Was 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' SECRETLY Risque?!? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 12-09-2010, 01:22 PM

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Actress Moore and her husband Grant Tinker, the prime movers behind what many consider to be the greatest sitcom ever, had many battles with CBS over allowing the character of Mary Richards to be a single woman, on her own in the big city. (The network wanted her to be a widow, fearing that if she was divorced, audiences would think Mary had divorced Rob Petrie, Moore’s husband on The Dick Van Dyke Show.) MTM would later make casual suggestions that Mary was on the pill and not necessarily averse to occasionally sleeping with some of the many male dates she had over the course of the show’s run.

http://www.movieline.com/2010/12/dvd...re-forward.php

ClassicTVGal · 12-09-2010, 07:23 PM

No! I have never thought the show was like that. And to be perfectly honest, I never thought that Mary did sleep with any of her dates. But that's just MY opinion.

Also there were eps where she CLEARLY had the men leave her apartment over that discussion.

OH Nuts! · 12-09-2010, 08:02 PM

Mary herself was never risque and I don't think the show was in general. Of course there was Sue Ann, but risque sort of suggests a nuance of subtlety...and Sue Ann was a subtle as a lead pipe lol

ClassicTVGal · 12-09-2010, 11:28 PM

LOL, I forgot about Sue Ann!

Kristen · 12-10-2010, 06:19 AM

I wouldn't say the series was risque, but there were a few times where things were implied, esp. w/ Mary and her dates. We know she definitely didn't sleep around, but I think at least a couple guys weren't thrown out of her apartment.

And, of course, there was Sue Ann. Enough said there, hehe.

ClassicTVGal · 12-10-2010, 11:34 AM

I think as the later years approached, things were written into the show that would not have been done in the beginning. It kind of followed through the times, if you get what I'm saying. I've even noticed the writing adding cursing, as well, which they never really did in previous seasons.

old grouch · 12-10-2010, 02:49 PM

During the first episode, was it ever implied that she had lived with her boyfriend??? Or were they just boyfriend and girlfriend???

cocytus · 12-10-2010, 03:06 PM

Actually looking back on it, the show was rather tame for the time and Mary herself was portrayed as being rather "chaste" for a single woman in the early 70's.

Given that her family was barely addressed during the show, it's odd (to me at least) that she didn't live w/ a man during the show. Who was she "afraid" was going to find out?

ClassicTVGal · 12-10-2010, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old grouch

During the first episode, was it ever implied that she had lived with her boyfriend??? Or were they just boyfriend and girlfriend???

I always got the impression they didn't live together.

ClassicTVGal · 12-10-2010, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cocytus

Given that her family was barely addressed during the show, it's odd (to me at least) that she didn't live w/ a man during the show. Who was she "afraid" was going to find out?

Not to me. Esp considering the the era this show premiered in.
They pretty much looked down on that kind of thing and it wasn't like TODAY when it's practically done all the time.

dakert · 12-10-2010, 11:16 PM

Mary was a good girl

LittleRickyII · 01-07-2011, 06:26 PM

Mary didn't "sleep around," but she definitely wasn't a virgin. (A virgin on the pill?) But she had standards. If she was in love with someone, there would be intimacy in the relationship. But she wasn't the type that would ever go to bed with a guy she had just met.

Marvo301 · 01-07-2011, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cocytus

Actually looking back on it, the show was rather tame for the time and Mary herself was portrayed as being rather "chaste" for a single woman in the early 70's.

Given that her family was barely addressed during the show, it's odd (to me at least) that she didn't live w/ a man during the show. Who was she "afraid" was going to find out?

Phyliis!! If Phyllis found out Mary was living with a man she would have gossiped all over town about it. And since Mary, as an associate producer, was working in what was basically a man's world in the 70's she was very guarded about her reputation. She didn't want to give anyone an opening to say she didn't belong in her job.

