Mary Tyler Moore Show Paper

8/19/2019 Mary Tyler Moore Show Paper

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Ben Sheppard

TV: History and Form

Professor Shawn Vancour

22 March 2016

i!!in" them with indness:

# $astin" %mpact of The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Tell your dealer you want a dishwasher with that Hotpoint

Sparkle™! #n 1&'year'o!d Mary Ty!er Moore e(c!aims after "racefu!!y

pirouettin" into )iew and dancin" a sprite!y *a!!et routine in a s+inti"ht

pi(ie costume, She "estures on a nice !oo+in" coup!e !oo+in" to *uy a

su*ur*an ranch home from professiona! !oo+in" sa!esman who e(p!ains

the "round*rea+in" science *ehind the dishwasher to the woman-

which her and her hus*and.s future home wi!! inc!ude/ %t.s a *!issfu!

picture of 10.s domesticity, )eryone is happy, There.s no indication

that *ehind that picture3 and under the ti"ht costume and 4neuterin"

*ra-5 that imp is pre"nant s!i"ht!y remo)ed from wed!oc+ Moore 67,

#nd so de8nes the career of the youn" Mary Ty!er Moore9 !i)in" a

peacefu!!y pro"ressi)e and curious !ife whi!e hust!in" to succeed in an

industry that- e)en in its ado!escence- reected an archaic and

whitewashed way of !ife in order to not o;end it.s core demo"raphic,

This made her perfect to *e the face of a TV show with an undenia*!y

feminist premise,


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who can ma+e audiences and networ+ e(ecuti)es fa!! in !o)e- !au"h-

and respect her so much that it won.t matter that she wi!! *e

portrayin" a !ife that wou!d otherwise seem impossi*!e to a wide

audience, =hi!e many critics- inc!udin" >!oria Steinem- *e!ie)ed the

show.s feminist e;orts to *e 4a )ery pop cu!ture compromise-5 others

!i+e ?on Shir!ey- theatre writer for the $os #n"e!es Times ca!!s the

show.s cumu!ati)e e;ort 4hard to i"nore,5 #rmstron" 1&2'1&@7, %t.s

possi*!e to see their A seasons run a!one cou!d pro)e the pro"ress

towards "ender eua!ity that they started- *ut a potentia! test of

feminist !on"e)ity is trac+in" the discourse a*out women in and

around the medium on the sca!e of the mass media,

Mary.s is an interestin" career to fo!!ow *ecause she had mo)ed

throu"h many di;erent !e)e!s of e(posure and )enue in the *usiness,

She too+ some years o; after her stint as the impish 4Happy Hotpoint5

to raise her *a*y, =hen she came *ac+- she found ro!es a)ai!a*!e for a

youn" woman were a!! within the 43de8nition of an in"Cnue1, % cou!d

*e )i(en- the "ir! ne(t door, Dr a!! *usiness- sayin"- with tones of

hidden )a!ue- 4The doctor wi!! see you now,5 Moore AA7 This witty

uote seems innocuous- *ut hits at the heart of the issue surroundin"

the !ac+ of di)ersity and su*stanti)e ro!es for women on te!e)ision

durin" the time, Her most reco"niEed of these ro!es was her turn as the

secretary of ichard ?iamond- pri)ate eye, 43 the su!try answerin"'

1 The %n"enue is often descri*ed as a nai)e "ir! or unsophisticated youn" woman intheatre,

2


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ser)ice )oice-5 Mary descri*es- 4She turned on e)ery ma!e )iewer- and

it wasn.t with her smi!e, %n fact- you ne)er saw more than her !e"s- or

the c!ose reection of her mouth in a compact mirror as she app!ied a

deep red !ipstic+5 Moore A&7, educed to !itera! *ody parts and a

)oice- she and a "ir!friend that was +i!!ed o; after episodes in order

to maintain the P,%.s macho mystiue- were the on!y consistent women

on the show, #nd they were sti!! on!y there to ser)e the man.s se(ua!

desires, #s the show "ot more popu!ar- her sa!ary did not "et raised

!i+e her ma!e cast mem*ers- and she "ot terminated on the spot after

she tried to rectify the pro*!em,2

Geither of those ro!es "ot her )ery much press- *ut once she

!anded the ro!e of $aura Petrie in the Dick Van Dyke Show- audiences

and critics cou!dn.t "et enou"h of her- especia!!y after they "a)e her

the chance to do more than 4set up ?ic+5 #rmstron" 17, %n the 16

artic!e 4How to Succeed Thou"h Married-5 Time Ma"aEine 8rst mourns

the !oss of the traditiona! nuc!ear fami!y on te!e)ision@- shames the

character Samantha from Bewitched- another nota*!e wife character

on TV at the time- for 4cheatin"5 throu"h her wife!y duties with ma"ic-

and then "i)es Mary Ty!er Moore this "!owin" re)iew:

2 She descri*es her sa!ary as 4to sca!e5 in her *oo+ After All- which means it shou!dha)e *een compara*!e to the rest of the casts.,

