Designing Women S7 E8 Extra Sugar - The 2003 Lifetime Reunion

The year, Patreon friends: 2003. The goal: bring back the original cast of "Designing Women". Sprinkle in: LBT, Pam Norris, and allll the husbands for good measure.

We couldn't possibly close out the series without chatting about the Lifetime Reunion: general reactions, favorite moments, and biggest surprises.

Come on, y'all, let's get into it!

Or listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music.

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Transcript

Hey, Salina.

Hey, Nikki.

Hey, everyone. Welcome to this week's Extra Sugar. So, like we teased in our episode on Monday, before we shovel off to whatever's next, we feel like we need to fully, fully close the loop with Designing Women.

As long as we're not shoveling off the buffalo, it's fine.

I. I planted that specifically for you. Given your love of that episode, Salina, I didn't want you to forget it.

You got me.

You already left it off. One of your. As one of your favorite episodes of the whole series. So I just. I wanted to remind you of it.

Thank you.

That is your number one rewatcher. In order to fully close it, the loop, that is.

Designing Women Reunion aired July 28, 2003 on Lifetime

We're going to revisit the 2003 special the designing Women Reunion, which aired on Lifetime, where Designing Women had gone off. Gone on to live a long life and successful life in reruns. so it was directed by Harry Thomason and produced by LBT and Harry. It was filmed in early June 2003, and then it aired July 28, 2003. And it brought together, like we mentioned, the original cast of Designing Women for the first time in over a decade. Meshach Taylor emceed the night, and Alice Gosley made a couple of appearances. LBT participated for a few minutes, and we saw many of the Designing Women men, including hal Holbrook, Gerald McRaney, and Richard Gilliland. Gilliland. How do we say his last name?

Jillaland.

Jillaland. Okay. I had it right.

You were doing great.

I had a moment of fear where I was like, did I just mispronounce that? Gilliland. And hundreds of fans watched in the studio as the original cast revisited some of their favorite memories from the show. It was a 90 minute spin special. It was pretty long. I thought this quote from me, shack in an old AP story, Salina, that you found is a really nice little summary of the night quote. I knew that once we got to talking that a lot of things would come out. He, said that during a pause in the taping. I'm glad these things were said. I'm glad people will get to understand some of the things we were going through and how we tried to hold it together. with that in mind, the crew did cover a range of topics, including show lore, like how LBT found each of them for the show. Originally, they talked about the influence of Designing Women, including a really cute anecdote about an Atlanta gay bar called Hoedowns, where they like to reenact Julia's Tirades. but they didn't shy away from tough stuff in the reunion. They got into some of the tension on set, particularly around, as Annie put it, when Delta went crazy. and we talked about this in our main episode this week that I just Googled it, and I found it posted on some random website where it was posted in two parts. It was easy to find, easy to watch. Sounds like Salina found it in four parts on YouTube. So it's out there if you want to rewatch it. It's a lot to take in. So we wanted to talk about our favorite moments and our biggest surprises.

Salina says the aesthetic of the reunion really stood out to her

But first, Salina, do you want to lead us through some general reactions?

I do, as is our way to talk about our general reactions to things. But first, I think, well, you've already done some scene setting, but I was wondering, should we, like, talk a little bit about what it looked like, like, there that night?

Oh, sure.

So the set was fixed up like a Southern porch with white wicker chairs and all. And if you grew up in the south, then you know that white wicker is a given. Okay. especially then, everyone was mainly in white light creams or tan. I don't know if that stood out to you, but it did.

To me, it definitely did. What I think is so fascinating about the media coverage that I read of the reunion and the fact that this is exactly where you started, is the aesthetic is so important to people. I noticed the colors they were wearing, but, like, the set, really, it didn't matter to me. So it's fascinating. That stood out and.

Well, so. And I don't know, I think you could just feel that they were trying to. Not trying, but they were working to make it Southern. They were working to do this ode back to the show. And some of those. Some of that groundwork and that was involved in Designing Women. You know, I think, I think that it also maybe stands out today for me because of the reunion culture that there is. especially in, like. It's more like in, like Real Housewives kind of Reunion, you know, like reality tv. But if you ever watch any of those shows on Bravo and then you watch the, reunion shows, you can see that they usually do, a lot of aesthetic work to bring in. And so I. I was thinking a little bit about, Southern Char, where they often do, like, a porch setting, and then they all have, like, vodka and sweet tea at the end or whatever. So there was. There is something that feels like it's ahead of its time, because we weren't really Doing a bunch of reunions not quite at the clip that we are now. So that just kind of stood out to me.

