I think the MTM show is one of the best shows ever. Just got my 7th season yesterday and plan to watch tonight. But has anyone noticed this about the show? MTM was suppose to be the symbol of the new liberated career woman. She was hired as associate producer. But whenever Lou or Ted would come in and say "get me some coffee Mary" SHE WOULD DO IT. And why was Mary the one to answer the phone in the newsroom. Why couldn't Murray have answered it? Is it because he was a man?

I think the MTM show is one of the best shows ever. Just got my 7th season yesterday and plan to watch tonight. But has anyone noticed this about the show? MTM was suppose to be the symbol of the new liberated career woman. She was hired as associate producer. But whenever Lou or Ted would come in and say "get me some coffee Mary" SHE WOULD DO IT. And why was Mary the one to answer the phone in the newsroom. Why couldn't Murray have answered it? Is it because he was a man?

Re: answering the phone, didn't she just answer calls that were directed at Lou Grant? As his associate producer, it makes sense that she would take the calls. As for getting coffee for Lou and Ted, perhaps she did it for Lou because he was her boss, and she did it for Ted in order not to hurt his sensitive ego.

I agree, in that while Mary wasn't Lou's secretary, and in fact was making major decisions on her own, it was just set up so she screened Lou's calls because he didn't like getting bogged down in minor details.

She WAS liberated and WAS a career woman, and I think she was so satisfied that she WAS being treated as an equal at WJM that she just made the coffee because it was the thing to do in offices. You know, she wanted to be friendly and efficient, the boss rarely makes the coffee, and wasn't Lou always the last one in? I'm not even sure I ever saw Mary drinking coffee on the show, so it was just one of those things somebody has to do...And who's to say Murray or Lou never made a pot!

I don't think you had to worry about whip-smart Mary. At any point in time if she thought she was being taken advantage of, she would have made an issue of it, I'm quite sure.

I'm pretty sure no one else could make good coffee!