On The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Valerie Harper's Rhoda was every bit as brave as Mary
each evening, which I looked forward to throughout my childhood with the fervor most kids saved for Saturday morning cartoons. Long before I understood the jokes, I understood the premise—Mary had done something incredibly brave in the pilot. She’d foregone the life she’d been told shewant—marriage, kids, a yard—and chosen dates, a newsroom, and a studio apartment instead. However, I somehow missed the fact that when Mary got to that studio apartment, there was already someone in it.
’s Rhoda, the wisecracking sidekick who was already living the independent life Mary was trying for . In the pilot, Mary takes Rhoda’s apartment and becomes the star of the series.when the two female leads argue over which of them is Mary and which of them is Rhoda that I realized there were two central female figures to the story. The fact that it was possible to be “the Rhoda” had never even occurred to me.“That’s ridiculous, Michelle, you’re the Rhoda. You’re the Jewish one,” she replies.
“You have the kind of job Gloria Steinem wants us to have,” she tells Mary in an episode where she’s visited the newsroom on a break from her job as a window dresser at a department store. Charming, brave-yet-vulnerable Mary was aspirational; Rhoda was the reality of the insecurity built into living a life that didn’t quite fit the trajectory of the life one was supposed to have, even if it was the one she wanted.
It’s easy to overlook the fact that Harper was beautiful, talented, and incredibly charming because she played Rhoda the loser, cracking sarcastic jokes while hidden in a caftan, so well. On the show, jokes were often at Rhoda’s expense, about her weight, her perpetual singledom, the monotony of her job, and those punchlines were many times delivered by Rhoda herself. In one episode, Mary castigates Rhoda for her constant negative self-talk.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Rhoda' Star Valerie Harper DiesHarper had an illustrious stage and dance career before she was hired in 1970 to play Rhoda, an earthy bohemian to Mary Tyler Moore’s uptight, guileless career woman.
Read more »
Harper Beckham surprises as she reveals which of her dad's outfits is her favouriteHarper Beckham surprised fans when she revealed which of her dad David Beckham's outfits is her favourite; we didn't see that coming!
Read more »
'Rhoda' Star Valerie Harper DiesHarper had an illustrious stage and dance career before she was hired in 1970 to play Rhoda, an earthy bohemian to Mary Tyler Moore’s uptight, guileless career woman.
Read more »
https://people.comGet the latest news about celebrities, royals, music, TV, and real people. Find exclusive content, including photos and videos, on PEOPLE.com.
Read more »
Kristen Stewart Recalls Dating Robert Pattinson in the Public EyeKristen Stewart Reveals What It Was Really Like to Date Robert Pattinson in the Public Eye
Read more »
Kristen Stewart claims she was advised to hide her sexualityThe 'Charlie's Angels' actress told Harper’s Bazaar the advice was intended to 'preserve' her film career.
Read more »