Ep 5. Keep Your Guard Up

The Mary Tyler Moore Show season 1 episode 5, titled "Keep Your Guard Up," follows Mary Richards, a single woman in her 30s working as a news producer at the fictional TV station WJM in Minneapolis. In this episode, Mary is assigned to cover a boxing match between local hero Chuckles the Clown and another boxer named Joe Flynn. Mary is hesitant about covering the fight because she does not have any knowledge or interest in boxing, but her boss Lou grants her the opportunity anyway.

Mary is excited to cover the fight and even more excited when Chuckles, whom she has worked with in the past, approaches her. However, her excitement is quickly dampened when Chuckles reveals that he has been receiving death threats and fears for his life. Mary becomes concerned, as she has grown fond of Chuckles and does not want to see anything happen to him.

Despite Chuckles' fears, the fight goes on as planned, with Mary sitting ringside. However, Joe Flynn begins to play dirty, and Chuckles is knocked to the ground. Mary is visibly shaken and concerned for Chuckles' safety. After the match, Chuckles is met with an enthusiastic crowd, but he is still worried about the threats.

Mary's concern for Chuckles leads her to do some investigating of her own. She begins digging into the threats and the possibility of Chuckles' safety being at risk. She confronts Chuckles about the situation and suggests he hire a bodyguard. Chuckles, however, is more concerned with not ruining his clean image as a clown and local hero and refuses Mary's suggestion, causing Mary to become more worried about his safety.

Meanwhile, in the newsroom, Ted Baxter, the station's egocentric news anchor, is upset that he was not chosen to cover the boxing match and instead was asked to cover a local cat show. He becomes extremely jealous of Mary's success and tries to sabotage her by spreading false information about the boxing match. He makes up a story that Chuckles is throwing the fight and spreading the story around the newsroom, causing chaos and confusion.

Eventually, Mary's persistence about Chuckles' safety pays off. She uncovers the identity of the person behind the threats, and Chuckles is able to receive protection and continue his career. The episode ends with Chuckles thanking Mary for looking out for him and Ted realizing that his jealousy was misguided.

Overall, "Keep Your Guard Up" is an entertaining episode that showcases Mary's determination and care for those around her. It also highlights Ted's selfishness and his potential to cause problems for everyone else at the station. The theme of the episode reminds viewers to keep their guard up in unexpected situations and to always look out for those in need.