Rhoda

"Rhoda" was, if I remember rightly, the only U.S. MTM sit-com to get a set screen-time on British television. The original "Mary Tyler Moore Show" and its other spin-off "Phyllis" were treated as schedule-fillers at best and even the dramatised "Lou Grant" ended up on the graveyard shift. But "Rhoda" I'm sure was shown on BBC2 at 9 o'clock on Tuesday's for I believe all its series showings and I loved it as a youngster at the time. Back then, I knew very little of Valerie Harper's character's origins on the Tyler Moore show, but that didn't matter, the laughs were there from the start as well as the strong supporting characters of Rhoda's waspish mother played by Nancy Walker, fresh from "McMillan and Wife" and Julie Kavner (later the voice of Marge Simpson) as her man (and food) hungry kid sister Brenda, while the insertion of their boozy off-stage doorman Carlton also made for some off-beat humour.

The humour was of the sharp and sassy New York Jewish type and largely set-bound in Rhoda's massive apartment. Valerie Harper was a delight in the title part, by turns confident and insecure, independent but mother-dependant. Romance entered her life in the form of hunky construction company boss Joe, played by Davud Groh, but the marriage wasn't to last.

I remember later episodes playing up Brenda's eccentric choice of boyfriends, some of which worked (klutz-type Nick Lobo) and some of which didn't (smarmy type Gary Levy). I also seem to recall the series ending with Rhoda working for old sourpuss Kenneth MacMillan's clothing company and some enjoyable sparring between the two of them, but my main memories will always be the bright, sunny early series and that distinctive "La La La" theme music.

Would love to see it again.

This show is ground-breaking and paved the way for many shows to come. Before Friends and Seinfeld, this was the show about singles living in New York City. This show portrayed the Jewish-American culture in a positive light. The chemistry between Valerie Harper, Julie Kavner, and Nancy Walker is among the best that television has ever seen. And, while always funny, it was constantly breaking its premise in half and yet still staying funny and great. I love, too, how it is the first great sitcom that used self-deprecation as a tool to provide humor and portray grand humanity. Both Harper and Kavner (Marge Simpson of The Simpsons) belong in the Television Hall of Hame based simply on this wonderful show.

I loved the programme simply called Rhoda in the 70s. Also from the UK, I had never seen the Mary Tyler Moore show until i moved to NZ in the mid-80s, where it was one of the first things on TV, and truly terrific. So back to Rhoda, her mum and her sister, and the menfolk in their lives. Very colourful, very well written and Very Very funny. I have recently found it on YouTube and am loving it as there seem to be no (legit) boxed sets available. Rhoda spoke for so many of us in the 70s, and even though times and norms have changed, so much is still relevant. Haven't seen much of Valerie Harper since the 70s but Brenda must be rich as now with Marge Simpson heading towards infinity. Nancy Walker as Ida is perfection itself. People say to me that USA sitcoms aren't funny, but that's not true. There's a lot of rubbish out there - from every country - but MTM, Rhoda and Evening Shade are my all time faves, and I'm delighted to see that my tastes haven't changed. How can you improve on perfection?

I honestly don't get how this show was popular. Annoying characters, grating voices and a laugh track AND applause track that is probably the most overused in TV history. The laugh-track kicks in every 7-15 seconds. At the end of almost every line. Occasionally there's a 30 second pause - but that will be followed by a combination of laughter and applause. "I used several books of stamps" - laughter and applause. "Hah. Caught you." Laughter. "I like your floor." Laughter and applause. "They look like us." Five seconds of laughter.

Remember the Star Trek episode where the aliens had a laugh machine and would just keep using it? Even in the least funny moments. That's Rhoda.

I haven't seen Rhoda again since I was devotedly watching it in our tiny black and white tv in post dictatorship Greece. Although I was barely out of childhood, I absolutely adored it. It was an oasis in a sad tv landscape offering a glimpse of another fascinating world with strong and funny women friends. I had to write something about this forgotten series when I heard that Valerie Harper died this year. Well, she' s still alive in our hearts.