When I tell people ,what I'm about to tell you here,they look at me and go "You can't be serious!" "You're kidding right?" or "No way!" What it is,is that before this summer,when "Me-TV" came to channel 7.2 here in Phoenix,I had literally in my 43 years of living,had only seen "10" episodes of this series!
Why? Well,from 1970 to 1977 I was only age 2 to 9,so it was beyond me then (I did see the opening credits but that's all.) In 1980/1981,the show was rerun here in Phoenix & I saw only the pilot show,and about 4 others. The film then was scratchy with lines and age & the sound was terrible. It was then gone from local TV here for 20 years & I had no cable.
Fast forward to Aug. 2001,and I caught 5 shows on TV Land (at 6am!) on my apt. complex's clubhouse TV. Got to see Ted & Georgette get married,Lou's apt. get decorated badly by Rhoda,Murray shove Sue Ann into a big cake and Chuckles bite the dust and the finale.
Now,2011. Ten years later,thanks to ME-TV having the show on 5 nights a week (formerly 7),I'm finally getting to really appreciate what a fine work of sitcom art this show was and still is. Some humor might be a touch dated but it's still funny and in terms of Ted Baxter,just downright hilarious.
Mary Tyler Moore made the seamless transition from wife Laura Petrie to independent professional woman Mary Richards. (4 years between helped also.) Mary is not just this but also holds very natural human qualities and frailties as well. This makes her character 100% likable and relatable. Not just to women but anyone. I love her in the early 1970 Christmas show where she has to work alone at the station on Christmas Eve.
Rhoda is the perfect counterpart & friend to Mary. The two compliment each other greatly on screen. Behind the scenes and on the show,the chemistry of friendship is very real. Seems too bad in a way that they took her to her own show but people watched that too.
Murray is delightfully sarcastic to Ted and a great friend to Mary and Lou. Lou Grant is the epitome of the boss but with a heart (despite trying to hide it). From Show #1,Ed Asner made it apparent what his character is all about.
Ted Baxter (the brilliant,late Ted Knight)is a pompous,egotistical,self loving egomaniac with the maturity of a high school boy . He's also a blundering buffoon on the air. As only Ted Knight could have played it. Why Georgette loves him is mystery but as she said,"Someone has to" .
Georgia Engel is fantastic here too. I always did like that unique voice of hers.
You gotta love & hate Betty White as Sue Ann Nivens "The Happy Homemaker". Always pretty much on the make for Lou and always acting like a perfect 1950s TV housewife who escaped from a TV,only to land in 1974.
Part time character Phyllis (also got her own series) is one half snob and second half know it all. Before Sue Ann,she also had a tendency to needle Mary about her single status and sense of style.
Even though I've now only seen about 50 of these shows,I can honestly see why it won so many Emmys in the 1970s. Every actor is true to their character and every character has the "real" or "human" side to them,that makes them likable. Yes....even Ted Baxter.
Anyone who feels this is "not" a classic,does not know all that goes into making a sitcom. Not just making it funny but making it believable to the audience (and the critics). The actors have to believe themselves as these people as well and for what little I've seen,it's all A+ acting,writing and producing & great comic timing.
It may have started 41 years ago and ended in 1977 but quality (in any form of entertainment) never goes out of style. 10 stars for the whole cast and crew,bravo....and Meow. (END)
Edit : On July 2nd,2012,finished viewing all shows on DVD.
Why? Well,from 1970 to 1977 I was only age 2 to 9,so it was beyond me then (I did see the opening credits but that's all.) In 1980/1981,the show was rerun here in Phoenix & I saw only the pilot show,and about 4 others. The film then was scratchy with lines and age & the sound was terrible. It was then gone from local TV here for 20 years & I had no cable.
Fast forward to Aug. 2001,and I caught 5 shows on TV Land (at 6am!) on my apt. complex's clubhouse TV. Got to see Ted & Georgette get married,Lou's apt. get decorated badly by Rhoda,Murray shove Sue Ann into a big cake and Chuckles bite the dust and the finale.
Now,2011. Ten years later,thanks to ME-TV having the show on 5 nights a week (formerly 7),I'm finally getting to really appreciate what a fine work of sitcom art this show was and still is. Some humor might be a touch dated but it's still funny and in terms of Ted Baxter,just downright hilarious.
Mary Tyler Moore made the seamless transition from wife Laura Petrie to independent professional woman Mary Richards. (4 years between helped also.) Mary is not just this but also holds very natural human qualities and frailties as well. This makes her character 100% likable and relatable. Not just to women but anyone. I love her in the early 1970 Christmas show where she has to work alone at the station on Christmas Eve.
Rhoda is the perfect counterpart & friend to Mary. The two compliment each other greatly on screen. Behind the scenes and on the show,the chemistry of friendship is very real. Seems too bad in a way that they took her to her own show but people watched that too.
Murray is delightfully sarcastic to Ted and a great friend to Mary and Lou. Lou Grant is the epitome of the boss but with a heart (despite trying to hide it). From Show #1,Ed Asner made it apparent what his character is all about.
Ted Baxter (the brilliant,late Ted Knight)is a pompous,egotistical,self loving egomaniac with the maturity of a high school boy . He's also a blundering buffoon on the air. As only Ted Knight could have played it. Why Georgette loves him is mystery but as she said,"Someone has to" .
Georgia Engel is fantastic here too. I always did like that unique voice of hers.
You gotta love & hate Betty White as Sue Ann Nivens "The Happy Homemaker". Always pretty much on the make for Lou and always acting like a perfect 1950s TV housewife who escaped from a TV,only to land in 1974.
Part time character Phyllis (also got her own series) is one half snob and second half know it all. Before Sue Ann,she also had a tendency to needle Mary about her single status and sense of style.
Even though I've now only seen about 50 of these shows,I can honestly see why it won so many Emmys in the 1970s. Every actor is true to their character and every character has the "real" or "human" side to them,that makes them likable. Yes....even Ted Baxter.
Anyone who feels this is "not" a classic,does not know all that goes into making a sitcom. Not just making it funny but making it believable to the audience (and the critics). The actors have to believe themselves as these people as well and for what little I've seen,it's all A+ acting,writing and producing & great comic timing.
It may have started 41 years ago and ended in 1977 but quality (in any form of entertainment) never goes out of style. 10 stars for the whole cast and crew,bravo....and Meow. (END)
Edit : On July 2nd,2012,finished viewing all shows on DVD.