TMC
08-15-2023, 05:39 AM
http://comforttv.blogspot.com/2023/07/when-ted-baxter-outsmarted-lou-grant-or.html
Which brings us to “Farmer Ted and the News,” a season three episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
By then the character of Ted Baxter had been well established and defined – pompous, egotistical, often incompetent at his job as anchorman for WJM News. In the show’s workplace scenes, if someone was going to be the butt of a joke, it was always Ted. Murray and Lou demeaned him at every opportunity, and usually not without good reason. It was not in Mary’s nature to be as aggressively harsh, but she shared their disdain.
In this episode Ted’s contract is up for renewal, and Murray is seething at the thought that Ted might get a raise when he is already the highest-paid but least-qualified member of the news team. Lou is adamant – no raise – but he agrees to meet with Ted’s agent, and is surprised when into his office walks Bella, a sweet older lady who immediately puts him at ease. She reassures Lou that Ted doesn’t want more money – all he asks is that the exclusivity clause from his contract be stricken, so Ted would be free to pursue other opportunities, such as movie roles or Broadway engagements.
Lou happily deletes that clause, and later shares a laugh with Mary and Murray over the thought of anyone casting Ted in a film or Broadway show.
He’s not even worried when Ted tells him, “You fell right into our trap.”
He should have worried. Just days later Mary is shocked to see Ted doing a Ron Popeil-like commercial for a tomato slicer.
Rhoda thinks it’s hilarious; Mary (and Lou) realize that what little credibility their news show has is now quickly dissolving. More commercials follow – Ted gladly barks like a dog to sell dog food and cashes another check.
Lou has no choice but to admit defeat. “I think Baxter's finally got me. I've gone over his contract, a dozen times. There's nothing I can do to stop him. First it was that tomato slicer. Then it was that commercial for that woman's product. I didn't even know what it was.”
Sure, the idea was probably Bella’s, or money-hungry Ted would have thought of it sooner. But he recognized its potential and gave up on another token raise for something with greater profit possibilities, while leveraging the newsroom’s derision of his limited outside opportunities into something they couldn’t see past their own condescension. That's a win - and an impressive one at that.
How does it end? I won’t reveal it here, but the last straw comes after one of Ted’s commercials (for Ma and Pa’s Country Pork Sausage) airs between segments during his newscast. After the spot the camera cuts back to a smiling Ted as he admires his pitchman skills, before solemnly dropping back into his anchorman voice – “And now, the news.” Ted Knight was so brilliant in this part – makes me laugh out loud every time.
After the broadcast he reluctantly reports to Lou’s office where the situation is resolved in a way that would not pass muster with any HR department. But it works.
Which brings us to “Farmer Ted and the News,” a season three episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
By then the character of Ted Baxter had been well established and defined – pompous, egotistical, often incompetent at his job as anchorman for WJM News. In the show’s workplace scenes, if someone was going to be the butt of a joke, it was always Ted. Murray and Lou demeaned him at every opportunity, and usually not without good reason. It was not in Mary’s nature to be as aggressively harsh, but she shared their disdain.
In this episode Ted’s contract is up for renewal, and Murray is seething at the thought that Ted might get a raise when he is already the highest-paid but least-qualified member of the news team. Lou is adamant – no raise – but he agrees to meet with Ted’s agent, and is surprised when into his office walks Bella, a sweet older lady who immediately puts him at ease. She reassures Lou that Ted doesn’t want more money – all he asks is that the exclusivity clause from his contract be stricken, so Ted would be free to pursue other opportunities, such as movie roles or Broadway engagements.
Lou happily deletes that clause, and later shares a laugh with Mary and Murray over the thought of anyone casting Ted in a film or Broadway show.
He’s not even worried when Ted tells him, “You fell right into our trap.”
He should have worried. Just days later Mary is shocked to see Ted doing a Ron Popeil-like commercial for a tomato slicer.
Rhoda thinks it’s hilarious; Mary (and Lou) realize that what little credibility their news show has is now quickly dissolving. More commercials follow – Ted gladly barks like a dog to sell dog food and cashes another check.
Lou has no choice but to admit defeat. “I think Baxter's finally got me. I've gone over his contract, a dozen times. There's nothing I can do to stop him. First it was that tomato slicer. Then it was that commercial for that woman's product. I didn't even know what it was.”
Sure, the idea was probably Bella’s, or money-hungry Ted would have thought of it sooner. But he recognized its potential and gave up on another token raise for something with greater profit possibilities, while leveraging the newsroom’s derision of his limited outside opportunities into something they couldn’t see past their own condescension. That's a win - and an impressive one at that.
How does it end? I won’t reveal it here, but the last straw comes after one of Ted’s commercials (for Ma and Pa’s Country Pork Sausage) airs between segments during his newscast. After the spot the camera cuts back to a smiling Ted as he admires his pitchman skills, before solemnly dropping back into his anchorman voice – “And now, the news.” Ted Knight was so brilliant in this part – makes me laugh out loud every time.
After the broadcast he reluctantly reports to Lou’s office where the situation is resolved in a way that would not pass muster with any HR department. But it works.