The Terrible Catsafterme

SEASON 1 – Syndicated

Created by Gail Parent, Ann Marcus, Jerry Adelman, and Daniel Gregory Browne. Developed by Norman Lear.

Opening theme by Earle Hagen. Theme voice-over by Dody Goodman

• 001. Episode #1.1 – 1/5/1976
  • In the town of Fernwood, Ohio, housewife Mary Hartman (Louise Lasser) has a discussion with her sister Cathy Shumway (Debralee Scott) and friend Loretta Haggers (Mary Kay Place) about the mass murder of their neighbors, the Buck Lombardi family… and their goats and chicken. Reporter Harold Clemens (Archie Hahn) from The Fernwood Currier, who was in town covering the “Fernwood Flasher”, stops by talk to the ladies about the murder. Mary’s husband Tom (Greg Mullavey) works in construction with Loretta’s husband Charlie (Graham Jarvis) and Mary’s father George (Philip Bruns). They discuss the murder, and Tom and Charlie discuss how many times they make love to their wives each week. Tom buys a gun in light of the recent murder. He also rebukes the advances of his wife, saying that he only likes to make love when he initiates it… even though it has been five weeks. Charlie and Loretta have a healthier relationship even though he 43 and she is 22. He is trying to save money so that Loretta can afford to make a demo record of her country-western music. Charlie loads his shotgun and tells Loretta to keep it handy as well. Mary gets a call from police Sgt. Dennis Foley (Bruce Soloman) letting her know that her grandfather Raymond Larkin (Victor Kilian) has been arrested as the “Fernwood Flasher.” Dody Goodman appears in a preview for the next episode as Mary’s mother Martha Shumway. 3/26/15

• 002. Episode #1.2 – 1/6/1976
  • Mary goes to the police station to pick up her grandfather and finds out that he has exposed himself on an empty school playground. He denies the accusation but is wearing a raincoat and no pants. Charlie writes a song about the Lombardi murders called Riding the Train to Heaven. Cathy meets an Armenian apprentice bartender at school and falls in love with him. Mary brings her grandfather to her parents’ home and has to tell her mother that her father has been arrested. George thinks he needs to be put in a home. Harold Clemens stops by to interview Loretta – in her negligee – about the murders, but she ends up telling him more about her personal history, including her two miscarriages. Mary doesn’t make any advances toward Tom, but pointing it out to him doesn’t get her anywhere. 3/26/15
• 003. Episode #1.3 – 1/7/1976
  • While Mary is discussing the Lombardi murders with Harold, her daughter Heather (Claudia Lamb) comes home exhibiting some strange behavior, as well as cramps. Charlie takes delight in watching Loretta rehearse her act, and she tells him about her interview with Harold, noting that Harold told her that Heather Hartman had been seen at the Lombardi house before the murders. Martha criticizes her daughter Cathy for never being home, while fighting off suggestions from George that they put away her father for the flashing incident. Raymond grabs his overcoat and heads out again. Mary is taken aback when Tom actually compliments her, but the conversation gets uncomfortable for him when it turns to masturbation and Heather starting her period. Mary gets a call that her grandfather was picked up for flashing again, and the whole family winds up at the police station, where he is going to be arraigned in night court. Sgt. Foley has a visible crush on Mary. Jack R. Clinton appears as an officer. 6/2/15
• 004. Episode #1.4 – 1/8/1976
  • Grandpa Larkin sees the judge (Ivor Francis), who releases him into the custody of Tom and Mary. George comes over and apologizes to Grandpa and takes him back home with the stipulation that he see a psychologist. After being up all night, Tom suggests that he and Mary do something special that night. She gets her hopes up, but he only takes her to the bowling alley to see Loretta sing. She performs That’s a No No. Although Tom is having a great time out with Mary, he recoils when she brings up sex again… driving him to finally tell her that they’ll go home and he can show her that he can be an animal. On the way out of the alley, Sgt. Foley stops Mary, caresses her cheek affectionately, and tells her that she needs to bring Heather down to the station in regards to the Lombardi murders. 6/2/15
• 005. Episode #1.5 – 1/9/1976
  • Loretta finishes her act at the bowling alley, singing her original track Riding the Train to Heaven, as most of the patrons walk out. She tries to remain optimistic. She and Charlie speculate about the home life of the Hartmans. Martha sews suspenders on Grandpa’s pants. Cathy announces that she’s been fired. Tom and Mary attempt to make love, but she is distracted by her interaction with Sgt. Foley. She also gets a strange call from a man asking if Heather lives there, and saying he wanted to make sure he had the right one. Tom clams Mary down and they resume their activity by taking a hot shower. The next morning Tom is distant and angry, and it is clear that he failed to perform the night before. Mary’s friend Blanche Fedders (Reva Rose) comes over to get involved in a picket line against overpricing. A librarian (Iris Korn) phones to tell Mary that sex manuals that Mary reserved are in. 7/22/15
• 006. Episode #1.6 – 1/12/1976
  • Mary picks up her sex books from the library, although embarrassed to do so in front of a male librarian (Ken Olfson). Martha takes her father to visit a social worker named Roberta Wolashek (Samantha Harper); Grandpa connects with her and he and tells about a childhood date he had in a cemetery. At work Charlie tries to pump Tom for more information about his marriage. A divorced co-worker named Mae Olinski (Salome Jens) let Charlie know that his overtime has been approved, which will allow him to fund Loretta’s demo. Tom is irritated by co-workers hitting on Mae all the time. Mary discusses the sex books with Cathy. Heather comes home in a panic claiming that a man whom she cannot reveal has been following her. 7/22/15
• 007. Episode #1.7 – 1/13/1976
  • Mary and Cathy confront Heather about what she knows about the Lombardi murders. She admits that she had met one of the children, Sarafina, and had a crush on her brother Rocko. She says she had spotted a man with a gun at their house when she went to try and visit Rocko. Mary takes her to the police station to have her assist an artist (Fred Freed) with a sketch of the man. While there Loretta, Blanche, and other neighbors are brought into the station, having been arrested for picketing. Tom finds Mary’s sex books and throws a tantrum, then joins Mary at the police station. The picketers are released and Lieutenant Trask (Billy Beck) orders that Heather is assigned police protection. Mary gets another disturbing phone call while the officer, Detective Mike Johnson (Ron Feinberg), is onsite. Norman Alden is Coach Leroy Fedders. Jack R. Clinton is an officer. 10/16/15
• 008. Episode #1.8 – 1/14/1976
  • Heather’s phone call is from a boy, a result from her popularity starting to soar after being mentioned on the evening news as the sole survivor of the Lombardi murders. Roberta comes to speak to Grandpa, who then hides himself in the bathroom. Roberta admits that she is falling in love with him. Tom yells at Mary about bringing the sex books into the house, and says he has to think about their marriage. Loretta heads out to record her album. Heather gets some disturbing news from one of her friends on the phone. 10/16/15
• 009. Episode #1.9 – 1/15/1976
  • Loretta participates in a recording session with Charlie closely looking over the shoulder of the session engineer (Harry Basch). Also in attendance are Mary and Tom, and Cathy and her Armenian boyfriend Larry (Scott Colomby), with whom she makes with the entire time. Ralph Crimins (Beans Morocco aka Dan Barrows) and Mae from work also stop by, and Mary comes to suspect a spark between Tom and Mae. At the end of the session Loretta unexpectedly faints. Mary doesn’t arrive home until early in the morning, and Heather is already up giving her the cold shoulder. She heads off to school with Detective Johnson, who later comes back to announce that Heather went into the restroom at school… and never came out. Charlie receives a call at work to notify him that Loretta has fainted again. Mary gets a message from Tom that he will be home late, and coupled with the news of Heather’s escape, she begins to really worry so that something terrible is going on. 12/21/15
• 010. Episode #1.10 – 1/16/1976
  • As a bomb scare at work is resolved, Charlie has a heart-to-heart conversation with Tom about the problems in Tom’s marriage. Tom confesses that he just feels that he’s missing something. Cathy prepares for a date with a man named Chuck. Martha receives notice from the judge that her father needs to show up for his psychiatric counseling or else he will be thrown in jail. He goes to see Roberta, and meets another patient named Fanny Cruickshank (Sudie Bond). Tom goes for drinks alone at a bar after work and runs into Mae. The two of them chat and end up heading back to her place. Carol Ita White is Nurse Pudney. Oliver Clark is Dr. Fermin. 12/21/15
• 011. Episode #1.11 – 1/19/1976
  • Mary, her father, and Loretta visit Sgt. Foley to report that not only is Heather missing, but now Tom is missing as well. Tom has spent the night with Mae and basking in the afterglow of making love, until he hears the announcement on the radio that Heather is missing and rushes home. Mary gets news from Sgt. Foley that Heather’s friend Trudy Weathersby is also missing, to they assume she has run away. Tom comes home to comfort Mary and tells her that he fell asleep at a friend’s house, and then heads out to look for Heather. Cathy tells Mary that she is in love with her new boyfriend Steve Fletcher. Loretta and Blanche visit Martha, and Blanche tries to blame the whole situation on the loose morals of television. Fanny stops by as well to woo Raymond. At work, George begins to suspect the affair between Tom and Mae. 2/25/16
• 012. Episode #1.12 – 1/20/1976
