Sweet Tea & TV

[Back to the Mountains] Designing Women S4 E4 Re-Sugar: Deliver Us from Deliverance

Designing Women gave us about fifty-’leven Deliverance references, and then, in season 4, they basically did their own sitcom version. This left us no choice but to finally talk about it. 

One of us watched it begrudgingly (70s pacing is tough for a modern movie viewer), and then we met to talk about movie trivia, themes, and the enduring impact on the South. It’s a thing, y’all. 

[Revisit] S4E7: Some Like Dolls, Some Like Revenge

We can’t revisit season 4 and skip past this classic Bernice episode. Her niece tried to declare her incompetent and, you know, shenanigans! Every performance was on FIRE, especially Annie Potts and Delta Burke. We also had to talk about the Mary Jo coined trip, “the IRBAT" – as in "the International Rich B!t*h Alimony Tour" –  in a Salina’s Sidebar. Also interested in one of those if a spot becomes available. Just saying.

[The Re-Revenge] Special Episode: First Wives Club

First Wives Club. Now this one was an audience pick and we happily obliged. We talked about our favorite parts, why it means so much to us, and movie trivia. 

Outside of the recording: we constructed an entire revenge-themed menu and shared each of those dishes on social media. 

This one gave us so much content that we had to split it into two, so come back next week for more. 

[Revisit] S4 E11: Remember Me Any Way You Like

Any revisit of season 4 would be completely incomplete if we didn’t revisit Suzanne’s (and Delta Burke’s!) moment in the sun. Suzanne gets bullied at her high school reunion for gaining weight, while Anthony, Julia, and Mary Jo go on a two-day fast to raise awareness about world hunger. We miss Charlene. (tear emoji)

So where are we on world hunger in the 21st century? We’ll sidebar on it. Then come back Thursday for an “Extra Sugar” dedicated to Suzanne’s plot line including how this episode came about in the first place.

[Revenge-ier] Special Episode: First Wives Club Part II

As promised, we came together one more time to talk about First Wives Club. We talked about cast members who have gone on to become bonafide Hollywood icons since this movie, potential casting what-ifs, and even a few First Wives Controversies.

[Revisit] S4 E24: Suzanne and Anthony Defraud the United States Government

What can we say? We love an Anthony and Suzanne team-up. In this case it was more of a good bribery, but either way, we were all in for their zany plan to keep Consuela from being deported. (After all, she and Suzanne understand each other. We’re talking middle-of-the-night peach pies and overlooked knives thrown. That’s love, y’all.)

S4 E11– RESUGAR: Fat Shaming, Body Shaming, and Body Acceptance

Season 4, episode 11, “They Shoot Fat Women, Don’t They” was a seminal moment in Designing Women’s history and simultaneously a denouement to the media and public’s relentless obsession with Delta Burke’s weight. 

So, when we finally reached this essential episode last year, we knew it was time for an “Extra Sugar” that explored what happened behind the scenes. It was also an opportunity to talk about fat shaming and body shaming, why these concepts matter, and what we can do to take care of ourselves and each other. 

[Revisit] S5 E4: Julia Gets Jury Duty

Any episode where Julia gets riled is worth a rewatch. Her run-ins (read: total and complete meltdowns) with “big ole donkey scout” first Charlene and later her fried-cheese-eating jury duty colleagues reminds us one and all: don’t mess with a Southern woman on a mission. 

We also sidebarred on radio contests in honor of the hurtin’ Charlene, Suzanne, and Anthony put on the record store after winning a radio contest. 

S5 E16 – RESUGAR: Beware of Plastics

Bernice’s toward self-acceptance was a fun, little thrill for us, since it taught us that we can still experience self-loathing well into our senior years. Why not relive that realization through a re-sugar of our foray into plastic surgery. Well, our academic foray - no actual surgery was had. (But, it’s not too late - still taking donations!)

[Revisit] S5 E13: All-You-Can-Eat Pearls

You may think we picked this one for the buffets, and you’re half right (we did get a pretty tasty “Nibbles” segment out of it). Mainly, we’re here for Mary Jo and Charlene’s level 10 physical comedy trying to find Suzanne’s pearls in the salad bar. 

This is also where we introduced our temporary segment, “Suzanne Watch” - to try and decode some of the weird ways they were using Delta Burke as their relationship in real life quickly unraveled.