TMC
04-09-2026, 04:05 PM
https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/what-s-the-best-mary-tyler-moore-episode-these-are-the-top-25-according-to-fans/ss-AA20xihl?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=69d80460803349c5a7a4c73f3f56ca81&ei=23#image=1
Story by Madison Troyer
When "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" premiered in September 1970, it offered viewers a new type of story—that of a single, independent woman more focused on making it on her own than finding her Prince Charming. Even with the rise of second-wave feminism, there had never been a show like this on TV before, and audiences gobbled it up. It became so popular that by the time it wrapped in 1977, 21.2 million viewers tuned in to catch the finale (https://stacker.com/tv/most-watched-tv-series-finales-all-time).
Created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns, the show starred Mary Tyler Moore (as the lead character, Mary Richards), Edward Asner, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Georgia Engel, Betty White, and John Amos. During its seven-season run, the series took home 29 Emmy Awards and launched three spinoffs ("Rhoda," "Phyllis," and "Lou Grant"). It also changed how Hollywood crafted its sitcoms, shifting from plot-driven storylines to a more character-driven approach (https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/mary-tyler-moore-show-the), allowing for more growth and development and less narrative predictability.
In celebration of the groundbreaking series and the woman who proved she could make it, Stacker ranked the top 25 episodes of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" using IMDb user ratings, with ties broken by votes as of April 1, 2025. From episodes with notable guest stars to those that won awards for outstanding writing, these are fans' favorite stories from the lives of the WJM-TV Six O'Clock News team.
Story by Madison Troyer
When "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" premiered in September 1970, it offered viewers a new type of story—that of a single, independent woman more focused on making it on her own than finding her Prince Charming. Even with the rise of second-wave feminism, there had never been a show like this on TV before, and audiences gobbled it up. It became so popular that by the time it wrapped in 1977, 21.2 million viewers tuned in to catch the finale (https://stacker.com/tv/most-watched-tv-series-finales-all-time).
Created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns, the show starred Mary Tyler Moore (as the lead character, Mary Richards), Edward Asner, Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Georgia Engel, Betty White, and John Amos. During its seven-season run, the series took home 29 Emmy Awards and launched three spinoffs ("Rhoda," "Phyllis," and "Lou Grant"). It also changed how Hollywood crafted its sitcoms, shifting from plot-driven storylines to a more character-driven approach (https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/shows/mary-tyler-moore-show-the), allowing for more growth and development and less narrative predictability.
In celebration of the groundbreaking series and the woman who proved she could make it, Stacker ranked the top 25 episodes of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" using IMDb user ratings, with ties broken by votes as of April 1, 2025. From episodes with notable guest stars to those that won awards for outstanding writing, these are fans' favorite stories from the lives of the WJM-TV Six O'Clock News team.