Ep 24. The 45-Year-Old Man

Mary Richards is a young woman in her 30s who works as an associate producer in a TV news station. In this episode, a man named Ed Orville, who claims to be 45 years old, comes into the WJM newsroom searching for a job as a news broadcaster. Despite his lack of experience and the fact that he looks older than he claims, Lou Grant, the news director, decides to give him a chance.

At first, Ed seems to be doing well. He speaks with conviction and delivers the news in a straightforward manner. However, as time passes, his strange behaviors start to raise concerns among the staff. Murray, one of the news writers, discovers that Ed's background story is fake and that he's actually 62 years old.

The news of Ed's real age spreads quickly in the newsroom. Mary and her colleagues feel betrayed by him and are convinced that Lou will fire him immediately. But Lou, who is initially shocked by the news, decides to keep Ed on because he believes that age shouldn't matter in a profession like journalism.

As the news team prepares for their broadcast, Ed's true age comes to light during a live breaking news segment and affects his credibility as a newscaster. Though Ed tries to maintain his composure and professionalism, he becomes a target of crude jokes and whispers in the newsroom.

Meanwhile, Mary is struggling with her own set of issues. Her former boyfriend, Howard, has returned from his business trip and wants to see her. Mary is torn between her lingering feelings for Howard and her new relationship with her current boyfriend, Joe.

In the end, Lou decides to give Ed another chance by offering him a job behind the scenes. Mary also faces her dilemma and decides to choose Joe over Howard, but not before having a heart-to-heart conversation with Lou about her personal life.

The episode ends with Ed leaving the newsroom, defeated but still positive about his life and prospects. Mary and Lou discuss the challenges of age and relationships, and how people need to accept change and grow from their experiences.

Overall, The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode 24 explores the themes of age, prejudice, and personal growth in a mature and witty way, making it a classic episode of the series.