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Series · 1986 – 1993 · Comedy

Designing Women

Designed to keep you laughing!

★6.8 1986 – 1993 7 Seasons Linda Bloodworth-Thomason TV-MA

Julia Sugarbaker, Mary Jo Shively, Charlene Frazier-Stillfield and Suzanne Sugarbaker are associates at their design firm, Sugarbaker and Associates. Julia is the owner and is very outspoken and strong-willed. Mary Jo is a divorced single-parent whom is just as strong-willed as Julia, but isn't as self-confident. Charlene is the naive and trusting farm girl from Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Suzanne is the self-centered ex-beauty queen whom has a number of wealthy ex-husbands.

Seasons & episodes

7 seasons · 163 episodes

Designing Women

Episode 01

Designing Women

Sep 29, 1986 · 30 min

Suzanne visits a new gynecologist, Mary Jo's ex-husband Ted, and a maelstrom of emotions is unleashed when she announces she is dating him.

The Beauty Contest

Episode 02

The Beauty Contest

Oct 6, 1986 · 30 min

Charlene sponsors Mary Jo's daughter in the Miss Pre-Teen Atlanta contest, and despite her depression over her own upcoming 30th birthday, Suzanne coaches Claudia on how to walk and smile.

A Big Affair

Episode 03

A Big Affair

Oct 20, 1986 · 30 min

Suzanne's intimate dinner party, planned to impress an important client, goes awry before it begins when she arranges a date between a more-than-hefty man and a reluctant Charlene.

Julia's Son

Episode 04

Julia's Son

Oct 27, 1986 · 30 min

Julia's nineteen-year-old son, Payne, is bringing his girlfriend home from college for a visit, and Julia wants everything to be perfect for her ""baby."" Payne then presents his girl, Primmie, who is tall, attractive...and forty years old!

Mary Jo's First Date

Episode 05

Mary Jo's First Date

Nov 3, 1986 · 30 min

Concerned that Mary Jo hasn't dated since she and Ted broke up, Suzanne arranges a bind date for her with an old acquaintance, J.D. Shackelford, head scout for the Atlanta Braves baseball team, while Julia struggles through an I.R.S. audit conducted by the same Ray Don Simpson who tried to pick up the women at a restaurant and suffered a tonguelashing from Julia.

Design House

Episode 06

Design House

Nov 17, 1986 · 30 min

Since Suzanne has money invested in Sugarbaker's and is tired of her image as a front bimbo for the firm, Julia assigns her to do the decorating of their next project. Unfortunately, the house burns to the ground while Suzanne is working on it.

Perky's Visit

Episode 07

Perky's Visit

Nov 24, 1986 · 30 min

Perky Sugarbaker, Julia and Suzanne's mother, and her friend Bernice hope to escape the dull routine of their lives in the retirement home by joining the girls and their ex-con handyman Anthony for the festive occasion, considering it an exhilarating change.

I Do, I Don't

Episode 08

I Do, I Don't

Dec 4, 1986 · 30 min

The dinner is perfect, the champagne flows, Julia is presented with a single rose, and on a lark she and her current beau Reese get married. The next morning both parties regret their hastiness, and Reese appears with annulment papers. An argument ensues, and Julia finally agrees to sign the papers, thereby annuling their marriage and their entire relationship.

The IT Men

Episode 09

The IT Men

Dec 4, 1986 · 30 min

When her boyfriend Mason takes a job in Japan, Charlene finds she has chemistry with another man, a man who happens to be married to one of the Sugarbaker clients.

The Slumber Party

Episode 10

The Slumber Party

Dec 18, 1986 · 30 min

Arriving at work one morning, Suzanne tells Julia, Mary Jo, and Charlene that when she tried to fire her maid, she put a voodoo death curse on her and proclaimed that Suzanne would be gone by midnight. Mary Jo invites Charlene, Julia and Suzanne to help her with Claudia's slumber party.

New Year's Daze

Episode 11

New Year's Daze

Jan 1, 1987 · 30 min

It is New Year's Eve, and everyone is dressed in their finery, anticipating a fun-filled night on the town. The identity of Charlene's date is kept secret until a news flash reports that the infamous ""Shadow"" is the subject of a massive manhunt.

Old Spouses Never Die (1)

Episode 12

Old Spouses Never Die (1)

Feb 1, 1987 · 30 min

Mary Jo is brooding about her ex-husband's interference in her life, while Charlene distrusts her doctor's cavalier attitude toward the lump he found in her breast.

