Designing Women
Outspoken feminist Julia Sugarbaker runs a design firm out of her Atlanta home, along with her shallow ex-beauty queen sister, Suzanne, divorced mother Mary Jo, and, naive country girl Charlene. Black ex-con Anthony helps deliver furniture for the business and voices his unique opinion on whatever the women are discussing. Episodes typically revolved around the work, personal, and love lives of these four women.
- Metascore61
- 1986-1993
- 7 seasons
- CBS
- Comedy
- TV-PG
Outspoken feminist Julia Sugarbaker runs a design firm out of her Atlanta home, along with her shallow ex-beauty queen sister, Suzanne, divorced mother Mary Jo, and, naive country girl Charlene. Black ex-con Anthony helps deliver furniture for the business and voices his unique opinion on whatever the women are discussing. Episodes typically revolved around the work, personal, and love lives of these four women.
Season 1 Episode Guide
22 Episodes 1986 - 1987
Episode 1
Designing Women
Mon, Sep 29, 1986 30 mins
At the interior design firm of Sugarbaker & Associates in Atlanta, Georgia, thrice-divorced ex-beauty queen Suzanne Sugarbaker, younger sister of founder Julia, goes out with the ex-husband of her co-worker Mary Jo Shivley.
Episode 2
The Beauty Contest
Mon, Oct 6, 1986 30 mins
Mary Jo objects to her 12-year-old daughter Claudia entering in a beauty pageant.
Episode 3
A Big Affair
Mon, Oct 20, 1986 30 mins
Suzanne sets up Charlene on a blind date with a wholesaler of imported goods without telling her that he's significantly overweight.
Episode 4
Julia's Son
Mon, Oct 27, 1986 30 mins
Julia's son Payne comes home from college with his girlfriend: a professor named Primrose Horton who is at least twice his age.
Episode 5
Mary Jo's First Date
Mon, Nov 3, 1986 30 mins
Suzanne persuades Mary Jo to allow her to set her up with a date.
Episode 6
Design House
Mon, Nov 17, 1986 30 mins
Suzanne is bored with not being more involved in the actual work at Sugarbaker's, so Julia allows her to work on the very next assignment: Design House '86. As part of the requirement for the job, she spends the night there. The next morning it burns to the ground. Suzanne survives, but her future - and Sugarbaker's reputation - are in jeopardy.
Episode 7
Perky's Visit
Mon, Nov 24, 1986 30 mins
On Thanksgiving Day, Julia and Suzanne's mother Perky visits, along with her friend Bernice Clifton. However, a shadow is cast over the celebration when the women learn that a client was murdered after their delivery man, Anthony, argued with him.
Episode 8
I Do, I Don't
Thu, Dec 4, 1986 30 mins
Julia expects an engagement ring from her boyfriend, Reese Watson, but gets a canary instead. Nonetheless, they get married while drunk and annul the marriage the next morning, leaving Julia in a depressed state.
Episode 9
The IT Men
Thu, Dec 11, 1986 30 mins
While Charlene's boyfriend Mason is living in Tokyo, they have agreed to date other people. She goes with a man named Ed who is married to another woman, a fact she learns when Julia and Mary Jo meet with their latest client: his wife.
Episode 10
The Slumber Party
Thu, Dec 18, 1986 21 mins
Suzanne believes her maid, Consuela, has put a fatal voodoo curse on her to take effect at midnight. Just in case it comes true, the other ladies have a slumber party at Mary Jo's house.
Episode 11
New Year's Daze
Thu, Jan 1, 1987 30 mins
The ladies' New Year's Eve Party has a shadow cast over it-literally-when Charlene's boyfriend, Shadow, breaks out of prison to be with her.
Episode 12
Old Spouses Never Die: Part 1
Sun, Feb 1, 1987
Mary Jo and J.D.'s romantic evening is interrupted when her ex-husband Ted brings home the children on a flimsy excuse. Meanwhile, Anthony is required to attend a $5,000 poker game after a run-in with a corrupt businessman, and Charlene looks for a new doctor when her old one says to "wait and see" after finding a lump in her breast.
Episode 13
Old Spouses Never Die: Part 2
Sun, Feb 1, 1987
J.D. brings his ex-wife and Mary Jo's ex-husband Ted together to lay down some ground rules; Charlene goes in for a biopsy while Julia confronts her old doctor; Anthony tries to hide from two of Mr. BB's bodyguards.
Episode 14
Monette
Sun, Feb 8, 1987 21 mins
Charlene's old friend Monette, now calling herself "Monica," asks Sugarbaker & Associates to re-design her house. She can afford a budget of $100,000 to $150,000 because of her profession: the oldest profession; she is the owner of a brothel.
Episode 15
And Justice for Paul
Sun, Feb 15, 1987 30 mins
Charlene's boyfriend's offer of a discount on antique furniture turns out to be of stolen goods, landing the women in prison.
Episode 16
Reese's Friend
Sun, Feb 22, 1987 30 mins
Julia is jealous when Reese cancels six consecutive dates due to work involving a new lawyer at his firm; a young, attractive female one.
Episode 17
Nashville Bound
Mon, Mar 16, 1987 22 mins
Just as her entire family is coming to visit her in Atlanta, Charlene meets Gaylon King, a man who claims to be a record producer with the intent of launching her singing career.
Episode 18
Oh, Suzannah
Mon, Mar 23, 1987 30 mins
Suzanne becomes the foster mother to a Vietnamese boat girl for a month while the papers for her adoption by a Birmingham couple are being cleared. However, they become so attached that they don't want to split up.
Episode 19
Mary Jo's Dad Dates Charlene
Mon, Apr 6, 1987 22 mins
When Mary Jo's recently divorced father, Davis Jackson, comes to town, he is instantly smitten with Charlene.
Episode 20
Seams from a Marriage
Mon, Apr 13, 1987 21 mins
The ladies are overwhelmed by their latest clients: an ultra-rich couple that lavishes them with gifts and trips.
Episode 21
Grand Slam, Thank You Ma'am
Mon, May 4, 1987 22 mins
Suzanne's ex-husband, an Atlanta Braves pitcher named Jack Dent, writes a scandalous autobiography in which he admits to an unprecedented amount of infidelity during their three-year marriage.
Episode 22
Bachelor Suite
Mon, May 11, 1987 30 mins
A wealthy client makes a pass at Mary Jo.
