Tag: television

Ah, Mary!

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

I recently ordered the complete series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman—partly for nostalgia and fun. The show aired years ago, and it had faded from my memory for a long time. But things about today’s social or political climate triggered a recollection, and suddenly, I found myself remembering how much I had once looked forward to each episode. That spark of recognition led me to seek it out again. Ordering the series is just the first step—I want to revisit what made it so compelling back then and see if it still holds up today.

“Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” was a groundbreaking television series. It redefined the boundaries of satire and soap opera storytelling. It aired from 1976 to 1977. Created by Norman Lear, the show was a darkly comedic, deeply unsettling reflection of American life. It tackled topics that traditional sitcoms and soap operas avoided, like mental illness, consumerism, violence, media sensationalism, and the quiet desperation of suburban existence.

The series resides in a fictional town, Fernwood, OH, where suburban housewife Mary Hartman seeks the kind of domestic perfection promised by Reader’s Digest and TV commercials. Instead, Mary finds herself suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. There are mass murders, low-flying airplanes, and waxy yellow buildup on her kitchen floor.

That show was too controversial for any network at the time. Before long, however, it sparked Lear’s next series, the winning All in the Family. Archie’s and Edith’s dilemmas (similar to Mary’s) led viewers to recognize and appreciate many disconnects between people’s long-held beliefs and the demanding modern “adult” world.

These shows exposed cracks in the American Dream. Mary Hartman had that perfect blend of humor, strangeness, and originality that set it apart. While All in the Family tackled social issues head-on with a more traditional sitcom format, Mary Hartman took a subtler, almost surrealist approach, revealing the absurdity of American life through its deadpan satire.

I hope to find the same layered meanings in it now and if it may feel fresh and bold enough to hold up today.

Dear Friends: Lear was a genius; I expect to find “Mary…” holding up still. Diana

Let’s Tango

Thursday, February 08, 2024

Last evening, a little rain and a little snow, just enough to dim the outdoors and reaffirm winter’s hanging around.

I’m watching again the Netflix series “Last Tango in Halifax.” And my appreciation for this excellent series is even greater. It’s been a couple of years since I saw it, and the writing, acting, and direction are terrific.

The writer, Sally Wainwright, previously created another fine Netflix series, “Happy Valley,” which I found addicting and watched several times. I understand that the many fans of “Happy Valley” are clamoring for Wainwright to bring back the compelling series with an added Season Four.

IMHO, her often lead actor, Sarah Lancashire, is one of the best women actors. Actually, all of Wainwright’s actors are excellent. In “Last Tango,” its male lead, Derek Jacobi (one of England’s most talented actors), has appeared in many streaming series. Years ago, while visiting England, I was in the audience for one of his fine performances onstage.

In the series, Jacobi plays opposite Ann Reid. They’re an elderly couple who knew each other in the past, have remet and are getting married. They’re portraying a couple in their seventies, and actually, Jacobi is 85 and Reid is 88. Seeing the two great actors handling their roles is a treasure.

The entire “Halifax” cast is superb.

If I can find it, I’ll watch “Happy Valley” again and then start looking for Wainwright’s newer series.

Dear Friends: I dumped Netflex but found no better series than some it carried. Diana