So many people said that season 1 sucks and so far I have not felt that way at all. So if this season is considered bad then I really can't wait to see the later seasons!!!

The one thing about this show I really like is how things were so different compared to now.

One example is Mary being a single woman with no kids, her own, place, and a cool job at age 30 was considered odd

But if a woman today in 2012 at age 30 has all those same qualities, she would be considered a CATCH!!!

LOL, looking forward to the rest of the marathon

So many people said that season 1 sucks and so far I have not felt that way at all. So if this season is considered bad then I really can't wait to see the later seasons!!!

The one thing about this show I really like is how things were so different compared to now.

One example is Mary being a single woman with no kids, her own, place, and a cool job at age 30 was considered odd

But if a woman today in 2012 at age 30 has all those same qualities, she would be considered a CATCH!!!

LOL, looking forward to the rest of the marathon

Don't get me wrong, I didn't mean to imply that the first season "sucks," it just pales in comparison to later seasons. It's your basic "cute" sitcom early on, not bad, but nothing special, either. But later on it was often bust-your-gut hilarious. The show, the characters, and the relationships took time to develop. It's mostly a domestic sitcom early on, revolving around Mary and Rhoda, while the characters in the office were more on the periphery. Those characters eventually became more integral to the show and were allowed to shine, and incredible chemistry developed between the actors. It was more of an ensemble in seasons 3-7 than it was in these early Mary/Rhoda-centric episodes. One of the biggest changes was Ted Baxter, who seemed too much like a cartoon in the beginning, making brief appearances just to drop a "stupid baffoon" line. He ultimately evolved into a three-dimensional believable character and, in my opinion, one of the best sitcom characters of all time. And Mary Richards also evolved and matured beyond this sugary sweet character into one with a little more edge (though not too much) who could stick up for herself. Mr. Grant mellowed a tad and there was more context to his relationship with Mary, which made things interesting. Add to the mix Sue Ann Nivens and you have all the ingredients for one of the funniest sitcoms ever.

I can already see just 6 eps into the show why Rhoda's wedding was the biggest TV event in 1974-lol

Who are your favorite/least favorite characters thus far?

Who are your favorite/least favorite characters thus far?


Favorite: Rhoda..........."her attitude about dating and life altogether-lol

Least Favorite: Ted....."too goofy"

Least Favorite: Ted....."too goofy"

When you get to the third or fourth season, your opinion will change on that. I about guarantee it. ;)

When you get to the third or fourth season, your opinion will change on that. I about guarantee it. ;)

Yeah right now he is just too silly.

Yeah right now he is just too silly.


Ted knight agreed with you, that's why they toned down his character a little bit and gave him a life outside the newsroom. lol

Ted knight agreed with you, that's why they toned down his character a little bit and gave him a life outside the newsroom. lol


That's good because the way his character is now in season 1 is too wacky-lol

That's good because the way his character is now in season 1 is too wacky-lol

I kinda disagree, I think Ted was a great character.

Ted is actually my favorite character. lol

Ted is actually my favorite character. lol


Mine too LOL

Glad you're enjoying the show Solomon-had a feeling you would! It's a great show isn't it. I can't how anyone can feel that ANY of TMTMS seasons sucked; to each their own I suppose. But I loved each and every season - although I only have Seasons 2-4 at home.

Hard to pick a favorite character-I liked them all for each of their special ways. But if I had to pick I could narrow it down to two - one would be Rhoda for her kind-heartedness and level headedness and second, would be Sue Ann - loved her hot to trot personna and all the rife story lines that could be built around it.

Mine too LOL

he made laugh in the ep about mr. grant's nephew

he made laugh in the ep about mr. grant's nephew

Yeah that episode was good. Mr Grant's nephew was a PLAYA! LOL

Yeah that episode was good. Mr Grant's nephew was a PLAYA! LOL

He wanted mary bad-lol But I can understand how he thought she was interested in him because of the fact she invited him to dinner at HER PLACE and wasn't that much older.

What else would a 22 year old guy think if he was invited to have a dinner at a 30 year old woman's house

He wanted mary bad-lol But I can understand how he thought she was interested in him because of the fact she invited him to dinner at HER PLACE and wasn't that much older.

What else would a 22 year old guy think if he was invited to have a dinner at a 30 year old woman's house


Yeah, but the thing was, Mary asked just to be polite because he was down and out.

Yeah, but the thing was, Mary asked just to be polite because he was down and out.


See women have a habit of doing that **** in real life-lol Doing **** to be polite and giving off the wrong vibe. He was a grown man not some 12 year old who was trying to learn the business-lol

See women have a habit of doing that **** in real life-lol Doing **** to be polite and giving off the wrong vibe. He was a grown man not some 12 year old who was trying to learn the business-lol


Which is exactly the point Sol, he was a grown man, he should know better than that.

