Ep 18. Second Story Story

The Mary Tyler Moore Show season 1 episode 18, titled "Second Story Story," is centered around the employees of WJM-TV news station attempting to come up with a unique and captivating story for their evening broadcast.

Mary Richards, a news producer for the station, is eager to find a lead for the evening news, but is struggling to come up with ideas. To make matters worse, she finds out that her coworker, Murray, has already pitched a stolen car story, leaving her with little options.

Meanwhile, the station's anchorman, Ted Baxter, is preoccupied with a charity drive where he is set to compete with other news anchors in a "dunk tank" for a good cause. Ted becomes so preoccupied with this event that he's unaware that a woman has been setting him up for embarrassment on live television.

As the news team scrambles to find a compelling story, they learn of a local woman who is convicted of attempted suicide. Mary sees an opportunity in this story and convinces the station to let her cover it for the evening news. However, as they begin to dig deeper into the story, they realize that the woman's suicide attempt might not have been what it seemed.

The episode explores themes of journalism ethics, as the team is forced to question whether or not they should report on the woman's story in full or hold back information that could potentially harm her. It also touches on the struggles of mental health and the societal stigma that often accompanies it.

Throughout the episode, the witty banter and lighthearted moments that The Mary Tyler Moore Show is known for are still present, allowing for a balance of serious and comedic moments.

Overall, "Second Story Story" is a thoughtful and entertaining episode that showcases the iconic characters and humor that have made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a classic in television history.