Could a Designing Women revival work? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 01-24-2018, 09:35 PM

Since the news is out that CBS is reviving its old Monday night stablemate Murphy Brown. It's naturally going to be problematic since Dixie Carter and Meshach Taylor have since passed away. Of course, they can somehow still try to make it work with Jean Smart, Annie Potts and Delta Burke (who may be sink or swim, since she's allegedly persona non grata).

HuntingtonM15 · 01-24-2018, 09:57 PM

Dixie and Meshach were too pivotal a part of the show. I don’t think it could work.

Movie12 · 02-09-2018, 03:49 PM

They could also bring back Julia Duffy as Allison and Judith Ivey as BJ. I liked BJ better than Allison. Jan Hooks that played Carlene passed away. She was great!

Movie12 · 02-09-2018, 03:53 PM

I definitely think a revival could work with Delta Burke, Annie Potts, Jean Smart, and Judith Ivey. I rather see Judith Ivey come on board than Julia Duffy if they could only have one of them.

'80sSitcoms · 02-09-2018, 04:29 PM

I don't understand all these revivals. You can't top the originals when the originals were so fantastic. Why not put your money and energy and time into something original?? (I'm saying this to Hollywood, not any posters here, lol)

stevea · 02-09-2018, 10:12 PM

Smart, Potts, Duffy, and Ivey are in their late 60s, and Bloodworth is in her 70s. Alice Ghostley is gone. Burke is not yet 60, but as was pointed out, would probably not be hired.

If they were going to do it, they might as well use an entirely new cast.

Movie12 · 02-09-2018, 10:26 PM

They can all still do it. Age is not a factor. Doesn't matter how old the characters are. Murphy Brown is 71 and they are bringing that show back.

DJM77 · 02-10-2018, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Smart, Potts, Duffy, and Ivey are in their late 60s, and Bloodworth is in her 70s. Alice Ghostley is gone. Burke is not yet 60, but as was pointed out, would probably not be hired.

If they were going to do it, they might as well use an entirely new cast.

Burke is 61 and Smart, Potts, Duffy and Ivey are all either 66 or 65.

80sTrivia · 02-10-2018, 10:57 AM

I definitely don't think it would work without Dixie and Meshach as well as the zaniness of Alice Ghostley as Aunt Bernice. If they did do a reboot, I'm sure they would want to use much younger actresses than the surviving cast members, which infuriates me!

So, I hope they don't do a reboot unless original cast members are involved...

tlc38tlc38 · 02-10-2018, 08:22 PM

I love DW. It's in my top 10 favorite shows of all-time but I would hate to see a revival done. Without Dixie, it would be a travesty.

I could see them trying to have Charlene's daughter Olivia and Mary Jo's daughter Claudia running the business now...just a thought.

Wavy · 02-12-2018, 06:55 PM

I'd give it a try. It was discussed a while ago.

horizonbeach11 · 03-06-2018, 01:11 AM

I can't see it. I think that a lot of the charm of this show was the era in which it took place, the late '80s and early '90s. The big hair, '80s fashions, and current topics of the day made the show what it was, not to mention that it is always painful to see people that you fell in love with 30 years ago appear when they are 30 years older. Personally, I think it would just be depressing to see Charlene, Mary Jo, Suzanne, and BJ at the same age (or older) that Bernice was during the show's run, sort of a modern day "Golden Girls" but without the geriatric jokes that helped make TGG such a classic comedy, because the focus would not be on the fact that they are all in their golden years, and what would be the premise holding them together? Would they all still be running a design firm out of Julia's old house?

And most of all, "Designing Women" without Julia and Anthony? Not even possible, IMHO.

KatieAnn · 03-06-2018, 11:45 AM

I agree Julia and Anthony were too pivotal to the show to do a revival without them.

TMC · 09-04-2019, 02:23 AM

Designing Women probably went off the air at the right time. Not to get too political but you would have to imagine Julia having to been shown at the least questioning her support for Bill Clinton, once the sex scandals started really hitting. And if they had written her as steadfast it would have been completely out of character.

TMC · 11-26-2020, 11:37 PM

Jean Smart was on Kelly Clarkson's talk show the other day, and Kelly asked Jean if she would ever consider a reboot of Designing Women. Jean said point blank that it would be difficult to do without Dixie Carter, Meshach Taylor, and Alice Ghostley. Kelly had previously brought up the reboot concept to Annie Potts:

One idea that I came across would be to have Charlene's daughter working for the business as an interior design person who may have ended up marrying Mary Jo's son. Another idea would have a Sugarbaker descendant (Payne's daughter) and her three female friends continuing the work at Sugarbaker's, with an occasional visit from Auntie Suzanne, Charlene and Mary Jo.

A third concept would have Suzanne's adopted a daughter Desiree, Anthony and Etienne's daughter, and Claudia and Olivia (Mary Jo and Charlene's daughter's respectively) while Mary Jo, Charlene, and Suzanne would act as mentors and consultants for the new Sugarbaker and Associates.

