The Best Episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3

Mary is given the task of making The Six O'clock News more upbeat, and her plans are on target to succeed until they're frustrated by Ted.

Director: N/A

Writer: James L. Brooks

Mary is interviewed by a newspaper columnist and ends up telling a little too much.

Director: Jerry Belson

Writer: N/A

Lou is promoted to the position of program director but has to decide to whom his old job should go. Meanwhile, The Six O'clock News begins falling apart without him.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

Ida Morgenstern, Rhoda's mother, mistakenly believes that her husband is seeing other women, so Rhoda and Mary try to clear things up between them.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

When Lou's trip to Las Vegas is cancelled, Mary organizes a poker game at the office where Murray loses a substantial amount to Ted.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

After losing 20 pounds, Rhoda enters a beauty contest at work, but continues to put herself down.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: Treva Silverman

Mary is worried that her parents, who have moved to the Twin Cities to be close to her, may pry into her life too much.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

Mary begins dating the writer of the Chuckles the Clown show, whose real ambition is to become a stand-up comedian.

Director: Peter Baldwin

Writer: N/A

Ted refuses to sign his contract renewal until Lou agrees to let him pursue other ventures, a decision he soon regrets when Ted begins appearing in commercials.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

Two of Mary's friends separate and Mary accepts a date from the husband.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Mary becomes concerned when her father, newly retired, appears to have no friends or hobbies in Minneapolis, and tries to take on the role herself.

Director: Jerry Belson

Writer: N/A

Bess's 15-year-old boyfriend falls in love with Mary and begins to surprise her with visits to her apartment and her work.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

Lou goes to hospital to have a piece of World War II shrapnel removed and, surprisingly, he and Ted become best friends.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: David Pollock, Elias Davis

Rhoda decides to move back to New York but Mary is taking the whole thing with a grain of salt.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: Treva Silverman

Mary runs into her former boyfriend Dan Whitfield in an elevator by chance. Subsequently, Dan realizes he still has feelings for Mary, breaks off his engagement, and begins dating her again.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: David Pollock, Elias Davis

Lou spots an opportunity to buy a bar after realizing a lifelong dream. However, he is short of several thousand dollars and Ted is the only one who can come to his aid.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

Phyllis wants to set up her visiting brother with Mary, but instead he hits it off with Rhoda and begins spending time with her to Phyllis's disapproval.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: Dick Clair

Mary and Rhoda try to encourage Georgette to take a stand for herself after seeing how Ted takes advantage of her.

Director: Peter Baldwin

Writer: N/A

Rhoda introduces Mary to a very irritating Warren Sturges, who tries everything including a giant billboard across the road from the WJM-TV offices to get her to accept his marriage proposal.

Director: Peter Baldwin

Writer: Jim Mulholland

The new station manager, an attractive woman, falls for Lou.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: David Pollock, Elias Davis

Murray becomes depressed when he realizes that the years are passing him by, after he learns that a contemporary has won a Pulitzer Prize.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

A former boyfriend visiting Minneapolis calls Mary who, deep down, wants to see him again but she has been hurt by him too many times before.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: Dick Clair

Everything goes right for Rhoda and everything goes wrong for Mary on a disastrous day when she is due to go to the Teddies.

Director: Jay Sandrich

Writer: N/A

Mary lends Rhoda almost $1,200 to start a new venture and worries she may never see her money again, after Rhoda postpones repayment, hires Georgette full-time and begins expanding her business.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A