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Mary Tyler Moore Monday: Lou Grant to Mary: “You know, you’ve got spunk … I hate spunk!”
This is from the very first episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and it shows how groundbreaking the show was back in 1970.
Mary Richards is 30, single, and has just arrived in Minneapolis to start a new chapter in her life after a broken engagement.
She arrives at the WJM newsroom for a job interview with news director Lou Grant (Ed Asner) and what follows is a classic scene.
I love when Mary asks for a Brandy Alexander when Lou offers her a drink.
But the best part is when Mary balks at answering some of his personal questions about her religion and marital status.
Says Lou: “You know, you’ve got spunk.” Mary takes it as a compliment before Lou adds: “I hate spunk!”
BONUS MTM: I just love this scene where Ted keeps interrupting Mary while she’s on the air reading an editorial. Finally, our prim and proper Mary just loses her composure and it is hilarious.
Comments
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Mark says:
Probably the best pilot episode ever. And while I’m sure Jim Brooks and Allan Burns were writing the show as early as 1969, the pilot was filmed and aired in 1970.