Gossip columnist Liz Smith reported that the original script for the opener took a much darker turn. Tom Hartman, devastated by Mary's departure, attempted suicide by throwing himself out of their bedroom window. Tragically, this coincided with Mary's return home, and Tom landed on her, killing her instantly. This twist would have definitively closed the door on Mary Hartman's return to the series, but they ultimately decided to leave the option for Louise Lasser to return. According to Smith, the cast cheered when they read this scene.
The TV theme is the same as its predecessor "Mary Hartman Mary Hartman"
Although this is a direct continuation of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976), it was renamed when Louise Lasser left the show. The previous iteration aired in more than 120 U.S. markets, but only 31 stations licensed this spin-off. The ratings were so low that it was prematurely discontinued in New York City, and the new title was ultimately blamed for its failure.
Producer Norman Lear had little involvement with this iteration of the show because he began focusing his attention on the other Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976) spinoff, America 2-Night (1978).
They continued using the production numbers of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976), which concluded with 325 episodes. The opener of this series is #326.