Overall, I think the reunion was well done on reflection

overall, I'll just say then, jumping into the general reactions, I, I thought the reunion was really well done on reflection because this extra sugar is paired with our final thoughts on the series. I think this reunion gave me, and I was hinting about this in our main, episode. It gave me what the series finale did not and could not. It left me satisfied. That's my global thought. More, specifically, I think that the reunion flowed well. I think it moved quickly. I honestly felt like it was over in a flash. I remember looking at ahead and being like, oh, gosh, we just have so much content to get through. And this just went lickety split for me. I like the use of clips. It was such a good way to remind audience audiences, like, who this cast was and what they could do with the right script. you know, and you have, you've already mentioned this, but they didn't completely shy away from the controversial, which I think is so important. That's what people are there for. Not completely, but to just ignore that, I think would have been a terrible mistake, I will say.

There seemed to be very little interaction between Delta and Dixie

All that said, it felt a little tense to me when LBT was on the stage. I didn't feel like she made a lot of eye contact. However, that could be because she's a behind the scenes kind of gal. And us behind the scenes kind of gals, we don't always do that great on a stage like that. not that I think she did badly, but if she's not like, she's not gonna like, saunter in like a Dixie Carter, you know? and then I will also say that there seemed to be very little interaction between Delta and Dixie, even though I did double check and they had made up about a year earlier. Did any of that stand out for you?

Yeah, absolutely.

I loved all the clips they pulled for the flashbacks

So, you mentioned the clips. I loved all the clips they pulled for the flashbacks. I thought it was such a fun little trip down memory lane on, like you said, it moved at a really fast pace. But it took us four years to cover all of these seasons of the show, and they just pulled it together in these wonderfully curated clips. I wanted to mention that on a super surface level, I was struck by how amazing the cast looked. Like we just saw them a couple weeks ago while we were putting together our Julia episode. But for Die hard fans, it had been a while since they'd seen them all together. I mean, they've probably watched Episodes, you know, here and there. But I imagine they must have been struck by how different they all looked. A lot of short cropped hair, modern clothes, but they also all still seemed super timeless and like they were in this, like, frozen in time moment. And it was like most of them, with the exception of Alice Ghostly, which I'll share more on later, had really not changed at all. Meshach, Dixie Carter, Delta Berkeley, like Annie Potts and Jean, they all looked beautiful. you know, you mentioned the conversation, and you mentioned specifically stiltedness and a little bit of tension that you could feel in certain places. It struck me that it was very intentional, the conversation they picked out for this, piece. It was almost like before they started, some Harry maybe said to everyone, like, this is supposed to be an upbeat moment for the fans and we're not going to get too deep with it. So, like, Meshach's opening remarks entirely glossed over two seasons of the show that were completely missing Jean and Delta, he said. For seven years, I was Anthony Bouvier, the delivery, man at the design firm called Sugarbakers. I worked for Julia Sugarbaker, Suzanne Sugarbaker, Mary Jo Shively and Charlene Stillfield. And it was quite, quite a ride. We made each other laugh every week. But since the end of the show, the original cast has never been together on the same, same stage again. Until now. That, to me, implies very careful writing to imply they were all together beginning to end, which obviously we all know is not true.

Yeah, I had to do some math around there.

I was like, yeah, off here.

What?

It wasn't. It was. It was carefully worded. you also picked up on the bot. Some of the body language. I felt like we were seeing that things weren't fully resolved between Dixie and Delta. They were seated next to each other, which I found fascinating. I was surprised by that. I was curious to see where they'd end up, but there were just some facial movements. I feel like I caught a couple of times, particularly from Dixie, when Delta was retelling some of her experiences during her depressive moments on the show and the retelling of the breakdowns on set. I felt like I saw some things. It could have been me projecting what I felt from reading some of the coverage from that point in time, but I just felt like it wasn't fully resolved, like Dixie hadn't fully moved on. And then again, I feel like it was all just very intentional. This is a moment for the fans. Please don't make it about you unless we have to address this elephant in the room, but we also need to keep it moving. We need to keep it happy. That struck me a few times.

Yeah. That I think. Yeah. It's like something about, like, you know, how you're. If you're in an argument with someone or you just recently made up and you just, like, you kind of have to, like, keep your eyes forward because you're afraid you might get emotional. Yeah, that's what it felt like to me.

Yeah.

