tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post116107129108141995..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: More Mary TylerBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163223652761218632006-11-10T21:40:00.000-08:002006-11-10T21:40:00.000-08:00Very sharp and witty dialogue. With a little Tomm...Very sharp and witty dialogue. With a little Tommy Dorsey in the background, it could work for Abbott and Costello. But seriously folks... maybe it was a bit too sharp for middle America? that was, they tell me, what killed Sid Caesar's show...Dwaconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07544514023626682777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163218234275374302006-11-10T20:10:00.000-08:002006-11-10T20:10:00.000-08:00Is the character of Ed a reference to writer Emers...Is the character of Ed a reference to writer Emerson Lasalle?Graham Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01775285782385634486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163217830849916382006-11-10T20:03:00.000-08:002006-11-10T20:03:00.000-08:00I didn't remember the show until I read the post, ...I didn't remember the show until I read the post, then it all came back, that scene especially, and I know I haven't seen it since then. <BR/><BR/>Similarly, when you were writing about the Goodbye Radar episode of MASH, I recalled thinking when it aired that Radar seemed really prickly and that it seemed so odd.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163189828757174682006-11-10T12:17:00.000-08:002006-11-10T12:17:00.000-08:00Thanks for posting this. It's got some genuinely ...Thanks for posting this. It's got some genuinely funny moments, and any way one can get a glimpse of the inner-workings of TV comedy is a good thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163181589022032032006-11-10T09:59:00.001-08:002006-11-10T09:59:00.001-08:00"Mary" had a lot of potential, but CBS blew it wit..."Mary" had a lot of potential, but CBS blew it with the scheduling. This was not an 8:00 show. It should have been scheduled after "Newhart". I think they might have moved it against "Moonlighting" (then at the height of its popularity) at some point. Brilliant.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163181562784746662006-11-10T09:59:00.000-08:002006-11-10T09:59:00.000-08:00I never saw this show, though I remember it being ...I never saw this show, though I remember it being on. In the intervening years I've realized how great John Astin was. These lines come right off the page sounding like him. I can just hear his voice in my head.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163177425355462582006-11-10T08:50:00.000-08:002006-11-10T08:50:00.000-08:00Inspirational. Truly excellent stuff. Thanks for s...Inspirational. Truly excellent stuff. Thanks for sharing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163175601082884882006-11-10T08:20:00.000-08:002006-11-10T08:20:00.000-08:00Great scene, it's like the pilot for CHEERS, which...Great scene, it's like the pilot for CHEERS, which also gave you a great feel for the characters with only a few lines. Terrific lines here. What do I do for privacy? Go home at night. Did you enjoy Cats? Never saw it. Four sentences there -short ones at that- and two big laughs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163166553966395792006-11-10T05:49:00.000-08:002006-11-10T05:49:00.000-08:00This writing is so smart and funny right off the p...This writing is so smart and funny right off the page... It's a shame the show (for whatever reasons) didn't survive... But then, look at Bob Newhart -- after two hugely successful series, the law of averages had to catch up with him... Although I'll have to say that in the case of BOB, the show didn't seem to have the stories, the writing, or the chemistry... Ken, this writing is excellent... Great inclusive job of character background, exposition and story development, all of which a good pilot needs to have.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163139611220185902006-11-09T22:20:00.000-08:002006-11-09T22:20:00.000-08:00There was a TV Land special featuring Katey Segal ...There was a TV Land special featuring Katey Segal that featured clips from the pilot. That might have been what you saw. If not, if it's actually playing somewhere, even on channel 563 I'd be thrilled.By Ken Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163130124166348532006-11-09T19:42:00.000-08:002006-11-09T19:42:00.000-08:00I saw the pilot episode of "Mary" when first broad...I saw the pilot episode of "Mary" when first broadcast - and I remember that Sagal and Astin really made the most of their parts. But now that I've read your earlier post about the production of the pilot and series, I have a better idea of why I never again tuned in - even though I did give "Foley Square" (the other new sitcom it was paired with, starring Margaret Colin and Hector Elizondo) a few more chances. <BR/><BR/>My thanks to tvsquad.com for pointing me and other readers toward your site.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1163126809737279582006-11-09T18:46:00.000-08:002006-11-09T18:46:00.000-08:00Ken,Check your residuals statements. I saw this v...Ken,<BR/><BR/>Check your residuals statements. I saw this very scene on insomniac cable TV within the last eight months.<BR/><BR/>They staged it with Mary and Katie's desks facing each other at the front of the set, so we watched them in profile. Mary was camera left.<BR/><BR/>.:popcornFlix:.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com