Ep 17. Nashville Bound

The episode "Nashville Bound" from season 1 of Designing Women follows the four women of Sugarbaker and Associates - Julia, Suzanne, Mary Jo, and Charlene - as they take a trip to Nashville for a client meeting. The episode kicks off with Julia's pre-trip fears - from flying to germs to the overall concept of leaving her beloved Atlanta. However, the group's decision to take a mega bus rather than fly quickly starts the trip off on a high note.

Upon arriving in Nashville, the women are greeted by Bud, the client they're there to meet with. Bud is a country music legend who's looking for a new business venture - he wants to open up a chain of diners, and he wants Sugarbaker and Associates to design them. After discussing the details of the project, Bud invites the women to a concert he's performing that evening.

While the women are initially resistant to attending the concert - after all, they're in town for business - they ultimately decide to go. The concert provides a turning point in the episode, as all four women become smitten with the country music scene in Nashville. For Julia, it's the fiddle playing that does it; for Charlene, it's the men; for Suzanne, it's the sequins; for Mary Jo, it's the music itself.

As the evening progresses, the women find themselves at a bar where Bud is performing an after-hours set. While watching him play, they bump into a group of young, aspiring country singers. The girls lament over the fact that they don't have money to record a demo tape, which leads to Julia, Suzanne, Mary Jo, and Charlene brainstorming ways to help them out. They eventually decide to pool their resources together to sponsor the demo, with the condition that they get their Sugarbaker and Associates business card mentioned in the song.

The next day, the women continue their Nashville adventure - they attend a taping of a country music show and even get to meet the host, Tanya Tucker. However, problems arise when they discover that Bud's wife, who has a history of mental illness, has wandered off. Julia, Suzanne, Mary Jo, and Charlene take it upon themselves to help track her down, putting their business on hold.

After locating Bud's wife, the women return to Atlanta, but with a newfound appreciation for country music. They even recommend that Sugarbaker and Associates start pitching themselves as a specialized country and western design firm. The episode concludes with the girls listening to the demo tape they sponsored, and the Sugarbaker and Associates card getting a shout-out in the song, per their agreement with the aspiring singers.

Overall, "Nashville Bound" is an entertaining and lighthearted episode that showcases some of the best aspects of Designing Women. From the witty banter between the characters to the exploration of a new city, the episode has a lot to offer. Additionally, the plotline involving the aspiring country singers adds a layer of heart and compassion to the episode, making it more than just a comedic romp.