Designing Women S2

The second season of "Designing Women" ran from September 14, 1987 through March 28, 1988. The episodes include:

"101 Ways to Decorate a Gas Station" - The Sugarbaker ladies are not too thrilled when a gas station owner wins their contest for free interior decoration.

"Ted Remarries" - Mary Jo isn't happy with Ted's new wife, who is spoiling the children.

"Anthony Jr." - Anthony receives news that he is a father.

"Killing All the Right People" - A fellow decorator is dying of AIDS and wants the ladies to design his funeral.

"Half an Air Bubble Off" - The ladies have a strange new client and decide to fix him up with Bernice.

"Dash Goff, the Writer" - Suzanne's ex wants to commit suicide because of writer's block.

"Heart Attacks" - Reece has a heart attack.

"Cruising" - The ladies go on a cruise and an admirer has eyes for both Suzanne and Mary Jo.

"I'll Be Seeing You" - Charlene dreams of WWII.

"Stranded" - On a trip to St. Louis, Charlene, Mary Jo and Julia get the flu and Suzanne and Anthony have to share a motel room.

"Howard the Date" - The ladies take pity on a nerdy high school acquaintance and live to regret it.

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" - Charlene and Anthony hire a Santa to outsmart Mary Jo's disbelieving son on Christmas Eve.

"Great Expectations" - One of Anthony's prison cellmates shows up at Sugarbaker's and wants Anthony to go into business with him.

"Second Time Around" - Charlene's boyfriend breaks up with her because he is still grieving for his first wife.

"Oh, Brother" - Lewis Grizzard plays Julia and Suzanne's half-brother, a discharged mental patient who wants to become a comedian.

"There's Some Black People Coming to Dinner" - Mary Jo's daughter wants to take an African-American boy to a school dance.

"The Return of Ray Don" - Suzanne is desperate after her accountant steals her life savings.

"High Rollers" - Suzanne, Charlene and Anthony go to Atlantic City.

"The Incredibly Elite Bona Fide Blue-Blood Beaumont Driving Club" - Julia and Suzanne are invited to join an elite club but Julia balks when she discovers that they have discriminatory practices.

"How Great Thou Art" - Julia is invited to sing at a Baptist convention and Charlene is upset with her minister because he is against women preaching.

"Ted-Bare" - The ladies are suspicious of Ted when he suddenly develops an interest in her again.

"Reservations for Eight" - The ladies are stranded with their boyfriends on their ski trip.

I adore DESIGNING WOMEN. I was glued to it every week when it originally aired. This show is a modern day classic and so deserves to be on dvd. I must also say that for me the true spirit of what is DESIGNING WOMEN only exists in the seasons that had the original 4 women. The later years whether funny or not were just attempts to keep a diamond shining and it never measured up.

But here we are with Season 2 which is just when the show started to hit its true stride. I made sure to watch the entire season before writing this review and the memories it brought up and the laughs and tears provided were a truly welcomed gift. DESIGNING WOMEN had a unique ability of tackling current issues while at the same true providing truly believable characters and laughs galore. Season 1 was great but it was the beginning. The women were introduced and wes saw the unique characters they each possessed but the issue episodes did at times get a little preachy. They were still great but sometimes a little in your face.

That has all calmed down in Season 2 and the issues are still runing rampant but the way they are dealt with got very clever. Julia (Dixie Carter) aka the terminator is the most outspoken and opinionated. Mary Jo (Annie Potts) is the meek and shy one who is struggling with day to day family life but still has opinions, Charlene (Jean Smart) the fun loving rather ditzy one with the heart of gold and Suzanne (Delta Burke) the self centered beauty queen who could go from wisdom to clueless in a snap. With these four unique women issues could be introduced and with their diverse personalities debates could be had and issues could be dealt with hardcore but there would always be laughs and an attitude that would leave the viewer with the right to form their own opinion.

But most important is the true immense talent of the 4 ladies and all of the characters are hugely developed over season 1. You love these women and will laugh with them, cry with them and just wish they were in your life. There are some definite standout episodes here - KILLING ALL THE RIGHT PEOPLE, about Aids - CRUISING, a comedic tour de force - I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, a magical heartfelt episode - THERE'S SOME BLACK PEOPLE COMING TO DINNER, about racism. My favorite is HIGH ROLLERS. Delta Burke as Suzanne made the biggest transformation in this season as they made her character more the comedic part. And she rose to the occasion. The way she spoke every line had you in stitches and she could have you in tears of laughter or tears of emotion. When she was funny she was hilarious but her tender moments were memorably heartfelt. This episode is the truest introduction to how much she would shine even more in future seasons.

All four women shine here. This is the unique combination of great acting, chemistry, writing where pure magic happens. If you love this show you will love it more the second time around on dvd and if you are new to it - give yourself a treat. This is tv at its best and I can honestly say it is in no way dated. This is comedy at its finest.

Bring on season 3 !!!

I am so glad they are releasing the second season so quickly after the first season is being released. I sincerely hope that they will continue to release them as quickly as possible.

Season 2 highlights:
Killing all the right people- a controversial episode as the women learn a friend of theirs is dying from AIDS. Very poignant- and informative without being preachy.
Dash Goff, the Writer- we meet another one of Suzanne's ex-husbands (real-life husband, Gerald McRaney). He is a writer who is depressed because his latest book is not being picked up. The girls help him through this by enlisting him to create a book club in part to help Anthony and in part to make Dash feel better about himself.
Stranded- Suzanne and Anthony are stranded in a blizzard in a motel. The antics that ensue are classic Suzanne and Anthony. Funny episode.

Keep the seasons coming- this show is a gem!