  • Loretta suggests to Charlie that they postpone their Nashville trip because of everything going on with Mary, but he talks her out of it. They then get a call from Dr. Fermin that Loretta is pregnant. Mary is worried that two days have passed without hearing from Heather. Loretta comes to visit Mary and finds Mae’s phone number on a matchbook in Tom’s jacket, which further worries Mary. Cathy tells her mother about being in love with Steve, and also tells her that he is deaf and mute. Charlie figures out about Tom’s affair. He tries to break it off with Mae, but they wind up back at her place. Mary nearly has a breakdown when Tom calls and says he won’t be home for dinner, and it is compounded when Martha comes over frantically blaming Mary for everything going wrong. Amidst it all, Heather returns and tells Mary that she has to leave again because someone named David still has Trudy in a boarded-up Chinese Laundry and if she doesn’t return, he will kill her. 2/25/16
• 013. Episode #1.13 – 1/21/1976
  • Heather reports that the kidnapper is nice neighborhood boy Davey Jessup (Will Seltzer) and that he will kill Trudy if she doesn’t get him $100,000 and a car. Mary forces Heather to stay home and goes in her place to try to talk some sense into him. Tom is unable to perform with Mae and leaves her behind, telling her that he’s not sure if he will continue to see her. George and Martha meets Cathy’s boyfriend Steve (Ed Begley Jr.), but George is very uncomfortable in talking to a deaf person. Grandpa tells Fanny that she is too young for him. George informs Detective Johnson that Mary has gone to address the killer/kidnapper, but Heather won’t tell them the location of the store where Davey is holding Mary and Trudy (Kimberly Dashiell) until 6:30. At that time, they all head out to confront Davey, who lets Trudy go and holds Mary at gunpoint. 5/21/16
• 014. Episode #1.14 – 1/22/1976
  • Mary gets Davey talking about how his poor family life and relationship with his parents had driven him to murder. Davey threatens suicide, then calms down, but gets excited when anyone yells or reminds him of his home life. The police arrive but try to give Davey time to respond before charging in. Tom also arrives and forces his way into the store. Tom confesses his relationship with Mae, which leads to a fight that gets Davey agitated. Mary calms everyone down and tells Tom to leave. A reporter named Clete Meizenheimer (Michael Lembeck) arrives on the scene and reports the situation on the news. 5/21/16
• 015. Episode #1.15 – 1/23/1976
  • Davey tells Mary how thoughts of his home life gave him headaches and gave him the urge to kill. He then sends Mary outside with his lists of demands – a car and $100,000 – stating that he will kill Mary if they aren’t met within an hour. Sgt. Foley offers to shield her and rush in after Davey, but she declines. The police send in a walkie-talkie with Mary. Tom tries to apologize to Mary via the walkie-talkie, but it sends Davey into a rage so she gets him to describe the Porsche Targa Carrera that he wants. The car dealer Rick Nutley (Dick Haynes) shows up and says they can’t meet his car demands, and Foley insists they can’t give him the money he demands. Clete interviews Loretta who sings a song she wrote called Ballad of a Hostage. They finally locate the car but have to drive it over from Porterville, but Davey demands that it is delivered factory fresh. Andrew Rubin is reporter Jesus Jarrera. 8/22/16
• 016. Episode #1.16 – 1/24/1976
  • The police bring Reverend John Standfast (George Furth) to talk to Davey, but he is scared to get too close. They also manage to get the car Davey wants and bring it to the Chinese Laundry. Davey demands that the Reverend come inside with a stack of Bibles so that the police will swear on them that they won’t follow, but the Reverend flees the scene. Martha, Raymond, and Heather watch the news broadcast form home. Loretta sings her song to Mary over the bullhorn. Sgt. Foley decides to sneak in the back of the store to rescue Mary. 8/22/16
• 017. Episode #1.17 – 1/27/1976
  • Mary is forced at gunpoint to knock out Sgt. Foley with a glass bottle when he enters through the rear of the store. Heather and Martha watches the TV broadcast from home and Heather worries about her mother. Mae shows up and says she has a plan and asks Tom to meet her at her place. Mary and Dennis are tied together, which gives them a chance for some talk and flirting. Mae gets Tom out of his handcuffs, and shows some letters she got from a former choir-mate named Florence Baedecker (Rose Gregorio) that talk about an affair between her and Reverend Standfast. Tom and Mae take the letters to the Reverend and threaten to expose them if he doesn’t go to the laundry and swear on the Bibles. He refuses until Mae brings both Florence and the Reverend’s wife Christine (Mary Carver), and then is forced to agree. Charlie, George, Cathy, and Steve all believe that Tom has run off for an affair with Mae. Christine reveals to Florence that she knew about the affair. 11/9/16
• 018. Episode #1.18 – 1/28/1976
  • Heather continues to worry about her mother and wonders if she will be a half-orphan and be taken care of by a housekeeper. Jesus and Clete conduct an on-the-scene interview with sanitation worker Floyd Yerby (Mickey Manners) about the local trend in trash. An intoxicated Reverend Standfast shows up to swear on the Bibles. He stumbles through the act and almost conducts a wedding before taking the oath on the Bibles that no law enforcement will attempt apprehend David for at least 24 hours. The police bring Davey his getaway car and he leaves Mary and Dennis behind and brings the Reverend out with him, consents to a live interview with Clete, and then departs after being promised by Lt. Trask that he won’t be pulled over for not having a license. Mary is brought out, but nearly collapses when Loretta tells her that Mae was there. Mary’s family at home sees on TV that the ordeal has ended. 11/9/16
• 019. Episode #1.19 – 1/29/1976
  • Mary is brought to the police station to answer the questions from Lt. Trask about her kidnapping. George is visibly annoyed with Tom, knowing about the affair. Mae sits at home with the handcuffs that Tom had wore. Charlie tries to talk Loretta into delaying their Nashville trip because of her pregnancy, but she says she’ll be ready after a night’s rest. He also fears that Tom and Mary’s marriage is on the rocks. When Tom and Mary get home, Mary tells Tom she knows about Mae, kicks him out of the bedroom, and says their marriage is over, forbidding him from ever mentioning her name is again. However she doesn’t want a divorce, she just wants him staying home sleeping on the couch. He agrees on the condition that she tell no one. 2/15/17
• 020. Episode #1.20 – 1/30/1976
  • Mary’s mother confronts her about the marital problems between her and Tom, leading them both to break down in tears. Loretta comes to say goodbye and leave Mary her fish before she heads off to Nashville and also expresses her concern. Sgt. Foley stops over and asks Mary to go for a drive, and Mary agrees to let him take her to the market so she can do the weekly shopping. Meanwhile Tom goes to see his old high school basketball coach Leroy Fedders to reminisce and ask him for some marital advice, but the Coach makes it clear before he asks that he can’t and won’t help in the ‘sex’ department. Mary and Dennis stop at the bowling alley for drinks after shopping, and after Mary reluctantly talks a little more about her marital issues, Dennis invites her to his apartment so they can be alone and Mary agrees to go. 2/16/17
• 021. Episode #1.21 – 2/2/1976
  • Mary and Dennis go back to his apartment, and after Mary awkwardly prattles on, Dennis tells Mary that he is going to be patient until she is ready for a relationship. Meanwhile Charlie and Loretta plan for their trip to Nashville, packing the tapes and Charlie’s rifle. Tom visits them looking for Mary, and Loretta alludes to the fact that whatever Mary does to him, he deserves. Heather starts to questions her father about whether they are heading for divorce, optimistic that it might mean that she will get to do fun things with her dad on weekend. Roberta Wolashek shows up at the Hartman house to take Grandpa on a date. Dennis finally can’t help himself and kisses Mary passionately. 6/5/17
• 022. Episode #1.22 – 2/3/1976
  • During her visit with Dennis, Mary kisses him, but stops short of sleeping with him. Leaving her groceries behind, she heads back home, only to be confronted by Tom. He is furious with her but she won’t admit that she did anything wrong and prefers to keep him guessing. The next morning at breakfast, Tom is much calmer but Mary refuses to talk about anything. They are interrupted by a visit from Charlie and Loretta who assume that Tom and Mary have made up. George and Martha also stop by looking for Grandpa, and they all bid their farewells to the Hagers before they leave for Nashville. En route to Nashville their car breaks down and they are approached from some men coming out of the woods named Vassar Hicks (Robert Gooden) and Merle Honeywell (Henry Olek), who begins harassing them. They end up holding Charlie at gunpoint, and insinuating that they are going to rape Loretta. 6/6/17
• 023. Episode #1.23 – 2/4/1976
  • Vassar and Merle knock out Charlie and are preparing to take Loretta into the woods, but when they find out that she is a country singer heading to Nashville, Vassar ask if she can sing a song that he wrote. She agrees to do it, if they help them get on their way, which they do. Tom comes home during lunch to talk to Mary, but by the time she agrees to delve into their problems, they run out of time and plan to meet later to talk. Coach Leroy and his wife Blanche get a call from Jenny, their runaway daughter, of whom Leroy is embarrassed because she makes it difficult for him to coach the players. Grandpa Raymond sees Judge Stanley, who lets him off with probation under the supervision of his girlfriend Roberta. Mary goes to see Dennis and finds out she has to testify against Davey, and also stumbles through telling Dennis that she really shouldn’t see him while she is going through her marital difficulties… but still implies she will stop at his place again to pick up the shoe she left at his apartment. 1/28/18
• 024. Episode #1.24 – 2/5/1976
  • Tom and Mary finally have their talk, and Mary asks why it has been eight weeks since they made love; Tom tells her that it is a result of the pressure Mary’s been putting on him. Mary tells him how much she still loves him and has missed him. Charlie and Loretta continue their trek to Nashville, and as it gets late, Charlie gets into an accident with a station wagon full of nuns driven by Sister Bernadette (Anne Ramsey), who denies she is at fault. Clete Meisenheimer does a report at the scene of the accident. Loretta wakes up briefly and tells Charlie she feels numb all over and then passes out as the ambulances pulls up. Tom tells Mary that he loves her, but that Mary yells at and threatens him too much, and that she is both too passive and aggressive to make love to. At first Mary freaks out on him, then calmly tells him that she’s been too humiliated and rejected and that they are through. Tom cries and kisses her passionately. Harry Hollins is the policeman with Lt. Trask. 1/28/18
