Ep 21. Rain Snow and Rice

That Girl is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971, starring Marlo Thomas as Ann Marie, an aspiring actress trying to make her way in New York City. The show is notable for being one of the first television series to focus on a single woman who was neither a wife nor a mother as its central character.

In Season 1, Episode 21, titled Rain, Snow, and Rice, we find our intrepid heroine, Ann, faced with a series of comedic misadventures as she tries to navigate the unpredictable path of life and love in the big city.

The episode opens on a dreary, rain-soaked Manhattan day. Ann, ever the optimist, is determined not to let the inclement weather dampen her spirits. Armed with her trusty umbrella and a can-do attitude, she embarks on what she assumes will be a regular day of auditions and meetings. However, as the title Rain, Snow, and Rice hints, Ann's day will be anything but ordinary.

As she maneuvers through the busy streets, Ann's sunny disposition is met with various challenges. A sudden snowfall creates hurdles—quite literally—as Ann slips and slides on the slush-covered sidewalks. Dressed in her best audition outfit, the actress is comically unprepared for the quick change in weather, epitomizing the phrase "when it rains, it pours."

Ann's day continues to go awry as she arrives at an audition where the theme of being out of one’s element is further explored. The set for the audition is chaos personified - a flurry of actors, props, disarray and confusion, all metaphorical to the day’s weather. Amid the hectic atmosphere, Ann tries to maintain her professionalism and showcase her talent. Her ability to persist amid the disorder parallels her resilience against the challenges of the day. But, in true sitcom fashion, her audition is a series of near-misses and humorous mishaps, with Ann often being in the wrong place at just the wrong time.

The title’s mention of rice doesn’t become clear until Ann receives an unexpected invitation that has a potential romantic overtone. The prospect of this develops into a subplot, providing the romantic comedy element which is integral to the series. Ann anticipates a simple, romantic outing, but instead, she is met with an unanticipated situation which involves rice—a symbol commonly associated with weddings. The irony of these romantic misinterpretations underlines the episode's theme reflecting Ann's misadventures with mother nature and her personal life, as well as her efforts to find her footing both professionally and romantically.

As audience members, we get to enjoy the subtleties of Ann’s encounters—from her dismay at the weather betraying her plans to the symbolism rice brings into play against the backdrop of her single girl status. The writing cleverly intertwines her professional aspirations with her private aspirations, highlighting the societal expectations of a young woman in the 1960s.

Throughout the episode, Ann is surrounded by a colorful cast of characters, including her supportive boyfriend, Donald Hollinger played by Ted Bessell, her doting parents, Lew Marie (Lew Parker) and Helen Marie (Rosemary DeCamp), and her well-intentioned but often oblivious agent, Harvey Peck (George Carlin). Their interactions with Ann provide both comedic relief and a support network for her as she stumbles through her chaotic day.

Character development is key in this episode, and viewers witness the depth of Ann's determination and her ability to maintain a sense of humor in the face of adversity.

The episode artfully combines physical comedy with heartfelt moments, a testament to Marlo Thomas’s range as an actress. Her portrayal of Ann’s fortitude in the midst of slapstick calamities earns the empathy of the audience while also delivering the laughs.

By the end of Rain, Snow, and Rice, viewers will have been taken on a whirlwind journey along with Ann that is every bit as unpredictable as the weather that set the whole story in motion. Without giving away how the episode resolves, it's safe to say that by the time the credits roll, we're reminded of Ann's resilience and the importance of maintaining one’s spirit even when life throws you curveballs—or in this case, weather-related chaos.

Like many episodes of That Girl, this one balances the comedic with the poignant, encapsulating the essence of the show which relies on humor and warmth to address the challenges of being an independent woman pursuing a career and navigating the ups and downs of personal relationships during an exciting but also complex era.