History YMMV / DesigningWomen

* {{Anvillicious}}: Julia's "Terminator" rants can cross into this.

** Suzanne's attitudes towards Anthony, especially in the early episodes, would be considered unquestionably racist by today's standards.

* ValuesDissonance: The season 3 finale "Julia Runs Over the First Amendment" revolves around Julia driving her car into a newspaper stand to knock down the billboard for a pornographic magazine that offended her, landing her into legal trouble. In the 2010s, vehicle ramming attacks became a common tactic used by terrorists and extremists worldwide, with a number of high profile attacks occurring in the United States over the past few years as they became commonly utilized by far-right extremists against left-wing protest movements such as Black Lives Matter. Not only would a modern viewer fail to find any humor in the situation or garner any sympathy for Julia's position, they may straight-up [[WhatTheHellHero view her actions as a form of domestic terrorism]].

* "Killing All The Right People", the episode about a friend of the Sugarbaker's crew dying from AIDS, is a MASSIVE one, particularly the Sugarbaker's crew's faces after being told and Anthony's absolutely heartbroken reaction to them telling him later.
* "One Night With You", where a former classmate of Julia's [[AllLoveIsUnrequited who had a crush on her]] comes back to visit because he's terminally ill and it is his dying wish to spend an evening with her. While initially reluctant, Julia warms to him and they end up spending the whole night slow dancing. It is overflowing with "aww" moments.

* TearJerker: "Killing All The Right People", the episode about a friend of the Sugarbaker's crew dying from AIDS, is a MASSIVE one, particularly the Sugarbaker's crew's faces after being told and Anthony's absolutely heartbroken reaction to them telling him later.

* ValuesDissonance: The season 3 finale "Julia Runs Over the First Amendment" revolves around Julia driving her car into a newspaper stand to knock down the billboard for a pornographic magazine that offended her, landing her into legal trouble. In the 2010s, vehicle ramming attacks became a common tactic used by terrorists and extremists worldwide, with a number of high profile attacks occurring in the United States over the past few years as they became commonly utilized by far-right extremists against left-wing protest movements such as Black Lives Matter. Not only would a modern viewer fail to find any humor in the situation or garner any sympathy for Julia's position, they may straight-up view her actions as a form of domestic terrorism.

* ReplacementScrappy: When Delta Burke decided to leave the series in 1991 ([[PutOnABusToHell or was forced out by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason]], depending on which version of events you believe), the writers brought in Emmy-nominated actress Julia Duffy to play the role of Julia and Suzanne's [[RichBitch wealthy cousin]] Allison Sugarbaker to fill the void. But the audience never warmed to the character and Duffy was replaced after one season by stage veteran Judith Ivey, who played wealthy Texas widow Barbara Jean Poteet until the show's cancellation.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Marla Maples once guest-starred to comfort Charlene after being shabbily-treated by a man, encouraging her to put the man behind her and become her own person. She made a point of producing Donald Trump's phone number and ripping it up in front of her. A few years later, guess who she marries in real life?

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: While most of "Killing All The Right People", the VerySpecialEpisode about [=AIDS=], is a {{Tearjerker}}, Kendall having his funeral done up not just for himself, but so other [=AIDS=] victims after him can have as nice a service as he did definitely counts as this.

** A lot of Anthony's scenes qualify as this with Meschach Taylor's passing in 2014 from colorectal cancer.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: While most of "Killing All The Right People", the VerySpecialEpisode about [=AIDS=], is a {{Tearjerker}}, Kendall having his funeral done up not just for himself, but so other [=AIDS=] victims after him can have a nice a service as he did.

* {{Tearjerker}}: "Killing All The Right People", the episode about a friend of the Sugarbaker's crew dying from AIDS, is a MASSIVE one, particularly the Sugarbaker's crew's faces after being told and Anthony's absolutely heartbroken reaction to them telling him later.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming:While most of "Killing All The Right People", the VerySpecialEpisode about [=AIDS=], is a {{Tearjerker}} Kendall having his funeral done up not just for himself, but so other [=AIDS=] victims after him can have a nice a service as he did.