• 025. Episode #1.25 – 2/6/1976
  • After Tom and Mary kiss, they end up sleeping together. Mary is a distracted afterward thinking about Mae. During their conversation, Mae calls and asks to see Tom. He blows her off until the next day. They then get another call from Charlie telling them about the car accident. Meanwhile Loretta is recovering in Intensive Care at the hospital. Dr. Fermin informs Charlie that he had made a mistake about Loretta being pregnant when she only has a tumor, and that he had gotten her file confused with a Mrs. Ferguson. When Loretta wakes up, Charlie breaks the news to her. Tom visits Mae and finds out that before their affair, she had slept with another man named Frank Garth on her birthday when she got lonely. He had contacted her to let her know that he had a venereal disease which he has passed on to her. Tom realizes that he may have passed it on to Mary. 10/1/18
• 026. Episode #1.26 – 2/9/1976
  • Although Mary is happy to get on with her life with Tom, he is evasive with her leading her to believe that there is trouble brewing. Loretta comes to terms with the fact that she was never pregnant, but the nurse (Patricia Stevens) comes to take her for x-rays, hinting at something serious. Dennis comes to the hospital to bring their property that was recovered from their car which caught on fire. Among the destroyed remnants are many of Loretta’s belongings including her demo record. Dr. Hastings (Howard Morton) talks to Charlie about the results from the x-rays that indicate that Loretta may be crippled for life due to spinal injuries that she sustained. Mary’s parents are at the hospital when he gets the news her mother phones Mary to tell her. Tom continues to act strange while they are in bed, and finally confesses to Mary that he may have V.D. and passed it on to her. Mary thinks that life is beginning to sound like a soap opera. 10/1/18
• 027. Episode #1.27 – 2/10/1976
  • Martha is concerned both by the fact that she sees taking his suitcases to the Haggers’ to move in, and the fact that George plans to run in the next union election. Charlie welcomes Tom to his home and then takes off to the hospital to see Loretta, where he has to sign paperwork that gives Dr. Hastings permission to operate to relieve pressure on Loretta’s spine. Hastings is reluctant to explain the operation even when another young doctor Dr. Abramson (Joe Bratcher) tries to step in and explain it. Tom phones Mary and tells her to go to the doctor to get checked out, but she heads to the hospital and gives an optimistic Loretta a candy bar, then heads to the library to look for books about V.D. After Loretta’s operation, the doctor refuses to give any guarantees about the recovery, but Charlie angrily tells the doctor that the Lord is on Loretta’s side. Cathy visits Mary and tells her that she got a job in a massage parlor, and assures a skeptical Mary that the place is on the up and up. Charlie visits Mary and gets a phone call from the doctor, who tells him that Loretta is sinking fast. 7/7/19
• 028. Episode #1.28 – 2/11/1976
  • Dr. Hastings informs Charlie that there were complications when they can’t find all the bone chips seen in the x-ray and that her vital signs dropped during the operation and they had to abandon it. The net is that she will live, but may never walk again. Roberta and Raymond return from a date, and Roberta tells George how embarrassed she was when friends snickered about their age difference, causing George to decide not to marry her despite her proposal to him. Martha comes home late from the hospital to the irritation of George. She explains she was with Charlie, and also expresses her irritation with him running for the union office. She also has a fit when Cathy informs them of her new job in the Moana Pua massage parlor. Charlie visits Loretta and tells her that the operation is successful; the nurse also informs him that his insurance isn’t covering her operation. Mary visits Dr. Miller (Ron Vernan) about the V.D. and is surprised that Tom is also there to check on his. The doctor assures her that there is no stigma to the disease and that it can be cured. When she comes out of the room, Mae is also there. Barbara Collentine is Dr. Miller’s nurse receptionist. 7/7/19
• 029. Episode #1.29 – 2/12/1976
  • Mary and Mae have a discussion in the doctor’s office, where Mae apologizes and Mary accepts it. Mary also tells Mae that she’s done with Tom and that she can have him. Cathy heads off to work at the massage parlor, and while her mother thinks her attire is inappropriate, her father believes it is acceptable and cute. Tom and George chat in the breakroom, and George advises him to see the plant counselor Dr. Gilroy if he wants to save the marriage. Cathy meets her new boss Sal Babbitaglia (Carmine Caridi) and he attempts to put her at ease, even though it is obvious that the massage parlor is actually a “college of carnal education.” She meets her first client Joe Smith (John J. Fox), who wants her to dress as a meter maid. Once she gets into the costume she sees he has brought a four-foot hose, so she walks out and quits. When she gets home and tells her parents what happened, George leaves with a baseball bat and threatens to kill Sal. Tom runs into Mary over at Charlie’s house, and tells her about the counselor and asks her to join him, but Mary can’t rehash his affair again and leaves in anger. Dr. Hastings tells Charlie that Loretta is going to be crippled for the rest of her life. 3/1/20
• 030. Episode #1.30 – 2/13/1976
  • Cathy goes over to Mary’s house and they catch up on their latest life events. Cathy pleads with Mary to get Tom and go over and stop their father from killing Sal. Tom meets with the plant counselor Bob Gilroy (Tom Troupe), and doesn’t initially want to tell him anything, but when Bob seems so understanding and makes Tom believe that all of his actions and Mary’s reactions are all very human, he spills his guts. However once he mentions that he gave Mary V.D., Bob is so disgusted that he walks out of the session. Dr. Abramson catches Charlie in the hallway and tells him that he believes Dr. Hastings botched Loretta’s surgery, and that she actually didn’t need surgery, but his negligence caused Loretta’s paralysis. Charlie doesn’t tell Loretta, and keeps telling her not to try and walk. As Martha worries that George will do something he regrets with the baseball bat, Roberta visits her and Raymond and tells them that she got fired for fraternizing with Raymond, and has taken a job selling beauty products door-to-door. While Cathy is trying to convince Mary to stop their father, she gets a call from Dennis who asks her to dinner, but she declines and infers that they shouldn’t see each other any longer. George arrives at the massage parlor and encounters Detective Johnson and another officer who are conducting a raid on the place. When George hears they are arresting the girls who work there, he clams up about Cathy, so in turn he is arrested as if he were a customer with a baseball fetish. 3/1/20
• 031. Episode #1.31 – 2/16/1976
  • Heather is having trouble with Tom living with Charlie. Tom comes to visit her ands wants to take Mary and Heather out to dinner, but Mary refuses. He verifies that Mary is also taking antibiotics for her STD, and then he takes Heather out by herself. Dennis stops by and brings Mary the groceries and shoes that she left at his place. Martha and Cathy worry about George not coming home, and Cathy gets tired of apologizing for not realizing what kind of parlor she was working in. Steve brings Cathy a letter that indicates he is having his poetry published. Roberta tells Raymond that she isn’t good enough for her and that she is done taking up his time. Raymond doesn’t seem to understand or care. Loretta decides she is going to try and walk, but Nurse Crimmons (Sandy Sprung) tells her that she will never walk again. Loretta is furious that Charlie hasn’t told her, but he says he still has faith that God will enable her to walk. The nurse tries to stop her from trying, but she is insistent… but cannot do it. Reporter Harold Clemens is hoping for a story and hangs out at the police station. When Detective Johnson brings in Sal and George to see Sgt. Swett (Jason Wingreen), George tries to hide his identity from Harold. He calls Martha from the station to tell her that he was arrested, but she faints dead away. Mary wants Dennis to leave, but he tries to convince her that she is crazy about him. He won’t take no for an answer and she says he is scaring her, but he tells her that her fear is based on excitement. She tells him about her STD and say that is why she has been avoiding him. However she gets a call from Dr. Miller and he tells her that the tests are negative and she doesn’t have it… but tells Dennis that it was a wrong number. 6/13/20
• 032. Episode #1.32 – 2/17/20
  • Dennis continues to try and seduce Mary but she staves off his advances. Eventually they are interrupted by Roberta who comes to talk to Mary and sell her cosmetics from her new company Lady Fashionetta , which she now has the confidence to do after going through STET – Survival Training and Existing Therapy. Mary acts interested in this to avoid being alone with Dennis. As Roberta if finally leaving, Tom comes home and catches Dennis there. Furious, he refuses to leave until Dennis does. Finally Mary is alone and hopes to stay that way, but her mother comes over with the news about her father. Cathy and Steve had attempted to take her to the station, but they got a flat tire, which also flattened Steve’s confidence. Meanwhile at the station, George argues with a cop (John Brandon) that he didn’t get to talk to his wife before she passed out. He says that he got his one phone call, and throws him in the slammer, whereas Sal gets bailed out. Mary shows up at the station and explains the circumstances to Dennis, and he gladly lets her out, still hoping that Mary might repay him with a date. 6/13/20
• 033. Episode #1.33 – 2/18/1976
