It is pretty shocking that there had not been a cohesive collection of Designing Women up till this point, considering that Designing Women was one of the most well-known shows from its time period. The show itself enjoyed a long re-run run, so why it was not given proper shrift at the beginning of the DVD’s era. This box set, which covers the 1986-1987 season, focuses on the interactions between four women located in the American south. Suzanne Sugarbaker (played here by Delta Burke) and sister Julia (Dixie Carter) quibble and quarrel amongst themselves regarding the workings of their company, Sugarbaker Designs.
The inclusion of all of the season one episodes here are well worth the price point of the DVD set, but Shout Factory has given viewers one further bonus. “Designing Women: A Reunion†is a recorded session from the Paley Center For Media from 2006; further context is provided from the actor base regarding the show’s entire run. The potential sales that the DVD set could have is enough for Shout Factory to commission a release for the second season of the show, which has to be purchased to merit the same treatment for the balance of the shows run (five entire seasons).
Shout Factory has really stepped up to provide the proper coverage to shows that, while huge when they were first aired, for some reason or other gradually worked their way out of the American psyche. The only thing that I would love to see in future releases of Designing Women would have to be a cast commentary by the show’s director or relevant parties for an episode or two of the season. I (and many others, I’m sure) would love to receive that sort of insight.
Rating: 8.5/10
Designing Women: The Complete First Season (DVD) / 2009 Shout Factory / 535 Minutes / http://www.shoutfactory.com