In the mid 70s, Norman Lear was riding high with hit shows like All in the Family, Maude and Sanford and Son. Then came an idea for a satirical soap opera titled Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and it was turned down by the networks. But Lear did not give up and he sold the show in syndication, where it became popular in many markets opposite the news.
I remember watching MH2 when I was in my teens and to me it was one of the weirdest TV shows of the 70s. Like many of Lear's shows, it focused on controversial themes such as mass murder, VD and exhibitionism. I remember Grandpa Larkin, who was referred to in the earlier episodes as "The Fernwood Flasher" but in the later episodes he was used less and his most common line was "Where's the peanut butter?"
The weirdest thing that took place on the show was the way several characters died. Coach Fedders died by drowning in a bowl of chicken soup. The Rev. Jimmy Joe Jeeter was electrocuted when a TV fell in the bathtub and Garth Gimble was impaled by a Christmas tree.
Despite the controversial themes, the show had an outstanding cast, anchored by Louise Lasser, who played the titled character so well, yet in a catatonic state. There was also Greg Mullavey as her husband Tom, Dody Goodman as her mother, and Debralee Scott as her sister Cathy. Also, the Hartman's daughter Heather was played by Claudia Lamb, who later went into radio.
But the one regular who had success during the show's run was Mary Kay Place, whose portrayal of country singer Loretta Haggers also let to a record album and a country hit in real-life with "Baby Boy." She wrote all of the songs she sang on the show.
Also appearing were Dabney Coleman, Martin Mull, Gloria DeHaven and as an evangelist, Doris Roberts.
Unfortunately due to personal problems, Lasser left the show in 1977 and the rest of the cast continued under the titled "Forever Fernwood." But it wasn't successful and it ended after 26 weeks. Hopefull someday, a cable channel will rerun all 325 episodes of MH2 instead of a scant few. It's worth seeing again.
I remember watching MH2 when I was in my teens and to me it was one of the weirdest TV shows of the 70s. Like many of Lear's shows, it focused on controversial themes such as mass murder, VD and exhibitionism. I remember Grandpa Larkin, who was referred to in the earlier episodes as "The Fernwood Flasher" but in the later episodes he was used less and his most common line was "Where's the peanut butter?"
The weirdest thing that took place on the show was the way several characters died. Coach Fedders died by drowning in a bowl of chicken soup. The Rev. Jimmy Joe Jeeter was electrocuted when a TV fell in the bathtub and Garth Gimble was impaled by a Christmas tree.
Despite the controversial themes, the show had an outstanding cast, anchored by Louise Lasser, who played the titled character so well, yet in a catatonic state. There was also Greg Mullavey as her husband Tom, Dody Goodman as her mother, and Debralee Scott as her sister Cathy. Also, the Hartman's daughter Heather was played by Claudia Lamb, who later went into radio.
But the one regular who had success during the show's run was Mary Kay Place, whose portrayal of country singer Loretta Haggers also let to a record album and a country hit in real-life with "Baby Boy." She wrote all of the songs she sang on the show.
Also appearing were Dabney Coleman, Martin Mull, Gloria DeHaven and as an evangelist, Doris Roberts.
Unfortunately due to personal problems, Lasser left the show in 1977 and the rest of the cast continued under the titled "Forever Fernwood." But it wasn't successful and it ended after 26 weeks. Hopefull someday, a cable channel will rerun all 325 episodes of MH2 instead of a scant few. It's worth seeing again.