MovieChat Forums > Mary Tyler Moore (1970) Discussion > Question about Bess/Phyllis relationship

Question about Bess/Phyllis relationship

posted 11 years ago by shanehaynes
3 replies | jump to latest

So I watched the first 3 seasons on hulu. They stopped at Season 3 and YouTube picks up at Season 5 (Season 4 blocked by Fox). My question, in the first 3 seasons, Phyllis treats Bess like a "little adult". She even says this on a couple of occassions. In season 4 however, there is an episode where Mary is watching Bess while Lars ad Phyllis are out of town. Bess is 16 yrs old and wants to stay out till 11:30, past her 10:30 curfew. Mary is adamant that Phyllis would NOT approve of this.

What happened in Season 4 to make them start treating Bess like a child and did Sue Ellen get introduced in Season 4? It's like she just "appears" as a regular in Season 5.

[–] brendanchenowith 10 years ago

Yep - Sue ANN is in the first episode of Season Four. It was to be Betty White's only appearance, but the character proved to be such a hit.

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

[–] crlnrgbrght5 10 years ago

Phyllis and her unseen husband Lars, were progressive parents, in which Bess was allowed to address her parents by their given names.

[–] ames0826 9 years ago

Mary doesn't want anything happening to Bess on her watch, and she really doesn't think she ought to be out that late. So she tells her that Phyllis wouldn't want her to go out when in fact she probably wouldn't have cared. A horrible ethical transgression that Mary probably felt terrible about.