@ Df the top 1- there is on!y 1 show with a fema!e !ead The $ucy Show- starrin"$uci!!e Ba!!7- 2 other married coup!es on the !ist the artic!e doesn.t mention >reen#cres- The Be)er!y Hi!!*i!!ies- Batman on two di;erent times!ots- war'time showsthat *are!y feature women if they inc!ude them at a!!- and any other none marriedperson is a widower- meanin" there was no wife ro!e to *e"in with, Gie!sen atin"s7

@


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4Since BewitchedIs Samantha cheats- *y c!eanin" the house- +eepin"her hus*and and "enera!!y mana"in" the drud"ery of !ife throu"h her powersof witchcraft- that !ea)es the tit!e of TVIs fa)orite a)era"e housewife to $auraPetrie *y defau!t- and itIs a shame, #s p!ayed *y #ctress Mary Ty!er Moore-she cou!d *eat the pants o; any doEen TV actresses,

Pert and *runette- Mary sends a "rin across her face in wa)es- and her

120 %*s, are sett!ed into a !uscious @6'2'@6 con8"uration that has ma!e)iewers sittin" upri"ht in their rec!inin" chairs, Jet hard!y a rea!'!ife wifeo*Kects, %nstead- they ta+e notes, #nd when she *e"an de!i"htin" TV Hu**y?ic+ Van ?y+e *y wearin" Lapri s!ac+s- it he!ped ma+e Lapri s!ac+s the*i""est trend in ,S, casua! attire,

Ge)er #*o)e the Thi"h, Df course- 2A'year'o!d Mary is more than Kust a!oo+er, She is toothi!y- tota!!y who!esome- with an une(pected comedy accenton the ho- can con)incin"!y ran"e from point'winnin" wit to pratfa!!in"c!own,5 Time 16 pA07

%n the uote a*o)e- one can 8nd9 the domestic ro!es of a woman- the

shamin" of a woman for not comp!etin" those ro!es without assistance-

the actress.s hair co!or- her estimated wei"ht and dimensions- a not'

so'su*t!e dou*!e entendre for how ma!e )iewers react to seein" her- a

ma!e writer te!!in" women to ta+e notes on how the character

comp!etes her wife!y duties- the actress.s *ody.s inuence in startin" a

fashion trend- and a reminder that the she p!ays character isn.t

se(ua!!y promiscuous *efore you wi!! 8nd any discussion of her stri+in"

comedic ta!ent and ran"e, Lompared Life Magazines- a peer of Tie-

166 artic!e that descri*ed the show.s no*!e decision to ta+e itse!f o;

the air- when ?ic+ Van ?y+e is descri*ed- the reporter !eads with his

producer Lar! einer sayin" 4% don.t thin+ there is a more creati)e

comedian around5 and fo!!ows with descriptions of his wor+ ethic and

his other popu!ar credits Ferrer 1,7 That same Time ma"aEine artic!e

wou!d !ater descri*e Mary.s past credits9 4a short s+irted "am *it,5


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Fina!!y- the reporter ca!!s Mary.s "oa! to *e 4!i+e ?oris day-5 as 4itsy'

pooiest- *ut itIs an understanda*!e yearn for #mericaIs fa)orite TV

housewife,5 Time 16 pA07,

P!acin" the two ra)e re)iews side *y side shows a distinct shift in

!an"ua"e and tone *etween the ?ic+ and Mary, Lompared to ?ic+.s

re)iew- TV and the mainstream media as a who!e is much more

focused on Mary.s *ody as a se(ua! o*Kect- her a*i!ity to mode! a sty!e

of pants- and her potentia! as a homema+er9 ma+in" her ta!ent as an

actor an afterthou"ht, This is e)ident *y the a*sence of se(ua!- *odi!y-

and persona! !an"ua"e surroundin" ?ic+.s re)iew, #!so- Mary.s artistic

acco!ades and "oa!s are s!id *etween the discussion of her *ody and

du**in" her #merica.s Fa)orite Housewife- e;ecti)e!y dismissin" them-

whi!e ?ic+.s re)iew !eads with them, )en after she wins a >o!den

>!o*e- an mmy- and stars in a Broadway Show- The Saturday "#ening

$ost starts the pro8!e *y settin" the scene- descri*in" e)erythin" she

is wearin"- her 4pert nose-5 4"enerous mouth-5 and 4those *i" *rown

eyes-5 and "oin" on to te!! the future !i+e how she was 4destined to *e

?ic+ Van ?y+e.s TV wife35 Bowers A'7 # tone of surprise washes

o)er the artic!e- ma+in" it e)ident to the reader that if Mary Ty!er

Moore didn.t ha)e such a professiona! and matter'of' fact way wor+in"

and descri*in" her !ife- the artic!e wou!d ha)e read simi!ar!y to the

feature in Tie a year ear!ier, TV is a reection of the househo!d it sits

in, Thus- e)en *y the !ate 60.s- Mary.s career options and the nationa!


