What is Rhoda?

Rhoda
The cast of Rhoda. Clockwise: Valerie Harper, Nancy Walker, Julie Kavner.
Starring	Valerie Harper David Groh Nancy Walker Harold Gould Julie Kavner Lorenzo Music Ron Silver
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	110
Production
Running time	30 minutes per episode
Broadcast
Original channel	CBS
Original run	September 9, 1974 – December 9, 1978
External links
|/ IMDb profile

Rhoda was a Golden Globe winning, and Emmy Award-winning American situation comedy and a television spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Emmy Award winning actress Valerie Harper played the lead role of Rhoda Morgenstern Gerard, the spunky, weight conscious, flamboyantly fashioned best friend of Mary Richards. The show ran on CBS from September 8, 1974 until December 9, 1978.

Synopsis

The series opened with a slimmed-down Rhoda Morgenstern traveling home to New York City from Minneapolis. While in New York, she met Joe Gerard (David Groh), a handsome divorcée who ran a wrecking company. Rhoda decided to stay in New York, intially moving in with her younger sister, Brenda (Julie Kavner). Brenda, an overweight bank-teller, had self-esteem problems, similar to Rhoda herself at the outset of The Mary Tyler Moore Show four years earlier.

Brenda's small apartment couldn't hold the both of them, so Rhoda tried moving in with her parents Ida (Nancy Walker) and Martin (Harold Gould) at their apartment in the Bronx. Ida and Martin were the archetypical Jewish parents. Ida was overbearing, overprotective, benevolently manipulative, and desperate to make sure Rhoda found a good husband. Martin was her dutiful, more mild-mannered husband. At first, Ida went to great lengths to baby her daughter. But when it became apparent that Rhoda was sliding into a rut by staying in the room where she grew up, Ida forced Rhoda to move out for her own good.

Meanwhile, Rhoda's relationship with Joe blossomed. Joe invited Rhoda to move in with him so they could live together. Rhoda accepted the offer, although once she moved in, she quickly realized she wanted to be married. After initial hesitation, Joe came around to the idea, and a wedding date was set.

Rhoda's Wedding

Just eight weeks into the series, on October 28, 1974, Rhoda and Joe were married in a special hour-long episode. Heavily publicized, the episode became one of the highest-rated events in television history, even defeating the competing ABC ratings juggernaut, Monday Night Football. Virtually all the main characters from The Mary Tyler Moore Show showed up, including Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore), Lou Grant (Ed Asner), Murray Slaughter (Gavin MacLeod), Ted Baxter (Ted Knight), Georgette Franklin (Georgia Engel), and Phyllis Lindstrom (Cloris Leachman).

In the episode, Phyllis promised to pick up Rhoda and drive her to Ida and Martin's apartment for the ceremony. The forgetful Phyllis neglected to keep her promise, forcing Rhoda to take the subway in her wedding gown in one of the series' most memorable moments.

Developments

First and Second Seasons (1974-76)

For the remainder of the first and second seasons, the show focused around Rhoda and Joe's new married life. The two moved into a penthouse suite in the same building as Brenda. Rhoda also advanced in her career as a window dresser by opening up a small window dressing business called "Windows by Rhoda" with her old high school friend Myrna Morgenstein (Barbara Sharma).

During this period, the show was a massive ratings hit on Monday nights, staying near the top of the ratings in both seasons, even faring better than its parent, The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

In early seasons, the closing credits of the series featured Rhoda on a New York street trying to imitate Mary Tyler Moore's trademark hat toss, but the cap slips from Rhoda's hand before she can throw it.

Third Season (1976-77)

During the first two seasons, television audiences seemed to be satisfied with the direction the show was taking. However, the producers found it difficult to write scripts featuring a happily married Rhoda, often writing shows around Brenda's problems instead, including her on-again, off-again relationship with accordion player Nick Lobo (Richard Masur). Eventually, they came to the conclusion that Rhoda's appeal came from her status as an insecure single woman.

