Sweet Tea & TV

REPLAY: When “Julia gets her head stuck in a fence” – AKA the very rare, priceless, and historically significant Abbott Banister in the Georgia Governor’s Mansion – back in season 4, there was only one thing for us to do: talk about these mansions, of course. We threw in a “Grits Blitz” for good measure.

On reflection, it occurs to us that every major cast member has a wedding episode: that is one where they are married or make an attempt down the aisle. Suzanne got her turn after Reggie MacDawson ‘absconded’ with all her money. In other news: it’s the return of Ray Don, where Julia tries her hand at flirting and Mary Jo gets soused off one “purse drink”. 

Crack open something good for this week’s “Extra Sugar” where we’re talking about the history of canned cocktails.

Howard the Duck was our second special episode ever. Salina watched for the first time. Nikki revisited and realized just how weird this movie was for a kid. Then we met and chatted about our reactions. The movie. Eh. The trivia. Stellar.

Leave Earth for just a bit, and come with us, want you? We’re going to Duckworld!

Oh, now this one here is a fan favorite. And thanks to a Southern snow storm and a motel short on rooms, it’s the first time we get to see the truly magnetic chemistry between Suzanne and Anthony. 

This one also led to an “Extra Sugar” on the weird and twisty history of interracial marriage.

Back in season 4, (E10, “Manhunt”), Suzanne helps Mary Jo “find a man” using an awful dating book. It led us down another Google hole: this time looking at dating advice over the years. We chatted about it and the scare tactics the media loves to lord over women every few years whether we need it or not. 

Here are some unintentional companion episodes:

• S1E5, “1986 Called and It Wants Its Jokes Back” where we discussed the now infamous Newsweek article during the “Extra Sugar” 

A VERY important episode for us: the first time we really see Delta Burke get to do her thing as Suzanne. Like her real thing – not flighty Suzanne and not “excuse me” Suzanne. THIS is the version grappling with her identity, her age, and what she wants out of life. All prompted when Suzanne falls in love with the little girl she temporarily adopts, only to have to let her go forever. 

A quick reference to a popular 80s toy leads to one of our most twisted Extra Sugars to date: the weird history of cabbage patch kids. 

Ah, it feels like just yesterday we spotted Bill Engvall in Designing Women’s fourth season (E21 Tough Enough). It was the perfect opportunity to talk about a real Southern phenomenon: The Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Nikki clued us in on a really interesting Designing Women crossover – and she used her CRAZY good Internet sleuthing skills to track herself down in a live taping from 20 years ago. It’s really impressive, y’all. 

This one holds a very special place in our hearts. These were still early pandemic days, and after three months of painstaking virtual recordings – this here was our very first in-person recording. We were vaxed, relaxed, and ready to party! 

It was also a Designing Women first: the first of several slumber parties. The first time we saw Mary Jo get a little tipsy, and subsequently, the first time she confronted Suzanne about dating her ex-husband. 

We sidebarred to break up stereotypes about voodoo (preferably referred to as Vodon by practitioners). Then we reminisced about sleepovers for our Extra Sugar.

Ah, it feels like just yesterday when Salina introduced Nikki to arguably the most popular rom com of all time: Pretty Woman. That’s right, Nikki, so versed in pop culture had somehow missed it. But back in 2021, we saved her from this big mistake. Big. Huge.

Revisit it with us, will you? Her first reactions to this modern(ish)-day fairy tale, the trivia, the movie's enduring legacy, and of course, some Southern and Designing Women connections. 

Only two episodes into the series, “The Beauty Contest” remains a fan favorite. We were recently reminded on Instagram of the lasting endurance of Julia’s epic “the night the lights went out in Georgia” takedown. 

But this one was more than that. It was about coming to terms with your own identity (via Suzanne), sisterly love (via Julia), and facing the both unrealistic and hypocritical beauty standards that live rent free in our heads (Mary Jo). 

This one also kicked off two segments we still do today: the “sidebar” and “extra sugar” The former is about the history of beauty pageants and the latter wraps up some unfinished business from our very first episode.