzeepark914]

There's an article on line re: what are the stars of Designing Women doing today. It's one of those annoying articles where you get a paragraph and then you have to scroll down and click on "Next" (hate them but I was curious about the stars of my favorite show on TV).  And it wasn't just the 4 women...they even had Bernice, J.D., Charlene's husband, etc.  I just re-read these posts featuring the hilarious quotes.  I miss that show something fierce!!

[bigskygirl]

I went in this morning for an appointment with an allergist due to my lovely allergies. One of the tests the nurse did was a skin allergy test. I was tested for possible allergies to cats and dogs, but she did ask me if I wanted to be tested for possible allergies to horses, cattle, rabbits and a few other animals. I said no since I am not around these types of animals. The whole thing of asking if I want to be tested for possible cattle allergies reminds me of the one episode where Charlene said she was allergic to domestic meat so her parents had to get her other types of meat for her to eat. I was tempted to ask the nurse and doctor if a person is allergic to cattle does this mean they cannot eat hamburger, steaks, ribs etc. etc. because I bet Charlene would have ask the same thing or start to tell her story of being allergic to domestic meat when she was younger.

[annzeepark914]

It's a good thing Ted was played by an adorable actor.  The character was so immature and self-absorbed (sort of like my ex-brother-in-law) that he could easily have been despised (except he was so darn cute).

Re: Mary Jo.  She could be condescending as could Julia (esp when they played Trivia Pursuit with the two Big Girls).  I miss that show terribly. We don't even get reruns.  Where did all the clever writers go?  We did a tour of Warner Brothers a few years ago and went onto the set of Big Bang.  A script was lying on a table so I looked at a page. It had the actors saying very brief, snarky remarks, each followed "by a stare". 

[Jaded]

It's hard to imagine Designing Women without Dixie Carter as Julia and Meshach Taylor who played Anthony. They have both died since the original show went off the air along with Jan Hooks who came on later as Charlene's sister Carlene.

Having said the above Sony and Linda Bloodworth-Thompson are considering a reboot.

If it's a reboot with all new people it would be really weird. If they brought back some of the former cast like Delta Burke as Suzanne and Jean Smart as Charlene coming home to help Annie Potts as Mary Jo continue the business after Julia's death. They could then mention Anthony and maybe Carlene having died too. Charlene's daughter could be working for the business as an interior design person who may have ended up marrying Mary Jo's son. Those are just some ideas. 

Edited August 14, 2018 by Jaded

[FormerMod-a1]

I don't know about this one.  I loved the original, that cast complemented each other so well.  Even with LBT involved, I can see them trying to cast the same types and going way over the top.

I like your idea on how to make it a continuation/revival, rather than a reboot, but with only the 3 of them I'm still dubious on it working as well again.

[bigskygirl]

I do not think they could top the original show with Julia, Carlene, Mary Jo, Suzanne, Anthony and Bernice. No idea if it would work.

[annzeepark914]

I couldn't watch the last few years with different actors.  The writing had changed IMO and it just wasn't funny. Designing Women w/o Julia Sugarbaker? Don't think so.

[auntlada]

I wouldn't like it probably, but maybe Julia and Suzanne's nieces (I think that was the relation, but I'm not sure) could come back.

[sugarbaker design]

I can see a generational reboot with a Sugarbaker decendant (Payne's daughter) and her 3 female friends continuing the work at Sugarbaker's, with an occasional visit from Auntie Suzanne, Charlene and Mary Jo.

[Taryn74]

1 hour ago, auntlada said:

I wouldn't like it probably, but maybe Julia and Suzanne's nieces (I think that was the relation, but I'm not sure) could come back.

Oh yeah they were funny!  (At least one - if not both - of them were Dixie Carter's real life daughters, too.)

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Taryn74 said:

(At least one - if not both - of them were Dixie Carter's real life daughters, too.)

Both.  And neither one could act worth a damn, so if we saw the nieces in a reboot - which I don't think we would with any regularity; they were too on the nose in their replication of the Julia/Suzanne dynamic- they'd hopefully be recast.

[tessaray]

Honestly, I love Jean Smart in anything, so if they could get her - I'd be in.  Still, anything DW will at least get a few episodes from me.  