I. You know, I will say that one thing that confused me a little bit was, like, why they recorded Mac and Hal instead of just bringing them up on the stage. But actually, I. I think in re. On reflection, I kind of love it because it felt like this was Dixie and Delta's moment, not theirs, you know, So I kind of like that they recorded things instead or kind of, you know, showed them, like, shouting up cute things from the audience.

You mentioned that it was cut really well and moved briskly. There were times where it felt like it was cut abruptly. And so part of me wondered if maybe they had a loose outline for what they were going to cover. Obviously, Meshach had questions to plant. They had a loose outline of the topics they wanted to cover. I wonder if some things maybe didn't play quite so well and they had to cut. So they wanted to make sure they had a clear narrative from the men instead of expecting them to play along live in the moment.

It would be interesting to see what wound up on the cutting room floor.

For sure. I feel I was getting the vibe there's an extended edition we never saw.

Right. For what it's worth, I. I didn't mention Richard Gillaland because now I'm saying it. Sorry, Jill Landy. but, like, because, I. Unless I miss it, I don't think he's in the audience. maybe he was already shooting something else. I think he. His was just a recorded.

Maybe something, and maybe that was part of it, too.

Yeah. And then I think I do have some more bucketed general reactions. But one other thing that I had was just that. I don't know. I. I love seeing the natural chemistry between them, how well they play off one another. There seems to be a true affection between them. Like, I. We didn't. I don't really, like. With maybe the exception of, like, two media clips, this is the only time I've seen them, like, being them actual. Their actual selves and with each other. And so I just thought that was, like, a nice thing to be able to see and at the tail end of this journey that we've gone on.

Well, why don't you keep going with your bucketed general reactions, because that's the end of mine.

She spoke about steamy monogamy on the show

Well, I guess so. Pam Norris, we get some recordings of her as well. I'm, you know, maybe she's busy and she. She couldn't come. I don't, you know, I wasn't really sure. Yeah. What the thinking was there. I almost looked up her filmography to see if that was true. But I'm just curious. Girth. I'm going to share some of my thoughts and see if any of this hits for you. I, you know, I mean, we've only read about her up until this point. And, you know, just to tee it up, she spoke to, like, the romantic relationships on the show. So she says something about them, quote, never showing one night standby. Yes. And that was because LBT and Harry Thomason believed in steamy monogamy.

Yeah, that's right. Steamy monogamy.

The idea was that the cast was finding the right one and not just the next one or something like that. She also says something about how we're in the south, we don't believe in androgyny. We believe in women and men.

Yeah.

And then she talked about how Harry Thomas and made everyone feel so protected where they could really feel free to. I can't remember what she said, like, let it all fly or something, but she said it was because he was so masculine. You know, I spent a lot of time, like, trying to parse through my thoughts on that. But did. Did any of that hit for you.

At all or they, to be honest, those were three very unusual. I was not expecting her to talk about those things given how influential she had been in the show. So, yeah, every single one of them was really awkward. But also, again, we're watching a 2003 reunion show through 2025 Eyes, and so much of that was bringing up, like, intimacy coordinator and like, conversations about, I don't know, free love and stuff. And I was like, I just think this is a product of its time. But I do think it was an unusual, like, if I were the lead writer of a show for a couple seasons, those are not the things I would want to be quoted talking about.

I thought that maybe she could have talked about Troop Beverly Hills and how what's her face was like a Delta Burke comp. I mean, couldn't we have gotten that instead?

Lots of options. And she went with steamy monogamy.

I don't think steamy Monogamy was really in season in 2003.

I ended up taking it out of my notes because it just felt like such a random.

Don't worry, I'm here.

I was also really annoyed that she said that because we, we did have at least one one night stand when Mary Jo was in New Orleans.

Yes.

So I was just sort of like, what? But then I decided just to let it go.

Well. And then they let her berate herself for the rest of the episode too.

Right.

So when it wasn't even her fault.

That's true.

I just want to throw that out.

Because it wasn't steamy monogamy.

It wasn't steamy monogamy. And what happens, especially if you're a woman, is you're going to be punished. And that's what you need to know. That's the walk away.

Yep.

I, yeah, I, I do agree with you though. Like it's 22 years ago.

But I just, I just thought that was. Out of all the things that they could have picked out to talk about her. I just thought that was so strange.

There seems to be a real preoccupation with gender on her part

And you know, we've talked about the other thing that kind of hit for me is I think we usually felt this belief system most strongly in Julia's character, that rigidity. And so it was interesting to see it show up here.

You know.

Yeah.

and I just, I don't know. There seems to be a real preoccupation with gender on her part.

So strange.

