I don't know if "fail" (https://www.datalounge.com/thread/30673988-why-did-mary-tyler-moore-fail-after-her-sitcom-ended) is the right choice of words given that she was nominated (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Tyler_Moore_filmography_and_awards) for a Best Actress Oscar (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_Actress_in_a_Leading_Role) for Ordinary People in 1980. But all of her subsequent television shows that had her in a leading role barely lasted a season:

Mary (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(1978_TV_series)) (1978) - This is probably most notable now for featuring a then unknown David Letterman and Michael Keaton.

The Mary Tyler Moore Hour (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mary_Tyler_Moore_Hour) - Michael Keaton was also on this show.

Mary (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(1985_TV_series)) (1985) - John Astin (AKA Gomez Addams) and a pre-Married...with Children Katey Sagel were among MTM's co-stars.

Annie McGuire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_McGuire_(TV_series))

New York News (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_News)


None of these shows lasted longer than 13 episodes let alone a single season. And New York News appeared to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StarDerailingRole).

I was a huge fan of Laura Petrie, being so good looking yet meek and vulnerable....was a very appealing package.

And I watched the MTM show religiously when it was in first runs.

Something just changed about the dynamics. The political injection of stereotypes didn't weather well, and it made the lead actor somewhat of a poster girl for a revolution that I didn't find entertaining.

Once the cache that Laura Petrie had accumulated had become depleted....my interest waned, and I stopped following her..

The upcoming episode of "13 Week Theater" will examine Mary Tyler Moore's short-lived variety show from 1978:
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This week it's Mary Tyler Moore's failed variety show from 1978.

Because MTM never got through her head that the success of MTM was because of the ensemble, NOT just her.

It needs to be acknowledged that she had a very successful career in television, she was the female lead in arguably the best comedy series of the 1960's. She was the star of her own series which is certainly in the mix of any discussion of the best comedy series of the 70's. That a lot of very good work. Very few stars have been a major part of three hit series, Lucy, Bill Cosby, Michael Landon, how many other stars have had three hit series to their name. With all that on the table her career in series television post The Mary Tyler Moore Show was not only a failure it was a spectacular failure.

The comedy/sitcom/variety shows could be categorized as misadventures, the variety show genre had been dying for over a decade but the networks kept running them out there hoping to find a combination that worked.

I thought the two sitcoms were too cluttered with plot, by the time the 80's arrived sitcoms were faster paced, her shows seemed slow without any rhythm.

If she had found a project similar to The Golden Girls, a simple set-up with other comedic talent to help carry the load, who knows she might have gotten that third hit.

Maybe it's unrealistic that an actor/actress can dominate or a be a smash year after year or decade after decade. Sure a handful have done it with a lot of hard work and luck, but people eventually lose interest. Even Lucille Ball found that out.

I think people are pretty darn lucky to be part of one big hit TV and then guest star on various shows. Maybe it means to accept typecasting and play similar roles.

MTM was great in DVD and her own show. And I agree that she could have had another hit as part of an ensemble cast. There's a lot of variables as to why some shows don't make it.

Her struggle with diabetes was a very significant factor in her life and of course affecting her later career. Such a shame, having severe vision problems is one of the more disheartening things imaginable.

It just seemed like every few years she’d return with a mediocre show that usually was titled “Mary.”