The Mary Tyler Moore Show At It"s Peak !!!

Season 1 - An irresistible innocence, but a little rough around the edges, and many rehashed sitcom ideas still used as they find their footing. Characters are still being fleshed out.

Season 2 - Mary becoming less naive and more confident and socially conscious, with serious themes such as adultery and intolerance addressed. Big Mary and Rhoda season.

Seasons 3 and 4 (by far my favorite), the perfect balance of her home and work lives - especially Mary, Rhoda and Phyllis trying to navigate the social upheavals of the era in the cocoon of Mary's apartment, while at work Mary is finally seen as an equal and a strong, independent woman. All characters are now fully developed and multi-dimensional, resulting in true comedy, now based in realism. Groundbreaking episodes such as "Rhoda the Beautiful" and "The Georgette Story", both addressing womens' emerging self-confidence (Season 3) and flat out comedy classics "The Dinner Party" and "Lou's First Date" (Season 4) are among the best of the series.

Season 5 - The emphasis shifts largely to Mary's work life, with her co-workers inheriting the confidant role(s) that Rhoda (and Phyllis) used to inhabit. All roles firmly established, but Sue Ann emerges as a worthy comic foil. As the 70's settle in, less social commentary and more straight up smart comedy, the series clicking on all cylinders.

Season 6 - Similar to Season 5, but from a new vantage point of a new apartment for Mary. Sexual exploits of the characters a big theme all year. Still a very strong season, with the Chuckles episode probably the pinnacle of the entire run.

Season 7 - Show still riding a peak, but showing signs of weariness, although the birth of Ted and Georgette's child to open the season is a touching classic. Bit of experimentation and uneasiness with Mary's pill abuse, Georgette's dance number and Lou and Mary giving it a shot, but the series ends triumphantly with the best last episode of all time.