Ep 1. Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?

In the season five premiere of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, titled "Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?," the beloved WJM-TV news producer finds herself in a predicament when she unknowingly gets caught up in a scam. Mary's former academic advisor from college contacts her, asking for a favor - to pick up a "package" from a guy at the airport while he's out of town. Mary, being the helpful person she is, agrees to do so.

However, when Mary picks up the package, she is promptly arrested by the police for possession of drugs. It turns out the package contained a large amount of hashish, and Mary is completely unaware of how it got there. As she's being interrogated by the police, Mary is in a state of shock and disbelief. Her boss, Lou Grant, rushes to the station to see what's going on and to stand by his friend.

As the investigation progresses, Mary is interrogated by a DEA agent and faces the possibility of going to jail. She quickly realizes that her reputation - both personal and professional - is on the line and that her future at WJM-TV may be in jeopardy. Lou and her coworkers are supportive, but Mary can't shake the feeling that her life is unraveling before her eyes.

Throughout the episode, we see Mary grappling with her situation and trying to figure out how to clear her name. She seeks the advice of her lawyer, the sympathetic but legalistic Mr. Tyler, who tells her that she may need to implicate her former advisor in order to exonerate herself. Mary struggles with the moral implications of this decision, knowing that it could ruin her mentor's career and reputation.

Meanwhile, Lou and the WJM news team are working on a story about the connection between college students and drug trafficking. Lou personally takes on Mary's case and goes to her advisor's house to ask for his help in clearing Mary's name. The advisor is reluctant at first, but ultimately agrees to help set the record straight.

As the episode comes to a close, Mary is fully exonerated and learns that her advisor was indeed responsible for the drug trafficking. She is relieved and elated, but also saddened that her trust in someone she looked up to was so misplaced. She ultimately decides to take the high road and not reveal her advisor's wrongdoing to the authorities, but instead to let him face the consequences of his own actions.

"Will Mary Richards Go to Jail?" is a tense and emotional episode that showcases the strength and resilience of its central character, Mary Richards. She faces one of the most challenging situations of her life, and ultimately emerges from it with her integrity intact. The episode also touches on important themes such as trust, loyalty, and the impact of one's actions on those around them. Fans of The Mary Tyler Moore Show will not want to miss this gripping season premiere.