Watch Lou Grant

Name: Lou Grant
Genre: Drama
Released: 1977-09-20
Cast: Ed AsnerRobert WaldenLinda KelseyMason AdamsJack Bannon

TV-PG
1977
5 Seasons
7.3 (2,486)

Lou Grant is an American television drama series which aired on the Fox Network from 1977 to 1982. The show was created by Gene Reynolds and James L. Brooks and starred veteran actor Ed Asner in the titular role of Lou Grant. The show was a spin-off from the popular CBS sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

Lou Grant is a drama series that focuses on the world of newspaper journalism. The show takes place at the fictional Los Angeles Tribune, where Lou Grant is the editor-in-chief. The show explores the lives and careers of the Tribune's reporters and features realistic depictions of the ethical dilemmas that arise in journalism.

The series is set in the 1970s, a time of great social change in the United States. The characters in Lou Grant are depicted as grappling with issues such as feminism, race relations, and the Vietnam War. The show is known for its realistic, hard-hitting portrayal of social issues.

Ed Asner delivers a powerhouse performance as the gruff and demanding Lou Grant. Asner imbues the character with a sense of gravitas and moral authority that makes him one of the most compelling characters in television history. Asner's performance defines the series and stands as a testament to his remarkable talent.

Alongside Asner, the cast of Lou Grant is filled with talented actors who bring their own unique contributions to the show. Robert Walden plays reporter Joe Rossi, Linda Kelsey is the Tribune's tough female reporter Billie Newman, Mason Adams plays Lou's boss Charlie Hume, Jack Bannon is the ambitious young reporter Art Donovan, Daryl Anderson is the idealistic reporter Dennis "Spider" Spivak, Nancy Marchand plays the paper's publisher Margaret Pynchon, and Rebecca Balding is art director and journalist Carla Mardigian.

Lou Grant was a ground-breaking series that tackled social issues head-on. The show was daring and controversial, exploring topics like abortion, labor unions, and environmentalism. Lou Grant was one of the first shows to introduce subtle and nuanced portrayals of gay characters and was widely praised for its progressive and sensitive depictions of homosexuality.

Despite its heavy subject matter, Lou Grant never forgets to be entertaining. The show is full of witty banter, suspenseful plot twists, and memorable characters. The writing is sharp and incisive, capturing the chaos and complexity of the newspaper industry. The show's production values are high, with impressive sets and location shoots that provide a vivid sense of place.

Overall, Lou Grant remains a classic piece of American television history. The show combines brilliant writing, compelling performances, and a deft handling of social issues to create a series that is both thought-provoking and entertaining. Lou Grant is a must-watch for anyone interested in journalism, 1970s culture, or just great storytelling.

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Seasons

5 4 3 2 1

24. Charlie

September 13, 1982

A bad day for Charlie involves firing misfits and dealing with static from reporters over their assignments; meanwhile, Donovan suspects his girlfriend is pregnant.

23. Victims

August 30, 1982

Lou is shot in an armed robbery in a parking lot, and the robber is soon killed by a police officer who has trouble dealing with his actions.

22. Beachhead

May 24, 1982

The Tribune is blamed for inflaming rivalries between surfer gangs. Billie and Ted differ on the place of a group home in their neighborhood.

21. Suspect

May 17, 1982

A rookie reporter gets in over his head when covering the death of an environmental agitator that might not have been accidental; meanwhile, Lou dates an unfaithful woman.

20. Unthinkable

May 3, 1982

As the Tribune covers the fate of a girl being treated in a burn unit, the possibility arises that a confrontation in the Middle East will lead to a nuclear war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, and the burn unit is mobilized.

19. Fireworks

April 19, 1982

Billie covers a story about a fireworks bill from the Tribune's Sacramento bureau where she encounters her ex-husband, who is now an aggressive lobbyist on behalf of the fireworks industry. Meanwhile, Lou raises ethical questions about the sponsor of an award for which the Tribune is nominated.

18. Law

April 12, 1982

The proliferation of litigation on various fronts is pursued: Billie's story on a political recall movement leads to people she named in her story being sued by the target of the recall; Lou hires Animal's brother to represent him in legal action against a crooked plumber; meanwhile, the Tribune considers switching law firms.

