What Was this Show About And Why Was it Controversial?

[Brian Damage]

Also, what was the deal with the title Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman? I realize that must've been the lead character. Why name it twice? Was there a reason for that?

[snowpeck]

It was basically a send-up of soap operas at the time. The show dealt with all the controversial topics that soaps were dealing with at the time (murder, rape, extra-marital affairs, adultery, etc) except in a comedic way.

The title came from Mary's mother calling her name at the beginning of every episode, but I'm not sure why Norman Lear went with that.

[TV Knowledge Fan]

...was originally pitched to the broadcast networks as a daytime series in 1974 (the first two episodes were taped as a "pilot" that year, and are slightly different from the later ones that followed). CBS, Norman Lear's network [and steady customer of virtually all his prime-time sitcoms], turned it down. Ditto ABC. And Lin Bolen, NBC's executive in charge of daytime, absolutely refused to consider buying it, declaring she had no intention of scheduling a series "that makes my women {viewers} look like fools". Lear then decided to produce 'MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN" for daily first-run syndication instead, signing a contingent of local stations [and several network affiliates] to carry it, beginning in January 1976...including New York's WNEW-TV {WNYW today}. Some scheduled the show in daytime, but most carried it late at night [Channel 5 in New York aired it weeknights at 11pm].

Well, "MARY" became the most talked about show of early 1976. By the time the first 130 episodes ended that June, Louise Lasser had become a star (and was busted for drug possession, which only added to the quirkiness of her and "Mary Hartman"). However, by the time the second season began that September, the "buzz" for the series started to fade...and by the time the last episode aired in June 1977, only hard-core fans stuck around for the ending [you think I'm going to tell you how it ended?]. The show continued as "FOREVER FERNWOOD" in the fall of '77 {without Lasser}, but it vanished after 130 episodes in April 1978 [WNEW-TV didn't even bother to carry the final month of episodes].

[catlover79]

The biggest late-night local show out of Cleveland did several parodies of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Since Cleveland has such a large Polish population, their skits were entitled Mary Hartski, Mary Hartski.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-YhTQ0s7Os

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeLvn3X0l8w (at the 7:52 mark)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa5jjRJ44rI (at the 5:41 mark)

[1960'sTVfan]

I was one of those faithful Mary Hartman viewers. It was a pretty good series, spoof of the soaps with decent writing and a strong supporting cast. Graham Jarvis, Mary Kay Place, Debralee Scott, Greg Mullavey, Bruce Solomon, all the players were good. I used to watch Forever Fernwood also. After about 35 years, I don't remember most details of the episodes but I know the show was enjoyable.

When the first 25 episodes of Mary Hartman came out on DVD a few years back, at the time I was afraid sales would be low and there would be no further releases. That apparently has turned out to be true. What they should do with series like this with a limited cult following is, release the complete series as a manufacture on demand title. I'd like to have both Mary Hartman and Forever Fernwood complete on DVD. Would be a nice addition to my DVD library.

[WGaryW]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Also, what was the deal with the title Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman? I realize that must've been the lead character. Why name it twice? Was there a reason for that?

The producers said that in the soaps they were spoofing, everyone said everything twice (I guess it was a clumsy attempt to insure the audience was following the story while not paying full attention). As a point of satire, it's completely lost on us now!

[WGaryW]

Just by coincidence, in working on a new blog about the show, I had already been putting together a list of the hot button topics that were tackled throughout the run of MH2. If anyone needs evidence of why the show was controversial, just scan this over! While there are some topics here that would be considered tame today, there are plenty that are as delicate now as ever, sometimes even more (e.g., terrorism).

And remember, this was just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are many more that could be added!

Racial violence
Antisemitism
Misogyny
KKK
Book Burning
Marital infidelity
Impotence
Homosexuality (male and female)
Bisexuality
Geriatric sexuality
Teenage sexuality
Menage a trois
Female orgasm
Oral sex
Clitoral stimulation
Gay marriage
Open marriages
Abortion
Sexual surrogates
Surrogate motherhood
Marital rape
Feminism
Rampant consumerism
Suburban alienization
Media sensationalism
Mass murder
Domestic abuse
Religious scams
Mental illness
Terrorism

[1960'sTVfan]

Well, my wish has partially come true, Mary Hartman complete series was released on DVD. Now hoping for Forever Fernwood to be released.

Aside from the characters and the writing, another thing I like about the show is that it's a quiet show. What I mean by that is, there's no live audience, and no distracting laugh track. This makes you concentrate on the story and what the actors are saying. Scenes usually end with a few notes of music for dramatic effect. Otherwise, music occurs in the episodes only when intended to be included as part of the script.

My 1,000th post. I'm now a senior member!

[1960'sTVfan]

Originally Posted by TV Knowledge Fan

...was originally pitched to the broadcast networks as a daytime series in 1974 (the first two episodes were taped as a "pilot" that year, and are slightly different from the later ones that followed). CBS, Norman Lear's network [and steady customer of virtually all his prime-time sitcoms], turned it down. Ditto ABC. And Lin Bolen, NBC's executive in charge of daytime, absolutely refused to consider buying it, declaring she had no intention of scheduling a series "that makes my women {viewers} look like fools". Lear then decided to produce 'MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN" for daily first-run syndication instead, signing a contingent of local stations [and several network affiliates] to carry it, beginning in January 1976...including New York's WNEW-TV {WNYW today}. Some scheduled the show in daytime, but most carried it late at night [Channel 5 in New York aired it weeknights at 11pm].

