Line #3 Series/MaryHartmanMaryHartman

Context Series / MaryHartmanMaryHartman

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1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mary_hartman_mary_hartman_dvd_cover.jpg]]
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3	''Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''[=MHMH=]'' or ''[=MH2=]'') is an American parody SoapOpera developed by Creator/NormanLear in 1976. The reason the title is a repetition of the main character's name is because of an observation by Lear, that everything said on a soap opera was said twice.
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5	The show is set in the fictional town of Fernwood, Ohio, and revolves around a neighborhood of lower-middle-class characters, including perpetually frazzled {{Housewife}} Mary Hartman (Creator/LouiseLasser), her emotionally distant husband Tom (Creator/GregMallavey), her "serial monogamist" sister Cathy (Creator/DebraleeScott), and her wannabe country-western-singer friend Loretta (Creator/MaryKayPlace), as well as a multitude of supporting characters. [[SoapOpera Soap opera cliches]], such as adultery and over-the-top character deaths, are often satirized in absurdist ways on the show, but they are just as often used for genuine dramatic effect, making ''Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman'' more of a {{Dramedy}} than a flat-out farce.
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7	The show aired in FirstRunSyndication Monday through Friday. Following the departure of series star Louise Lasser after two seasons and 325 episodes, it was [[ReTool retooled]] as ''Series/ForeverFernwood'' in 1978, lasting another 26 weeks (130 episodes) before getting cancelled. Also spawned the SpinOff[=/=]continuation ''Series/FernwoodTonight''.
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9	Contrast ''Series/{{Soap}}'', a much more overtly comedic take on the soap opera parody, also from TheSeventies.
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13	!!This show provides examples of:
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15	* BlackComedy: Mass murder, adultery, indecent exposure, drowning in a bowl of chicken soup ... and that's just the first season.
16	* CrapsackWorld: Crapsack Fernwood, Ohio, at least. Despite the capacity for absurdist humor, this show also has the capacity to be downright grim.
17	* DaddysGirl: Heather Hartman, Mary's daughter, adores her father and is openly antagonistic towards her mother. May be somewhat justified, since Mary is by no means Mother of the Year.
18	* MayDecemberRomance: Despite the big difference in their ages, Charlie and Loretta Haggers arguably have the happiest marriage in all of Fernwood.
19	* SoapWithinAShow: The show itself is a soap opera parody, but also featured InUniverse soap operas, complete with a SoapOperaOrganScore (especially noticeable in the first episode of the series).
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Context Series / MaryHartmanMaryHartman