01-24-2018, 09:35 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,453	Could a Designing Women revival work? Since the news is out that CBS is reviving its old Monday night stablemate Murphy Brown. It's naturally going to be problematic since Dixie Carter and Meshach Taylor have since passed away. Of course, they can somehow still try to make it work with Jean Smart, Annie Potts and Delta Burke (who may be sink or swim, since she's allegedly persona non grata).

02-10-2018, 10:57 AM	#9
80sTrivia Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 23, 2002 Posts: 21,715	I definitely don't think it would work without Dixie and Meshach as well as the zaniness of Alice Ghostley as Aunt Bernice. If they did do a reboot, I'm sure they would want to use much younger actresses than the surviving cast members, which infuriates me! So, I hope they don't do a reboot unless original cast members are involved...
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02-10-2018, 08:22 PM	#10
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,252	I love DW. It's in my top 10 favorite shows of all-time but I would hate to see a revival done. Without Dixie, it would be a travesty. I could see them trying to have Charlene's daughter Olivia and Mary Jo's daughter Claudia running the business now...just a thought.
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01-24-2018, 09:57 PM	#2
HuntingtonM15 That Bothers Me Moderator Forum Star Join Date: Jun 20, 2003 Location: Metro Detroit Posts: 11,059	Dixie and Meshach were too pivotal a part of the show. I don’t think it could work.

02-09-2018, 03:49 PM	#3
Movie12 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 02, 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 421	They could also bring back Julia Duffy as Allison and Judith Ivey as BJ. I liked BJ better than Allison. Jan Hooks that played Carlene passed away. She was great!

02-09-2018, 03:53 PM	#4
Movie12 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 02, 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 421	I definitely think a revival could work with Delta Burke, Annie Potts, Jean Smart, and Judith Ivey. I rather see Judith Ivey come on board than Julia Duffy if they could only have one of them.

02-09-2018, 04:29 PM	#5
'80sSitcoms Member Forum Star Join Date: Jan 30, 2013 Posts: 12,474	I don't understand all these revivals. You can't top the originals when the originals were so fantastic. Why not put your money and energy and time into something original?? (I'm saying this to Hollywood, not any posters here, lol)

02-09-2018, 10:12 PM	#6
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,170	Smart, Potts, Duffy, and Ivey are in their late 60s, and Bloodworth is in her 70s. Alice Ghostley is gone. Burke is not yet 60, but as was pointed out, would probably not be hired. If they were going to do it, they might as well use an entirely new cast.

02-09-2018, 10:26 PM	#7
Movie12 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 02, 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 421	They can all still do it. Age is not a factor. Doesn't matter how old the characters are. Murphy Brown is 71 and they are bringing that show back.

02-12-2018, 06:55 PM	#11
Wavy Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 16, 2017 Location: Trumbull, CT Posts: 94	I'd give it a try. It was discussed a while ago.

03-06-2018, 01:11 AM	#12
horizonbeach11 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 05, 2018 Location: Inside a console TV Posts: 109	I can't see it. I think that a lot of the charm of this show was the era in which it took place, the late '80s and early '90s. The big hair, '80s fashions, and current topics of the day made the show what it was, not to mention that it is always painful to see people that you fell in love with 30 years ago appear when they are 30 years older. Personally, I think it would just be depressing to see Charlene, Mary Jo, Suzanne, and BJ at the same age (or older) that Bernice was during the show's run, sort of a modern day "Golden Girls" but without the geriatric jokes that helped make TGG such a classic comedy, because the focus would not be on the fact that they are all in their golden years, and what would be the premise holding them together? Would they all still be running a design firm out of Julia's old house? And most of all, "Designing Women" without Julia and Anthony? Not even possible, IMHO.

03-06-2018, 11:45 AM	#13
KatieAnn Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 15, 2011 Posts: 520	I agree Julia and Anthony were too pivotal to the show to do a revival without them.

09-04-2019, 02:23 AM	#14
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,453	Designing Women probably went off the air at the right time. Not to get too political but you would have to imagine Julia having to been shown at the least questioning her support for Bill Clinton, once the sex scandals started really hitting. And if they had written her as steadfast it would have been completely out of character.

11-26-2020, 11:37 PM	#15
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,453	Jean Smart was on Kelly Clarkson's talk show the other day, and Kelly asked Jean if she would ever consider a reboot of Designing Women. Jean said point blank that it would be difficult to do without Dixie Carter, Meshach Taylor, and Alice Ghostley. Kelly had previously brought up the reboot concept to Annie Potts: One idea that I came across would be to have Charlene's daughter working for the business as an interior design person who may have ended up marrying Mary Jo's son. Another idea would have a Sugarbaker descendant (Payne's daughter) and her three female friends continuing the work at Sugarbaker's, with an occasional visit from Auntie Suzanne, Charlene and Mary Jo. A third concept would have Suzanne's adopted a daughter Desiree, Anthony and Etienne's daughter, and Claudia and Olivia (Mary Jo and Charlene's daughter's respectively) while Mary Jo, Charlene, and Suzanne would act as mentors and consultants for the new Sugarbaker and Associates.