Kristen · 01-08-2011, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleRickyII

Mary didn't "sleep around," but she definitely wasn't a virgin. (A virgin on the pill?) But she had standards. If she was in love with someone, there would be intimacy in the relationship. But she wasn't the type that would ever go to bed with a guy she had just met.

Thank you. I could not have said it better myself. She was definitely somewhere in the middle as far as sex was concerned. But the show never came out and said it, you had to read between the lines to get that.

- Kristen

Brian Damage · 03-28-2012, 08:34 AM

I just saw the episode where Lars forces Phyllis to live on a budget and Phyllis compares that to making love with a straight jacket on and Mary comes out and says, "Don't knock it till you tried it." That got a ROAR of laughter from the studio audience. LOL Mary was WILD in this episode. LOL

12-09-2010, 01:22 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Was 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' SECRETLY Risque?!? The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Actress Moore and her husband Grant Tinker, the prime movers behind what many consider to be the greatest sitcom ever, had many battles with CBS over allowing the character of Mary Richards to be a single woman, on her own in the big city. (The network wanted her to be a widow, fearing that if she was divorced, audiences would think Mary had divorced Rob Petrie, Moore’s husband on The Dick Van Dyke Show.) MTM would later make casual suggestions that Mary was on the pill and not necessarily averse to occasionally sleeping with some of the many male dates she had over the course of the show’s run. http://www.movieline.com/2010/12/dvd...re-forward.php
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12-09-2010, 07:23 PM	#2
ClassicTVGal Traveler Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 26, 2004 Posts: 3,457	No! I have never thought the show was like that. And to be perfectly honest, I never thought that Mary did sleep with any of her dates. But that's just MY opinion. Also there were eps where she CLEARLY had the men leave her apartment over that discussion.

12-09-2010, 08:02 PM	#3
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Mary herself was never risque and I don't think the show was in general. Of course there was Sue Ann, but risque sort of suggests a nuance of subtlety...and Sue Ann was a subtle as a lead pipe lol

12-09-2010, 11:28 PM	#4
ClassicTVGal Traveler Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 26, 2004 Posts: 3,457	LOL, I forgot about Sue Ann!

12-10-2010, 06:19 AM	#5
Kristen Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2000 Location: New York, USA Posts: 4,042	I wouldn't say the series was risque, but there were a few times where things were implied, esp. w/ Mary and her dates. We know she definitely didn't sleep around, but I think at least a couple guys weren't thrown out of her apartment. And, of course, there was Sue Ann. Enough said there, hehe.

12-10-2010, 11:34 AM	#6
ClassicTVGal Traveler Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 26, 2004 Posts: 3,457	I think as the later years approached, things were written into the show that would not have been done in the beginning. It kind of followed through the times, if you get what I'm saying. I've even noticed the writing adding cursing, as well, which they never really did in previous seasons.

12-10-2010, 02:49 PM	#7
old grouch Member Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2010 Location: montana Posts: 1,877	During the first episode, was it ever implied that she had lived with her boyfriend??? Or were they just boyfriend and girlfriend???

12-10-2010, 03:06 PM	#8
cocytus Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 15, 2010 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 781	Actually looking back on it, the show was rather tame for the time and Mary herself was portrayed as being rather "chaste" for a single woman in the early 70's. Given that her family was barely addressed during the show, it's odd (to me at least) that she didn't live w/ a man during the show. Who was she "afraid" was going to find out?

12-10-2010, 11:16 PM	#11
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	Mary was a good girl

01-07-2011, 06:26 PM	#12
LittleRickyII Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 22, 2009 Location: California Posts: 2,246	Mary didn't "sleep around," but she definitely wasn't a virgin. (A virgin on the pill?) But she had standards. If she was in love with someone, there would be intimacy in the relationship. But she wasn't the type that would ever go to bed with a guy she had just met.

03-28-2012, 08:34 AM	#15
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	I just saw the episode where Lars forces Phyllis to live on a budget and Phyllis compares that to making love with a straight jacket on and Mary comes out and says, "Don't knock it till you tried it." That got a ROAR of laughter from the studio audience. LOL Mary was WILD in this episode. LOL