Short Synopsis
The story of the making of a classic and groundbreaking TV show, as experienced by its producers, writers, and cast.

Full Synopsis
Mary Tyler Moore made her name as Dick Van Dyke's wife on the eponymous show; she was a cute, unassuming housewife that audiences loved. But when screenwriters James Brooks and Allan Burnes dreamed up an edgy show about a divorced woman with a career, network executives replied: "Americans won't watch television about New York City, divorcees, men with mustaches, or Jews." But Moore and her team were committed, and when the show finally aired, in spite of tepid reviews, fans loved it.

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong introduces listeners to the show's creators; its principled producer, Grant Tinker; and the writers and actors who attracted millions of viewers. As the first situation comedy to employ numerous women as writers and producers, The Mary Tyler Moore Show became a guiding light for women in the 1970s. The show also became the centerpiece of one of greatest evenings of comedy in television history, and Jennifer Keishin Armstrong describes how the television industry evolved during these golden years.

"In this delicious history of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, former Entertainment Weekly writer Armstrong seems to have had the cooperation of just about everyone involved in the show's making, and the results are riveting." ---Kirkus Starred Review

"Armstrong's absorbing cultural history offers the first in-depth look at a series that changed television." ---Publishers Weekly

"This is a wonderful book. It takes us backstage with a keen insight on the writing, directing and casting of one of the best television shows, ever. I didn't want it to end, any more than I wanted The Mary Tyler Moore Show to end." ---Carol Burnett, author of Carrie and Me

Kirkus Review