Sweet Tea & TV

Designing Women S4 E14 - REDO Steel Magnolias

Alright y’all, if we’re re-releasing episodes, our Steel Magnolias extravaganza has to be on the table. You see, we had some technical difficulties when it launched, and so we’re considering this one our official redo. 

Your best listen probably starts with a re-watch of the movie, but it doesn’t have to! We talked about our favorite parts, memories, and some fun behind-the-scenes stuff. AND. Do. Not. Fear. There is some Designing Women overlap. 

Just remember: you know we love you more than our luggage!

Designing Women S4 E14 Re-Sugar - Dolly Parton Deep-Dive

There’s only one woman who can take us out of “Re-Release” – and that’s the Queen of Country (and the queen of everything for that matter): Dolly Parton. 

It’s a deep dive, y’all, so buckle up for our chat about Dolly’s life and nearly-60-year career AND a very special Grits Blitz game.

Designing Women S5 E1 - Mary Jo Gets Engaged

How??? How are we at season 5? We don’t know, but we do know that Julia goes on her first rant in forever. A Southern one no less. Oh! And Mary Jo is getting hitched! No, she’s not, psyche, made you look. [enter shrug emoji]

Speaking of 90s lingo, we’re going all out in this week’s “Extra Sugar” where we’re going to get a little nostalgic about possibly our favorite decade. 

But first: we can’t have an episode about the Tour of Homes without sidebar-ing on…the Tour of Homes. 

(If you're just here for the DW chat, skip forward to about 6:41.)

Designing Women S5 E1 Extra Sugar - 1990’s Extravaganza!!! And Also. 1990.

After a nearly two-and-a-half year journey with us, we have done it: we have reached the 90s. The decade that makes us nostalgic for things we’ll never get back: SNICK, Delia’s, and Blockbuster…the elasticity in our skin. 

In this week’s “Extra Sugar”, we pay homage to this era that shaped the two women you hear blather on every week (you’re welcome and sorry about that). We’ll also pay special attention to the year it is in season 5 of Designing Women: 1990. Oh, and we’ll probably throw in a Grits Blitz to see who can actually remember 30 years ago.

Designing Women S5 E2 - Anthony Meets His Dad

The ladies have a big surprise in store for Anthony’s “dirty 30”, but y’all, he’s been hinting at VCR all week! Sounds like we need to sidebar about the WORST birthday surprises. Meanwhile, Bernice is horny and Suzanne hasn’t quite learned her lesson about brandishing weapons.

Come back later in the week for an assemblage of reunion stories: the sweet, the funny, and the downright unbelievable. 

Designing Women S5 E2 Extra Sugar - A Reunion Roundup

Anthony meeting his dad in episode two had us thinking about “reunion” stories of all stripes: family, friends, lovers, and classmates. And with that in mind, we’ve assembled a roundup of some of the most interesting ones we could find: from the funny to the sweet and the utterly bizarre. 

Designing Women S5 E3 - Charlene and Mary Jo Fight

It’s been a rough week, y’all. Charlene quit. She and MJ had a big fight. But, hey, they both feel like bad moms and inadequate, so all is well in the world. Meanwhile, the whole gang is abused by a pint-sized client who comes to blows with Suzanne. 

Come back later in the week for an “Extra Sugar” dedicated to the plight of stay-at-home parents.

Designing Women S5 E3 Extra Sugar - Stay-at-Home Parenting: All The Work, None of the Pay

In this week’s episode of “Designing Women”, Charlene straight-up quit Sugarbakers. She decided the “put-on-an-outfit-with-shoulder-pads, tease-your-hair, leave-your-baby-with-a-nanny, and head-into-the-office-for-the-day” lifestyle just wasn’t for her. She needed more time with Olivia. More time for play dates. More time for snuggles. More time for…her programs. The whole shebang.

We’re calling this week’s segment, “Stay-at-Home Parenting: All The Work, None of the Pay.” Let’s talk: a brief history of parents who do not work for pay, particularly changing trends for dads; pros and cons of staying home; the invisible tension between parents who do work for pay and those who don’t (and how to break the tension!); and a few self-care tips for any parents who stay home, so it doesn’t feel like one, long Groundhog Day.

Designing Women S5 E4 - Julia Gets Jury Duty

Oooh! We don’t remember the last time we saw Julia this riled up! Jury duty and rule follower Charlene are standing between her and dinner with President Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter. 

We’ll sidebar on radio contests in honor of the hurtin’ Charlene, Suzanne, and Anthony put on the record store after winning a radio contest. Then come back Thursday for an “Extra Sugar” dedicated to the South’s most infamous jury trials.

Designing Women S5 E4 Extra Sugar - Southern Fried Crime

Poor, poor Julia. Our consummate Southern lady has the opportunity of a lifetime - a fine dining opportunity with THE CARTERS. Basically Southern royalty. Instead, she finds herself sitting in a dingy conference room, watching a bunch’a’losers eating baskets of fried cheese before they all retire to the Fair Price Motel which was NOT the nicest place she had been. All trying to give an Atlanta citizen the right to a fair trial. It was all so deeply unfair. Oh, the irony.

But, what is fair, is the opportunity this episode of “Designing Women” gave Nikki to flex her true crime investigation skills! She’s bringing us two lesser-known Southern criminal trials, as well as a couple of unusual crimes that are, shall we say, a little scattered, smothered and covered?