Which is exactly the point Sol, he was a grown man, he should know better than that.


Brian if a woman 8 years older than me at a job invites me to her place for dinner i would assume she has a hidden agenda to give me the ASS later in the evening lOL

Brian if a woman 8 years older than me at a job invites me to her place for dinner i would assume she has a hidden agenda to give me the ASS later in the evening lOL


That is not the thinking of a mature man.

That is not the thinking of a mature man.


Which means i should not be at her place and should be having dinner at a restaurant. Do you agree?

Which means i should not be at her place and should be having dinner at a restaurant. Do you agree?


No I do not agree, ESPECIALLY since he was Lou Grant's relative.

No I do not agree, ESPECIALLY since he was Lou Grant's relative.


No I mean in general. I agree since he was related to Lou it made no sense

No I mean in general. I agree since he was related to Lou it made no sense


I guess

Ha. I'm loving this episode. Poor Mary keeps getting robbed. It's funny though. Very funny.

Ha. I'm loving this episode. Poor Mary keeps getting robbed. It's funny though. Very funny.

I'm wondering how could she be cleaned out like that and love on the top floor?

I am too. Though, the episode is great anyways.

This marathon has made me love MTM. I didn't like it that much before. But, now I'm getting into it. :D

I am too. Though, the episode is great anyways.

This marathon has made me love MTM. I didn't like it that much before. But, now I'm getting into it. :D


Great to hear! I really hope the marathon did good in the ratings?

I can already see just 6 eps into the show why Rhoda's wedding was the biggest TV event in 1974-lol

If you've never seen Rhoda's wedding, the whole first season of Rhoda, which includes Rhoda's wedding (episode #8), is on Hulu.
http://www.hulu.com/rhoda

My first post here after joining today :) Since MTM is my favorite sitcom ever, I figured this would be a great place to start. I was 7 years old when MTM left the air in 1977, and though I do remember seeing a few first run episodes that year, most of my memories of the show come from reruns in the late 1970s early 1980s.

I had no advance notice of the Hallmark marathon, I just stumbled across the first episode in the morning, and of course I had to watch it (despite having seasons 1-5 on DVD). Although season 1 is definitely the weakest of all the seasons (though I do think the show lost a little spark the seasons after Rhoda left), there were still a lot of laugh out loud moments. For instance, the second episode of the marathon, "Today I Am a Ma'am", has what may be my favorite Rhoda line of all..."Allow me to introduce myself, I'm another person in the room"...

Two gripes: I can't believe Hallmark shortened the theme/intro so much~! I kept commentating on it to my wife...there should be that "this has been edited for time, etc" disclaimer for sitcoms like there is for movies~! One of the reasons MTM was such a great show was the music....and I loved that the theme song kept being updated as Mary grew more confident (such as going from "you might just make it after all" to "you're gonna make it after all", etc...)

And two, an all-day marathon to introduce a show that you're slotting at 4:00am every day~!?? I realize this is the era of time-shifting due to DVRs....and some of my fondest memories of MTM is watching the reruns in the early 1980s on NBC here in New York at around 1-2am...but still, 4 am??

Still, I'm glad that reruns are now on two national cable networks~!

My first post here after joining today :) Since MTM is my favorite sitcom ever, I figured this would be a great place to start. I was 7 years old when MTM left the air in 1977, and though I do remember seeing a few first run episodes that year, most of my memories of the show come from reruns in the late 1970s early 1980s.

I had no advance notice of the Hallmark marathon, I just stumbled across the first episode in the morning, and of course I had to watch it (despite having seasons 1-5 on DVD). Although season 1 is definitely the weakest of all the seasons (though I do think the show lost a little spark the seasons after Rhoda left), there were still a lot of laugh out loud moments. For instance, the second episode of the marathon, "Today I Am a Ma'am", has what may be my favorite Rhoda line of all..."Allow me to introduce myself, I'm another person in the room"...

Two gripes: I can't believe Hallmark shortened the theme/intro so much~! I kept commentating on it to my wife...there should be that "this has been edited for time, etc" disclaimer for sitcoms like there is for movies~! One of the reasons MTM was such a great show was the music....and I loved that the theme song kept being updated as Mary grew more confident (such as going from "you might just make it after all" to "you're gonna make it after all", etc...)

And two, an all-day marathon to introduce a show that you're slotting at 4:00am every day~!?? I realize this is the era of time-shifting due to DVRs....and some of my fondest memories of MTM is watching the reruns in the early 1980s on NBC here in New York at around 1-2am...but still, 4 am??