Consequently, at the start of the third season, Rhoda and Joe separated. After a particuarly heated argument, Joe revealed to a bewildered Rhoda that he didn't want to be married, and that he only had gotten married again because Rhoda had pressured him into it. The response from viewers was overwhelmingly negative, with the producers receiving many letters protesting the plot development. This sentiment would translate into a steep ratings decline during the course of the season.

With Rhoda and Joe now separated, they soon moved out of their suite. Joe moved elsewhere, and Rhoda traded apartments in the building with downstairs neighbor: jeans-store owner Gary Levy (Ron Silver) who soon struck up a platonic friendship with Rhoda. Stories initially centered around Rhoda and Joe's attempts to work through their differences. As the season progressed, however, Joe was seen less frequently, and Rhoda began dating other people. Johnny Venture (Michael DeLano), a lounge singer, was a frequent suitor that Rhoda only barely tolerated.

For a few episodes, Anne Meara played Sally Gallagher, a divorced airline stewardess who befriended Rhoda and accompanied her in the singles scene.

Fourth Season (1977-78)

For the fourth season, Rhoda's divorce was finalized, and she continued dating from time to time. Ida and Martin returned to the show after a year's absence, ostensibly having returned from a lengthy cross-country trip. (In fact, actress Nancy Walker had attempted to star in her own series, but both attempts failed.) Brenda finally found a boyfriend in professional roller-skater and toll-booth worker Benny Goodwin (Ray Buktenica), whose principal claim to fame was the similarity of his name to the famous musician Benny Goodman.

Meanwhile, Rhoda's career was also undergoing a transition. Seeking a career change, she found a job at the Doyle Costume Company, working for the gruff Jack Doyle (Kenneth McMillan), a man not altogether unlike Lou Grant.

Fifth Season (1978)

The show and Rhoda's hairstyles underwent additional changes in the fifth season (she now sported a perm). Ida and Martin went through a separation of their own, with Martin going off to Florida to find himself. After several episodes, Martin returned back home. Ida, however, wanted to be won back, leading to dating and other romantic rituals between the two. Brenda and Benny became engaged to be married. The wedding was to occur later in the season.

The show, which had seen declining ratings, was abruptly canceled by CBS in December 1978, with four episodes remaining unaired until they were finally seen in syndication.

Other recurring characters

Carlton, the doorman in Rhoda's building, was played by Lorenzo Music. He was often heard on the intercom, but never seen.

Rhoda's girlfriends over the years included: Alice Barth (Candice Azzara), Myrna Morgenstein (whom Rhoda had sat behind in high school, when in alphabetical order in home room) (Barbara Sharma), Suzie Alborn (Beverly Sanders) and Sally Gallagher (Anne Meara).

Joe's friend Charlie Burke (whom Rhoda found annoying) was played by Valerie Harper's then-husband, actor Richard Schaal.

Ratings

Rhoda was a hit during its five year run (here a list of the ratings):

• 1974-1975: #6
• 1975-1976: #8
• 1976-1977: #25
• 1977-1978: #34
• 1978-1979: #86

Awards

Valerie Harper received an Emmy award in 1975, to go with the three she won while playing the same role on the The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Julie Kavner also received an Emmy, in 1978.

Rhoda also received two Golden Globe Awards (one for Valerie and the other for the show itself) in 1975. Collectively "Rhoda" garnered a total of 17 Emmy nominations and 7 Golden Globe nominations.

Mary Tyler Moore Show tie-ins

During the first season, the closing credits showed Rhoda crossing Broadway and Seventh Avenue in Times Square and attempting to emulate her friend Mary Richards by tossing her hat in the air, only to drop it. She then picks up the hat, pulls it down onto her head, and dejectedly slinks away.

Most of the cast of The Mary Tyler Moore Show appeared for episodes surrounding Rhoda's wedding. Mary surprised Rhoda with a visit in one episode (causing friction since Rhoda & Joe were planning a weekend trip to Cape Cod), and Rhoda phoned her old friend Mary (appearance by MTM) in one episode. Rhoda also appeared in the final 1977 episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

The 2000 TV film Mary and Rhoda finds a recently-divorced Rhoda (with her adult daughter, Meredith) reunited with her old friend recently-widowed Mary Richards (with her adult daughter, Rose).

External links

• Rhoda Online