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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 408348" data-attributes="member: 23">Mary Tyler MooreSeason FiveWill Mary Richards Go To Jail? / Not Just Another Pretty Face / You Sometimes Hurt The One You Hate / Lou And That Woman / The Outsider / I Love A Piano / The New Sue Ann / Menage-a-PhyllisRhodaSeason OneRhoda’s Wedding / The Honeymoon / 9-E Is Available / I’m A Little Late, Folks / Anything Wrong? / ’S WonderfulWatching these MTM episodes in between batches of Rhoda episodes, and with them being the first ones since Valerie Harper had officially left the series, I was naturally looking for pieces of dialogue that alluded to Mary’s best friend’s new situation. And I found… nothing.Rhoda didn’t even rate a mention until the episode where everyone was suddenly excited about Rhoda’s wedding and dashing about purchasing presents in readiness. It seems a really odd way to go about things. Continuity aside, you’d have thought the powers that be at CBS and MTM Enterprises would have encouraged a little horizontal marketing between the two series (it is a business, after all). But it seemed to be taken for granted that viewers would know where Rhoda was. Which takes some confidence, I suppose.So far, at least, MTM hasn’t suffered too badly from Rhoda’s absence, although I’m sure I’d miss her far more if I were solely watching the parent series and not getting my fix of the spinoff. In fact The New Sue Ann is a favourite episode (not necessarily the favourite, but then I don’t know which episode would be).The big crossover episodes with Rhoda’s wedding were great. Considering the two series’ different tones and voices, I was impressed with how integrated everyone was. I’d half expected minimal interactions with the broader cast, but the pre-wedding dinner at the Morgansterns’ was great. Rather than diluting things, I felt the new characters breathed new life into the long-familiar MTM cast. In particular I enjoyed the scene between Ida and Georgette which began with Ida asking Georgette to speak up and ended with her telling her not to speak up. Very impressive considering I’m finding Georgette grating on me a little in MTM at this point. I also loved the scene where Rhoda (unheard at the end of the intercom) gave Mary a few choice words for Phyllis and when Mary baulked, Brenda willingly took the phone and casually listened to the (presumably profane) tirade like a secretary taking minutes (“Uh huh. Yeah. Mmm hmm”). Oh, and Ida's fury towards a terrified Phyllis was glorious.Brenda and Ida are probably my favourite characters in Rhoda, which seems odd since Rhoda herself was, for me, one of the best things about MTM. She’s still great here, of course, and I’d say casting all round is terrific. There’s no character that doesn’t work.The guest-cast is fun for seeing actors who would go on to other things. Pamela Bellwood was great as Joe’s ex-girlfriend (I know another future Eighties prime time soap name will show up later as his ex-wife). Henry Winkler showed up again, and there was Isbecki from Cagney & Lacey as a randy sofa delivery man given short shrift by Rhoda.I must confess to a weary feeling by seeing that Richard Schaal appears in the next episode as yet another character. I know he was married to Valerie Harper at this point, but really. This is at least his fifth unique role in the franchise. Chuckles The Clown aside, he’s been pretty much identical in his numerous MTM roles. Will his Rhoda one be any different? And I see he also played ANOTHER role in Phyllis.Incidentally, I don’t believe there’s been any mention of Joe’s faith. Since Ida was previously so keen for Rhoda to marry someone from the Jewish faith I find myself wondering if there was a missed opportunity for some material there, even with a passing quip or comment.Mary’s wall panelling was spotted in one of Rhoda’s one-off sets (I forget which). And I’ve also noticed the configuration of Apartment 9-E (Rhoda and Joe’s new apartment) flows in much the same way as Mary’s apartment.Not at all. You lowered them just enough. I'd far prefer to begin with lower expectations and be pleasantly surprised than vice versa.I hope so. As you can tell, I haven't avoided a bit of reading on the series up to a point so I'm aware of a couple of the turns it takes (such as in the third season).Rhoda being married hasn't thrown things off as much as I feared it might, but it's still early days. So far, most of the episodes have been standard newlywed sitcom material: finding a place to live; ordering furniture; communication differences; and the pregnancy scare*. Rhoda herself has commented that as someone who has only been married a month or so she doesn't yet know what normal married life looks like. The acid test will be if the energy is still good a season or so down the line.* I'm so glad Rhoda wasn't pregnant. As I mentioned, I thought the marriage proposal scene read as borderline manipulative on her part. If she'd become pregnant within weeks while claiming to use birth control that would have tipped the scales completely.That sounds like something I'd have enjoyed watching. Brenda being away from home for the first time would probably have echoes of early Mary Richards, which could have allowed more room for Rhoda to more noticeably remain the sassy streetwise character I loved on MTM.I hadn't thought about that but I'm sure you're right. For me at this point in the series it's so far, so good, but her role's been relatively small to date and it's her scene-stealing that makes the character special.</blockquote>

Verification: Who played JR Ewing?