On her request, Lou is having lunch with his ex-wife, Edie. It's so that she can tell him that she's getting remarried. Outwardly, Lou wants to be happy for her, but he's not sure that he really is. Although he knows he no longer loves her, her getting remarried still doesn't change the fact that it means a part of his life is ending forever. It is even more difficult for him when Edie, in a gesture to show him and the world that they are still good friends, invites him to the wedding. Lou has to decide if he is in Mary's words a modern man by going to the wedding, and if he does go if he will be able to stand watching his wife say I do to another man. Meanwhile, Ted is trying to figure out a good punch line to his knock knock joke Anna Maria Alberghetti who?. Written by Huggo

After receiving a letter from Phyllis in San Francisco telling of her new life, Mary feels like she's in a predictable rut as she has nothing new to report back to Phyllis. To get out of her rut, Mary even contemplates leaving WJM news despite loving her job. Mary's complaining about her life starts to get all her friends feeling depressed. Ultimately it is some not so advice from Ted that gets Mary thinking about what she needs to do. When she makes what she believes is an exciting change, she has to do one thing on her own to make it a Mary reality. Meanwhile, Georgette is planning on taking a vacation to Rome, about which Ted isn't too happy. Written by Huggo

After he appeared on a WJM-TV talk show, Mary has been working with Catholic priest, Father Terrance Brian, to come up with a pitch to the station brass for a documentary on some of his work. Among their many discussions, Father Brian mentioned one of his colleagues who recently left the priesthood for a woman. Mary is in deep turmoil as she believes Father Brian may be contemplating doing the same as she believes he is falling in love with her. That turmoil increases when just after Mary learns that the documentary has been approved, Father Brian tells her to put the documentary on hold because he is contemplating leaving the priesthood. Lou, who Mary told about what she believes Father Brian is planning on doing for her, tries to advise Father Brian using veiled references. But Mary may be the only person who can convince him not to leave the priesthood for her... that is if that is the real reason. Written by Huggo

Murray has a personal problem he wants to talk to Mary about in private, but every time the subject comes up, something happens to make it not an appropriate time. First, when Murray makes an impromptu visit to Mary's apartment, her two across the hall neighbors, one who ends up being a pesky neighbor, come by to introduce themselves. And second, when Mary brings up the issue of Murray's problem at the office, he can't speak to her about it in front of others in the office. Murray instead decides to talk to Lou about it, which also isn't as easy as it should be as Ted continually seems to interrupt. When Murray and Lou eventually have their moment alone, Murray tells him the problem: he has fallen in love with Mary. Murray is determined to tell her if only on the off chance that she feels the same way. Not wanting Murray to get hurt, Lou takes what he considers decisive action in the matter. Regardless of Lou's action, only Mary will be able to address Murray's problem to any ... Written by Huggo

Ted is dropping hints to Mary and Murray that he is taking a trip to New York, about which they don't really care. When Mary eventually does ask Ted about the trip, he proudly announces that he has been asked to audition for a new game show. In their general well wishes, Mary, Murray and Lou, who don't give it much thought, are certain it will not amount to anything. Georgette, on the other hand, is secretly afraid of Ted getting the job, and forgetting his Minneapolis life, including her. But after the on-camera audition, complete with contestants and a live studio audience, Ted doesn't hear from the producers for weeks, which Mary tries to break gently to him that it probably means he didn't get the job. When Ted eventually hears from the producers, he is ecstatic that he is offered the position. As Lou and Mary prepare for Ted's departure, which primarily focuses on finding his replacement, they both can't help but lament his departure. Lou and Mary will have to decide if Ted means... Written by Huggo

Mary's aunt, Flo Meredith, arguably the most renowned and well respected newspaperwoman in the country, is in Minneapolis to cover a murder trial. Mary loves and respects her Aunt Flo. By reputation, all those in the WJM newsroom also respect Flo Meredith, the newspaperwoman. That's why Mary is so disappointed when Lou and her Aunt Flo don't hit it off when they meet, as Flo's larger than life persona and attitude is too much for Lou to handle. Mary, believing that they just got off on the wrong foot, does whatever she can to foster a positive relationship between the two newspeople she respects the most, which includes inviting them both to her place for dinner. Will Mary's dinner party for three have the result that she wants? Written by Huggo

