For those of you watching, we just finished watching the last episode that Mackenzie Phillips and Michael Lembeck are in for more than a year and a half. Their last episode aired on 3/9/80 until we seem them again on 11/08/81. The show takes a new direction exploring other aspects of Ann's life and new people enter into her world. I think it was due to Mack's departure that Ron Rifkin and Glenn Scarpelli got jobs with the show. I will continue to follow the time line and watch the show for the last four seasons but the the first five seasons are the best (IMO) because the element piece named Mackenzie Phillips helped to complete the set that make the show we call "One Day At A Time".

I am glad the she comes back in a year and a half on the recurring status and then back as a cast member the following season (though she only appeared in 10 episodes). It was good to see her back and she looked great. However, dynamic died after this episode when Julie and Max have the credit card issues. She came back but there were other cast added to the show that played parts in the life of Annie Romano.

I wish Mack hadn't left. Maybe the direction of the show would have somewhat remained in tact.

Well, I can see on one hand why you wish she hadn't left, but by season 5 she was looking so skeletal and unhealthy that I'm kind of glad we get a break from having to see her on the screen; watching the show so rapidly since it's airing every night, it's been disturbing to see her deteriorate so rapidly.

She didn't look too bad her last two appearances. I think these were shot after her six week absence. Trust me, she looked even worse in the fall of 1983. She looked like she was at deaths door.

Wait? Julie and Max are gone already? Wow, that was fast. I'm assuming they leave because of Mack's drug problem? Now, I understand why they got married because you dont want to have Julie just disappear.

Oh no. I don't think that is why they had Julie marry. I fact, it was Michael lembeck who said that he was afraid he would not be around long because of the condition Mack was in on set. Her already being married was a convenient way of creating a swan song for her exit.

She didn't look too bad her last two appearances. I think these were shot after her six week absence. Trust me, she looked even worse in the fall of 1983. She looked like she was at deaths door.


Maybe she looked healthier but how her hair was cut/styled in the last couple of eps . was WAY to old for her! That hair looked like a woman in her 40's or 50's would wear! :confused: I guess her hair was stringy and bad looking from the drugs and that was why she had to cut it, but a shorter style for a girl in her 20's would have been better. Back than remember Pat Benatar's short hair? It was adorable! If it were nowadays they would have slapped some extensions in her hair and have her go to a tanning salon to make her look healthier! ;)

Good point bonniegirl!