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media.s response point to si"ns of se(ism deep!y rooted in #merican

)a!ues and discourse, But that reection was a*out to chan"e *ecause

of a few )ery smart peop!e,

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ma+es audiences !au"h and thin+ in

an unpredicta*!y re!ata*!e way e)en today, =hi!e many ar"ue whether

it was the writin" or the actin" that "i)es this show is uir+y charm- %

wou!d say the rea! "enius reconci!es *oth: the characters, The

characters on the pa"e are witty and interestin"- and then when the

actors come in with their perspecti)e- they u!timate!y the actors and

writers wor+ed to"ether throu"h mutua! understandin" as the show

pro"ressed, The characters fa!! into reco"niEa*!e sitcom and theatrica!

tropes that peop!e 8nd in their dai!y !i)es, =hi!e this in itse!f isn.t

"round *rea+in"- Broo+s- Burns- and Si!)erman used a feminist !ens to

turn these tropes on their heads, This "a)e the audiences somethin" to

ho!d onto whi!e they "rapp!ed with the su*t!e discussion of "ender

ro!es, Dne way they did this was ippin" the traditiona! "enders of

these tropes, The most e)ident and important e(amp!e is Mary

ichards p!ayin" the hero of the story: on a uest to 8nd purpose, This

is traditiona!!y 8!!ed *y a man- *ut Mary ichards conuers her and

societies e(pectations *y *ein" smart- ta!ented at her Ko*- and showin"

audiences she doesn.t need to *e !oo+in" for a man to ma+e her

happy, Gewsman Ted Ba(ter 8!!s the du% %lond s!ot to a tee9 ne)er

+nowin" what to say with out a cue card- constant!y fum*!in" up the

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cue- and )anity dri)in" most of his actions, #nother way the tropes

were ipped was Kust *y shiftin" the e(pected traits actions of a

character Kust s!i"ht!y, For e(amp!e- hoda was supposed to *e the

frupy coedic sidekick - witty and star)ed for ma!e attention *ut can

ne)er "et any, Va!erie Harper had comedic timin" in spades- *ut was

ori"ina!!y thou"ht to *e 4too *eautifu!5 for the ro!e $as+i7, #fter

rethin+in" the ro!e- the writers rea!iEed- 4so what if she was attracti)e-

the important thin" was that- !i+e so many women- hoda didn.t thin+

she was, #s such- that "reat se!f'deprecatin" aspect of her humor was

preser)ed no matter what she !oo+ed !i+e5 Moore 1@7, $ou >rant is

the father &gure of the oNce: wise a!most to the point of Kaded and

pushes e)eryone- especia!!y Mary- to their potentia! This character-

especia!!y as an o!der white man- is e(pected to *e stuc+ often stuc+ in

his ways in discussions of "ender ro!es- or not to!erate them at a!!, Mr,

>rant- howe)er- is wise enou"h to *e swayed *y Mary.s use of !o"ic-

reason- !i+e when discussin" the pay di;erentiation *etween men and

women in pisode 1- Season @- and 4>ood Time Gews oom,5 %n

ippin" the e(pectation of these ro!es- the writers and actors were a*!e

to uestion the a*surdity of institutiona! se(ism without threatenin"

the audience *ecause the audience was too *usy !au"hin" at it and

themse!)es,

%n ippin" these traditiona!!y "endered tropes- a )ery important

and the noticea*!y pro"ressi)e aspect of the show arises:

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representation, Before The Mary Tyler Moore Show' on!y That (irl was

!ead *y a woman !oo+in" to *e independent and focus on her career,

But- considerin" her career as an actress where she is !oo+in" for

constant )a!idation from men and her u!timate dependence on her

*oyfriend and parents- her independence was *asica!!y moot or Kust as

4a phase5 Murrow @7, Mary ichards- on the other hand- is set up in

the pi!ot *y pic+in" up and !ea)in" her *oyfriend of 2 years- who she

supported throu"h med schoo!- and startin" fresh in a new city This

initia! independence is +ey towards "i)in" her ethos for an audience

that mi"ht *e s+eptica!, #!so Mary Ty!er Moore.s sensiti)e and funny

portraya! of Mary ichards "i)es n the !ead the discussion of pay se(

pay "ap where a woman

The appearance of discussions of institutiona! se(ism and the

women in char"e of them , and a princip!e out!ined in Lhristine

#cham.s chapter )espect *ourself! %n the chapter- she discusses *!ac+

femininity on TV and how important it was to actresses !i+e ?iahann

Larro!! from +ulia and sther o!!e from (ood Ties to restore the

ima"e of *!ac+ women in the media and portrayed *y the Moynihan

report,

4The pu*!ic nature of te!e)ision- a )enue in which the maKority of white#mericans wou!d see these representations- created a crucia! situation-*ecause repeated 8ctiona!iEed representations cou!d reinforcepreconcei)ed *e!iefs a*out the *!ac+ fami!y, These women thereforeconc!uded that it was their responsi*i!ity to p!ace a correcti)e !ens o)erthe representation of the *!ac+ fami!y- not on!y for the *!ac+ audience-*ut a!so for the !ar"e white te!e)ision audience,5 #cham 1127

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Mary Tyler Moore Show Paper

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Transcript of Mary Tyler Moore Show Paper