Mary is appalled with everyone's reaction to the death of their station co-workers Chuckles the Clown is killed. He was the Grand Marshall at a circus parade but having appeared as one of his TV characters, in the form of a peanut, is shelled by a rogue elephant. Murray in particular simply can't stop making jokes about it all and Mary thinks it's all inappropriate, despite Lou's claim that it's just a way of dealing with death. They all attend the memorial service but it's Mary who has trouble remaining solemn. Written by garykmcd

Mary is producing a public service spot regarding juvenile delinquency for the Big Sisters organization. In discussing the issue with Ted who is the spokesperson for the spot, Mary decides to volunteer to act as a big sister, despite not having much experience in dealing with young women with troubled lives. Sue Ann also decides to volunteer to be a big sister solely to increase her chances of winning the Twin-Cities TV Woman of the Year award for which she's been nominated. As her little sister, Mary ends up getting fifteen year old Francie Stevens, who is on probation for a shoplifting conviction. Despite things between them not starting off too well, Mary and Francie ultimately bond. However, some issues arise concerning Francie possibly continuing her criminal ways about which Mary and Francie will have to come to some quick understandings. Meanwhile, while answering what she believes is an innocent question from Gus the director, Mary ends up buying a helicopter for the station. Written by Huggo

Mary has invited Ted and Georgette over for brunch in an effort to be nicer to him, which she feels no one in the news room is despite Ted not being such a bad person. Regardless, Mary is finding it difficult to live up to her own words, especially as Ted proposes to Georgette once again in a half-hearted manner over the meal. Ted has continually proposed to Georgette to which she's accepted, for him only to recant down the road with which she allows him to get away. But this time, Georgette surprises Ted by not saying yes, but rather daring him to turn his words into action by getting married right away since all the necessary paperwork and tests from the previous proposals are still valid. Ted in turn surprises Georgette by agreeing. The next step is to pull a wedding off in the next half hour in Mary's apartment before all Ted and Georgette's friends before Ted changes his mind. Written by Huggo

Mary takes a telephone message for Lou from a woman named Veronica Ludlow, who doesn't mention the nature of her call. Lou reacts poorly to the fact of the telephone call. He later unburdens himself to Mary about his reaction. Veronica Ludlow was the major love of his life thirty years ago. On the eve of going into battle during WWII, Veronica sent a Lou a rather uncaring Dear John letter. The past thirty years have not healed the wounds opened by Veronica's letter. She called because she wants to have dinner with him. Mary tries to persuade him to see her and face his old demons, she believing that Lou's feelings really are tipping more on the side of love than hate. Lou does decide to see Veronica. Will Mary be right? Meanwhile, Ted, feeling jealous that Mary threw Georgette a belated bridal shower, wants her to throw him a bachelor party. Written by Huggo

At the first party Mary hosts in her new apartment, she introduces all her friends to her new boyfriend, Joe Warner, who is a construction company executive. Joe is not averse to public displays of affection with Mary, the affection which she doesn't mind, but the public part which will take some getting used to for her. Mary is pretty sure that she's in love with him, and that he's in love with her, but he hasn't said so in so many words, the three magic words which she really wants to hear. Based on advice from Rhoda, Mary decides to tell Joe that she loves him first. She doesn't get quite the reaction she was expecting, and is dismayed to learn the reason why. Will Joe ultimately tell Mary what she wants to hear? Written by Huggo

On receiving a $6,000 tax refund, Ted seems a changed man. The usually frugal Ted is lavishing his friends with expensive gifts, stating that they are tokens of his appreciation for their friendship, especially as he realizes that he is an imperfect person. His happiness and his new outlook on life changes when he receives notice that he is being audited. He is hoping that his friends will help him in any way they can, meaning that he wants them to lie for him about business deductions he made that weren't legitimate. Mary in particular wants to help Ted, but she, like the others, won't lie for him. So they all anxiously await the results of his audit. Meanwhile, Mary is having problems hooking up her new stereo system, something the salesman told her any fool could do. Written by Huggo

Sue Ann is at the stage of her dating life where she feels desperate to be with the man she really wants: Lou. She goes to desperate measures to get Mary to help her on this quest. Mary in turn goes to desperate measures to trick Lou into going on dinner date with Sue Ann at her place. Lou falls for the trick. He is dreading the date, to which he openly agreed in front of Sue Ann. He knows what she wants and he doesn't want to give it to her. Will either Lou or Sue Ann end up happy at the of the evening? Meanwhile, Mary is dismayed to learn that Prince Charles, who the state department all but promised would agree to be the guest on Mary's produced talk show Talk of the Town, will not be appearing. She is even more dismayed at the royalty who she books as his replacement. Written by Huggo

