History Series / TheMaryTylerMooreShow

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuuYvQsN-ak You're gonna make it after all!]]'' [[note]]Left to right: Phyllis, Mary, and Rhoda.[[/note]]]]

* CrossReferencedTitles: Creator/JerryVanDyke guest stars in a season 3 episode called "But Seriously, Folks". He then returned a year later, for an episode called "[[RevengeOfTheSequel Son of]] 'But Seriously, Folks'".

* HoldingInLaughter: In the episode "Chuckles Bites The Dust", the circus performer Chuckles the Clown was killed by a rogue elephant while dressed in a peanut costume. When the other people in the newsroom make morbid jokes about the circumstances of Chuckles' death Mary scolds them for making light of a tragedy. However, during Chuckles' funeral the minister describes the various characters Chuckles had portrayed and despite her best efforts to contain herself Mary can't help but burst into a fit of giggles, much to her mortification. The minister forgives her, saying that Chuckles preferred laughter to crying.

-->'''Murray''': [Laughing and about to speak]

-->'''Murray''': [flabbergasted] I just lost a duel of wits to an unarmed opponent.

* SickeninglySweet: Phyllis can be this sometimes, like when Mary acts as a "Mommy" to her when she has a cold.

* SickeninglySweet: Phyllis can be this sometimes, like when Mary acts as a "Mommy" to her when she has a cold-
-->'''Phyllis''': Thank you Mommy, I wuv vanilla. Whenever I loved something I'd say "I wuv it!". Like "I wuv candy!"..."I wuv licorice!"..."I wuv daddy!"..."I wuv mommy!"-

* StrawFeminist: Phyllis, who considers herself a great progressive, can be this on occasion. Although the show overall is feminist, Phyllis overall is portrayed as having knee-jerk, superficial feminist stances, and deep down, is really less progressive than she realizes.

* StrawFeminist: Phyllis, who considers herself a great progressive, can be this on occasion. Although the show overall is feminist, Phyllis overall is portrayed as having knee-jerk, superficial feminist stances, and fdeep-down appears to be less progressive than she wishes to seem.

* StrawFeminist: Phyllis, who considers herself a great progressive, can be this on occasion.

** In oneepisode, Ted shows his long-lost father around his dressing room. His dad notices an autographed photo of Dwight Eisenhower and mentions with surprise "He signed his name with two Ts!" Late in the episode, Ted decides to give his father some money and writes out a check. His father, peering over his shoulder, reminds him "Only one T in Robert."

** In one episode, Ted shows his long-lost father around his dressing room. His dad notices an autographed photograph of Dwight Eisenhower and mentions with surprise "He signed his name with two Ts!" Late in the episode, Ted decides to give his father some money and writes out a check. His father, peering over his shoulder, reminds him "Only one T in Robert."

Creator/JMichaelStraczynski once said in a book on screenwriting that if a writer watches this and ''Series/FawltyTowers'', they will have had the best possible grounding in how to write comedy.

This was also one of the first series to feature a single woman as the main character, and to focus on her career rather than her love life. As originally scripted, Mary was to have been recently divorced. This was considered too controversial in 1970 (and, in a classic case of ViewersAreMorons, network brass was afraid the audience would think that Moore's ''[[Series/TheDickVanDykeShow Dick Van Dyke Show]]'' character, Laura Petrie, had gotten divorced from Rob), so her {{Backstory}} was changed to one of rebuilding her life following a broken engagement.

One of the many tropes it established was the recurring gag about Mary's disastrous dinner parties, similar to how ''Series/{{Friends}}'' later built continuity around its Thanksgiving episodes, ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'' had epic Halloweens, and ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' typically had ruinous birthdays. Also is the TropeMaker and TropeCodifier for HighPoweredCareerWoman in American media.

According to a book by Creator/JMichaelStraczynski, if a writer watches this and ''Series/FawltyTowers'' they will have had the best possible grounding in how to write comedy.

Ultimately ''MTM'' is best remembered for the depth and humanity of its characterizations, while never sacrificing the funny. Oh, and the hat-throwing scene in the intro.