Still, I'm glad that reruns are now on two national cable networks~!


Welcome to the boards, hope to see you post more. Yes I agree that it is stupid for Hallmark to air a all day marathon and then have the show air at 4am. So the show won't be on hallmark that long because not many people are watching TV at 4am in the morning. The good thing is MTM is also being aired on Me-TV at a good time slot which is 8pm and has the full opening credits.

Welcome to the boards, hope to see you post more. Yes I agree that it is stupid for Hallmark to air a all day marathon and then have the show air at 4am. So the show won't be on hallmark that long because not many people are watching TV at 4am in the morning. The good thing is MTM is also being aired on Me-TV at a good time slot which is 8pm and has the full opening credits.


Solomon, have you seen any more episodes since last week's marathon?

Solomon, have you seen any more episodes since last week's marathon?


Not since Tuesday because it was 2 NBA games on Wed and Thursday and I forgot to set the reminder for Friday. So I have to try and catch it next week.

Not since Tuesday because it was 2 NBA games on Wed and Thursday and I forgot to set the reminder for Friday. So I have to try and catch it next week.


Just curious, but have you seen Rhoda or Phyllis spinoffs?

Just curious, but have you seen Rhoda or Phyllis spinoffs?

I seen some of Rhoda and Phyllis but I guess it didn't make sense to watch Phyllis without watching MTM-lol

It took me to watch MTM to realize Phyllis had a daughter and I was wondering who the child was because no one ever talked about her.

I seen some of Rhoda and Phyllis but I guess it didn't make sense to watch Phyllis without watching MTM-lol

It took me to watch MTM to realize Phyllis had a daughter and I was wondering who the child was because no one ever talked about her.


How about the Lou Grant spin off? I haven't seen that in years.

How about the Lou Grant spin off? I haven't seen that in years.


Nope never saw his show either which I think was a drama

It was indeed a drama, and ran from 1977-1982 on CBS. I don't think it's on DVD, but the first three seasons are available for purchase on iTunes, and I think hulu was showing it for awhile.

IIt took me to watch MTM to realize Phyllis had a daughter and I was wondering who the child was because no one ever talked about her.

You're saying no one ever talked about Bess on the TV show Phyllis??? Bess was one of the regular characters on that show. One of the storylines on Phyllis was about Bess getting married.

You're saying no one ever talked about Bess on the TV show Phyllis??? Bess was one of the regular characters on that show. One of the storylines on Phyllis was about Bess getting married.

How could she have gotten married on Phyllis when she was 11 the first season of MTM? That would have made her 16 on Phyllis.

How could she have gotten married on Phyllis when she was 11 the first season of MTM? That would have made her 16 on Phyllis.
She did get married though. That's about the time Phyllis ended it's run. lol

She did get married though. That's about the time Phyllis ended it's run. lol

And the girl who Bess was the same girl who played Bess on the spinoff? I just don't see how she was married and under 18.

And the girl who Bess was the same girl who played Bess on the spinoff? I just don't see how she was married and under 18.
Yea it was the same actress. I haven't seen that episode in a long time. I think by this time Phyllis was trying to do anything to try to bring up ratings.

Yea it was the same actress. I haven't seen that episode in a long time. I think by this time Phyllis was trying to do anything to try to bring up ratings.


I have to watch Phyllis again because Bess was a little girl 4 years before the spinoff started. lol

I have to watch Phyllis again because Bess was a little girl 4 years before the spinoff started. lol

No, she wasn't a little girl, she was just played by a short actress. Lisa Gerritsen was born in December 1957 and turned 19 during the second season of Phyllis. She was 12 when TMTMS began.

No, she wasn't a little girl, she was just played by a short actress. Lisa Gerritsen was born in December 1957 and turned 19 during the second season of Phyllis. She was 12 when TMTMS began.


Well she looked like she was in 5th or 6th grade during the 1st season of MTM so that's why I said little girl

Well she looked like she was in 5th or 6th grade during the 1st season of MTM so that's why I said little girl


I agree with you Sol, I thought she was much younger.

Here's what Lisa Gerritsen (Bess) looked like when Phyllis was on. She really did look young for her age. I wasn't able to find a recent photo of her.

Here are a couple of screen caps of Bess in a Phyllis episode. She did look a bit older when her hair was pulled back or up, like it is here:

Here are a couple of screen caps of Bess in a Phyllis episode. She did look a bit older when her hair was pulled back or up, like it is here:


Yes I agree, older than 12 but younger than 18 LOL

Yes I agree, older than 12 but younger than 18 LOL

Hey, what can I say? :lol: