Ep 9. And Now, Sitting in for Ted Baxter

In The Mary Tyler Moore Show season 2 episode 9 titled "And Now, Sitting in for Ted Baxter," the newsroom of WJM-TV is in turmoil as anchorman Ted Baxter is out with laryngitis just as the station is about to air a crucial sports report. Mary Richards is asked to step in and fill the role, but she's hesitant, as she's only worked as a producer before and has never been on-camera. Her colleagues push her to agree, and Mary reluctantly takes on the job, with the help of a notebook of prepared comments.

As Mary fumbles her way through the report, she is plagued by technical difficulties, prompting the station's engineer to yell through her earpiece to "Just keep talking!" Mary perseveres, but her nervousness on camera is palpable. Meanwhile, the rest of the newsroom is busy placing bets on whether Mary will make it through the report without a major gaffe.

To make matters worse, Ted's agent, Harvey, sees Mary's performance as a chance to make his client look better. He convinces Ted to come to the station, even though he's barely recovered from his illness. Ted's arrival only adds to the chaos, as he tries to take over and ends up making things even worse.

Despite all the hurdles, Mary manages to make it through the sports report without any major slip-ups. The crew is relieved, and Mary is thrilled to have overcome her nerves and succeeded in a new task. She's especially pleased when Lou Grant, the tough but lovable news director, tells her that she did a great job.

As the episode wraps up, it's clear that Mary's newsroom colleagues are proud of her, and even Ted has a newfound respect for her abilities. Mary's performance in this episode illustrates the challenges that can arise unexpectedly in the fast-paced world of journalism, as well as the importance of being able to adapt and learn new skills quickly.