Angela Health
HIS 201
March 25, 2013
Designing Women

Designing Women Designing Women was an American television sitcom that aired in 1986 until 1993. The show revolved around the lives of Mary Jo, Charlene, Suzanne and Julia, four southern women who lived in Atlanta, Georgia. Linda Bloodworth-Thomason created Designing Women. In the episode, The Incredibly Elite Bona Fide Blue-Blood Beaumont Driving Club, themes such as discrimination, detachment and prejudice were shown. This episode revolved around two sisters, Julia and Suzanne. Suzanne’s eagerness and determination to become a member of the elite Beaumont Club doesn’t sit well with her sister Julia. Throughout the episode, Old South references are made as well as Julia’s detachment from these old ways. Julia is against anything the Beaumont Club believes in while Suzanne tries to persuade her to join. Suzanne attempts to be this very glamorous woman who lives a rich lifestyle in order to impress the women of the Beaumont Club. I believe this was an example of the Old South. The south wanted to be viewed as this elite, rich society. In films, the south was portrayed as this rich land filled with large plantations when in reality; very few people actually owned a plantation. Another jab at the Old South would be Suzanne’s African-American friend, Anthony, who mocks Suzanne and sarcastically speaks to her as if she was his master. I agree that this episode portrayed the south realistically. This episode shed light on the discrimination that still lingered in the south and the elite organizations created for whites. When Julia is accepted into the Beaumont Club but is told Suzanne was rejected, Julia points out the