Mary and Joe's relationship is at a stage of public declaration of love on both sides. But their relationship hits a potential bump when Mary's old boyfriend, journalist Dan Whitfield, returns permanently to Minneapolis, he who wants to rekindle their relationship. The only reason they broke up was because Dan moved to New York for work which crushed Mary at the time. Despite Mary's feelings for Joe, she isn't sure if she's over Dan and feels like she needs to explore if her romantic feelings for Dan are stronger than they are for Joe. She tries to be as up front to both Joe and Dan about the other, at which she isn't very good. Joe, in particular, doesn't take the news well. Mary's friends all have their own view if Mary should pick Joe or Dan, especially Ted who has bonded with Joe. An impulsive and somewhat reckless move by Joe in the matter makes Mary come to some conclusions about the situation. Written by Huggo

The Happy Homemaker has lost yet another producer, who have gone by in relatively quick succession over the past year. Sue Ann asks Mary if she would be interested in the job, which pays more money than she currently earns. Even the thought of getting away from Ted doesn't entice Mary to take the job. But Murray offers his services, he who has been interested in getting into producing beyond the few one off efforts he's done in the past and who can't pass up the extra money. Without hesitation, Sue Ann hires him. Although outwardly happy for him, Lou and Mary deep down can't be if only because he'll be working for Sue Ann. Although producer in name, Murray ends up being more Sue Ann's personal assistant, doing every menial task required around the set. Mary and Lou can see that Murray is miserable in the job, and they decide to talk to Murray about the problem. It isn't until Murray hears a story about Mary's visitor that he decides himself to make his professional life happier. Written by Huggo

Ted walks into the newsroom in a testy mood. Mary later learns from Georgette that the reason for Ted's foul mood is that she's threatened to leave him. It's not that she doesn't love him, but she feels he doesn't love her anymore. Ted has resorted to sleeping on the couch and their sex life is non-existent. Ted doesn't know why he is feeling the way he is, refuses to talk about it or to acknowledge it as a problem. Mary doesn't know what to say to Georgette, but feels Ted needs professional medical help, and suggests a psychiatrist that she knows. So Georgette gives Ted an ultimatum: go see the psychiatrist, or else she'll leave him. Ted agrees but feels embarrassed by having to go to see such a doctor, and will only go if Lou goes with him, not for moral support, but to feign to the world that Lou is the one with an issue. Ultimately, will the psychiatrist be able to help Ted and in turn Georgette with their marital issue? Meanwhile, they've decided in the newsroom to do a story on ... Written by Huggo

Lou has decided to take Mary with him on a business trip to Washington DC to attend a two-day politics and the press seminar. Lou is excited to be able to show Mary a good time with all his old contacts from his days covering the Capitol Hill beat for the Detroit Free Press. As this trip marks Mary's first time in the nation's capital, she's excited to experience it the way Lou talks about it. Mary makes her own contacts at the seminar, they who want to take her and Lou to events where some of the most important people in national and international politics will be in attendance. But Lou, certain that his old friends will call, wants to wait for what he considers a better offer. While Mary ultimately goes off without Lou, all she can think about is that he is all alone in his hotel room waiting for people who won't call. Or will they? Meanwhile, much to Murray's dismay, Lou has appointed Ted in charge during his absence. Ted wants solely to be a figurehead boss, but comes to the ... Written by Huggo

Lou walks into the newsroom in the worst mood. Needing to unburden himself, he talk to Mary about what's bothering him. After a drunken spree after a dinner date, he woke up the next morning next to his dinner companion - an emotional stranger - who he refuses to name. After Mary finds out that that woman was Sue Ann, Lou asks her to promise him that she won't tell another living soul. Mary promises. But keeping office secrets from Murray is more difficult than she imagines. What may also be difficult is Sue Ann not spreading the word within the WJM offices. Both Mary telling Murray and Lou sleeping with Sue Ann may forever change Lou's relationship with both women. Written by Huggo