17. Blacklist

April 5, 1982

When one of the paper reporters' father comes to town to perform. It seems he was a folk singer in the 50's and he was blacklisted during the Communists Witch Hunts. They learn that one of the paper's reporters may have been involved with his blacklist.

16. Obituary

March 22, 1982

At the last minute, Billie is pulled from a plane that crashes. She writes the obituaries of four Tribune staffers killed. Animal has to face the dilemma of reporting the impending extinction of a moth without tipping bug collectors to its location.

15. Recovery

March 8, 1982

Rossi pursues a story about land claims by Japanese-Americans who sold cheaply prior to their forced internment during World War II, but Lou and Charlie try to stop him from following through with a key source. Billie traces a scam to a politician.

14. Hunger

March 1, 1982

Rossi makes a bet with that he can get a story from anyone on the street. And the person he chooses is a woman who goes through the garbage who gets used by still viable food. He learns that she's a nun who runs a soup kitchen and feeds indigents. But he shifts the focus of the story to how people in a Third World country are starving which doesn't make the editors happy. And Mrs. Pynchon is instructing the staff to be less wasteful which makes them crazy.

13. Immigrants

February 15, 1982

The Tribune hires an old acquaintance of Animal's from 'Nam: photographer Lee Van Tam. But Tam's domestic troubles interfere with his work. Lou tries to get out of meeting visiting relatives.

12. Review

February 8, 1982

Charlie becomes a member of a news council and finds one member who seems to have a grudge against him and the Tribune. Mrs. Pynchon asks Billie to help her write an autobiographical piece but refuses to talk about one important subject: her taking over from her late husbands at the newspaper.

11. Cameras

January 25, 1982

A stick-up at a Mr. Ginty's fast-food restaurant turns into a hostage situation with a group of birthday party kids. The possible trauma caused by this becomes a big part of the subsequent trial. Billie thinks one mother in particular is telling her son how to react and feel, but when she writes it down Lou finds her story too soft and rewrites it.

10. Ghosts

January 11, 1982

Billie investigates the death of a woman in a house that is said to be haunted. This leads her to attend a séance and search out the owners of a Ouija board.

9. Jazz

January 4, 1982

Rossi runs into a bass player that used to be in the famous Sonny Goodwin Quartet and sets about reuniting the four of them. Tribute reporters Crosley and Banks split up when Banks retires and Crosley soon falls behind on his assignment. This leads Lou to team him up with Billie.

8. Friends

December 28, 1981

When his lawyer friend Burton Cary becomes a political candidate, Rossi finds learns he's not as clean-cut as he thought. Meanwhile the entire staff becomes a bit suspicious of Art after an argument with Jerry Hollister leads to the latter suing Art as well as the Tribune.

7. Drifters

December 14, 1981

Charlie's nephew Scott comes to stay with him, and turns out to have a mental condition. But the young man refuses to take his medication. The staff is busy tracking an escaped zoo bear called Ziggy.

6. Doublecross

December 7, 1981

Billie suspects the gold cross found in a time capsule has been switched for a fake. Her investigations unearth the reasons behind an old family feud between the extremely rich side and the less rich side of the Matheson family.

5. Risk

November 30, 1981

Sharon McNeil gets a story about child pornography by promising not to reveal the names of her source. A promise her superiors at the Trib' and the L.A. police department soon want her to break. Art goes out on a helicopter jump with some volunteer rescuers and young reporter Lance has big dreams involving dating Billie and becoming the first newsman in space.

4. Hometown

November 23, 1981

When Lou goes back to his elderly home to settle his aunt's estate, he meets an old flame and gets his first story assignment in years from Charlie.

3. Reckless

November 16, 1981

Lou is arrested for driving under the influence. His sentence includes attending a group meeting which culminates in a drunk driving test. Charlie sets up a 'Private Eye' hot-line at the Tribune for people to phone in crimes. Rossi is asked to write a success story about the initiative even though he is very skeptical about it's accuracy.

2. Execution

November 9, 1981

Kitty Larsen, a young woman on death row picks Rossi to tell her story. Although hesitant at first, he soon begins to like her. But Lou has personal feelings against her because she killed a reporter from the Trib'.

1. Wedding

November 2, 1981

Billie gets a marriage proposal from Baseball scout Ted McCovney. Lou meets up with his youngest daughter Janie, who feels he's always neglected her for work.

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