[JAYJAY1979]

Of all the characters, mary Jo changed the most throughout the seven seasons..and I find that I liked her better in seasons 3 through 5 especially when she was in the Greek chorus role.  Season 1 and 2 she was too meek and demure...season 6 and 7 she was an angry dry drunk. 

[annzeepark914]

On 8/9/2018 at 9:55 AM, annzeepark914 said:

I

On 8/9/2018 at 9:55 AM, annzeepark914 said:

 

On 8/9/2018 at 9:55 AM, annzeepark914 said:

 

Edited August 21, 2018 by annzeepark914
this shouldn't be here. It wouldn't edit.

[annzeepark914]

On 8/15/2018 at 5:22 PM, Bastet said:

Both.  And neither one could act worth a damn, so if we saw the nieces in a reboot - which I don't think we would with any regularity; they were too on the nose in their replication of the Julia/Suzanne dynamic- they'd hopefully be recast.

That was really a shame cause they looked so much like (their real mom) Julia and "aunt" Suzanne/Delta Burke (which was amazing because they aren't related).  You'd think the offspring of two wonderful actors, Hal Holbrooke & Dixie Carter, would have some great acting skills...but I guess not.  

[sugarbaker design]

Dixie's daughters' father is Dixie's first husband Arthur Carter, not her third husband Hal Holbrooke.

[WhitneyWhit]

I would much rather a reboot with characters connected to the original than a outright remake. So here's what I would do, on Women of the House, Suzanne adopted a daughter named Desiree, so there's the connection to Julia and Suzanne, then you could have a daughter born to Anthony and his wife who would be in her 20's now so that's the Anthony connection, then throw in Claudia and Olivia while Mary Jo, Charlene, and Suzanne would act as mentors and consultants for the new Sugarbaker and Associates.

[auntlada]

5 hours ago, WhitneyWhit said:

I would much rather a reboot with characters connected to the original than a outright remake. So here's what I would do, on Women of the House, Suzanne adopted a daughter named Desiree, so there's the connection to Julia and Suzanne, then you could have a daughter born to Anthony and his wife who would be in her 20's now so that's the Anthony connection, then throw in Claudia and Olivia while Mary Jo, Charlene, and Suzanne would act as mentors and consultants for the new Sugarbaker and Associates.

I think that's the best way to go. It appeals to fans of the old show, but doesn't irritate them at having old characters they loved remade by new people who will (in their minds -- and mine) never live up to the old. It would allow the new actors to make their own characters without the constant comparison to the others ("Suzanne would never have done that!" and so on), and it would allow the former actors who are still alive to make occasional appearances if they want to (or can come to an agreement with the creators/studio). I don't think I'd even have Mary Jo, Charlene and Suzanne on as regular characters.

Perhaps they could be there at the start, then hand the reins over to the next generations. Maybe they could start with Julia's funeral. Did Payne have a daughter or son? Did the show ever say? Either way, it could work, though. Payne's child comes back to Atlanta and wants to work in the business, but Mary Jo, Charlene and Suzanne want to retire (well, I guess Suzanne and Charlene were gone, but maybe they came back or are in the area -- I think it's best to just forget Carlene, Allison and B.J., especially Allison). So the kids all take over.

[bigskygirl]

Payne's wife found out she was not pregnant after they got married. No idea if they stayed together and had a baby.

[sugarbaker design]

But that's easily fixed, right.  It doesn't matter if Payne and Sylvie stayed together, just as long as they had a daughter.

[SCS]

On 8/23/2018 at 8:22 AM, WhitneyWhit said:

I would much rather a reboot with characters connected to the original than a outright remake. So here's what I would do, on Women of the House, Suzanne adopted a daughter named Desiree, so there's the connection to Julia and Suzanne, then you could have a daughter born to Anthony and his wife who would be in her 20's now so that's the Anthony connection, then throw in Claudia and Olivia while Mary Jo, Charlene, and Suzanne would act as mentors and consultants for the new Sugarbaker and Associates.

 

I like this. I would like a ret-con on the Suzanne story, tho: rather than Desiree (sorry Desiree!), I'd like Suzanne to have adopted Li Sing (from S1 --loved this episode). Li Sing would be in her late 30s now and a powerhouse in any field but -- she also did the pageant circuit a la Suzanne while in college, and won countless pageant titles because, like her mentor "...she spoke so eloquently of patriotism, battlefields and diamond tiaras, grown men wept."

