Do You Feel Mary Richards Was Liberated Enough on TMTMS Or CBS Held Her Back??? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 01-20-2012, 11:00 AM

SA: Were there negative reactions to these portrayals?

KL: Yes, often critics and viewers felt that characters like Mary weren't liberated enough -- that they were too acquiescent or cautious about their sexuality, or that their living situations weren't relatable.

http://www.secondact.com/2012/01/how...-and-the-city/

OH Nuts! · 01-20-2012, 03:51 PM

Given the time period, I think she was "liberated enough".

The reason I feel this way is that Mary felt real to me; in some ways very liberated and in others reserved. There was balance to her personality. And given the time period, the show was very progressive.

Brian Damage · 01-20-2012, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

Given the time period, I think she was "liberated enough".

The reason I feel this way is that Mary felt real to me; in some ways very liberated and in others reserved. There was balance to her personality. And given the time period, the show was very progressive.

Do you think they could've been more aggresive and progressive with the character?

scotsguy · 01-20-2012, 06:47 PM

No Mary Richards was just right,we had Rhoda,who was a bit too pushy but

lovable and Phyllis as the overbearing smug,married lady always looking

for a "cause" to liven up her dull existance.

Mary was a good leveler to the other two ladies,Mary was single and had a

career too but Mary Richards was never preachy about it.

It was a very well written and well acted sitcom about a single woman but it

didn't harp on about it and I'm glad it didn't,probably why we love it so

much,it concentrated on the laughs and characters,later giving Ted more depth by introducing Georgette.

OH Nuts! · 01-21-2012, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Do you think they could've been more aggresive and progressive with the character?

Sure they could have but it might not have worked - think they pushed the envelope just right - low key was perfect - at least to me. Look at what they did with Maude - who came across as an over-the-top caricature.

Sure Maude lasted several seasons but the credit's due in large part to Bea Arthur, and to some to degree, the other actors, who were able to rise above the formulaic script. Bea had a lot of talent - not many could have pulled it off.

Brian Damage · 01-22-2012, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

Sure they could have but it might not have worked - think they pushed the envelope just right - low key was perfect - at least to me. Look at what they did with Maude - who came across as an over-the-top caricature.

Sure Maude lasted several seasons but the credit's due in large part to Bea Arthur, and to some to degree, the other actors, who were able to rise above the formulaic script. Bea had a lot of talent - not many could have pulled it off.

Excellent points, Maude just doesn't resonate or stand up the test of times as TMTMS does.

mstewart · 01-24-2012, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotsguy

No Mary Richards was just right,we had Rhoda,who was a bit too pushy but

lovable and Phyllis as the overbearing smug,married lady always looking

for a "cause" to liven up her dull existance.

Mary was a good leveler to the other two ladies,Mary was single and had a

career too but Mary Richards was never preachy about it.

It was a very well written and well acted sitcom about a single woman but it

didn't harp on about it and I'm glad it didn't,probably why we love it so

much,it concentrated on the laughs and characters,later giving Ted more depth by introducing Georgette.

TMTMS pushed the envelope but it wasn't in your face like Norman Lear's sitcoms were. On TMTMS we had Mary fighting Lou for equal pay, Phyllis open marriage but it was not ok when Lars was messing around with Sue Ann, Lou sleeping with Sue Ann, Ted's not being sure if he can conceive, Murray's crush on Mary, Murray liking the woman who was selling a piano, Rhoda dating Phyllis' gay brother, Lou's separation, eventual divorce and his ex-wife remarrying. So we had all those but they were not in your face with it and they did not get preachy about it. Still very funny.

Retro4Life · 01-24-2012, 08:50 PM

MTM said what it said with a whisper, not a shout, and it was all the more effective because of it.

OH Nuts! · 01-25-2012, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

MTM said what it said with a whisper, not a shout, and it was all the more effective because of it.

WOW - what a great way of saying it. Talk about hitting the nail on the head!

OH Nuts! · 01-25-2012, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

Excellent points, Maude just doesn't resonate or stand up the test of times as TMTMS does.

Thx Brian - yeah Maude was TOO MUCH - cloying if you will. But still a decent show though certainly no Mary Tyler Moore. On those eps where Maude the hypertropic overblown-personna is toned down, we get to see Bea shine, and I will say those moments are a treat.

But what are "moments" of bliss on Maude are pretty much a matter of course for The Mary Tyler Moore Show. That's why it still endures and is so beloved even 40 yrs later.

Retro4Life · 01-25-2012, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

WOW - what a great way of saying it. Talk about hitting the nail on the head!

Thanks!

Dianne3 · 01-26-2012, 05:01 PM

I get MTM reruns on a station called Comedy Gold here in Canada.

Every once in a while I see Maude reruns, and a very short time later they are off the network. This only happens to Maude. Obviously, nobody watches. They even tried putting Maude reruns after the Golden Girls, and that didn't work either.

If you look at the Maude ratings, they drastically dropped before the 1976 season when the lighter comedies were becoming hits.

USATVFAN · 01-26-2012, 06:51 PM

You can find All the 6 Seasons and 140 Episodes of Maude on Youtube!

OH Nuts! · 01-27-2012, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USATVFAN

You can find All the 6 Seasons and 140 Episodes of Maude on Youtube!

Maude is also airing 10 episodes a week on Antenna TV.

01-20-2012, 11:00 AM	#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	Do You Feel Mary Richards Was Liberated Enough on TMTMS Or CBS Held Her Back??? SA: Were there negative reactions to these portrayals? KL: Yes, often critics and viewers felt that characters like Mary weren't liberated enough -- that they were too acquiescent or cautious about their sexuality, or that their living situations weren't relatable. http://www.secondact.com/2012/01/how...-and-the-city/
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

01-24-2012, 08:50 PM	#8
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	MTM said what it said with a whisper, not a shout, and it was all the more effective because of it.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

01-26-2012, 06:51 PM	#13
USATVFAN Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 31, 2007 Location: Kalispell, USA Posts: 1,742	You can find All the 6 Seasons and 140 Episodes of Maude on Youtube!
	__________________ Love watching 1960's-1990's TV Classics! 1970-2004: The best Years of Televsion

01-20-2012, 03:51 PM	#2
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Given the time period, I think she was "liberated enough". The reason I feel this way is that Mary felt real to me; in some ways very liberated and in others reserved. There was balance to her personality. And given the time period, the show was very progressive.

01-20-2012, 06:47 PM	#4
scotsguy Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 25, 2002 Location: Edinburgh,Scotland Posts: 696	No Mary Richards was just right,we had Rhoda,who was a bit too pushy but lovable and Phyllis as the overbearing smug,married lady always looking for a "cause" to liven up her dull existance. Mary was a good leveler to the other two ladies,Mary was single and had a career too but Mary Richards was never preachy about it. It was a very well written and well acted sitcom about a single woman but it didn't harp on about it and I'm glad it didn't,probably why we love it so much,it concentrated on the laughs and characters,later giving Ted more depth by introducing Georgette.

01-26-2012, 05:01 PM	#12
Dianne3 Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 07, 2002 Posts: 1,057	I get MTM reruns on a station called Comedy Gold here in Canada. Every once in a while I see Maude reruns, and a very short time later they are off the network. This only happens to Maude. Obviously, nobody watches. They even tried putting Maude reruns after the Golden Girls, and that didn't work either. If you look at the Maude ratings, they drastically dropped before the 1976 season when the lighter comedies were becoming hits.