Sweet Tea & TV

This week’s “Extra Sugar” is going to take us beyond Bernice Clifton and head-first into the wacky world of kooky TV characters. 

Of course, at “Sweet Tea & TV”, Bernice holds a special place in our hearts, but we’ve watched enough TV over the years to know there’s an infinite number of lovable oddballs who steal the spotlight with their bizarre behavior and unforgettable antics. And it’s not just Kramer from “Seinfeld” and Phoebe from “Friends”. 

Catch this episode to hear some of our personal faves, why we think these eccentric characters have such a lasting impact, and why we can’t help but love their weirdness!

It’s finally time for us to revel in the gloriousness that is our dear, sweet, unproblematic Anthony. He had some major plotlines this season (law school! professional development at the design firm! exploits with Bernice! an engagement!), but was his character developed enough, or did these storylines leave us with even more questions about our friend? We’ll talk about it. 

 

We’ll also reimagine Anthony’s life if social media has been a thing in the “Designing Women” universe. Would he be a keyboard, prison reform advocacy warrior? How would the whole “A Scene From a Mall” plotline have played out? And what about his engagement to Vanessa? Are they a #vanthony couple? Let’s talk about it.

And then come back Thursday for this episode's "Extra Sugar" - inspired by Anthony's soon-to-be (maybe. possibly. surely. right?) trip down the aisle, let's talk about our favorite TV wedding memories - "Designing Women" and otherwise!

Watching season 6 of “Designing Women” made us realize: every season has some kind of wedding plotline (season 4 has three episodes!). 

So as is our duty, we talked about which of these episodes pulled our heart strings and which ones left us hoping for an annulment. 

Of course, this is also an excuse to talk about our favorite TV wedding episodes of all time: the good, the bad, and the t-total disastrous. 

Season 6 introduced us to Charlene’s sister, Carlene Dobber. And look, we know Designing Women fans find the latter seasons sacreligious. But. Do not sleep on Carlene. This “pie-eyed girl from Poplar Bluff, Missouri” deserves all the flowers. We’re gonna give ‘em to her because, well, she’s a ding dang riot. 

Carlene wouldn’t be the delight she was without Jan Hooks’ performance, so sidebar about her with us. 

Then come back Thursday for an all-new Extra Sugar inspired by Carlene’s stint as troop leader of troop #6523, Atlanta Council, Girl Scouts USA. It’s gonna be good. Scout’s honor.

Oh boy! This season brought us Designing Women’s second-favorite big ole donkey Girl Scout, Carlene. (For those who don’t remember, Julia called Charlene a big-ole donkey Girl Scout back in season 5’s “Miss Trial” - we’re not just being mean to Carlene.) More than one episode this season referenced the Scouts. We also have a big ole donkey Girl Scout among us in the form of one, Ms. Nikki, AND we have some Southern AND “Designing Women” ties to the Girl Scout universe. So, it was just time for an “Extra Sugar” about the Scouts.

Let’s talk about what the Girl Scouts are, what their Southern connection is + their “Designing Women” connection, and we just have to tackle Julia’s big beef, comparing the Boy Scout facilities and the Girl Scout facilities. 

We can’t possibly round out our coverage of season 6 without discussing the much-discussed, oft-aligned newbie, Allison. It’s a big change, but how did we take it? Let’s discuss. Salina’s also going to bring us a Sidebar on Julia Duffy. And then come back Thursday for an Extra Sugar we’re calling Cast Away. We’re going to chat not only about the major Designing Women cast changes this season, but some other major - and less-major - cast shifts throughout TV history.

We simply cannot leave the upheaval that was season six of Designing Women without talking about the elephant in the room: the cast changes. America was glued to their TVs to see how Julia Duffy and Jan Hooks would fare in place of the beloved Delta Burke and Jean Smart. Thirty million strong for that matter. We’ll discuss if they got a fair shake. 

Designing Women had some cast changes, but they didn’t invent them. So we’re going to talk about some iconic ones in other corners of TV. Who did it best? Who did it worst? And, most importantly, was there drah-mah?!?!

We are so excited to present our first-ever, Sweet Tea & TV special guest, Brandon, from Front Row Classics. He’s a knower-of-all-things old Hollywood. A connoisseur of classic films. And, luckily for us, a Designing Women appreciator. 

In this episode, we chat with Brandon about his favorite DW memories, his thoughts on the sometimes-maligned later seasons of the show, the plethora of classic film references that have popped up through the years on Designing Women, and we even lured him into a silly, ChatGPT-powered game, re-imagining the cast through the lens of vintage camera. 

It’s time for our traditional, post-”Designing Women” season special episode! We’re definitely planning to discuss season 7 after the holidays, but to tide you over, we’re heading to Beverly Hills—Troop Beverly Hills, to be exact. 

If you haven’t seen this 1989 gem starring Shelly Long in her peak, feathered-hair glory, you’re in for a treat. This isn’t just a movie—it’s an adventure in over-the-top Scout uniforms, cookie sales drama, and a showdown with wilderness survival that’s as hilarious as it is heartwarming. For us, it was a no-brainer: Carlene’s Scout leader stint, our “Extra Sugar” on Girl Scouts, and our deep dive into Shelly Long’s Cheers fame all screamed Troop Beverly Hills.

So, if you’re feeling nostalgic—or just need a good laugh between turkey leftovers and New Year’s resolutions—join us. Grab some popcorn, snuggle up, and maybe consider bedazzling your own Scout sash. You know, for the vibes.

We’ll be back Designing Women-style after the New Year. Until then, happy holidays—and happy watching!

It’s impossible to believe it, but we have reached the 7th and final season of Designing Women. In our premiere episode, we’ll discuss our initial reactions and hand out some superlatives for the season's highs and lows. 

We’ll carry on with our season 6 structure - that is each week, we’ll spend some time with a different character. What were their best and worst moments and where did things end up for them?

Come back later in the week for an Extra Sugar where we’ll talk about the two-part series finale. It’ll be a throwback to our episode-by-episode breakdowns from season 1-5. 

Come on y’all, let’s get into it!