Whatever Gets You Through the Night

The iconic hat throw is celebrated in a downtown Minneapolis sculpture. Milwaukee has The Fonz, Philly has Rocky.

I have a confession to make.
It’s not something I share lightly but since we’re friends what the heck?
Ok, here it is.
Whenever I feel blue, I will head to YouTube or On Demand and watch an episode (or three or four) of the old Mary Tyler Moore Show.

From the moment the opening credits roll and Sonny Curtis sings the words “who can turn the world on with a smile?” I start to feel better.
Yes, you have to ignore that Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight have passed (oh how they are missed) and give yourself over to the 70s vibe, but if you do the reward is a good mood, lots of laughs and 22 blissful minutes with a cast of unforgettable characters drawn so well that you just marvel at the brilliance of the writers.

The sitcom is smart, stands the test of time and is so warm that you long to move from sunny Florida to frigid Minneapolis. Well, almost.

As a child of the 70s, I just love the music, the pop culture and yes the sitcoms of that magical decade.
From the Brady Bunch and the Partridge Family to the Odd Couple and All in the Family it was a special era of TV.
And the music, well the music was sublime.

From ‘Smoking in the Boys Room’ and ‘Weekend in New England’ to ‘Who’s Next’ and ‘Blood on the Tracks’,  the 70s had it all—including The Fonz and Charlie’s Angels.
And don’t forget KC and the Sunshine Band which boogied in Boca over New Year’s.

So what is it about the Mary Tyler Moore show that lifts your mood?
I think it’s the warmth…
The friendships at home ( Rhoda and Phyllis) and at work (Lou, Murray and Ted).

It’s the humor (which is timeless) and it’s the overall feeling of the show which is —as the theme song says —“you’re gonna make it after all.”
Yes indeed.

We want to believe that despite the speed bumps and heartbreak, we will indeed make it after all.

So there it is…my confession.

If you’re blue, take two episodes of the Mary Tyler Moore Show and call me in the morning.
It beats Xanax.
Try it.