Old Spouses Never Die (2)

Episode 13

Old Spouses Never Die (2)

Feb 1, 1987 · 30 min

Mary Jo is brooding about her ex-husband's interference in her life, while Charlene distrusts her doctor's cavalier attitude toward the lump he found in her breast.

Monette

Episode 14

Monette

Feb 8, 1987 · 30 min

When an old school chum of Charlene's, Monette, buys the old Chadwick mansion and asks Sugarbaker's to redecorate, the women are excited at the prospect of a most lucrative assignment--until they find out what the assignment REALLY is...

And Justice For Paul

Episode 15

And Justice For Paul

Feb 15, 1987 · 30 min

Suzanne picks up a client who wants period furniture on a shoestring budget, and the Sugarbaker women find that antique furniture at bargain prices is no bargain.

Reese's Friend

Episode 16

Reese's Friend

Feb 22, 1987 · 30 min

A disagreement over the theme for the annual country club fund-raiser has Julia and Suzanne at odds, but the quibbling is forgotten when Reese appears with a gorgeous young women on his arm, explaining that she is a new attorney in his law firm.

Nashville Bound

Episode 17

Nashville Bound

Mar 16, 1987 · 30 min

The news that Charlene's family--all ten brothers and sisters--will be in town at the same time is overshadowed by the news that she is going to become a recording star!

Oh, Suzannah

Episode 18

Oh, Suzannah

Mar 23, 1987 · 30 min

While in Reese's office to sign legal papers, Suzanne off-handedly volunteers to keep a Vietnamese boat child, Li Sing, who is being adopted but needs an interim home for the next four weeks while final papers are being completed. Suzanne becomes attached to Li Sing quickly and doesn't want to give her over to her new family.

Mary Jo's Dad Dates Charlene

Episode 19

Mary Jo's Dad Dates Charlene

Apr 6, 1987 · 30 min

When Mary Jo's divorced father arrives in Atlanta for a four-day visit and dances cheek to cheek with Charlene, Mary Jo becomes very protective.

Seams From a Marriage

Episode 20

Seams From a Marriage

Apr 13, 1987 · 30 min

When Anthony saunters into the shop wearing an enormous cowboy hat, followed by a breathless Mary Jo who has obviously been out all night as she is wearing the same clothes ahe had on when she left the day before, the others clamor for an explanation. It seems their appointment with Sugarbaker's newest client turned into an all-night bash, complete with Cajun buffet and country-western band.

Grand Slam, Thank You Ma'am

Episode 21

Grand Slam, Thank You Ma'am

May 4, 1987 · 30 min

Suzanne's baseball player ex-husband, Jack Dent, writes in his autobiography that he had more groupie action than all the rock ""n"" roll bands in North America, and Suzanne vows revenge.

Bachelor Suite

Episode 22

Bachelor Suite

May 11, 1987 · 30 min

When Mary Jo undertakes the decoration of Hence Winchester's new home, she finds herself the object of sexual harassment by her wealthy client.

About the series

Designing Women poster
Audience score
★ 6.8 /10

based on 40 votes

Synopsis

Julia Sugarbaker, Mary Jo Shively, Charlene Frazier-Stillfield and Suzanne Sugarbaker are associates at their design firm, Sugarbaker and Associates. Julia is the owner and is very outspoken and strong-willed. Mary Jo is a divorced single-parent whom is just as strong-willed as Julia, but isn't as self-confident. Charlene is the naive and trusting farm girl from Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Suzanne is the self-centered ex-beauty queen whom has a number of wealthy ex-husbands.

Comedy

Cast

5 principal cast

Dixie Carter

Dixie Carter

Julia Sugarbaker

Annie Potts

Annie Potts

Mary Jo Shively

Jan Hooks

Jan Hooks

Carlene Frazier Dobber

Judith Ivey

Judith Ivey

Bonnie Jean "B.J." Poteet

Meshach Taylor

Meshach Taylor

Anthony Bouvier

Where to watch Designing Women

Designing Women is available to stream on Flicksy via 6 verified sources, aggregated from publicly available embed providers. The comedy from Linda Bloodworth-Thomason has 7 seasons and 163 total episodes, rated 6.8/10 by 40 viewers.

Frequently asked

How many seasons does Designing Women have?

Designing Women has 7 seasons with 163 episodes in total.

Is Designing Women still on the air?

Designing Women has ended and is no longer in production.

What network airs Designing Women?

Designing Women airs on CBS.

When did Designing Women first air?

Designing Women first aired on September 29, 1986.

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