MovieChat Forums > Cagney & Lacey (1981) Discussion > the character of Mary Beth was too overd...

the character of Mary Beth was too overdramatic

posted 15 years ago by Twinka2
9 replies | jump to latest

I hated how she would put her arm out to "distance" herself when faced with dealing with a situation she did not want to deal with. For example, when her estranged father was trying to talk to her once, and, when the military official came to notify the family that Harvey Jr. was missing.

I know we all have people we don't want to deal with or things we do not want to hear, but, really, who does that? This is just my opinion, I thought it was stupid.

[–] anne0 15 years ago

There might have been a little overacting here and there. I had a similar reaction to an episode I saw recently, when Mary Beth takes night classes in English literature. She is an experienced, savvy, NYPD detective who handles weapons and homicides, yet apparently she had to act like an uneducated child when reading a passage aloud.

She acted this scene like she had a mental disability, rather than being slightly ill at ease in a new situation. We have seen & heard Mary Beth read aloud many complicated police reports, so the strange acting just seemed overdone.

[–] Coryraisa 14 years ago

I kind of thought it was funny. She did sometimes get dramatic also; that I agree with. I also got a kick out of how she'd point her finger out when she was making a strong point. She often made me laugh.

Christine + Mary Beth forever

Roseanne + Jackie forever

[–] Coryraisa 13 years ago

Anyone notice how Harve Junior takes after Mary Beth loads and by the time he was a teen, he had inherited many of her dramatic, emotional mannerisms and gestures?

Christine + Mary Beth forever

Roseanne + Jackie forever

[–] jennifer125 13 years ago

Was this a later episode when Mary Beth took night classes? I just recently discovered this show a few months ago and am only in the middle of season 4. I'll have to watch this episode you're talking about to see this acting. I think Tyne Daly is a great actress but it's strange she would act a scene like that.

[–] SimplemindedSociety 12 years ago

'She acted this scene like she had a mental disability, rather than being slightly ill at ease in a new situation. We have seen & heard Mary Beth read aloud many complicated police reports, so the strange acting just seemed overdone.'
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That was the point. Who is to say what makes somebody "slighty ill at ease"? we are all different in different situations. Would you feel as comfortable taking an acting class, compared to what you do in your workplace?

Reading complicated police reports was her work, unlike standing up in front of a class with strangers to read something she wrote on her own.
And handling weapons has nothing to do with speaking in a shcoolroom.
I wouldn't speak about 'mental-disability' if I were you.

[–] Coryraisa 12 years ago

Mary Beth often made me laugh. I liked that she was shaky in that scene. I notice that when she's nervous or scared, she chatters a kilometer a minute and her voice gets higher.

Christine + Mary Beth forever

[–] Coryraisa 12 years ago

Now we know why...Mary Beth is an extroverted HSP (highly sensitive person). Remember how easily she cried?

[–] mrcdrous 11 years ago

That's the point. Mary Beth is not a confident speaker in public. On numerous occasions we have seen Mary Beth very nervous about speaking in court, and also that time she had to make a speech up on the stage to the assembled police officers about maternity leave.

So I think her 'dramatic' approach to the classroom scene was completely in tune with the character, and not overacting by Tyne Daly.

[–] brunhilda2013 11 years ago

What really bothered me was how she often took her work problems home with her, an absolute no no no no no. Police officers have no business burdening their families or friends with those awful things and no doubt a lot of what goes on at the station is confidential.