So I don't know, I'd like. I wish we could have seen a little bit more of her.

There were better things, like you said, that ended up on the cutting floor. I really want to believe she said more and better about this influential part of her career.

Yeah.

I thought that inclusion was very interesting and well deserved

so I think another part I had that really stood out to me in the general sense. It's just like the critics being pulled in, with their clips. I, I thought that inclusion was very interesting and kind of well deserved, knowing what we know about how unfair that early critical reception was. Like, what we need two female casts on tv? You know, if, if I were lbt, I would also want that sense of justice for the show I built. So it, it seemed like a very specific choice did it to you as well.

Yeah. And it would make sense that she and Harry produced it and chose that.

Right, Exactly. Did you notice some of the things they said were things that we've said? I don't know if that hit for you at all.

Tell me what you mean.

Robert Bianco said without Designing Women, you don't have friends

Okay.

So Robert Bianco he was a. I don't. It might still be. I don't know, but TV critic with USA Today, and he said that without Designing Women, you don't have friends or Sex in the City.

Yeah.

So I thought that was interesting. Now I've said it for Sex in the City, not necessarily Friends, but it is very similar. he also talked about how LBT never let the characters, quote, bleed into each other. If you watch Designing Women, Charlene and Suzanne can't trade lines. Actually, I'd argue they're the ones that can. But if you close your eyes, you can tell who's speaking, and that's a real gift. That's what he said.

Or if you read, de identified, subtitle scripts.

And so what I was going to say is, I think nine out of ten. Nine out of ten times. I think we were getting it right. And I think that supports that statement that he made. And then this wasn't a critic. It was actually the creators of Will and Grace. But basically, they said that, you know, you can see the antecedent to Karen Walker and the cast of Designing Women. They did not say this. That antecedent was Suzanne. Sugar beak. Rights. And I think we have talked a number of times about how she walked so Karen could run.

Yeah, that's true.

Yeah. But that was all of my general reactions. Just those 75.

Do you have any favorite moments from the show

Well, if you have any left, do you want to talk about favorite moments?

Oh, I got moments.

Okay. You want to get us started or you want me to.

I'll go. I won't shut up, so I'll just keep going. when LBT asked Alice Ghostly to stand up in the audience, I cried. And then, yeah, watching the cast, like, run over to her and throw their arms around her, you know, I think it just about killed me. I watched that part twice, actually.

Oh, I couldn't. I couldn't handle that emotional trauma. So.

Good. She's just. She's a little pocket grandma.

It was so sweet. and the way they met her where she was and minimized, the amount of movement she needed to do, it did break my heart a little bit at the end when they all came on stage to do the bows and she had to stay seated while, Meshach held her hand, that broke my heart a little bit because it reminded, you know, like, when they ran out to her in the crowd, you almost could be like. You could make some mental leaps to be like, oh, it's just easier for them to come down the stairs than for her to go up but when she's on stage and can't even stand up, it's just very visceral and, like, right in your face. I did end up looking it up. She lived until 2007, so she lived for a few more years after this. I couldn't remember exactly when she had passed, but, like, it. It was, both beautiful and heart wrenching. But one of my favorite moments, too.

Yeah. I don't. Or you. I don't know if you have this somewhere else, but I. She joins them on stage, and I think that was another one of my favorite moments because we kind of get. You kind of get a little bit that there's. She is a little Bernice, you know? Yeah.

Ah.

she didn't. They specifically called out the example that she did not know what Mandingo mean. which I was. I have in my notes. Good.

I have it under biggest surprises that I thought it was surprising to hear her say that. Even some of the things she didn't get and I had written down. It feels so perfectly Bernice.

I. Well, and I, like, I guess she frequently didn't know these things. Right.

And.

And so I think that makes her delivery all the more impressive.

Yeah.

she's, like, learning on the fly and then delivering the lines. But.

Yeah.

After what we know about those final seasons, seeing them all come on stage together

what do you. What do you have as some of your favorites?