  • Cathy announces to her parents that she wants to marry Steve. George tries to put the discussion off, but ultimately tells her that he forbids it, since as a deaf-mute, Steve will require being taken care of for the rest of his life. This prompts Cathy to storm out. George then gets a rock through the window, telling him to run as officer for the labor union. Meanwhile the doctor Dr. Hastings tells Loretta that he is releasing her from the hospital, but warns her that she’ll be in wheelchair for quite some time, and that there is a long, hard road to recovery ahead… if Charlie can afford the follow-up operations. Charlie thinks the answer lies in faith healer Dorelda Doremus who is coming to Fernwood. George continues to plead with Cathy that she not marry Steve, and even resorts to asking Steve to call off the wedding because of the hardships it presents. Cathy again storms out with Steve, and they head over to Mary’s house. She thinks the key is getting to know Steve, which she tries to do as well, although she has trouble knowing how to relate. Mary gets a call from Tom, who wants her to come see him. She declines, but Steve tells her that he gets a sense that she really wants to see him. She does go to see him, and he tries to get her to have a romantic meal with him. She is resistant, but agrees to a glass of wine. He gives a heartfelt toast telling her that he loves her. 9/27/20
• 034. Episode #1.34 – 2/19/1976
  • Mary stays and has a romantic dinner with Tom and falls for him all over again, agreeing to let him come home. However when she tells him that the car isn’t running, he can’t stop talking about how irritated he is with the mechanic who fixed it. Meanwhile Loretta gets set to go home, and Dr. Abramson comes to see her off, and tell her that the hospital has fired him and he is willing to come back and testify if she decides to sue. Nurse Crimmons is incredulous that Charlie and Loretta both believe that she will be out of the wheelchair in a matter of days. Feeling like a failure as both a social worker and saleslady for Lady Fashionetta, she comes to say goodbye to Raymond. He gives her some advice on being a successful sales lady by being more rude to customers, and it seems to work immediately when she sells Blanche Fedders some cosmetics after insulting her. Loretta returns home to find Mary there to greet her with a clean house and hot meal. She tells Mary about her plans to get Dorelda Doremus to heal her. Later that night Mary reads an article in Ms. magazine about Doremus and becomes skeptical when she finds out that she has changed her name from Irma Pearlmudder, a former wife and mother who ran away from home. Mary debates with herself whether she should tell Loretta, and Tom advises against it. 9/27/20
• 035. Episode #1.35 – 2/20/1976
  • Tom continues to be irritated about the car, while Mary tries to get his opinion about revealing to Loretta what she found out about Dorelda Doremus, causing them to bicker with each other constantly. Tom tries to convince her that they are fighting because they love each other. Mary goes to visit Loretta and brings her the magazine with the article, but doesn’t tell her what it said. Loretta is confident that she is being tested by God because he loves her so much, and she tries to talk Mary into bringing Tom and coming to their church. Cathy is still furious with her father for not accepting Steve. The two of them celebrate their three-week anniversary, and Steve gives Cathy flowers and a batch of poems that the wrote. Charlie visits the Friendly Loan Company to try and get a loan to make the demo record again. The agent Joe Zimmer (Madison Arnold) is happy to give him the loan, but cons Charlie into signing the loan agreement without reading it. 1/13/21
• 036. Episode #1.36 – 2/23/1976
  • Fernwood trash man Luther Moon (associate producer and show announcer Perry Krauss) goes through the trash that he collects around town and relates the information he deduces from it via flashback. He covers Cathy’s relationship with Steve, and the fact that her father doesn’t approve of her dating a deaf mute. He then moves on to the Haggers’ current situation, including their trip to Nashville, car accident, Loretta’s injury, and the fact that she’s now counting on a faith healer named Dorelda Doremus to restore her ability to walk. He then talks about the strained relationship between Mary and Tom, and how he had an affair with Mae, and Mary almost had one with Dennis. This also covers the venereal disease that Mae passed on to Tom, and then may have passed on to Mary, who confronts Mae and tells her that she can have Tom. This culminates with Tom moving in with the Haggers, and then ultimately reconciling with Mary. Luther addresses the audience one more time and tells them that there’s nothing much going on in Fernwood that he doesn’t know about… unless it can’t be found in the trash. 1/13/21
• 037. Episode #1.37 – 2/24/1976
  • Mary knows something has been bothering Heather, but Heather won’t talk to her about it. Later Mary finds a joint in Heather’s jacket, and tells her it is very dangerous before throwing it away. Mary later retrieves it from the trash can, and is caught staring at it by Tom. They are both shocked that Heather told them that she got it from her 11-year old friend Bernice. Tom then becomes captivated by it also, and they finally decide they should try smoking it so they know what it is like before instructing Heather on not smoking it. Meanwhile Charlie and Loretta attend a service of Dorelda Doremus (Doris Roberts), where a very stoned and boisterous Tom and Mary meet them there as well. Charlie tries to talk Dorelda’s handler Joe Verner (Woodrow Parfrey) into getting Loretta onto the stage so that Dorelda can lay her hands on Loretta, but he blows her off and tells him they won’t have time. Dorelda then apparently seems to cure a partially paralyzed woman (Naomi Ross). Charlie and Tom then try and get Loretta on the stage. Dorelda quietly fires Joe for not properly screening the crows. When Dorelda prays for Loretta, it seems to work and Loretta stands up… before falling flat on her face when she attempts to walk. 5/10/21
• 038. Episode #1.38 – 2/25/1976
  • After Dorelda fails to cure Loretta, she blames it on Loretta’s lack of faith. Both she and Charlie avow that their faith has never been stronger and plead for her to try again, which is cheered on by the crowd. She reluctantly agrees, and this time Loretta is able to take one step, but again falls flat on her face. In their stoned state, Mary and Tom go back to see Dorelda in her dressing room, and when Mary tells her that Loretta’s faith might help cure her since she doesn’t know that Dorelda is a fake, it makes Dorelda furious and she throws them out and puts a curse on them. Charlie still believes and can’t understand why Mary and Tom are acting this way… until they admit that they smoked pot. Meanwhile, Cathy is still furious at her father for rejecting her relationship with Steve, and storms out of the house. Steve comes looking for her and shows Martha the ring that he is going to give Cathy, which causes George to then storm out and head to bed. Back at the Hartmans’, Tom noticed his heightened awareness as they satisfy the munchies on a feast of food. Mary wonders out loud what else might be heightened from the marijuana. 5/11/21
• 039. Episode #1.39 – 2/26/1976
  • Tom and Mary prepare to have a talk with Heather about marijuana usage, but Heather seems more knowledgeable about the subject than they are. Heather also figures out that her parents smoked the joint that she brought home. She also claims that all of her friends’ parents smoke pot, but that she has no interest in it herself. Although Loretta is keeping a stiff upper lip, Charlie witnesses her crying and saying she can’t take much more, after Dorelda failed to cure her. While they are both pretending everything is alright, a real estate agent named Mort Lunders (Severn Darnden) shows up at the house and starts rummaging through it, claiming that Friendly Loan Agency is about to repossess the house. Meanwhile, Mary gets a visit from Mae, and although Mary is very friendly toward her, she tells her that she isn’t welcome in the house. When Mae claims to be sick, Mary finally lets her in, despite the fact that Mae blames Mary for making her sick. She claims Mary once said that she’d never take Tom back, but now that she is, Mae is left alone, and claims that Tom and Mary are her best friends, Tom for sleeping with her, and Mary for listening to her. She then says she’s taken enough sleeping pills to kill her, and passes out in Mary’s kitchen. Mary calls Dr. Darden, and he eventually makes it over to the house. Tom comes home to tell Mary that Charlie is trying to get his job back, and has asked if he and Loretta could stay with them for a while, and finds that the doctor and Mae are there, and learns that she tried to kill herself. Tom wants Mae to go home, but Mary thinks they should look out for her since Mae said they were her best friends. Before Mae can do anything, she collapses again in the kitchen. 9/3/21
• 040. Episode #1.40 – 2/27/1976
  • Mae has spent the night at Tom and Mary’s house, and Tom goes into talk to her in the morning. While he is hugging her to comfort her, Mary comes in with Mae’s breakfast, making the situation all the more uncomfortable. Steve has a surprise package for Cathy and she opens it up and finds an engagement ring. After thinking it over briefly she agrees to marry him. Charlie calls Tom and asks him if he will meet with him and the doctor who gave him the information about the doctor’s errors during Loretta’s operation, so that Charlie won’t make any more mistakes. Mary asks Tom if he has any more feelings for Mae, the decides she is going to try and remain calm, cool, and rational with Mae, after seeing how well Tom is helping Charlie out. While Mary is out shopping that afternoon, her mother stops by and finds Mae in Mary and Tom’s bed. Knowing the history, she begins giving Mae the third degree, and asking how guilty she feels, insinuating that she goes after other women’s husband all of the time. This nearly pushes Mae over the edge, and when Mary comes home, she is unable to talk Mae out of this state. Mae winds up locking herself in the bathroom, while Mary and Martha worry she might try to take her own life again. 9/3/21
• 041. Episode #1.41 – 3/1/1976
  • Mary is uncomfortable when Mae locks herself in Mary’s bathroom, mostly because she thinks Mae will try to kill herself, but she also tells Mae that she cares about her. This gets Mae to come out of the bathroom and opens the lines of communication. After they chat about Mae’s history and two marriages, Mary is convinced she is still in love with her second husband Mike Olinski. Meanwhile, Steve’s landlady (Connie Sawyer) relays information to him about a press junket in which his publisher wants him to participate in New York. Although Steve invites her to come along to New York, Cathy doesn’t think she’ll fit in with that crowd and thinks their relationship is over. She tells Steve that if he really loves her, he won’t leave Fernwood. She finally recants when she realizes how much he’ll miss her. Leroy and Blanche Fedders stop by and visit Charlie and Loretta, and Blanche makes a series of backhanded comments about the stupidity of people duped by the charlatan Dorelda Doremus. Loretta tries to prove that she can still sing, even if she can’t walk yet, which is the cue for Blanche to leave. After the Fedders leave, Dr. Abramson stops by, followed by Tom, and then their new lawyer Lucius Winnow (Arny Freeman). They dicker over Winnow’s commission on the money he gets out of the hospital who botched Loretta’s surgery. Loretta and Charlie both agree they don’t want to ‘soak’ anyone in the settlement, but rather just get enough to pay the doctor’s bills. However, they are visited by a Deputy Sheriff who serves a writ indicating that they have ten days to vacate the premises. Winnow asks Charlie if wishes to reconsider going after the hospital. 3/2/22
• 042. Episode #1.42 – 3/2/1976
  • Sgt. Foley stops over at Mary’s house to tell her that he can’t stopping thinking about her. She is too preoccupied with the soap opera My Mother’s Dream to pay attention to him, but he finally gets her to focus. She reminds him that she’s now back with Tom. While they are chatting, Roberta Wolashek stops by, and it gives Mary the idea to get her and Dennis talking. Sure enough Roberta falls in love with Dennis. Roberta then goes over to Mary’s parents’ house to talk to Raymond and tell him that her life has been set on a different path and that she’s now in love with Dennis, and loves Raymond differently. He barely seems to register what she’s saying. After a hectic morning of getting Heather off to school, as well as Heather telling them she wants to quit school and join a rock band, Mary and Tom have a conversation about the potential of Charlie and Loretta moving in. They also chat about Mae, and the fact that Mary thinks that she is still in love with her second husband Mike. She has actually contacted Mike in Dayton, Ohio. Tom is worried that Mary has gone too far, while Mary believes she is on a winning streak of bringing people together. Tom jokes that soon Mary will think that she can cure Loretta. 3/3/22
• 043. Episode #1.43 – 3/3/1976
  • Charlie is feeling depressed about the situation that he and Loretta are in. However, when he goes to massage her feet, she complains that he is pinching her. They suddenly realize that she has regained some feeling and they start to rejoice and pray. When Charlie leaves the room, Loretta says an extra prayer to make things easier on Charlie since he has been struggling. While she is praying, a real estate agent comes to show off their house, but the potential buyer takes one look at the kitchen and doesn’t need to see anymore. Tom runs into Mae at work, and she tells Tom how wonderful of a woman Mary is, and then asks him why he would cheat on her. Tom changes the subject, and then Mae tells him that she is planning on quitting the plant and moving out of Fernwood. He tells her not to leave for at least a week, as something might be happening that she will want to know about. Mae pleads with him to tell him what, but he tells her to just be patient. Coach Fedders is at home sick about his losing team, but even more physically sick with a bad cold or flu. He is so exhausted that he insists on taking sleeping pills and whiskey, although Blanche repeatedly tries to warn him against it. Mary comes over and seconds her recommendation that he stop, and she brings him a pot of chicken soup. The ladies put it in a big bowl for him and tell him to eat it while they chat. The Coach barely has the strength to stay awake, and he lowers his head into the soup and drowns. Mary is dumbfounded that she killed someone with her chicken soup. 7/7/22
• 044. Episode #1.44 – 3/4/1976
  • Clete Meizenheimer announces the death of Coach Fedders at 47 on the news. Martha, Tom, and Grandpa discuss how upset and guilty Mary is feeling since she made the chicken soup in which he drowned. Martha tries to reach George at his motel to tell him the news, but there is no answer. Mary is spending time with Blanche, and is inconsolable about his death, feeling that it is all her fault. Blanche has not yet shed a tear, and explains to Mary that she and Leroy had been growing apart, and she’s not sure if she will every cry over the loss. While they are discussing this, Harold Perkins (David Rounds) the mortician from the funeral home comes to the house to discuss burial arrangements. Blanche wants to get off as cheaply as possible, but Mary wants to make the funeral nice and offers to pay for everything. Cathy and Steve say their final goodbyes before he leaves for New York. He makes one last ditch effort to talk her into going with him, but she refuses, saying she would feel too out of place. Steve promises to marry her when he returns. Martha finally gets hold of George and lets him know about Leroy Fedders, but he seems uninterested. After he gets off the phone, and woman named Sheri (Kate Braun) shows up at his door, and George lets her in. 7/8/22
• 045. Episode #1.45 – 3/5/1976
  • Although George thinks that his friend Bud Delaplaine has sent up Sheri the hooker, he starts to get cold feet about her being there. He tries to politely get her to leave, but she takes off her dress and then pulls him onto the bed. Just then, union buster Joe Sweeney (Raymond Serra) barges in and takes photos of Sheri in bed with George, warning him that he will use them if George thinks about running for office in the next union election. Meanwhile, Mary wakes up in the middle of the night thinking about death. She and Tom discuss the fact that Mary wants to die first, and when she does, she wants Tom to remarry so that Heather will have a mother. She makes him promise that it will not be Mae. She also tells him that she is considering working in a funeral home, since people are awful about bad news to others, and she has lots of ideas how tom make that better. Just then, Mae’s ex-husband Mike (Ray Collela) returns Mary’s phone call. She tells Ray that Mae is still thinking about him and wanted him to know that she might still be interested. They make arrangements for Mary and Tom to get Mae and meet up with Mike at the Capri Lounge. Tom agrees to go, although he thinks it is a strange idea. George slinks back home and asks Martha if she has heard anything about his trip. When he finds that Joe is at this house, he nearly admits his experience with Shari, especially when Martha says that Joe has shown her pictures. It turns out that he showed her pictures of his family. With as jumpy as George is, Martha thinks it is time he retires from his stressful union work. 11/1/22
• 046. Episode #1.46 – 3/8/1976
  • Mary hosts the funeral for Leroy Fedders in her kitchen in honor of Leroy dying in his own kitchen, but only Mary and Tom, George and Martha, and Loretta and Charlie show up. The mortician says they need to keep on schedule and brings in Reverend Buryfield (James Cromwell) to perform the services. He keeps getting Leroy’s name wrong, and then announces that Fedders flunked his son multiple times. Mary then speaks and again takes blame for the death, also warning everyone not to ever eat anything she cooks. Before Loretta sings an a cappella version of That Old Black Magic, Leroy’s favorite track, Mary also announces that food that she made will be served in the living room. Later, Tom questions why Mary is getting so involved in everyone’s lives, and she tells Tom that she is very restless at home and is running out of things to do. She asks Tom to stay and talk to her, but he has to go to work. Still, Mary acknowledges that she feels better. Tom and George talk about the union, and George decides to stand up for the union despite all of the threats. Tom then chats with Mae and invites her for drinks with himself and Mary. She makes Tom tell her what Mary is up to, and Tom finally gives in and tells her that Mary has set her up with her ex-husband Mike. She is both surprised and titillated by the notion. 11/1/22 
• 047. Episode #1.47 – 3/9/1976
  • Mary and Tom join Mae at the Capri Lounge, where she meets up with her ex-husband Mike (Ray Colella) from Dayton at the request of Mary. They both seem really happy to see one another and they move to the bar to speak privately. When Mike mentions that Mary had said that Mae was ready to settle, she asks specifically what that means. He tells her that he assumed she was ready to give him back the Barcalounger from their marriage, even though it had belonged to Mae before they’d even met. This leads to fight between them, with Mike throwing a drink in Mae’s face, and then Mae attempting to hit Mike over the head with a bottle, but striking Tom instead when he tries to break it up. The next morning, as Tom suffers a major headache under an ice bag, Mae comes over to see how he is, referring to him as her knight in shining armor. Mary starts to jealous at the way she’s fawning all over him, and she takes credit for trying to help Mae, whereas Mae sees everything she did to have led to a disaster. Mae accuses Mary of just setting her up with her ex-husband to try and get her to move away from Tom. As their fight escalates, Mae blames herself for everything and storms out, and Tom, who had called in sick because of his head, follows her and takes her to work. Meanwhile, while Charlie is testing the feeling in Loretta’s legs and feet, their lawyer Lucius Winnow stops by and tells them that the insurance company has offered them $10,000 for her injury, but that he has turned it down and believes he can get them six figures. They try to tell him that they’d be happy with the $10,000 because Loretta will soon be rich and famous with her singing. They invite him to come see her sing at the Capri Lounge at the Rosemont Bowling Lanes, along with Tom and Mary, who are still bickering over Mae. As Loretta is singing Just a Little Talk with Jesus, she starts tapping her foot… and then stands up from the wheelchair. Winnow warns her that she’s better sit back down or she will be throwing away her $100,000. 12/7/22 
• 048. Episode #1.48 – 3/10/1976
