The Mary Tyler Moore Show

30-year-old single Mary Richards moves to Minneapolis to start a new life after a romantic break-up. There she reacquaints with Phyllis who rents her a room, and meets her upstairs neighbor and new best friend Rhoda. Mary unexpectedly lands a job as associate producer at the TV station WJM, where she works alongside her bristly boss, Lou; the comical newswriter, Murray; and the newscast's often-incompetent anchor, Ted.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) is a US network sitcom created by Allan Burns and James L. Brooks for CBS. Mary Tyler Moore plays Mary Richards, a thirty-year-old single woman who moves to Minneapolis after a breakup and lands a job as associate producer at the struggling WJM television station. Her engine is simple and sturdy: she wants to build an independent life while navigating a newsroom full of egos. Ed Asner plays her bristly boss Lou Grant, Gavin MacLeod is the sardonic newswriter Murray Slaughter, and Ted Knight is the vain, often incompetent anchor Ted Baxter. Valerie Harper's Rhoda Morgenstern and Cloris Leachman's Phyllis Lindstrom round out her circle of friends. Across seven seasons of twenty-four episodes each, the series is a classic multi-camera workplace comedy in which each episode is a self-contained story built from office friction, on-air blunders, and personal entanglements. The tone is witty, warm, and breezy, with a comforting, hopeful register that keeps the laughs grounded in affection. Fans of Murphy Brown, Cheers, and The Golden Girls will find the same blend of sharp dialogue and found family.

Widely acclaimed as a landmark workplace sitcom, admired for its sharp writing and warm ensemble chemistry.

• Murphy Brownworkplace comedy with a warm ensemble, single working woman lead, newsroom setting
• Cheersgentle workplace sitcom with found family and eccentric co-workers
• The Golden Girlsensemble workplace comedy built on quirky colleagues and a bristly boss
• Sex and the Citysingle woman navigating career and friendship in a city, warm sitcom tone

Created by

Allan Burns, James L. Brooks

Release Date

1970-09-19

Episode runtime

25 min

Rating

8.3 / 10 (91)

What is The Mary Tyler Moore Show about?

A newly single young woman starts over in 1970s Minneapolis as an associate producer at a struggling TV newsroom, finding independence and friendship among quirky colleagues.

What is The Mary Tyler Moore Show like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Mary Tyler Moore Show as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is The Mary Tyler Moore Show violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

What did critics think of The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

Widely acclaimed as a landmark workplace sitcom, admired for its sharp writing and warm ensemble chemistry.

Which shows are like The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

Shows with a similar feel include Murphy Brown, Cheers, The Golden Girls, and Sex and the City.

How long is The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: 7 seasons, 168 episodes.

Is The Mary Tyler Moore Show still running?

No, The Mary Tyler Moore Show has ended.

Where can I watch The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

In United States, The Mary Tyler Moore Show is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.