Mary and Rhoda (2000)

Why did the histories of Mary and Rhoda have to be so dour? Divorced women with indifferent daughters. And why very little reference to the original show and characters? The daughter characters were silly and uninteresting. Why can't there ever be daughters who like their mother's on TV? It makes sense that Mary would leave Minneapolis, and Rhoda would return to NYC, but why couldn't Phyllis or Sue Ann Nivens be guest stars? It just seems a pitiful way to remember such wonderful characters. It was good to see Mary and Rhoda together of course, but it could have been better, much better. Well, there has been a Mary Tyler Moore Show Reunion, a Dick Van Dyke Show Reunion, hopefully Mary will do better next time if she revisits her old Mary Richards stomping grounds again.

On the back burner for years (so it was reported) this television reunion of two of the most beloved characters in sitcom history started off badly - and went straight downhill from there. TV movies which re-visit once-popular shows just can't seem to recapture the magic which made the original so popular. And,yet, they keep on trying. Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) and her best friend Rhoda Morganstern (Valerie Harper) meet in New York after a long estrangement and catch up on each other's lives. But, sad to relate, nothing worth talking about (let alone making a movie about) has happened to either of them in the intervening years. Instead,the script contents itself with throwing out one hoary old plot device after another (most having to do with older women in the workplace), while completely missing the quirky charm and sophistication that produced a comedy classic. The supporting cast is instantly forgettable, the humor is nonexistent, and the chemistry which Moore and Harper once had together is gone. Moore allegedly stalled this project for years, waiting for "just the right script" before committing herself. (If this was the one she considered "right", what on earth were the ones she turned down like?) It's not the age of the characters that does this in (for time inevitably marches on), but the almost complete lack of imagination coupled with a blatant disregard for the elements that made the series work. At one time this was intended as a pilot but, all to obviously, it failed to generate any interest among potential sponsors. Or for that matter, among potential audiences. And since it wasn't much as a movie, it was even less as a pilot. Quickly and mercifully forgotten, the film is a travesty and an insult to a classic.

Most TV reunion movies don't do well: The Brady Bunch Reunion, Return to Mayberry, Dynasty: The Reunion. They fail to capture the spirit of the originals but nostalgia drives us to watch and makes us enjoy.I love The Mary Tyler Moore Show. I think Rhoda is excellent. So logically Mary & Rhoda should combine the best of both, 20 years on, and also show us how women in their late 50s and early 60s would fare. Both of the original shows were fairly realistic in 1970s sitcom-land, dealing with many issues, which is why they have their fair share of a youth audience as well. And, we knew that Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond were amongst star and executive producer Mary Tyler Moore's favorites so it was probably fair to expect some sassy and fun writing.After viewing it in mid-February, all I can say is: bring back creators James L. Brooks and Allan Burns. This movie needed them.It's not too bad when one doesn't view it as a comedy or expect the same spirit that made the originals so popular. I might not be 60 but Mary & Rhoda doesn't seem to ring as true as the originals which dealt with life for a thirty-something before thirtysomething. OK: so we don't watch TV for realism. It's about entertainment.Maybe it's my expectations, but I didn't find too much entertainment, either. The brilliant Valerie Harper was severely underutilized: in 2000 she is the one who turned the movie on with her smile and had by far and away the best lines. But why wasn't she on more often? Mary Tyler Moore gave a good and honest performance but both women would have excelled given a more humorous script by Katie Ford. I know fellow fans found the daughters (Joie Lenz, Marisa Ryan) a little less than pleasing but they weren't too bad, with a pleasant screen presence. Put simply, the script lacked irony, sassiness and humor. Or even originality. The angle Mary & Rhoda took on the news business has been done before in Murphy Brown (and director Barnet Kellman is best known to me for his contributions to that series); the stand-up comedy sub-plot was again a case of been-there-and-done-that-better-by-others. I know Mary Tyler Moore works tirelessly for causes such as homeless animals but the homeless dog scenes seemed an afterthought.There were some fantastic lines although there was no mention of Joe Gerard, Brenda, Lou Grant or any of the original characters, even for two friends reuniting after 20 years.The score by David Kitay was too noticeable. The issue of royalties aside, a few instrumentals of the original theme would have worked in places where we had to put up with Joan Jett's rendition of Love Is All Around – while popular amongst many viewers I found it too different! The production design wasn't perfect: Mary's 'M' in her apartment was reversed – looks like someone failed Typography 101.It's not that nice touches were absent. The photography and editing were acceptable. The two actresses are clearly friends off-screen as well although more interaction between the two would have been welcome. They deserved so much better than this.

So Mary and Rhoda have aged--who hasn't? I was a teen when Mary premiered, and a "young adult" when it left the air. Yes, it was great to see Mary and Rho together, and yes, maybe the film didn't sustain the comedy of the original series, but there were enough moments that recalled the spirit of the series to make this a fitting tribute. Example: the producer who hires Mary and then dictates the idea for a new series about "old people." Isn't this typical of the mentality of present-day Hollywood TV and film "bean counters?" This may not be THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW at its best--but it's a pretty damned good look back at one of the best shows we grew up with in the 70s.