So I am in the home stretch of the S2 set and am on the disc with the last couple of episodes and the bonus features. The latter, of course, includes scans of the Mad Magazine parody of the show. I am wondering if it was a good idea to include that...after all, would a spoof make people want to keep on watching the actual show? I am guessing this isn't a malicious piece to MTM fans, though, I think a fansite or two includes it without sounding offended. Maybe I am reading too deeply into things?

On a personal note, now *I* am worried that I won't be able to get the Mad article out of my head when I see certain things and certain jokes! Any advice?

I personally was glad they included that, as two of my favorite things as a young lad were the Mary Tyler Moore Show and Mad magazine.
I remembered that sendup of the show, and thought it was pretty funny...in fact I wish I still had that issue.
I can see where its inclusion in the extras would be a bit of a head-scratcher to some people, though, mainly because 1) it's not video, and 2) it didn't reproduce perfectly.
But I'm marking it down as a good try...I think they were just trying to speak to the way the show was a cultural phenomenon, enough to be parodied by the guys at Mad. You knew you'd made it when that happened!