The BEST episodes directed by Harry Thomason

#1 - Howard the Date

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 11

It's the mercy date from Hell when the female Sugarbakers staff accompany dateless Howard the nerd to his high-school reunion. Their sympathy quickly wears off when he begins to boast about handling his "four women."

#2 - I'll Be Home For Christmas

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 12

Charlene and Anthony scheme to outsmart Mary Jo's disbelieving son on Christmas Eve -- until their hired Santa beats them to it, by swiping the Sugarbakers' Christmas gifts.

#3 - Ted Remarries (Ted and Tammy)

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 2

Mary Jo can't face her children being with her ex-husband's new wife, who is spoiling them.

#4 - Half an Air Bubble Off

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 5

When an eccentric client harasses the women with bizarre decorating requests, they decide to matchmake him with Bernice.

#5 - 101 Ways to Decorate a Gas Station

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 1

A scruffy gas-station owner wins free interior decoration from Sugarbakers, Charlene consults a psychic about her future.

#6 - Cruising

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 8

Suzanne and Mary Jo become romantic rivals while doing a job aboard a cruise ship.

#7 - The Women of Atlanta

Designing Women - Season 3 - Episode 19

A photographer shooting a magazine spread on the women of Atlanta asks the decorators to participate, but they become suspicious when he keeps encouraging sexier poses.

#8 - How Great Thou Art

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 20

Scruples cause Charlene to resign from her church after she loses faith in her minister when he votes against allowing women in the ministry.

#9 - They Shoot Fat Women, Don't They?

Designing Women - Season 4 - Episode 11

Fat as a feminist issue surfaces when Suzanne endures cruel jokes about her weight at her high-school reunion; Anthony enlists Julia and Mary Jo to join him in a two-day fast to focus attention on world hunger.

#10 - Big Haas and Little Falsie

Designing Women - Season 3 - Episode 5

Mary-Jo contemplates breast enlargement after receiving an inheritance from her uncle Dude stipulating that she must spend it on something frivolous.

#11 - Killing All the Right People

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 4

News that a friend and fellow decorator is dying of AIDS (and wants Sugarbakers to design his funeral) gets Mary Jo fired up at a PTA debate on sex education and contraception.

#12 - Oh, Suzannah

Designing Women - Season 1 - Episode 18

While in Reese's office to sign legal papers, Suzanne off-handedly volunteers to keep a Vietnamese boat child, Li Sing, who is being adopted but needs an interim home for the next four weeks while final papers are being completed. Suzanne becomes attached to Li Sing quickly and doesn't want to give her over to her new family

#13 - High Rollers

Designing Women - Season 2 - Episode 18

After Charlene unwittingly puts a bug in Suzanne's ear by relating the success story of Fred Smith, founder of Federal Express, Suzanne flits off to Atlantic City with Charlene and Anthony in hopes of winning a bundle to pay off debts by employing Anthony's gambling expertise.

#14 - Their Finest Hour

Designing Women - Season 4 - Episode 26

An hour-long clip show of highlights from the previous seasons, including: razor-tongued Julia standing up for Suzanne against an insolent beauty pageant contestant, Julia defending Bernice's eccentricities, Mary Jo commenting on men and bra sizes, Charlene wondering about everything from killer bees to the personal habits of other women, Suzanne displaying a series of wacky dresses, and Anthony being plagued by a variety of indignities.

#15 - The First Day of the Last Decade of the Entire Twentieth Century (2)

Designing Women - Season 4 - Episode 14

#16 - The Proxy Pig

Designing Women - Season 4 - Episode 1

Mary Jo uses the mansion she's decorating to entertain, and Anthony suffers when his health insurance lapses and Suzanne must nurse his injured back.

#17 - The First Day of the Last Decade of the Entire Twentieth Century (1)

Designing Women - Season 4 - Episode 13

Suzanne and Mary Jo rush Charlene to the hospital when she goes into labor on New Year's Eve and conceives a desire to deliver the first New Year's baby. Dolly Parton plays Charlene's "guardian movie star," who comes to her in a dream with news of her baby's birth, and Bernice goes for an unexpected ambulance ride.

#18 - The Big Desk (1)

Designing Women - Season 6 - Episode 1

Cousin Alison Sugarbaker buys out Suzanne's share of the business and then moves in, complete with an enormous desk and a take-charge attitude, Charlene's divorcing younger sister Carlene arrives.

#19 - The Big Desk (2)

Designing Women - Season 6 - Episode 2

#20 - A Day in the Life of Wood Newton

Evening Shade - Season 1 - Episode 1

On his birthday/wedding anniversary, an innocent Wood is photographed with a stripper; and Prosecuting Attorney candidate Ava discovers she's pregnant despite Wood's vasectomy.

#21 - There Once Was a Boy Named Wood

Evening Shade - Season 1 - Episode 2

Frieda babysits, and fills in for Evan on poker night when he has a date with Miss Beausoleil.

#22 - Whatever Happened to Clutch Newton?

Evening Shade - Season 1 - Episode 3

On seeing an old game film, Wood discovers his most celebrated high school touchdown catch was actually out of bounds.

#23 - The Wood Who Stole Christmas

Evening Shade - Season 1 - Episode 11

Tired of his kids' materialism, Wood gives their presents to a needy family.

#24 - Sex Education

Evening Shade - Season 1 - Episode 20

An in-over-his-head Herman substitute teaches a class in sex education, and calls in ""expert"" Wood.

#25 - Herman and Margaret Sitting in a Tree

Evening Shade - Season 1 - Episode 22

Herman's relationship with Margaret hits a snag when she refuses to be seen with Herman on a formal ""date"".

#26 - Goin' to the Chapel (1)

Evening Shade - Season 2 - Episode 16

Wood must express the family's concern over Evan's wedding.