Well, "MARY" became the most talked about show of early 1976. By the time the first 130 episodes ended that June, Louise Lasser had become a star (and was busted for drug possession, which only added to the quirkiness of her and "Mary Hartman"). However, by the time the second season began that September, the "buzz" for the series started to fade...and by the time the last episode aired in June 1977, only hard-core fans stuck around for the ending [you think I'm going to tell you how it ended?]. The show continued as "FOREVER FERNWOOD" in the fall of '77 {without Lasser}, but it vanished after 130 episodes in April 1978 [WNEW-TV didn't even bother to carry the final month of episodes].

When the series went on hiatus in the summer of 1976 (July thru September) that might have been a factor causing interest in the show to begin to fade. Condensed versions of the shows first season were aired during that time, how many tuned in for those I don't know, but by the time new episodes started airing again in October 1976, the series had lost some of it's audience and fewer people were watching. Then, the final straw occured towards the end of season 2 when Louise Lasser left the show. After another 3 month break during the summer of 1977 (Fernwood 2-Nite debuted and aired during that time) the series returned minus Lasser and was given a new name, Forever Fernwood. It continued to be a good show with quality writing, but after 26 weeks and 130 episodes, that was it, the end of the line, series cancelled. Fernwood 2-Nite was then renamed America 2-Nite, which ran for 13 weeks and 65 episodes.

[comedyfreak]

I watched every night loved the show and was disappointed when Lasser left the show. Forever Fernwood wasn't the same, Tom was turned into something pathetic. I have the first season, got it when it first came out.

[1960'sTVfan]

Originally Posted by comedyfreak

I watched every night loved the show and was disappointed when Lasser left the show. Forever Fernwood wasn't the same, Tom was turned into something pathetic. I have the first season, got it when it first came out.

I watched Forever Fernwood when it originally aired. I didn't watch every episode, but did tune in on occasion. Shelley Fabares was in the show, I believe she was cast to be replacement for Louise Lasser. If I recall, Shelley played the role of Tom's new girlfriend/love interest. Orson Bean was in the show too, I think he played the role of a preacher/reverend.

Now that Mary Hartman complete series is out on DVD, I hope Shout Factory will follow up and release Forever Fernwood also. I think it's essential to release this, it basically picks up from where Mary Hartman left off. I know Louise Lasser was gone at this point, but the series as a whole would be left incomplete if it's not released. So I hope Shout Factory will follow thru and release it. Fernwood 2-Nite/America 2-Nite I can do without, I'm not interested to have those on DVD.

[TMC]

http://greatbutforgotten.blogspot.co...artman-tv.html

In 1976, Norman Lear was riding high. He produced one smash TV hit after another: All in the Family, Sandford and Son, Maude, Good Times, The Jeffersons, and One Day at a Time.* And one project that he had been thinking about for a long time finally came together: a soap opera satire called Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

The show was controversial from the start. Thought it covered many of the same plots and issues in the daytime soaps of the era, it did it much more directly, so it scared off network executives. So did Lear's production schedule: from the start, he wanted it to be like a soap opera: episodes a week. He finally managed to sell it on a syndicated basis, but due to its content, it usually ran at 11:30 pm.**

The center of the story was, of course, Mary Hartman (Louise Lasser), a housewife in the fictional Fernwood, Ohio. She was a perpetual innocent (even when talking about some far-from-innocent scenarios) who tried to look on the bright side of things. When the neighbors are mass murdered and her grandfather (Victor Killian***) is discovered to be the Fernwood Flasher).

Some of the better subplots in the early episodes included Mary's sexual problems with her husband Tom (Greg Mullavey) and her attraction to a police sergeant (Bruce Solomon) who takes a liking to her. My favorite early subplot involved her best friend Loretta Hagers (Mary Kay Place), who, along with her husband Charlie (Graham Jarvis), were absolutely certain she would make it as a country singer, talent or not.

The show worked very hard to get a soap opera feel. The sets and the acting mirrors what you saw on daytime soaps, with a very deadpan style. It was deliberately slow paced, with a very dry sense of humor that came from the characters trying to act ultra normally amid absurd plot twists and their own obsessions. Much of the humor, like that in Barnaby, depend on a cumulative effect: it's mildly amusing the first time, but gets funnier as the lines play off what has happened before, especially as you become familiar with the characters.

This does create problems. Though DVDs have come out, none have tried to create the series one episode at a time. And while the show was designed so that missing an episode was no big deal, you start to miss things. Also, clips taken from the show don't really give a good feeling for its genius, since part of the fun is watching the familiar characters doing their thing.

The show was successful, but it took its toll. A hundred and 30 episodes in two years is a lot of work and eventually Louise Lasser decided to move on. The show evolved into Forever Fernwood (following Mary's family after she left) and then to Fernwood 2-Night (a talk show parody starring Martin Mull and Fred Willard, who had joined the original show during its run).

The setup of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman means that it will probably not appeal to younger audiences: the slow pace is unusual for the MTV generation and beyond. Further, because you need to see the episodes unfold like a soap opera, few are going to give it the time it needs. It's a shame, because the show was one of the wonders of 70s TV.