'Designing Women' latest to call it quits

By VARIETY STAFF

CBS has confirmed that long-running Columbia Pictures TV series "Designing Women" will have its final airing with an hour episode May 24, joining "Cheers, ""Knots Landing" and "The Wonder Years" among the veteran series that will say goodbye during the sweeps.

The special Monday night episode will air at 9 p.m. following a "Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies" retrospective. In the closer, the Sugarbaker firm is the target of a hostile takeover.

Potts seeking 'Love?'

With confirmation that "Women" will conclude its seven-year run, attention will now turn toward star Annie Potts, who reportedly is being considered to replace Susan Dey on the freshman CBS comedy "Love and War" (Daily Variety, April 20).

The producers of "Love and War," Joel Shukovsky and Diane English, are in Europe, so an imminent announcement regarding Potts is unlikely.

Columbia has also signed a deal with "Women's" Meshach Taylor to star in a new series to be produced through the studio. Col Pix TV president Scott Siegler said it had been "a pleasure working with Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason" and the show's cast, which has gone through a number of highly publicized changes in recent years.

Meanwhile, reports have surfaced that Twentieth TV may be interested in wooing Dey back to her old NBC series, "L.A. Law," which has already been renewed for next season. A Twentieth spokeswoman said there is currently no deal with Dey, who starred on the legal drama for six seasons.

Friday's backbone

CBS moved "Designing Women" and Universal's "Major Dad" from Monday this season to provide the backbone of its new Friday comedy block. Both shows have been midlevel performers on the new night, and "Dad" is viewed as a longshot to return next season as well. The shows averaged a 9.9 rating/17 share and 9.8/17, respectively, in Nielsen during the just-completed September-through-April season.

If both series wind up this year that may be good news for several new sitcoms hoping to be renewed -- such as Twentieth TV's "Dudley" and TriStar TV's "Good Advice"-- as well as various pilot hopefuls.

Columbia currently distributes "Designing Women" in off-network syndication on a two-year all-barter basis covering the show's first five seasons. It will finish its run with more than 160 episodes.