So obviously there was something warm and fuzzy about having them all, like, having them all together. After what we know about those final seasons, seeing them all come on stage together, the slight stiltedness or awkwardness notwithstanding, it was definitely like. It made me smile to see them all come out and enjoy their moment. We've read, you know, before I watched this, we had read the, Dixie Carter autobiography. And it's really clear throughout that that she is a little bit of a ham. She's a performer. She likes to be on stage. She likes to be dramatic. And Delta Burke is the same way. And to watch them sort of doing that in the moment and doing it, like you said, among friends, it was just warm and fuzzy. I also super appreciated the retelling of the rough patch that Delta had and then the support she got from the cast, including Meshach holding her and Dixie giving her a pep talk. It reminded me of the episode in season seven where Etienne called Julia to pep Anthony back up after his failure in court. And Julia gives this very, like, you need to get up. You need to do this thing. When Delta retold the role that Dixie had played for her in that point in time. That's what it made me think of is a very Julia Sugar Baker. Like Anthony comes in and holds her and then he leaves the room. And the, Dixie comment comes in and is like, all right, they're out there. It's time for us to get this together. It's time for us to go again. I think there were. They put a shiny, happy face on that segment in a way that I don't know was totally authentic, but it definitely was. you mentioned, like, probably the most insight we've seen about that situation.

I think this pairs nicely with that. Just to say I think all the points have been captured, but just that getting to experience in real life. I think you talked about this in our main episode this week. That relationship between Delta and Meshach was just absolutely everything. You could really feel it.

Yeah, it was lovely.

Yeah. I mean, he came and held her when she was having panic attacks. You know, that's not something that everyone even has the capability of doing.

Yeah.

so. And then I think it just. It again, it speaks to that. And this is actually where I think I got it because I think I snuck and watched little clips of this. I was really trying not to, but a, ah, couple like came into my environment one way or another. And it's Dixie Carter, I think is actually the one who says that LBT planned to marry them off if the show continued with Hm. you know, as she suspected it would, but it did not. I enjoyed Jean Smart putting into words what I think we're always trying to explain about Suzanne Sugarbaker. here's what she had to say. I don't know how you did it, but you made the most selfish person on earth absolutely hilarious. And she goes, and racist. But you didn't think of it that way because she didn't mean it that way. She was just so into her own needs, it's almost childlike. And this is me talking, not Jean. That is the power of Delta. M. So I thought that was really interesting.

I really liked hearing about the cast favorite episodes

What else do you have on your list?

That was it for favorites.

Okay. So I also really liked hearing about the cast favorite episodes. I just thought that was so interesting to even think. I think sometimes I'll hear people talk about a show they've been on and like people are waxing poetically about. Fans are about how much they love something and they're like, I don't remember doing.

I don't even remember recording it. I was. As they were going through some of those, I was like, did they really Remember what happened in the episode?

Oh, you thought maybe they were prodded or something?

Maybe a little bit.

Oh, no, maybe.

This week's episode had some really sweet moments on and off-screen

So Jean Smart mentions the two parter where Charlene has her baby. And this one was just full of some cool moments off and on screen. So you mentioned this back when we covered that episode, but it's so sweet. I think it bears repeating, which is Meshach brought his grandma to the set for. I have written down here her 106 birthday.

That's right.

Okay. So I was like, is that a typo?

That's right.

Okay. So this is where she talked about growing up in the South. And then that gets incorporated into be Richard Speech as Ms. Minnie, who they talk to in the hospital before she passes away. And it's happening almost at the same time that Charlene is having her baby. It's definitely one of those coming into the world. That's right. so again, Nikki, that was so cool when you first shared that information back when we covered that. But, honestly, like, a lot of some years have passed since then, and I was like, what? And then I was like, oh, I know.

This is brand new information.

Everything is brand new when you're old. Jean talks about her scene with Dolly in that episode.

Oh, yeah.

How tiny and glam she was while Jean was all pregnant and gross feeling. Those were her words, not mine. I think that Jean Smart was cute as a button in that episode. But, I mean, I can imagine where she's coming from.

Yeah.

Personally, and we may have talked about this then. I'm just trying to imagine what it feels like to be around someone as magnetic as Dolly. And that is really saying something because obviously this entire cast is just radiating with charisma.

Yeah.

So, as most famous people do. That's why they're famous. I also just love that Big Hoss and Little Falsy was a collective cast favorite. Sorry, gotta give it another shout out. Shout out. And like, Annie 10 years on, still had people in the airport coming up and quoting it to her. Runs through my head a lot. Speaking of fan interactions, Meshach, talks about being in South Africa where a man rolled down his window and started singing Black man to him. And he says something like, hey, you're the one on TV with all the white women. Right. It's funnier coming from Anthony than from me, but I digress.

Mary Jo: I'm glad Atlanta got a shout out on Real Atlanta

And then, just a couple of more things. I wasn't really sure where to put this, but you mentioned this at the top. I'm just glad Atlanta got a shout out like Real Atlanta. And the bar, the Atlanta Hoedowns Bar. Because, that is something that gets told to us a lot on social media. So to be able to see a clip of that actual bar and people doing that to close out the night was really cool.

