Lou Grant

Immigration reform, hate crimes against gay people, teen pregnancy, illiteracy, eminent domain, Ponzi schemes, etc. If I stop here and ask you to finish this, you might conclude with a summary about Bernie Madoff or other recent event.

But these are just some of the many subjects shown weekly on Lou Grant from 1977 to 1982. The stories are over 30 years old but amazingly still every bit as relevant in today's society as they were then. And just as amazing was the incredible risk Mary Tyler Moore's MTM Enterprises took when she transitioned to producing a hard-hitting drama from 2 decades of comedy experience. After winning 3 Golden globes, 23 other awards, and 61 various nominations (IMDB 2012), the show has proved worth the risk in a big way.

I didn't have the education or knowledge of world events (such as it is) to appreciate the show's content when it first aired. But I'm glad I rediscovered and watched these episodes while in a nostalgic mood. Now, I can greatly appreciate how progressive MTM and her staff were in the production of Lou Grant and its relevance to today's events.

Another great MTM studio production from the 70's taking the major risk of re-setting a familiar comedic character - the boozy, boorish TV editor Lou Grant as the central character in a 50 minute topical drama set in a major city news-room.

Like its MTM comedy predecessors, likewise invariably named after one character "Lou Grant" of course isn't just about Lou, it's more about the interplay with an ensemble of strong, supporting characters. Better yet, the plot-lines were literate and credible slices of real life, often centring on corruption in high places, with the leg-work being done by the two bright young reporters Joe Rossi, played by Robert Walden and Billie, played by Linda Kelsey. Also in support are beatnik photographer Animal, presumably named after one of the Muppets, the style-conscious sub-editor Art Donovan and at the top end of the paper, its matriarch publisher Mrs Pynchon and her right hand man, Charlie Hulme. Edward Asner in the title role did a fine job re-inventing himself as the pugnacious but principled title character. The whole programme could have failed if his character had failed its transition but this was never in doubt right from the first episode I've recently re-watched.

The plots invariably involved some sort of moral dilemma for one of the characters, not unnaturally given the post-Watergate interest in newspapers and their role in exposing dirty deeds done in high places. Critics might argue against the show's occasional bleeding-heart liberalism, but I remember it just as high quality US drama and staying up till well after 11 o'clock to watch it in the days before video recorders.

In its wake came other MTM hit series like "Hill Street Blues" and "St Elsewhere" but I think I enjoyed this series even better than those. Bad fashion sense aside and even conceding the much lesser role that newspapers play in news dissemination today, I don't think this show has aged much at all, a testimony to good writing and good acting all round.

James L. Brooks (As Good as it Gets, Terms of Endearment) was one of the producers and acted as executive producer of the fabulous series. Edward Asner (Mary Tyler Moore Show, Down on the Waterfront) played Lou Grant in a spin off of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. The editor of the L.A. Tribune. Nancy Marchand (Dear God ) Margaret Pynchon was the big boss and owner of the newspaper. She would show up occasionally with her good advice, a walking cane, and wearing a very expensive suit. Although she was the head, she was very nice. Mason Adams (From the Earth to the Moon) was Charlie Hume, Managing Editor. Robert Walden (All the President's Men) Joe Rossi, was a reporter. Linda Kelsey (The Midnight Man) played Billie Newman McCovey who was a very smart reporter. The most interesting thing about this show was the serious journalism they engaged in providing for the audience. The issues raised on the show were very current. It raised some controversy which might have affected the future existence of the show. It was an outstanding series. It was nice to see Lou Grant more mature in his carrier as a journalist. The series was nominated for and won the most prestigious awards in the U.S. such as: Emmy, Golden Globe, American Cinema Editors, USA, Directors Guild of America, USA, Human Family Educational & Cultural Institute, USA, Won Humanitas. The series was done by very intelligent people and demonstrated that television can be good when the people doing the show are bright. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Good shows like Lou Grants are not readily available.

An earlier reviewer's "bleeding heart" references suggest a right-wing orientation. Perhaps this explains his sweeping but unsubstantiated comments concerning how this show's episodes were developed. "Lou Grant" was created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns, the writer-producers behind "Mary Tyler Moore," and Gene Reynolds, the force behind the TV incarnation of "M*A*S*H," who became the sole Executive Producer in the second year. Younger producers under Reynolds included Seth Freeman from "The Waltons" and Gary David Goldberg. However convenient it may be for people with an agenda to think otherwise the producers, not the star, dictated the content. There's no evidence Edward Asner ever suggested a single storyline, and plenty of testimony crediting others.

The entire MTM library was sold several times after Grant Tinker divested himself in order to run NBC. The likelihood of ever again seeing this fine show, which won 16 Emmys, two Humanitas prizes, and the Peabody Award, is absolutely zilch. Write to 20th Century Fox Television if you'd like the chance to see it, but don't expect to get anywhere.

In the UK this series was not networked, but in the regions of the country it was shown it collected a devoted following. Ed Asner played his roll with gusto, but with help from the excellent cast, the show began to resemble more of a documentary than a drama, as it bravely tackled contemporary social issues and concerns. American import shows had never been like this, living a fantasy world of copsnrobbers, witches and talking horses, but this was perhaps the start of a new wave? which would include shows like 'Quincy' and 'Soap'. It was apparent when this was being run in the UK that the American far right did not like the show one bit! regarding it as wet liberalism . However in countries where it was shown, it possibly showed a compassionate side of America in which it did have concerns for the ' loosers ' as well as the winners in life. Theme tune must be a classic also? Don't think it could be made in the USA today?