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» » Mary Tyler Moore Menage-a-Phyllis (1970–1977)

Short summary

Because Lars does not like the cultural things in life like she does, Phyllis, with Lars' knowledge, has found a companion, Mike Tedesco, with who to attend these cultural events. Although she almost seems to treat their outings like dates, Phyllis vows that their relationship is purely platonic. Like many other people, Mary thinks that Phyllis and Mike's relationship is more than just friends, until she actually meets Mike with Phyllis as she can see that there is nothing going on between the two of them. When Phyllis comes down with a cold, she suggests to Mike that he take Mary to the opera instead of her. Although Mary agrees, she feels uncomfortable about it as she both thinks that Mike is interested in her and that she is impinging on Mike and Phyllis' friendship. Deep down, Mary thinks that Phyllis sees Mike as more than just a friend. Indeed, Mike and Mary start dating. Regardless of how serious or not serious Mike and Mary's relationship is, Mary is going to have to have a ...

This is the only episode we, the viewer see any part off Phyllis' apartment. She, husband Lars, and daughter Bess had the entire first floor of the Victorian house, while the second floor (which appears in the credits to be just as large as the first) was another apartment. Aside from the perennial question, long-time fans have as to where Rhoda's apartment was located, Mary's apartment is '#4', so the 2nd fl. must've been divided (we viewers got to meet the 2nd floor. tenant only once; when she asked Mary for boxes, saying she worked..

There's a Menage-a-Phyllis episode and a Menage-a-Lou episode as well.

Mary gives her age as 34 (she was actually 37), and Phyllis gives her age as 43 (actually 47).

When this episode originally aired, it was the first one after Mary, Lou, Murray, and Phyllis had returned from New York City, and Rhoda's wedding That episode of Rhoda (1974) was one of the most-watched TV shows in television history.

Cloris Leachman and guest star, John Saxon, would both work on La mujer maravilla (1975)..

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: just one girl
    Mary and Phyllis and Lou are in Mary's apartment (Mary & Lou are trying to work out details for a documentary) and she throws out the fact that she is going to the ballet with a guy who is not Lars. She explains how Lars has no interest in cultural things and Mike (the guy, played by the handsome John Saxon) likes to do things like that. Of course, the whole open marriage thing makes Mary uncomfortable. The next day, Mike shows up at the station and asks Mary out. Of course, Ted has to show off his homophobia and make judgments about Mike. There are four or five hilarious bits in this episode. Anyway, Mike seems taken with Mary and that leads to some trouble. One really funny scene is when Phyllis as a really bad cold and she reverts to a five year old. There's some really good writing here.
  • Episode cast overview:
    Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore - Mary Richards
    Edward Asner Edward Asner - Lou Grant
    Gavin MacLeod Gavin MacLeod - Murray Slaughter
    Ted Knight Ted Knight - Ted Baxter
    John Saxon John Saxon - Mike Tedesca
    Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman - Phyllis Lindstrom
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