Hoedown, specifically, they mentioned.

Yes.

Okay.

I thought that was great. And they. They show them all saying it all.

Together, so thank you.

I wish they would bring that back. I also thought it was a nice touch to hear from all of the husbands, especially given that so much romance weirdly happened on the set.

Yes. So strange, right?

So Delta is kind of the one who sets up Gene and Richard. I love that Annie Potts threatened Gerald McCraney or Matt.

I liked that. Oh, I think I might have put in my notes. I feel like I had in my notes at one point. The way she delivered that is very you and me coded. Like, because you're very Mary Jo, just in general. And I can very much see you because you're like my tiny pocket enforcer. I could see you being like, if you hurt Nikki's feelings, I will murder you.

You mean, maybe just because today I popped in your office and I was like, who do you need to kill? I need to kill.

Yes.

Small people. We have a lot of anger. Angry.

These little ones.

we're not to be messed with.

She's a feisty leprechaun and.

Okay. And then, the note. This is my last one. The note that Mac wrote to Delta, I thought was really beautiful, so I wrote it down. I know, I know, I know all.

Of the romance stuff. I almost wanted to just fast forward through love, love, love, love for them. But it felt like those romantic episodes on the show that I can barely stand to watch.

Yes. And I think you know that I'm totally there with you. But I did think what he wrote to her was really smart in that letter. Okay, so it. He wrote in the note that I guess, like, he either had recreated or she still has, but she probably still has it. In Mississippi, there is a section of the state studded with antebellum homes. It's not probably great, but rich in both beauty and substance, it is so fertile that when one simply cast seeds onto the soil, it will sprout and flourish and bring new life in the enchanted place we call the Delta. I thought it was nice.

It didn't feel like Dash Golf to you?

Yes, it does. But for some reason, in real life, it was more okay. And I think it's because I don't even know in 2003, it would have landed, but because every article I ever see about Gerald McRaney is him gushing over Delta at this point. All these years later, 30 plus years later, I. I believe it.

I think I had a moment with that because I'm watching Women of the House and spoiler alert. Dash Goff makes a reappearance. And it made my skin crawl anew. And then going back to old episodes and, like, revisiting that particular storyline. so when they started reading that, I was like, oh, but I'm so happy for them. Love, love for them. I do love you. Don't.

You don't want to hear about legs up to there and cotton candy. Laughs and m. I don't. You're sweating, cleavage or something.

I'm okay without it. But they did replay it in this reunion.

Spoiler alert for you. Probably six weeks ago, I was like, I'm only halfway through episode two of that show, and I still am perfect. So got some catching up to do. I think it's got time.

I was shocked LBT didn't have more of an accent

all right.

Do we want to talk about our biggest surprises?

so honestly, this, I think, is one of the first times I've heard LBT talk, and I was shocked she didn't have more of an accent.

Right.

I think because we've been watching this show that's so firmly in the South. Like, the sense of place is really strong. They're sitting on this very Southern porch situation, and I was just expecting her to have a stronger accent.

Well, I've got a controversial take.

She's, not really Southern.

She's from Missouri.

That's the Midwest take. I think I was. I was expecting an Oklahoma style accent, like a Midwest Southern. You know what I mean?

Sure, yeah. I just. But I surprised you just being out there. Where's your accent?

I know. I think it was because she has such an affinity for the South.

Sure.

That I just was expecting it.

Yeah, that makes sense. Well, you have an affinity for the South.

It's a love hate relationship.

You like tradition.

I do.

The good traditions.

I, mean, I wish I had an accent. I told you, I'm obsessed with accents.

I am.

And that was one of the things that stuck out to me.

I've got news for you. I think Designing Women four years on is really rubbing off on you, because I have heard an accent more times in the last couple weeks than I have in 15 years.

It comes out when I'm really tired too. Just for whatever that's worth.

So, like, hold on, let me get this Straight. You get tired, and then you turn into coal miner's daughter.

I do. I do. It happens. I can't help it.

It happens when I get around other Southern people.

Yeah, that too.

Yeah.

This episode gives a lot more insight into Delta's panic attacks

Okay, so mine is like, we've already talked about this. I don't want to live in it. But I think it was just the way that it was introduced. So Annie is just like. We have to talk about when Delta was crazy. So I just. I wasn't expecting it to be brought up that way.

I. I like the honesty, everyone admitting how people generally just didn't understand panic attacks and everything, and therefore certainly weren't in a position to understand what was happening with Delta. Although it did make me want to be like, when did we know what panic attacks were?

