Designing Women - TV-PG

Sassy social commentary for teens and up.

TV Rating: TV-PG Network: Lifetime Television Cast: Dixie Carter, Delta Burke, Jean Smart Genre: Comedy
Available on: DVD

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this series takes on strong, sometimes-controversial topics (AIDS, racism, etc.) from a feminist point of view. There are also occasional non-explicit references to sexual behavior (after all, the women do have "designs"). Perhaps most significantly, this series emphasizes strong, independent female roles and discusses important social and moral issues.

Families can talk about the role of women in today's society. Are men and women treated equally? Should they be? Families can also talk about the many contemporary political, social, and moral issues that we're surrounded by every day. What do you think about how they're handled by institutions like the government and the media? Are people obligated to follow moral codes of conduct? Why or why not?

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Melissa Camacho

Featuring four sassy-but-charming southern women from Atlanta, Georgia, DESIGNING WOMEN examines some of the prominent themes of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The characters of this feminist-leaning, sometimes-controversial sitcom grapple with larger political, social, and moral issues as they struggle to resolve their professional and personal problems.

Smart, outspoken Julia Sugarbaker (Dixie Carter) owns Sugarbaker and Associates, an interior design firm where she and her sister, former beauty queen Suzanne Sugarbaker (Delta Burke), work with Mary Jo Shively (Annie Potts of Joan of Arcadia), a recently divorced single mother of two, and somewhat naïve Charlene Frazier (Jean Smart of 24).

The women spend much of their time with Bernice Clifton (Alice Ghostly), a family friend with a slight dementia problem. Also part of the group is Anthony Bouvier (Mesach Taylor), a convict-turned-delivery person-turned-business partner whose masculinity isn't threatened by his overwhelmingly feminine environment.

The core foursome ends up dealing with plenty of romantic entanglements. While recently widowed Julia dates attorney Reese Watson (Hal Holbrook), Suzanne continues her quest to (once again) marry a rich man. Mary Jo attempts to balance the dating scene while trying to raise her kids, while Charlene eventually finds her Mr. Right. Throughout it all, the group also tackles issues like domestic violence, AIDS, racism, sexual harassment, and attitudes toward the overweight; their opinions are often summarized by Julia during her many indignant speeches about the world's injustices.

As storylines and characters developed over the seasons, some of the women ended up leaving Sugarbaker's, which allowed actresses like Julia Duffy, Jan Hooks, and Judith Ivey to step in. But while the group changed over the years, the series always focused on the strength of women in a male-dominated world.

Designing Women still airs in repeats and is available on DVD. Fans may also like The Golden Girls, as well as classic sitcom All in the Family, which also focused on social issues.

Rate It!

Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Mild references to sexual behavior. Lots of dating and romance.
Violence Occasional discussions of violence against women.
Language
Message
	Social Behavior The show deals with many controversial issues, including racism, homosexuality, AIDS, domestic violence, and sexual harassment. The discussions of these issues are often feminist in nature and focus on being socially aware and morally responsible. Strong, independent female role models (even Suzanne).
	Commercialism
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Occasional references to alcohol, including wine and homemade alcoholic beverages. Characters rarely smoke, but when they do, it's treated as negative behavior.