Lou sees his old girlfriend, Charlene, off in the distance. Seeing her brings up old feelings in Lou, who wants to see her, despite their relationship having ended with a fight before she left town to be a musician in a traveling ice show. But Lou also doesn't want to make seeing her look like he's trying to see her. So he convinces Mary to throw a party at which both Lou and Charlene will conveniently be there. By party night, things don't start off too well: Ted and Georgette are fighting and end up not speaking to each other, and Murray has what seems to be the flu but attends anyway. What's worse for Lou is that Charlene doesn't arrive alone but with a much younger date, Kenny Stevens, a skater with the show to who Lou is openly hostile. After Lou later apologizes for his bad behavior toward Kenny, Charlene suggests that she and Lou go out together... on a double date. Lou agrees, hoping to make Charlene jealous. The girl who Mary convinces him to ask as his date is her neighbor, ... Written by Huggo

Mr. Wessel is the new owner of WJM. He has a very strict short and sweet editorial policy, which affects Murray's copy more than anyone in the newsroom. Murray doesn't like that his stories are basically cut to two lines maximum. But when Wessel's policy starts to affect Murray's personal life - Wessel cut out Murray's favorite scene of a Marx Brothers movie aired on the station - he can't take it anymore. He calls Wessel late at night at home to give him a piece of his mind. Although in the cold light of day Murray regrets what he's done and can deny that it was him that called Wessel, he has to decide if he should stick to his original thoughts even though it may get him fired, or deny or apologize so that he can keep his job. Regardless, his friends at WJM provide solidarity with Murray, with one in particular who may unwittingly take the brunt of the pain. Meanwhile, Sue Ann does a salute to cheese, with Lou washing down the cheese with a bit too much wine. Written by Huggo

Mary's aunt and respected newspaperwoman Flo Meredith makes a surprise visit to Minneapolis, a surprise at least to Mary. It's isn't a surprise for Lou, as he and Flo have been talking about producing a television documentary about the Flynns, a local couple with twenty children from a combination of their previous marriages. Lou and Flo want Mary and Murray's help in producing the documentary, which they are more than happy to do. Ted's offer to narrate is another story. Regardless, a wrench is thrown into the proceedings when the Flynns announce that they are getting a divorce. Flo wants to capitalize on that aspect of the story, whereas Lou wants it to be an epilogue to the primary story they were going to do anyway. As such, they decide to submit separate story ideas to the network, with the better man or woman producing the documentary. Mary, Murray and Ted are forced to take sides, which is an especially difficult task for Mary. Written by Huggo

In working on a story about the mob, Mary comes across some information about a friend, Congressman Brian Nordquist, who is up for reelection, the election in a few day's time. Mary's source told her that Brian's law school education fifteen years earlier was funded by the mob. If true, Brian would lose Mary's personal and political respect. Mary tells Lou of the news, the two who decide to confront Brian with the information so that he can at least defend himself against the allegations. Brian admits that the story is true, but that he accepted the money since he was poor and could not have gotten an education otherwise. He also states that he paid back the money and that even though the mob did ask for favors, he never granted any of them. Brian's explanation satisfies Mary, but Lou still wants to run the story. Feeling that the story would ruin the career of someone she respects, Mary gives Lou an ultimatum: pull the story or else she quits. Regardless of if Brian is telling the ... Written by Huggo

WJM's nominees for this year's edition of the Teddy Awards are Ted, Murray (nominated for the first time) and Sue Ann. Sue Ann feels like she will be breaking Lou's heart by telling him that she will be going to the awards' ceremony with another man, Doug Kellum, a Canadian outdoorsman who appeared on her show where she was teaching how to cook without a kitchen. Sue Ann later admits to Mary that she has fallen in love with Doug, and by the way he has been acting he may have fallen in love with her. That's why Mary is so repulsed when Doug makes a play for her once Sue Ann is out of the room. Mary, not knowing what else to do, decides to unburden herself to Lou. But once Sue Ann makes an important announcement concerning herself and Doug at the awards' ceremony just before the winner of her category is going to be announced, Mary has no choice but to tell Sue Ann what Doug did. Sue Ann reacts in her own Sue Ann way. Written by Huggo

A depressed Ted asks Mary for some help. Ted and Georgette have been trying to have a baby for some time, but it just doesn't seem to be happening for them. Ted wants Georgette to go see a doctor to see if there is any medical issue preventing them from having a child, which Georgette refuses to do. After Mary speaks to Georgette about the issue, both Georgette and Ted agree to go see their respective doctors to get checked. Regardless, one other option that Georgette suggests, and that Mary hopes they will consider but doesn't want to meddle by giving her opinion, is adoption. But the Baxters may throw both the adoption process and Mother Nature for a bit of a loop. Written by Huggo