Right.

But I think, I. This. I also hinted at in our main episode, but I think this is really the most insight into that time period I've ever heard to this point. So, you know, we got to hear about Dixie being sent to check on Delta, how they'd all line up behind her. They were coaxing her out. They. They didn't tiptoe around the issues. I didn't think they. They talked about it. They said she was missing rehearsal a lot. They didn't sound pleased about that at all. and he talked about how Delta would flip that switch the moment they called her name, specifically in Rowdy Girls. You know, she was. She hadn't been there all week, and she had a lot of things happen that week, which we've talked about before. and. But the night of the recording, she made it, and she hit every mark, so I don't know. I just thought, for me, also, it was like a gut punch when she said, thanks for being so patient with me when I wanted to die. Yeah, that's pretty pointed.

That whole section made me uncomfortable. I. I didn't love the way it was handled. it was way more insight. Totally. but I feel like it was, again, this thing of, like, this is. We're gonna do service to the fans here. We're gonna keep it upbeat, and so we're gonna make this jokey, jokey. We're gonna get through this without it feeling too heavy. Lifetime, also sometimes oversells things a little bit. So, like, all the previews about how we were about to get into, Delta's feelings and all that, it. It came off a little more casual, I think, than I was expecting it to.

I was curious about recasting the panic attack narrative on Dixie

I also was curious, the version, the narrative we read from Delta at the Time everything was happening was that everyone was ganging up on her and everyone was being mean to her. And this retelling, 12 years later, she admitted a lot of self work in between that. She admitted a lot of time had passed. But I was just curious how she felt about that, recasting that narrative midstream, if you know what I mean.

Was it a recasting? Is it possible that what they chose to highlight was early days?

So maybe it was like that. And then people got more and more fed up with it. either because they didn't understand or they were just ready to move on. I mean, I think about what point they must have been to when they all unanimously agreed that it was time.

and she did talk in her book about how the panic attacks. I feel like maybe the panic attacks were earlier. So you may be on to something where that was the part she was talking about. Everybody was so supportive of her. And then later, like, not to say her panic attack stopped in season four or whatever, but later the issues were different. They were salary, issues and things like that versus performance issues.

And they're like pushing the panic attack narrative forward. But it wasn't just, it wasn't just that.

Right.

I thought it was interesting that most everything was coming from Annie Potts. Did that strike you at all?

I, I don't think so.

She carried most of that conversation. And I didn't know if that's because she was the most comfortable with it. I do think it was really interesting because you. The juxtaposition between who Mary Jo was and who Annie Potts is quite different.

Yeah.

So not that they didn't incorporate some things into her character as well, but, you, you just really got a better sense for who she was in this and that she was someone who was willing to kind of put herself out there. And I don't know if that's like a conversation that took place. Like somebody's got a. Somebody has to move things along and.

It can't be Dixie.

Can't be Dixie. that just wasn't going to be the right choice there. So, I don't know. There was also. They were all laughing about it. But then I think when you say something about patience when I wanted to die, I think that's. There ain't nothing funny in that, you know?

Yeah, it's something about the way it was cast just made me uncomfortable and I felt uncomfortable for Delta because I feel like she was. I felt like she was having to be. Although Maybe it was a deliberate choice she made. I don't know. But I felt like she was having to be lighter with it than she really wanted to be, and that just made me sad.

Yeah, I agree. And what a tough position to be in, really, for all of them. Like, I'm. Yeah, I just, you know, it's.

It's.

It's a good thing that 12 years have passed.

Yeah.

Dixie compared Annie Potts to Meryl Streep in 2003

You know, I had one more biggest surprise.

Okay.

am I missing. Is there anything else that you wanted to share?

I have a couple.

Okay, you go first, because I only have one more left.

I was surprised when Dixie said, I've been on stage with Meryl Streep, and I've been on the stage with Annie Potts. And I'll tell you what, she didn't get to complete that thought. Where she was headed was probably that Annie Potts is brilliant, and Annie interrupted her, so she didn't finish it. But I remember being surprised by the name drop, and I was thinking, like, ooh, what an awkward comparison. Like, it just felt uncomfortable or something.

It's probably why any pots cut it off so fast, I think.