  • In the Shumway home for breakfast, Cathy is anxious to see Steve’s appearance on The Johnny Tilson Show, promoting his book of poetry. George is clearly upset about his blackmail issues, and Martha asks him if he wants to reconsider running as the union officer, but he won’t be intimidated. Meanwhile, over at the breakfast table at Mary’s, she is quite sullen and will hardly speak to Tom. He asks her to tell him what’s going on and assures her he only drove Mae to work because she was so upset. Mary is vague, but says she’s just thinking about everything: sex, love, and death. Tom gets annoyed that she won’t communicate with him. She says she has to have someone to communicate to, and that he is no longer her ‘to’. Charlie and Loretta stop by after Tom leaves, and Loretta shows them that she can still move her feet. Although Charlie thinks he might have a plan to keep from getting evicted, they ask Mary if they can move in there temporarily if Charlie’s plan falls through. Mary said they can absolutely stay there… even if she isn’t there. Tom and Mae chat at work, and Mae tells him that Mary has every right to be mad, and that she is only acting that way because she loves him so much. Tom and Mae talk about how they are friends, but it will be a strange friendship since they will rarely see each other. They keep pressing the point that they are good friends, and Mae tearfully tells him to not let anything get him down. Mary and Tom go over to Mary’s parents’ house to watch Steve on TV. Johnny Tilson (Jeff Altman) introduces his first guest actress Kate Walters (Kim O’Brien), who talks about her new movie, a remake of Johnny Belinda, and how she had to learn sign language. She asks Johnny to bring Steve out to the stage, and it is clear they have a romantic relationship brewing. Cathy is furious and runs out of the room. Ray remembers that a man brought an envelope for Martha, and when she opens, she bursts into tears and then faints. It is a note warning her that unless her husband drops out of the union election, the compromising photos of George will be plastered all over the newspaper. 12/10/22
• 049. Episode #1.49 – 3/11/1976
  • Tom finds Mary sitting in the kitchen in a daze at 4am, and she shares with him that she has been thinking about a diamond-shaped model she read about that indicates that men reach their sexual peak at 18, whereas women don’t reach it until they are 40. It won’t be until they are both 60 where they reach the same level at the same time, during which neither will want sex. Mary is adamant that there is more ‘out there’, which angers Tom, who tells her that she has everything a woman could want. Tom leaves, and Grandpa comes over and joins her for coffee. He tells her that the secret to life is to find the one thing you like and keep doing it, but she needs to find her thing. He suggests joining the Navy if she wants to get away from Tom and Heather. After he leaves, she starts cleaning and climbs under the sink. Cathy comes over to tell her that she is worried about losing Steve. Loretta joins them and tells them about a new song she is writing called Ballad of a Legless Woman. When Mary tells them about the sex theory, Loretta contradicts it by telling her that Charlie’s sexual appetite grows stronger every day. Mary tells the ladies she wants to be alone and then breaks down in tears after they leave. Grandpa returns and tells her that Murray the assistant butcher has died. He makes her a sandwich and they watch TV together, which talks about adopted children who have been integrated with families with natural children. 3/7/23 
• 050. Episode #1.50 – 3/12/1976
  • Dr. Fermin calls Loretta and tells her that her x-rays show nothing and that her injuries appear to be in a spontaneous remission. Charlie comes home and brings Loretta a buffet of fast food that he picked up while looking for a job. Since they own money on their loans, Charlie has decided to raffle off tickets for a TV, which he will buy after selling enough raffle tickets. Meanwhile, Cathy dresses up to welcome Steve home, thinking that he might leave her after all the attention he has received on his book tour. George comes home for lunch and try to make amends with Martha, who is having a hard time forgiving him for the pictures that she saw. He swears that he was framed because of his run for the union office. Although she doesn’t want to look at him, she supposes she will be okay at night in bed when the lights are off. Mary comes to see Loretta and speculate on what Mary’s ‘thing’ is. Loretta says she assumed it had been Tom and Heather and their house, but then comes to think that it is Mary’s communication skills. Charlie goes to the plant to sell tickets to his former co-workers. After selling a few, the foreman “Tiny” Earl (Hugh Gillen) tells him that he has to get off the property. Tom tries to intervene on Charlie’s behalf, but Tiny tells him to either keep quiet or he is fired. Charlie thinks this is abysmal treatment, so he punches Tiny in the face. 3/7/23
• 051. Episode #1.51 – 3/15/1976
  • As Loretta tries to compose a new song in Mary’s kitchen, Mary is distracted trying to come up with something to do with her ‘thing’, which Loretta has pinpointed as communication. She considers the possibility of becoming a talk show host in the vein of Dinah Shore. Tom comes home and attempts to tell Loretta that Tom was arrested, bailed out by George, and then had the charges dropped. However, his communication is lacking, and Mary lets him know about it since she now considers herself a communication expert. Tom gets free and comes to see Loretta at Mary’s place. He is thrilled to see how well she is walking. After they leave, Tom tells Mary that she is driving him crazy, especially when she returns to the topic of their love life and how they are out of sync. George and Martha discuss the situation with Charlie, and George tells her that he was asking for trouble since they negotiated a contract that said that workers who do not work at the plant lose their privilege of visiting the place. However, George is grateful that Martha has forgiven him for the pictures, especially since it has led to more intimacy. Cathy comes home and expresses her concern again that Steve might not have use for her any longer since he has become published and famous. Charlie admits to Loretta that he is concerned about his job and money situation, but they both believe that God will provide for them. Clayde Muncie stops by and tells them that he accidentally sent a vocal track outtake of Loretta to his brother, an A&R man at a record studio. He tells them that he liked it so well that he is laying down a music track and wants to cut a single with it. Charlie and Loretta are both ecstatic, and Loretta is convinced that this is a sign from God that he hasn’t forgotten them. 3/15/23
• 052. Episode #1.52 – 3/16/1976
  • Steve returns home from New York and nothing seems to be different on his end. Cathy admits all of her insecurities and jealousy but realizes that she had nothing to be worried about. Meanwhile, Grandpa laments to Martha that he’s bored with watching cartoon and wishes he could get a job. Tom stops by looking for Mary and tells them that he was sent home for selling Charlie’s raffle tickets at work. He also asks Martha is she’s noticed a big change in the way Mary’s mind wanders. When Heathers stops by, Tom has to tell her why he was sent home, and she asks if it would help if she wrote a note like Mary did for her when she got sent home from school. Mary talks to Cathy about the fact that they seem to be on different levels with Cathy always happy. George and Martha discuss Tom’s predicament at work, with George having no sympathy for Tom’s constant complaints. Martha notes how both Tom and Mary are so dissatisfied with their home life. Cathy comes over and announces that she is going to Hollywood with Steve, who has gotten a job to consult on a film, and they plan to get married. Martha is shocked and George is annoyed. Mary and Tom discuss the things on their mind, with Tom accusing Mary of not being available to listen to his problems. She gets annoyed that he doesn’t seem to think she has anything of importance on her mind. She tells him that she understands why he is annoyed that he’s lost his sexual drive. He claims that he doesn’t want her understanding, while she states that all she wants is his understanding. Mary heads to the library, where she meets Ms. Mona McKenzie (Sallie Jones), whom the librarian Mrs. Delorean (Iris Korn) says might be conducting some seminars on sex at the library. Mary claims to have ‘friends’ who might need her services as a sex therapist. 3/15/23
• 053. Episode #1.53 – 3/17/1976
  • After Cathy announces that she and Steve will be moving to Hollywood and getting married, George starts to warm up to the idea of having a celebrity relative. Meanwhile, Tom comes to ask George if he will support him in the disciplinary hearing with the company and the union. When he doesn’t get a satisfactory answer, Tom tells George that he is going to run against him in the union election. Mary has Charlie and Loretta open and they tell her all about how their faith has helped them through all of their issues. However, Loretta and Charlie each start to worry when they realize that Loretta has signed a one-page contract without actually reading it. Mary has Mona McKenzie over and tells her about how Tom doesn’t seem interested in her any longer. She tells Mary that she’s able to resolve most problems as a surrogate asl long as she has the buy-in from everyone involved. Mary doesn’t catch the fact that she says that she’s not only a sex therapist, but also a surrogate. Steve gets a visit from actress Kate Walters, and they sleep together. He tells Kate that there’s nothing to his relationship with Cathy. She comes home and catches them in bed and throws down her engagement ring, which Steve scoops up and offers to Kate. 4/3/23
• 054. Episode #1.54 – 3/18/1976