[VCRTracking]

From The Hollywood Reporter:

'Designing Women' Creator Goes Public With Les Moonves War: Not All Harassment Is Sexual (Guest Column)

Edited September 12, 2018 by VCRTracking

[Keywestclubkid]

On 7/5/2018 at 6:50 PM, annzeepark914 said:

It was another of their awful "couples vacations" like the ski trip and the trip to the mountains (dancin' with Daddy and his boys).  Just another opportunity to throw the gals into a crazy situation. Gee, I miss that show and re-runs are never shown on any of our channels.

I wonder why this isn’t streaming anywhere 

[Jaded]

Jean Smart Wants to Appear in the ‘Designing Women’ Reboot

[JAYJAY1979]

I loved Jean Smart as Charlene..but when she left..it was sad..but I liked Jan Hooks as Carlene.  I always wonder how her and Delta Burke would have been opposite one another.  Missed opportunities :(

And rewatching the show as an adult, I didnt realize how good Dixie Carter was as Julia.  She was a master of dead pan humor and being dramatic:)  She and Jane Curtin were masters of dead pan humor.

[annzeepark914]

On 9/12/2018 at 12:24 PM, VCRTracking said:

From The Hollywood Reporter:

'Designing Women' Creator Goes Public With Les Moonves War: Not All Harassment Is Sexual (Guest Column)

I just finished reading this article and am stunned.  What a creep.  Good riddance, Les Moonves.  

[ButterQueen]

On 7/14/2014 at 10:26 PM, ButterQueen said:

I do love the eppy, "The Strange Case of Clarence & Anita".

Mary Jo's rant in front of the TV cameras:

Mary Jo: 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?!!"

Just seemed appropriate to repost. ❤️

[annzeepark914]

ButterQueen: Thank you! I needed that right now.

[TheGreenKnight]

I'd prefer a revival with maybe two or three new, young (or not) employees, because I'm not sure I'd be interested in something completely new. I'd definitely tune in if Delta Burke or Annie Potts were involved, always loved them, and Jean Smart is great, too. I wouldn't even mind a brief cameo from later, less popular characters like BJ and Allison.

[Sandman]

On 7/14/2014 at 10:26 PM, ButterQueen said:

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?!!"

It does seem we haven't learned much in the intervening years.

[annzeepark914]

On 11/29/2016 at 3:45 PM, JAYJAY1979 said:

That's what I think is missing from sitcoms nowadayd...a deadpan way of delivering that was funny, throwing shade, yet at the same time not being mean spirited.

You said it!  The right words used, the delivery and timing + the facial expression (or lack of one).  All of DW's actors were topnotch at this talent.  I remember reading Annie Pott's remarks (back in the early days of the show) that what she loved about DW scripts was that they weren't the typical sitcom ba-dump-dump patter (she described it better but you know what I mean).  She said she liked the southern style of talking and a certain type of southern humor that was in each storyline.  I'm not a southerner but lived in Raleigh for many years and every once in a while I'd come across a southerner with that hilarious sense of humor.  The humor would just sneak up on you making it even funnier (very subtle, not mean, very funny).

[annzeepark914]

Suzanne and Anthony were my favorites.  And Julia's rants (especially how she took on that predator Ray Don or whatever his name was...I had to do that once so I was cheering her on big time). Wish I knew the names of some of those character actors who played the eccentrics.

[JAYJAY1979]

19 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

You said it!  The right words used, the delivery and timing + the facial expression (or lack of one).  All of DW's actors were topnotch at this talent.  I remember reading Annie Pott's remarks (back in the early days of the show) that what she loved about DW scripts was that they weren't the typical sitcom ba-dump-dump patter (she described it better but you know what I mean).  She said she liked the southern style of talking and a certain type of southern humor that was in each storyline.  I'm not a southerner but lived in Raleigh for many years and every once in a while I'd come across a southerner with that hilarious sense of humor.  The humor would just sneak up on you making it even funnier (very subtle, not mean, very funny).

I can't imagine the reboot without Dixie Carter...who could be both deadpan and dramatic...and be funny in both delivery styles.