The Mary Tyler Moore Show took its final bow in 1977 and the legacy of strong female lead characters it helped established hasn’t slowed down. Of course, it’s hard to replace the original, and since The Mary Tyler Moore Show may just be one of the greatest series in the ever-expanding selection of American sitcoms, to not have watched the show (in its original run, reruns, or now on DVD) means you’ve missed out on one of the greatest influencers of current programming. The characters are rich, the writing is sharp, and, despite being at its tail end and being past its recognized heyday, the show stands tall even in its seventh season. It’s certainly a worthy season of television for purchase, and as long as you’ve invested in the characters throughout the previous seasons, there’s no reason not to see the satisfying finale.
With Valerie Harper out of the picture, starring in her spin-off vehicle Rhoda as the character she started with in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Cloris Leachman widowed on the show and similarly headlining her own spin-off Phyllis, the show was down to four of its original six leads by the seventh season. The show never fully recovered from the loss, but even without Leachman and Harper it managed to consistently deliver comedy gold. Plus the addition of Betty White, who stayed until the end, was the perfect counterbalance for the comedy tour de force of Mary Tyler Moore, Ted Knight, Gavin McLeod, and Ed Asner. Although it’s plain to see that with the departures of Cloris Leachman and Valerie Harper, it lost two very strong female leads and only really recouped one with Betty White as Georgia Engel never had enough wit about her to fill anyone’s spot.
The seventh season concluded Mary’s career of challenging the status quo which involved fighting in its own unique way prejudices and social injustices all while staying the single, white female with business-oriented goals. The writers did a smart thing by not marrying her off or finally pairing her with a companion to ride off into sunset with, as either of these would have felt like betrayals to the seven years of relationships built and challenged in one of television’s better approximations of romance in the life of a working professional woman (especially for the 70s). It’s a solid season, but really it doesn’t matter how good it is until you get to that final episode. Where do the writer’s take the show’s final bow? The Mary Tyler Moore Show might just be one of the most graceful retreats from the spotlight a show has taken, though it has the added advantage of existing in a time when shows had more room to grow and find their own legs before the carpet was pulled out from underneath them. The show’s finale is a triumph of television production given the history that lead up to it, and from the perspective of a fan of the show probably makes the set an instant purchase. For non-fans, but viewers with a desire to see the seasons through one last time purchase is a harder verdict to deliver. The episodes in season seven aren’t as monumental as those that appeared in previous ones (save for the finale) and even the major “events” like Ted and Georgette having a baby or coming to the rescue of a prostitute in need seem minor in comparison.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show stands above a large majority of the television produced in the last 50 years, but it’s not because of the seventh season, nor is it in spite of it. The seventh season is the series’ night cap (with the finale in mind) that gives us closure and ends with a smooth finish.
DVD Bonus Features
It’s always disappointing when a show such as this fails to receive some retrospective treatment from the studio releasing it. Considering the benchmark status of the series’s finale, an audio commentary or featurette where they track down celebrities who remember it or were influenced by it would have made for a terrific bonus.
"The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Seventh Season" is on sale October 5, 2010 and is not rated. Comedy, Drama. Directed by Jay Sandrich. Written by James L. Brooks, Allan Burns. Starring Betty White, Cloris Leachman, Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod, Georgia Engel, Mary Tyler Moore, Ted Knight, Valerie Harper.
