Ep 10. Assistant Wanted, Female

Mary Richards, the protagonist of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, is a young and ambitious woman who has just landed her dream job at WJM-TV in Minneapolis as an associate producer of the daily news program. In season 1 episode 10, titled "Assistant Wanted, Female," Mary's boss Lou Grant, the tough but lovable news director, tells her that she needs to hire an assistant to help her with the workload.

Mary is excited at the prospect of having an assistant, but soon realizes that finding a qualified woman for the job is not as easy as she thought. Her first applicant is a ditzy receptionist who can't even answer the phone properly, while her second is a woman who is overqualified for the job and makes Mary feel insecure about her own abilities.

Meanwhile, Mary's friend Rhoda Morgenstern, who lives in the same apartment building as her, is going through a rough patch in her life. Rhoda is newly divorced and struggling to make ends meet, so Mary suggests that she apply for the job. Rhoda is hesitant at first, as she knows nothing about the field of television production, but Mary convinces her to give it a shot.

Rhoda arrives at WJM-TV for her interview wearing a flashy outfit and speaking in a thick New York accent, which immediately puts Lou off. He thinks Rhoda is too unpolished and unsophisticated for a job at the station, and tells Mary that he doesn't want her to hire her friend.

However, Mary sees potential in Rhoda and believes that she can do the job if given a chance. She convinces Lou to let Rhoda work as a temporary assistant for a week, and promises that she will let her go if she doesn't perform well.

Despite initial misgivings, Rhoda proves to be a quick learner and a hard worker. She impresses Mary with her ideas and her ability to take charge of difficult situations, and soon becomes an indispensable member of the news team.

However, not everyone is happy with Rhoda's success. Ted Baxter, the vain and clueless news anchor, feels threatened by her and believes that she is trying to steal his job. He makes snide remarks to her and tries to undermine her authority, but Rhoda takes it all in stride and refuses to be intimidated by him.

In the end, Mary has to make a tough decision about Rhoda's future at the station. She knows that Lou wants her to let Rhoda go, but she also knows that Rhoda has proven herself to be a valuable asset to the team. Will Mary stand up for her friend and fight for her job, or will she bow to pressure and let her go?

"Assistant Wanted, Female" is a classic episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show that explores issues of gender, friendship, and workplace politics in a funny and relatable way. It showcases the talents of the show's stellar cast, including Mary Tyler Moore as the plucky and determined Mary, Valerie Harper as the spunky and irrepressible Rhoda, and Ed Asner as the gruff but endearing Lou. With its witty writing, charming characters, and timeless themes, it remains a beloved and influential sitcom more than four decades after it first aired.