So I'm thinking that maybe is what happened. And it was so funny, given what we know about Dixie's obsession and, like, preoccupation with etiquette and, like, kindness and politeness and presentation. Comparing two people just. And like, Meryl Streep, obviously is. Was brilliant. And in 2003, that reference felt different than it does today. But it was just like, the name drop was a little bit uncomfortable. And I was surprised that that's who she chose to compare her to instead of just saying Annie's brilliant M. I was surprised by that. and then the story about Dixie Carter flashing her pretty to God in country. that one got me. It was where she forgot to put underwear on under her pantyhose. And it was very Full Moon Friday inspiration.

I mean, I'm surprised they didn't just call that out. And then that worked its way into the Full Moon episode.

Yeah. Yeah. You know, I. I had one more. I forgot.

Yeah.

The whole thing about Delta and Mac on the back lot at the studio.

Oh.

Where she just asked him to lay on top of her. That was a whole thing.

I will tell you that. That is literally a line in Sex and the City.

Oh, well, there you go.

I was like, did they hear this here and then pull it into the show or the other way around?

The other way around.

I can't remember what season it was, but I'm pretty Sure. It's like Carrie. She's like, I just need to feel the weight of a man on me.

Maybe it's a universal experience. Maybe it's girlhood.

It could be. It could be. I'll stop there before it gets awkward.

Watch Annie Potts retell the Dixie incident on the reunion

my other one was also the Dixie incident. I just have to also say that, like. Like, if you have not seen the reunion, I'm not gonna do it. Please go watch it. And watch Annie Potts retell this story, because it is very funny. The way that she says, it. It is very what? Or tells it. And then the way that she breaks the tension is very funny. How Holbrooke.

And like, them, he's, like, crying as she's retelling the story.

It was. It was. It was funny.

And Dixie Carter could not look more embarrassed, but also sees such humor. And they were like, laugh. Crying. I mean, there were tears strolling down Hal Holbrook's face.

I mean, it is. It is. It seems perfectly right that she called him Mr. Holbrooke.

Yeah.

You know, that's like, definitely a thing that happened in their house.

Yes. I liked how Annie started to tell the story and Dixie sort of interrupted her a little bit. Like, not. Not to tell her, don't tell the story, but just sort of, like, to cut it shorter or, like, streamlined it or something. And Annie was like, no, no, no. This is that thing you were talking about chemistry, between them. She's like, no, no, let me act out the whole. They need the whole experience.

And she's right. You really need it.

The whole thing.

If you're going to call it, you're pretty. We need the background.

And there's a whole thing. They thought she called it her fancy, which I thought was hysterical. Then they said, pretty, and it got better.

Well, don't worry about that, darling. It was lovely. I'm like, well, I suppose that's nice.

It's a type of nice, you know, it's husband nice.

I feel like. Yeah. I don't know. It would have been funny if someone had bum rushed her and tried to knock her down. Just save her, that's what. If that happens to me, I would like for you to knock me off of wherever I'm at. Like, just slingshot something at me. I'll probably fall over. I'm not very steady. But, like, it strikes me like, could not anyone have been like, put your lap down.

Yeah.

That's just all I'm thinking about anyways.

Are we done? Do you have more to say

All right. Well, that was. That was surprising.

That was surprising, was that your last surprise?

It was.

Are we done? Do you have more to say?

I, I don't. I mean, I'm sure I do somewhere deep down inside, but let's cut that, shall we?

That's so crazy.

We're wrapping up our Designing Women journey with a fantastic finale

So with that, we're officially wrapped up with our Designing Women journey.

Can't believe it.

What a journey it was.

I feel like I need to, like, salute you or something. Might be inappropriate.

As always, we'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. If there were any favorite moments for folks that we missed, any highlights or show lore that stuck out. We didn't really talk about the, little moments of, trivia that were sprinkled throughout, in between segments. I think a lot of it we've talked about over the course of our podcast. there was one thing. Suzanne Sugarbaker's home being like the, the facade was actually the front of the Arkansas Governor's mansion or something. I feel like that was one of those things where we talked about at one point in time and I forgot and I was like, oh, look, that seems new. Everything else felt pretty familiar to me. But, if there were some of those things that stuck out that we missed, I think people might have watched it in real time. And like, I googled some of the news coverage of it, and there was definitely a narrative that was circling around this. This was a much anticipated, reunion. So I imagine some people watched it in real time and probably have some thoughts to share. like we said in our main episode this week, if folks want to share their thoughts on what we should cover next, we're open to that sweet TVpod Gmail. You can also find us on, all the socials. so we're going to take a break for a little while, then we'll, we'll be back with our thoughts on the short lived Women of the House series.

That's right.

So in the meantime, take care of yourself and we'll. I get to say it this time. We'll see you around the bend. Bye.