* HollywoodPudgy: Delta Burke's weight was up and down throughout the show. The character Charlene may also qualify because of an episode where all four women went to a spa. While Mary Jo and Julia were allowed to eat anything they wanted, Charlene and Suzanne had to stick (unhappily) to the diet menu. An interesting inversion with the first-season relationship Charlene has with an overweight man--she's embarrassed to be seen with him, but he's not allowed the same sympathy as Suzanne in later seasons.

* [[LGBTfanbase LGBT Fanbase]]: Similar to ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'', the show presented a very forward-thinking view of homosexuality at a time when such things were very provocative for TV. As a result, like the aforementioned ''Golden Girls'', the show has found a niche on the LOGO TV network.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming:While most of "Killing AlL The Right People", the VerySpecialEpisode about [=AIDS=], is a {{Tearjerker}} Kendall having his funeral done up not just for himself, but so other [=AIDS=] victims after him can have a nice a service as he did.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming:While most of "Killing AlL The Right People", the VerySpecialEpisode about AIDS, is a {{Tearjerker}} Kendall having his funeral done up not just for himself, but so other AIDs victims after him can have a nice a service as he did.

-->'''Mary Jo''': "I think that it really shouldn't matter what your personal views are about birth control, because, you see, we're not—we're not just talking about preventing births anymore, we're talking about preventing deaths. 25,000 Americans have died and we're still debating. For me, this debate is over. More important than what any civic leader or PTA or board of education thinks about teenagers having sex or any immoral act that my daughter or your son might engage in, the bottom line is that I don't think they should have to die for it."

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Marla Maples once guest-starred to comfort Charlene after being shabbily-treated by a man, encouraging her to put the man behind her and become her own person. She made a point of producing Donald Trump's phone number and ripping it up in front of her. A few years later, guess who she actually marries?

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Marla Maples once guest-starred to confirm Charlene after being shabbily-treated by a man, encouraging her to put the man behind her and become her own person. She made a point of producing Donald Trump's phone number and ripping it up in front of her. A few years later, guess who she actually marries?

** Also in 1991, Jean Smart vacated the role of Charlene and [[SaturdayNightLive SNL]] alum Jan Hooks was brought in to play [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Carlene]] [[TheDitz (Frazier) Dobber]], who moved to Atlanta to be near her sister and eventually took over her job as office receptionist.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: The AIDS episode in the second season, that also included as a birth control/safe sex Aesop as well.

** Also in 1991, Jean Smart vacated the role of Charlene and [[SaturdayNightLive SNL]] alum Jan Hooks was brought in to play [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Carlene]] [[TheDitz (Frazier) Dobber]], who moved to Atlanta to be near her sister and eventually took over her job as office receptionist.

* LGBTfanbase: Similar to ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'', the show presented a very forward-thinking view of homosexuality at a time when such things were very provocative for TV. As a result, like the aforementioned ''Golden Girls'', the show has found a niche on the LOGO TV network.

** Also in 1991, Jean Smart vacated the role of Charlene and [[SaturdayNightLive SNL]] alum Jan Hooks was brought in to play [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Carlene]] [[TheDitz (Frazier) Dobber]], who moved to Atlanta to be near her sister and eventually took over her job as office receptionist.

* HollywoodPudgy: Delta Burke's weight was up and down throughout the show. The character Charlene may also qualify because of an episode where all four women went to a spa. While Mary Jo and Julia were allowed to eat anything they wanted, Charlene and Suzanne had to stick (unhappily) to the diet menu. An interesting inversion with the first-season relationship Charlene has with an overweight man--she's embarrassed to be seen with him, but he's not allowed the same sympathy as Suzanne in later seasons.

* Hollywood Pudgy: Delta Burke's weight was up and down throughout the show. The character Charlene may also qualify because of an episode where all four women went to a spa. While Mary Jo and Julia were allowed to eat anything they wanted, Charlene and Suzanne had to stick (unhappily) to the diet menu. An interesting inversion with the first-season relationship Charlene has with an overweight man--she's embarrassed to be seen with him, but he's not allowed the same sympathy as Suzanne in later seasons.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Anthony Bouvier was played by [[{{Mannequin}} Hollywood Montrose]].

** Also in 1991, Jean Smart vacated the role of Charlene and [[SaturdayNightLive SNL]] alum Jan Hooks was brought in to play [[JonasQuinn Carlene]] [[TheDitz (Frazier) Dobber]], who moved to Atlanta to be near her sister and eventually took over her job as office receptionist.