  • After Cathy finds Steve in bed with Kate, she throws down the ring and storms out. Martha, Mary, and Loretta are planning a wedding shower for Cathy when she arrives home in tears demanding that no one talk to her. Mary decides to respect her privacy, while Martha wants to go comfort her. Martha feels like a failure as a mother since both of her daughters have so much trouble with men. Mary admits she always wanted to have a home like she saw on The Donna Reed Show. Loretta compliments Mary’s ability to analyze the situation using big words. Her mother also says she’s the best communicator and that she should talk to Cathy. In the meantime, Cathy watches an old movie, The Nun’s Story, and decides to renounce all men… but thankfully not to become a nun. Martha doesn’t want Cathy to become an old maid, and Mary echoes that she doesn’t want her to sour on every man, as there are some good ones out there. Mary reminds Cathy that her relationships can’t be built on a lack of self-worth. Cathy tells Mary she could be a counselor, even though she hasn’t changed her mind on anything. Later while Mary is cooking dinner, Dennis stops by to tell Mary that he can’t stop thinking about her. Mary tells him that she has to make dinner and suggests that he find someone who is single. Cathy stops by all made-up and tells Mary she realizes that no man she’s ever met is good enough for her. Dennis then offers to take Cathy out for dinner, and Cathy accepts. Mary tries to dissuade her and then realizes that it bothers her that Dennis is going out with her sister. 8/14/23
• 055. Episode #1.55 – 3/19/1976
  • Mary tries to call Mona late one night so that they can get together, but she hangs up quickly when Tom walks in. Meanwhile, Martha pleads with George to tell her what is wrong as he paces around the kitchen. He admits that he’s upset that they’ve taken his name off of the union ballot since he’s over the hill. He blames Tom and forbids him from ever entering his house again. Cathy tells her parents that she is over Steve now that she has found Sgt. Dennis Foley and fallen for him. Martha thinks that it will be good to have a cop in the family. Over at Charlie and Loretta’s house, Charlie brings home a Billboard magazine that says that Loretta’s song Baby Boy might become a regional chartbuster. They both feel like the Lord is watching over them, but Loretta realizes that it won’t make her a millionaire and that they are still facing foreclosure on their house. Loretta works on her new song How Can You Say You Don’t Love Me When You Never Could Talk at All? based on Steve’s break-up with Cathy. Clyde the engineer calls and tells Charlie that Loretta should be getting the check in the mail for the single… probably. Charlie makes good on his promise to draw the name for the raffle down at the plant, even though he knows he isn’t welcome there. Tom and George have it out about their different grievances with the plant, with Tom reminding George that he used to fight the system when he was younger too. Charlie raffles off the TV outside at the plant, even though he winds up losing money on the deal. He comes inside and tells Tom and George that it really doesn’t make much difference since he’s going to be rich as a music publisher. Earl “Tiny” approaches Charlie, and he thinks he is going to be thrown out, but Tiny actually wants to congratulate Charlie on Loretta’s success with her new song. He offers to get Charlie’s job application bumped up on the job waiting list. Charlie is unsure if he wants the job at this point, but Tom and Charlie convince him that the job would be a bird in the hand until the royalties start rolling in. That night, Tom questions Mary why she is meddling in Cathy’s relationship with Dennis. She tells Tom that he is doing the same thing with the workers at the plant by trying to teach them something about themselves. Mary becomes angry at Tom because he is shutting down her ‘counseling’, which she finds important. Mona calls and sets up an appointment for sex therapy for her, even though Mary won’t tell Tom about it. 8/14/23
• 056. Episode #1.56 – 3/22/1976
  • As Mary tries to make a pineapple pie for her visit with Mona, Cathy tries to talk to Mary about Dennis. Mary doesn’t want to talk about it and tells Cathy that she is getting on her nerves. She sends Cathy over to talk to Loretta about her instead. Loretta is interested in listening to her, but she gets a phone call from someone claiming to be Charlie’s first wife Muriel Fawcett Hagers, and that she is planning to come for a vit. Meanwhile, Dennis comes looking for Cathy at Mary’s house and they share a few awkward minutes together before Mona shows up and Dennis goes next door to get Cathy. Mona agrees to go along with Mary’s ruse that she and Mona were old friends from school. Tom comes home and meets Mona for the first time. Mary tells Tom that they were best friends from grade school, then leaves them alone together while she goes to get coffee. Tom tells Mona that he’s surprised that Mary is leaving him alone with a beautiful woman. Mona tells Tom that she is a sex therapist. Cathy and Dennis hang out with Loretta for a while until Charlie comes home. After they leave, Loretta asks Charlie about Muriel. Charlie admits that he was married before Loretta but reminds her that he tried to tell her about Muriel, and Loretta didn’t want to hear about it. She recalls this, but also feels dumb that she didn’t know her husband has been married before. Charlie does not want to see Muriel and tells Loretta that she is the scariest person that he ever met. 8/28/23
• 057. Episode #1.57 – 3/23/1976
  • Loretta visits Mary and tells her about Charlie’s first wife. Mary doesn’t think it is as bad as is sounds since they are officially divorced. She tells Loretta that every cloud has a silver lining but advises her to not invite her to stay with them. Mary tells Loretta about Mona and that she is a sex surrogate, but she really doesn’t understand what that means. In the other room, Tom is having a nice discussion with Mona, but he also really doesn’t understand what she does to “help people” with their sex problems. Tom connects with her, and she tells him about her dreams of being an opera singer. He tells her how he was always interested in playing sports, and has always known there is something more interesting out there. Mona hopes that she can help get into a more ‘interesting place’, but he is puzzled how she can do that. Mary comes back in and somewhat taken aback at how well they are getting along. Tom invites Mona to stay for dinner when Mary clearly doesn’t want her to stay. Tom says he tinks he knows Mona better than Mary ever has. When they start talking about Mona’s sex therapy, Mary says that even Tom has things to learn. this leads to a fight between them. When Mary is out of the room, Mona tells tom that he needs to be more patient with Mary, as she really wants their relationship to improve. Meanwhile, Loretta and Charlie sit at home sulking and pontificating about Muriel’s upcoming visit. Loretta is scared to death since Charlie has already mentioned that Muriel brings doom where she goes. She asks Charlie if Muriel had really ‘put a hurt’ on him when they separated. She also rhetorically asks if she is coming back to finish some unfinished business with Charlie. 12/6/23
• 058. Episode #1.58 – 3/24/1976
  • Charlie appears to be having nightmares about his ex-wife Muriel, but when his fear turns into giggling sounds while saying his name, Loretta becomes even more concerns. When Charlie wakes up, he explains that he also had a little dog named Muriel when he was a kid, and it was the dog Muriel that was making him giggle. They then receive an unexpected call from Muriel as soon as the sun starts to come up. Charlie tries to put her off, but Loretta would rather face the problem, so she invites her to come over to their house for dinner that evening. Meanwhile, Mary has come over to her parents’ house to tell Cathy something, but when she isn’t there, Mary falls asleep at the kitchen table. Dennis then brings Cathy home form a date very early in the morning and wakes Mary up. When Cathy leaves the room, Mary questions Dennis on what he is doing with her sister. She warns him not to hurt her, and he admits to Mary that if he can’t have Mary Hartman, then he wants to have the next best thing… her sister Cathy. Dennis tells Mary how sweet and special she is, and then kisses her. Although Mary initially kisses him back, she pulls away and then feel awful about herself. Cathy returns with a wrapped gift for Dennis, but he bids a hasty exit and tells her that he’ll get the gift when they go out later that night. Later that day while Mary is clipping coupons, Cathy comes over to visit with her. Mary tells her that Dennis isn’t right for her, that he is a skirt chaser, and that she saw how much he was drooling over Mona when he saw her at their house. Cathy has advice of her own for Mary and tells her to get rid of Mona since she will wind up being “another woman.” Cathy seems to know exactly what a sex therapist does, but Mary only thinks she will help Tom be better at it. Although Charlie is still suffering from a sense of doom at Muriel’s arrival, Loretta cleans up the house and makes a nice dinner for them. However, she forgets the main course of chicken fried steak, so she sends Charlie to pick some up. As soon as he leaves, Muriel (Elsie Downey aka L.C. Downey) shows up an hour early to the dinner, with Loretta alone to face her. 12/6/23
• 059. Episode #1.59 – 3/25/1976
  • When Muriel arrives at Charlie and Loretta’s house while Charlie is out at the market, Loretta lets her in. Although Loretta thinks she has a strange haircut with an odd curl covering up the right side of her face, and Muriel freaking out if Loretta gets close to touching her face, they are nice as can be to each other as they get to know each other. Loretta tells her about her dreams of becoming a country -western superstar. Muriel tells her how cute she is, and how happy she is to see Charlie happy. She says that even though she’s had a hard time in life, she is thrilled with their happiness. Loretta offers up their spare bedroom for Muriel to stay. When Charlie gets home, he apologizes profusely for making Loretta face Muriel alone, but Loretta tells him that Muriel is as nice as can be. Charlie reminds Loretta that he warned her how she can be and tells Loretta she is just trying to take her in but is a truly evil person. Loretta thinks that Charlie might be masking an attraction to Muriel by talking about her badly. Meanwhile, Dennis stops over at Mary’s place to wait for Cathy for their date that night. Dennis tries to comfort an uptight Mary by rubbing her shoulders and telling her that touching is loving. Mary backs away from him, just as Cathy comes home to meet him. Mary tells Cathy to call her promptly at 8:00pm but jumps down her throat when Cathy asks her why. Tom also comes home and finds out that Mary has invited Mona over. Tom doesn’t want any more part of Mona, as he thinks she only talks about her job as a sex therapist. Mary tells Tom that he needs to keep his mind open by using doors and windows as a metaphor. When Tom starts to argue, Mary starts shaking and saying she is cold. Her cries start to turn to screams, and Tom puts his body against hers to warm her and calm her down, until eventually she falls asleep. Charlie and Loretta sit in the living room with Muriel, and as soon as Loretta leaves the room, Charlie asks Muriel why she came. They talk about all of the fighting they used to do, but one incident sticks out in the mind of Muriel: the time they were running the restaurant that her father bought for them, and a robber entered the place and pulled a gun on Charlie. This caused him to throw up his hands, which were holding a pan of grease, and hit Muriel in the face with the grease. Muriel admits to Charlie that since her life was ruined by him, she is now here to kill his dream and ruin his life as well. 12/10/23
