Yesterday I was watching what episodes of “Mary” that exist on YouTube. The Mary Tyler-Moore variety show flop. You only usually see this one bad musical number where David Letterman and Michael Keaton and crew are in a horribly cheesy dance number wearing football jerseys.
BUT… the surprise is while not all successful, it actually had the makings of a really funny show. It was attempting a kind of meta version of the Carol Burnett Show. Sketches that take place in Mary’s Hollywood house, on the old set of the MTM show, backstage, the cast meeting up “after the show.” Some of it sailed right above the live audience.
One of the 2 full episodes on there includes actual outtakes, reshoots, etc, so very fascinating. I expected a trainwreck, but found myself laughing.
Dick Shawn, who in one scene can flat-out dance, Letterman, Keaton, Swoosie Kurtz, Jim Hampton… it was destined not to work, but give it a view if you haven’t seen it. Tell me I’m crazy.