Ep 16. The Emperor's New Nose

The episode "The Emperor's New Nose" is the sixteenth episode of the fifth season of the popular American sitcom Designing Women. The episode was written by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and directed by Harry Thomason. The episode originally aired on CBS on February 12, 1991.

The episode revolves around the ladies of Sugarbaker and Associates designing a television studio for a local news station, WKTT. Julia, Mary Jo, and Carlene are tasked with creating a new look for the studio, and Julia is particularly excited to take on the project. However, they soon realize that the owner of the station, E. Patrick Leever (played by guest star Gerald McRaney), is a difficult client who wants complete control over the design and a say in every detail.

As they work on the design, Anthony comes to the office with an interesting story. His grandfather, who worked as an elevator operator at the Empire State Building, had a false nose that he would remove when he felt like he needed a break. Anthony discovered this after his grandfather's passing when he found the false nose in his possessions. The ladies become fascinated with this strange story and can't stop laughing about it.

However, things take a turn when Leever insists that they install a portrait of him in the studio, which he has painted himself. Julia is horrified by the portrait, which shows Leever as an emperor with a disproportionately large nose. However, as Leever is paying for the project, they must find a way to incorporate his bizarre self-portrait into the design.

Meanwhile, Mary Jo is dealing with her own issues. She is preparing for a date with her new boyfriend, Sean, and is nervous about it. Suzanne, who is also in the office, decides to give Mary Jo a makeover for her date. However, Suzanne's idea of a makeover is not exactly what Mary Jo has in mind.

As the ladies continue to work on the studio design, they struggle to incorporate Leever's portrait in a way that looks good. They try many different arrangements, but nothing seems to look quite right. Julia is particularly frustrated with Leever's lack of taste and artistic ability.

Eventually, Leever decides that he wants to be portrayed as a Greek god instead of an emperor. The ladies are relieved that they can get rid of the oversized nose, but they aren't sure how to incorporate the new vision. Julia takes charge and decides to create a beautiful, classical backdrop for Leever to stand in front of. She also arranges for him to be lit in a way that accentuates his features and makes him look more powerful.

As they put the finishing touches on the studio, Mary Jo returns from her date with Sean. She's happy to tell the ladies that it went well, but she can barely speak because of the excessive makeup that Suzanne applied. The ladies tease her about her new look, but Mary Jo is happy with the outcome.

In the end, the studio looks beautiful, and Leever is thrilled with the design. However, the ladies are relieved that they never have to work with him again. They all gather around to admire their work and joke about the strange portrait that caused them so much trouble. The episode ends with the ladies enjoying a glass of wine and laughing about the absurdity of their jobs.

Overall, "The Emperor's New Nose" is a fun and lighthearted episode of Designing Women that shows the characters' talents and humor. It highlights the challenges of working with difficult clients and the importance of creativity and teamwork. It also features some hilarious moments, like the story of Anthony's grandfather's false nose and Mary Jo's makeover mishap. Fans of the show will not want to miss this episode.