Maude

If you don't watch this show, that is. I must admit, I love All in the Family, however for me this is just a bit better.

Bea Arthur was PERFECT in her role as the tough-spirited yet gullible Maude Findlay. Bill Macy was the perfect husband for her, playing Walter to a T. Conrad Bain and Rue McClanahan were wonderful as well, playing the slightly nutty Harmon's, and watching their relationship develop was a testament as to how the writers could bring two characters believably together. Rounding out the cast were Adrienne Barbeau, and the late Esther Rolle and Hermoine Baddeley.

This show also tackled as many serious subjects as All in the Family. From abortion to alcoholism, Maude and family dealt with it in a fashion that was not only informative but humorous and tasteful as well.

Maudie is back!

I am only 15 years old and was not even thought of when Maude was on CBS but I love to watch this show on TV Land. It is so funny! I am a Bea Arthur fan and I like to watch The Golden Girls and Mama's Family too so I know Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan from Golden Girls and Rue McClanahan from Mama's Family. When I first tuned in to Maude, I was suprised because I saw Rue McClanahan and her mouth was moving and I heared a womans voice but through my TV Speakers, it didn't sound like her! I eventually got used to her northeast axcent she was doing on Maude. I was so used to a southern axcent from The Golden Girls and Mama's Family. My favorite character on Maude (Other than Maude obviously) is Mrs. Naugatuck. She is too funny! I think we all recognized Hermione Baddley from Mary Poppins! She seems to be always playing a maid but I really liked the episode when Mrs. Naugatuck first came, she and Maude were useing the word "Oppinion" alot when they weren't getting along at first.

Mrs. Naugatuck: "You're very oppinionated!" Maude: "That's your oppinion."

and so on! We were filling out a survey at school on our favorite TV shows so I filled out a less obvious show for me and put Maude. Some kid in the next desk looked over at my ballet and sayed "Maude? What's that?!" My algebra teacher sayed "Oh, that's some messed up TV show in TV land. That actress is a witch! I hated her on Maude and I especially hated her on The Golden Girls," he sayed. "Also, that show is a knock off to All in the family." What I was trying to say by that is, I am glad I found positive comments on Maude because not many people in my town like that show. There is only one lady I know of that likes it, she is also a Golden Girls fan. I have alot of Golden Girls fans at my school but none for Maude. Alot in my town say they like The Golden Girls but they don't like Dorothy. I just don't understand. Well, I hope TV Land never ever ever takes Maude off the air because there is really no place else that would air it! LONG LIVE MAUDE!

I only got the chance to catch seldom episodes when it ran recently on Nick's TV Land,but I wanted to see more,but before I could seen them they took it right off the air. When CBS premiered this spin off from "All In The Family" in September of 1972,no one had the slightest idea that it would last until April of 1978 where it ran for an astounding six years.

"Maude" gave people a chance for the people of "All In The Family" to tackle the female side of issues..by creating a powerful,subtle and holds no punches as well as humorous and full of fight woman that had just as stronger views as Archie Bunker--who else couldn't keep her mouth shut! She spoke her mind on things and her her political views were extremely rare to boot! However,Maude's household was full of surprises cause you never know what can you expect especially the occurrences happening at the Findlay's. In other words,in Maude's house she didn't take no crap from any sucker cause she was the total boss of the dome! Tough-spirited yet gullible. Bill Macy was the perfect husband Walter who was an salesmen played it to the hilt! Also rounding out the cast were there next door neighbors--the nutty and slightly unpredictable Harmon's played by Rue McClanahan and Conrad Bain,and the Findley's daughter Carol played by Adrienne Barbeau and their housekeeper played by two different actresses(Seasons 1-2 played by Esther Rolle who played Florida who after this had a spin off from Maude as well called "Good Times")and Carol's son(from a previous marriage) and Maude's nephew Phillip(played by two different actors especially one of them who played the first Phillip went to star opposite Linda Lavin's son onanother CBS series "Alice").

One of the best three favorite episodes from the series was the one where Phillip was acting like a real brat. Carol and Walter were fed up with him,but Maude believed there was no such thing as a bad child. THEY WERE WRONG! She showed Phillip who was the boss around here especially when adults are in charge!

The other episode where Phillip had some friends over to the Findley's for a party complete with a live band. What made Maude so angry in that episode was that Phillip was with some friends in the back yard smoking pot while the rest of his friends really trashed the house! But anyway when Maude asked Phillip about the pot,he really gave his mom a hard time and his room and himself was smelling like pot as well and of course lied to her about it,but it was Maude that gave him a wicked back hand across his face for talking back to his mother and to her! In other words,Carol didn't know how to control Phillip when he got older,since she was a divorce parent who never took time out since Phillip's dad was never around,but it was Maude who really gave the kid a good advice and some common sense,and to Carol as well on how to raise her son!

The other episode was when The Harmon's had a special guest in the neighborhood and no one really knew it at first,but the beans leaked out and out of the blue comes the Duke himself---JOHN WAYNE! and also had a musical interlude by no other but Donny Hathaway in a rare TV appearance who also wrote and compose the show's theme song.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN....MAUDE RULES!!!

I love Bea Arthur and this show is the only one that tops "The Golden Girls." The show was controversial, but greatly written, and carried it off with fantastic acting! Norman Lear is a television dynasty within himself. I wish I could have been old enough in the seventies to appreciate the first run of these episodes...however, I can deal with the re-runs just fine!

Bea Arthur's outsize personality so well used in Golden Girls got a start as Edith Bunker's cousin Maude visiting Archie and Edith in All In the Family. Maude proved so popular and such a worthy adversary for Archie that Norman Lear gave Arthur her own show and the title role in same. It ran for six seasons. In the 70s Norman Lear could practically do no wrong.

Maude was a liberated woman, liberated in fact from three previous husbands before settling down and marrying Bill Macy. The family also had Adrienne Barbeau living with them and her son as well. Barbeau was Maude's daughter by marriage number 2.

Maude's hero was Eleanor Roosevelt and like Eleanor she lived in upstate New York in the rich suburb of Tuckahoe. From there she debated and worked for various liberal causes always indulged in by her husband. She didn't need Archie Bunker to debate her issues, she had wealthy Repubican doctor Conrad Bain next door. Bain had a lot more education than Archie did and he was a more formidable adversary.

I always liked Bill Macy in this show. The ever patient Walter Findlay who decided that the other three husbands had it wrong and he should just go with the flow. He did, but he also said some wise things every so often that brought up his outspoken wife very short.

Bea Arthur bought some real life into this character. She and Macy were a matched pair. And Maude was wonderful viewing.