'Designing Women' Is Being Rebooted, But Will the Original Stars Return?

The 1980s were an era of big hair, shoulder pads, and the debut of a smart, sassy sitcom where four women tackled topics that were almost verboten in that time period. Designing Women hit the airwaves in 1986 with Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, Meshach Taylor, Jean Smart, and Delta Burke rounding out the original cast.

The series, though based in comedy, tackled serious topics like the AIDS crisis, prostitution, spousal abuse, and bullying. These were four women, who ran an interior design firm, that didn't back down from what life handed them, and, now, creator Linda Thompson-Bloodworth and Sony are seeking to catch lightning in a bottle by rebooting the popular series. And one busy former star of the series, Annie Potts, is willing and ready to return to her role if asked.

Potts said there isn't a strong voice in any singular show now and that nobody is doing what they did back then. And she feels strongly that another show like this is necessary. So the long-time actress said as long as she could work during her hiatus, she would be there.

Fans of the original series have already started questioning if Thompson-Bloodworth will reach out to other members of the cast to facilitate a reunion that is bound to draw in the viewers who fell in love with this show over thirty years ago.

Sadly, Dixie Carter, who portrayed Julia Sugarbaker, known for her fiery-tongued monologues passed away in 2010; and Meshach Taylor, the ex-con who added yet another bright spot the original series, passed away in 2014, leaving two large gaps if Bloodworth and Sony do intend to include the original cast in the reboot.

Still, Annie Potts, Jean Smart, and Delta Burke brought in their own fair share of laughs with talent to spare, so the powers-that-be would be wise to consider returning these women to their rightful places for more than just cameo appearances.

One only needs to look at the fan outcry over the reboot of the Charmed series, which will not include any of the original cast, to see that, no matter the length of time, fans remain dedicated. And even though Designing Women aired in a time when there were no social media, most of the viewers who enjoyed the series have found their way to the online world and have no fear of speaking up for what they believe would be an injustice.

Several television shows have already set the precedent by returning to the air with their original cast members. Will & Grace, Fuller House, Girl Meets World, Gilmore Girls, The X-files, and Prison Break are just some of the programs that have been rebooted successfully with original cast members. And Murphy Brown is picking up the baton this fall with the same cast that started and finished the creative series.

But TV Guide writer Lindsay McDonald believes the reboot should start fresh with new, diverse characters.

And this reboot could — and probably should — follow suit and cast a more diverse group of actors for the updated 2018 audience. In fact, some folks on Twitter are already campaigning for the main cast to be entirely women of color.

But, as there is a lack of television shows that highlight the older generation, Designing Women could be a breath of fresh air to airwaves that haven't seen this kind of creativity since the Golden Girls. It's important to give the over-sixty-five viewers characters they can relate to, just as thirty-somethings flocked to the original series.

Nowadays, most older characters aren't portrayed as successful businesswomen with busy lives. If the Designing Women reboot kept to its original premise, fans would welcome the opportunity to reunite with Suzanne Sugarbaker, Charlene Stillfield, and Mary Jo Shively to see where the years have taken them.

There are other opportunities within the show to bring in additional characters, but the original cast members deserve the chance to return if they are interested. After all, their acting talents drew us to the screen and kept us tuning in each week.

And, while no one will be able to replace Dixie Carter or Mesach Taylor, the show could go on with actors that honor these two individuals as well as their dedication to the roles they played on Designing Women.