The Mary Tyler Moore Show (TV Series) You Sometimes Hurt the One You Hate (1974) User Reviews

Ted the Manipulator/Lou the Chump

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 20 February 2017]

Ted Baxter commits an egregious error while on the air. He endorses a candidate and libels his opponent. Lou goes in and throws him through a door. He hits a cigarette machine and is injured. This leads to anger on Mary's part and contrition on Lou's. Ted is taken to the hospital and now has the upper hand. Lou feels guilty and begins to give in to Ted's wishes. He even ends up sharing his office with Ted. Things get worse and worse on the air, but Lou can't do anything. Then, Ted creates a three minute personal editorial called "A Piece of My Mind." He hits the mother load of irresponsibility and the results are hilarious.

The one you hate

[Rrrobert · 6/10 · 16 November 2019]

One of my least favourite episodes.

Ted makes a big on-air blunder. Lou angrily throws him out of the studio, causing an injury. Mary admonishes Lou, but he only takes notice when he learns that Ted really is hurt. But then Ted takes advantage of the situation.

This one emphasises the worst personality traits of the regular characters but fails to balance them with complementary ones. Lou is violent and angry, Ted is exploitative, Mary gets nervous and stutters - then reverses her stance. The results fall flat and aren't funny.

The only MTM episode directed by Jackie Cooper.