MovieChat Forums > Mary Tyler Moore (1970) Discussion > Rhoda's exit from the show

Rhoda's exit from the show

posted 10 years ago by NYC-Photog
14 replies | jump to latest

I'm watching the Mary Tyler Moore Show marathon on Decades today and caught the episode "Rhoda Morgenstern: Minneapolis to New York". While watching this episode I thought THIS must be the episode she leaves MTMS for her own spin-off show "Rhoda", but found out at the end it isn't because Rhoda ends up staying. Also, after looking at the date it aired in 1972, "Rhoda" premiered in Sept. 1974.

I'm curious to know which episode of MTMS does it mention Rhoda leaves for NY? I just looked through Season 4 (1973 - 74) episodes and I don't see any episode synopsis that mention Rhoda moving back to NY.

We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.

[–] alanjobe 10 years ago

There isn't an actual episode where Rhoda leaves on MTM. Her last regular episode was 'Lou's Second Date' in season 4 where Lou and Rhoda go out on a few dates.

In the first few episodes of Rhoda, she was actually visiting the family when she meets Joe (future husband) and decides to stay in New York.

Rhoda is mentioned several times in MTM season 5, even an episode where Mary, Murray, and Georgette are shopping for wedding gifts for Rhoda and later, Mary leaves for the airport to go to the wedding.

Rhoda season 1 is worth buying just for Rhoda's wedding in which Mary, Lou, Murray, Phyllis, and Georgette all show up for the wedding.

Al - Alicia
An - Andrew
Jo - Joseph
Be - Benjamin

[–] ElRaisuli 10 years ago

There is a scene at the start of the first episode of "Rhoda" that shows Mary bidding Rhoda farewell as Rhoda departs on her "vacation" to New York.

That first episode of "Rhoda" aired a few days before the first episode of MTM that season, so that little scene seems to have been a way for the MTM Show to acknowledge Rhoda's departure into her own series without Rhoda having to actually appear on the MTM Show.

That little sequence was apparently cut in syndication. You can see it at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps1_IH4TOK0

[–] alanjobe 10 years ago

What a wonderful scene. Thanks so much for sharing that. WOW.

Al - Alicia
An - Andrew
Jo - Joseph
Be - Benjamin

[–] NYC-Photog 10 years ago

Alanjobe and ElRaisuli, thank you both for your response and clarifying my confusion.

I watched the episode "The new Sue Ann" and in it Mary, Murray and Georgette come in from shopping for Rhoda's wedding.

I have to say though that after watching the Decades marathon of MTM, the episodes without Rhoda I feel the show was not same. I missed Rhoda being there at Mary's apt. or popping in unannounced and Mary had lost that close friend that she could confide in.

We all die. The goal is't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.

[–] onwardsandupwards 10 years ago

The later seasons saw Mary's work and personal lives become increasingly merged. Lou, Murray, Ted and even Sue Ann play a bigger role in Mary's life outside the confines of WJM-TV.......

[–] anthny_platt 9 years ago

Way too often, a character was spun off from a great show and the result was two very mediocre shows, because the old show was ruined and the new show didn't work.

But sometimes spinoffs were a no brainer. For example, Sheriff Andy Taylor was unlikely to appear on Danny Thomas' show again anyway.

[–] pengel-1 9 years ago

Except for Chuckles the Clown and the last episode, I agree that MTM jumped the shark after Rhoda left.

[–] alanjobe 9 years ago

Except for Chuckles the Clown and the last episode, I agree that MTM jumped the shark after Rhoda left.

I guess everyone is different, but I didn't think the show missed a beat after Rhoda left. Don't get me wrong, I loved the character. But seasons 5-7 are excellent IMO.

[–] pengel-1 9 years ago

It's not as though the show became awful. It didn't. I just think that season 7 in particular was weak and showed it was time.

[–] spike71 9 years ago

I thought 5-7 were great. I missed Rhoda but they stepped things up which, to me, helped fill the "void." I also think watching Rhoda helped those of us who were going through Rhoda withdrawal.

[–] AlanaFu 9 years ago

I definitely thought MTM got weaker and awkward after Rhoda left, "Mary Tyler Moore show" turned into "Newsroom", and Lou sort of became Mary's best friend (I really didn't like those sentimental moments between these two), and they kept bringing up the same topics like the Teddy awards/getting a raise/Mary leaves WJM etc..
I did like that after Rhoda left they make the other characters stronger, and there were a lot of great scenes between Murray and Sue Ann. ( Murray's sense of humor + Sue Ann's men fever = Rhoda?! ) To me those two really filled the "Rhoda void".

[–] pjpurple-1 9 years ago

Yes, Mary's "work" friends became her only friends. Lou Grant was a great character but I thought it was odd that a woman would be that close to her boss.

I read that MTM told Valerie Harper to take the network offer and do her own show. It was a generous gesture on her part.

There always seemed to be a void in Mary Richard's life after Rhoda left. Of course it was a sitcom and they couldn't keep introducing a lot of characters so Mary could have an active social life. Georgette and Sue Ann were great additions to the cast. But Georgette never seemed like the type of person Mary would be close friends with as they didn't seem to have much in common except Ted. And Sue Ann was so mean and catty to Mary that I can't imagine that in real life a woman would befriend a co-worker who treated her that way.

Still...I loved this show even though there was a big void when Rhoda left. I used to hope that when Joe Gerard left Rhoda that Rhoda would've returned to Minneapolis!

[–] brendanchenowith 8 years ago

"Rhoda" wasn't a very good series after season one. I think it should've gotten the axe and have Rhoda move back to Minneapolis. Forty years after the fact, I still can't let go. My God.

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.

[–] shango7200 8 years ago

I seriously LOVE the original episode when Rhoda decides to move. I honestly don't think that this type of story -- as incredibly simple as it is-- was ever done before on a TV show !? Maybe I'm wrong? A good friend moving far away.
The closing like with Ted reading Mary's heartfelt card (and the story about returning every gift) ...... "Talk about your cheap-os......" was really hilarious! Really hilarious.