• 060. Episode #1.60 – 3/26/1976
  • Mary nervously prepares for the visit from Mona, nervously putting out nuts and spilling them all over the floor. When Mona arrives, Mary gets her talking to Tom, and then receives her call from 8:00pm phone call from Cathy that she told her to make, leaving Tom and Mona alone in the house. Mary goes over to Loretta’s house, where she meets Muriel. When Charlie tells Muriel it’s probably time that she go back to her motel, Loretta tells him that she invited Muriel to stay at the house. Muriel takes a liking to Mary and tells her how nice she is, and that she has the same admiration for her that she has for Charlie and Loretta. When Loretta takes Muriel upstairs to show her around the room, Mary confides in Tom that she doesn’t like Muriel. Tom tells Mary that she is very perceptive to see through Muriel’s facade, admitting that he was starting to think that he was the only one who wasn’t out of step with reality. Although Mary doesn’t fully understand what he’s talking about, she reiterates that she doesn’t like Muriel. Meanwhile, Dennis and Cathy have drinks at a bar, and Cathy confronts Dennis about his feelings for Mary. Dennis admits that he had feelings for Mary but won’t give specifics on his current feelings for her. In the end, they decide to head back to Dennis’s place together. Back at the Hartman residence, Mona and Tom spend time alone and they discuss Mona’s work as a sex therapist. She says she was dating a psychologist who had a patient who had performance anxiety in bed. She says that her job as a surrogate entailed substituting herself as a surrogate in order to help get the man’s confidence back. She says that sometimes the marriage suffers from other problems and distractions, so the wife can’t always separate small everyday problems and arguments from the sex. Tom compares this to the way Mary doesn’t have time to listen to Tom talk about all of the problems that he is going through at work. Mona also says that sometimes her help manifests itself as actual sex, while other times, just talking will do the trick. She admits to Tom that Mary brought her into the picture to help Tom get over his anxieties and help him perform better. Although taken aback by the fact that she went to Mona rather than talk to directly to him, he seems interested in using her as the surrogate. 12/10/23
• 061. Episode #1.61 – 3/29/1976
  • Mary is worried that the problems between Tom and her are affecting Heather. Tom is unusually understanding and sensitive, causing Mary to become suspicious. She wonders what he has been talking to Mona about, and he tells her that he will do whatever they ask of him in order to fix their issues. Mary becomes curious as to exactly what that might be. Later, Mary talks to Cathy about her relationship with Dennis. Mary thinks he is just going after her because he is still in love with Mary. Cathy doesn’t seem to mind if that is true and tells her that this would likely make Dennis love her more. Mary is concerned that she will fall too hard for him, and then he will discard her. Loretta doesn’t understand why Charlie thinks so little of Muriel, and she starts to berate him and infer that he isn’t behaving like a Christian with her. Charlie insists that she is up to something and wants to break them up. They talk about the cause of the scar on Muriel’s face that she hides with her hair. Charlie reiterates the story about how he was surprised by a robber coming into the restaurant they were running with a gun, surprising him and causing him to throw his hands up in the air and flinging hot grease on her face. Loretta tells Charlie that she is very disappointed in him that he can’t bring himself to be kind to Muriel. Loretta later sits Muriel down to talk about how they had discussed her, and how Charlie had told her the story of the grease and the robber. However, Muriel tells a very different story and tells Loretta that Charlie got mad at her for wearing a pair of shoes that he didn’t like, and when she stood up to him, he threw the grease in her face. Mary calls Mona over to talk to her and tells her that she looked up the word ‘surrogate’ and wants more details about who she would be a surrogate for and what she would be doing with Tom. 4/14/24
• 062. Episode #1.62 – 3/30/1976
  • Mona further explains how her therapy works, and she tells her how she has to get physical with some men to help restore their confidence in the bedroom. Mary makes it very clear that she wants all of her therapy with Tom to take place with them fifteen feet apart, standing up, and the most contact they can have is to shake hands with each other. Loretta tells Mary about the new information she found out from Muriel about Charlie throwing the grease in her face purposely rather than by accident. Mary tells Loretta that she doesn’t trust Muriel, and she wonders if the scar on her face is even real. Loretta thinks that Mary has misjudged Muriel, but still wants to get a look at the scar to see if it is really there under her hair. She thinks she might be able to see it while Muriel is taking a nap. Meanwhile, Charlie tells Tom his woes about how Loretta is starting to see him in a different light while Muriel is there trying to ruin their life together. Tom tries to tell Charlie to be more upbeat, especially with Loretta’s song Baby Boy playing on all of the radio stations nationwide, for which Charlie and Loretta are expecting a huge check any time soon. Charlie mentions that he does think that Tom can win the Union office. He also warns Tom that if he does win that it will cause more problems with Mary since he will be working longer hours. 4/15/24
• 063. Episode #1.63 – 3/31/1976
  • Mary comes over to see Loretta while she is practicing for her next gig, and they decide to try and take a peek at Muriel’s scar while she is napping. When Mary gets a look at it, she thinks that it is the worst thing she’s ever seen. After they leave the room, it is revealed that Muriel was awake the whole time, and a smile crosses her face. Meanwhile, Cathy tells Mary that she tries to play hard-to-get with Dennis and seems to have worked as he asked her to go away for the weekend with him. When she tells Mary that she agrees to go away with him, Mary accuses her of being too needy for acceptance. When Tom gets home, Mary questions Tom as to why he is so willing to accept Mona’s sex therapy. Tom claims that the only thing on his mind is the union election, and he asks Mary to drop the line of questioning before it drives him up the wall. Mary calls Roberta to asks for help to refocus her life. Roberta recommends STET – Survival Training and Resistance Therapy. Before Tom leaves for the union election, Mary again questions Tom about Mona. He gets annoyed and heads out. Roberta then shows up at the house with sign-up materials for STET. Robert shows Mary an exercise for her to be whole and present in the moment. As they are discussing her work with STET, Roberta tells Mary that she and Dennis are still seeing each other and are virtually inseparable. She mentions that she and Dennis were planning to go away for the weekend, but Dennis just canceled unexpectedly. Mary starts to feel like she is always misreading everything. Mary rushes Roberta out and tells he that she will call her when she is ready to continue with STET. 4/16/24
• 064. Episode #1.64 – 4/1/1976
  • As Mary is browsing her STET literature, Tom comes home and announces that he won his seat as a union official. Mary wants to know what it means to her, as her life is still unfulfilling, and he now has something else to fill his. Later, Mona comes over to see Tom for a session. Tom maintains that the problems stem from Mary, but Mona convinces him that even if the problem stems from Mary it is both of their problems, because the pressure he feels causes performance anxiety. Mona suggests they resolve the issue by touching each other which will help him get over his problem. Mona convinces Tom to kiss her to prove that his issue with Mary stems from his anxiety. Muriel chats with Charlie and Loretta about her idea for a cheese-filled frankfurter. Charlie wants to know when she plans to get on with her life, and Muriel says she is thankful to be able to take a breather. Muriel also says she can move on with her life quicker if she can get hold of $10,000 to get plastic surgery for her scar. Loretta is anxious to give her the money as soon as her royalty payments arrive. The subject of the source of the scar comes up, and it comes out into the open that Muriel is saying that Charlie threw the grease in her face purposely. Charlie is furious when Loretta won’t say that she believes Charlie over her. Loretta says that it is the Christian thing to do to help Muriel, but he says that if she is lying about him, she needs to get out from under his roof. When Charlie screams at Muriel, Loretta tells Charlie that it is him who needs to shut up, and then tells Muriel that she will make sure that Charlie does his duty. After Loretta leaves the room, Muriel congratulates herself on getting off to a good start with her scheme, and then she removes the fake scar from her face. Tom gets upset by Mona now calling him “Mr. Hartman,” and he doesn’t understand what she is doing to him. Tom says he doesn’t want any part of messing around with his wife’s friend in their own house. Mona admits that she only met Mary a week ago and that she is only there in her professional capacity as a sex therapy. Tom is furious that Mary tricked him, Mary is furious that Mona kissed Tom, but Mona claims that this was merely her job as a professional. After they throw her out, she tells them that she’ll send her a bill. Angry at Tom for allowing Mona to kiss him, Mary tries to talk Tom into stop putting up barriers and join STET. 4/16/24

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