2Mary the Writer
Mary decides to try her hand at creative writing, specifically a short article about her grandfather. After Murray sneaks a peek at it (biased he who loves it), Mary begs Lou to provide his opinion on it. He reluctantly does Mary this favor despite knowing that what she only wants to hear is that he too does love it, even if he hates it. But Lou does hate it and tells her as much. Mary is hurt by his comments, but decides to proceed anyway in her plan to submit it to magazines for publication. When Lou later confronts Mary about her poor reaction and she no longer treating him like a friend, Mary reacts with a surprising comment. She has to figure out a way to get out of the predicament in which the comment has placed her.
3Sue Ann's Sister
Sue Ann's Augusta, Georgia based younger sister, Lila, who hosts a show much like Sue Ann's, is coming to Minneapolis for a vacation just in time for Sue Ann's birthday. Despite not seeing Lila very often, Sue Ann doesn't see Lila's visit as much of a present, as Sue Ann has always considered her a rival. Lila's trip gets even worse for Sue Ann when Lila and Lou hit it off. But the icing on the "Lila" cake for Sue Ann is that she is offered a job hosting a show similar to hers on a rival Minneapolis network. Mary takes it upon herself to rally Sue Ann's newsroom friends to cheers her up about her life and the fact that she is just as loved as Lila, despite Sue Ann not ever really making it easy for them.
4What's Wrong with Swimming?
After seeing her do some commentary at a local swim meet, Mary thinks it would be a great idea to hire former Olympic swimmer Barbara Jean Smathers as a sportscaster. Lou, Murray and Ted all think it's a lousy idea, for exactly the same reason Mary thinks it's a great idea: Barbara Jean is a woman. Mary wants to break the gender stereotype (even though she won't admit that's the reason she wants to hire Barbara Jean), but Lou hates the cutesy "we're breaking the gender stereotype" angle. Regardless, Lou later reminds Mary is that she is the producer and it is her job to hire and fire. So Mary goes ahead and hires "B.J." after interviewing her. But Mary becomes a little concerned when B.J. states that she's never heard of Fran Tarkenton. Mary's concerns are compounded after watching B.J.'s first sportscast, which is very narrow in focus to only items related to aquatics. Mary wants to deal with B.J. before speaking to Lou, who didn't watch the sportscast. She just hopes she gets a chance to speak to him before he hears about it from someone else, which may be a problem as she has forgotten that she has invited both B.J. and Lou to her place for dinner for a debrief.
5Ted's Change of Heart
Mary and Murray's angry disagreement with Ted just before going on-air turns to panic when it looks like Ted is in some physical distress during his newscast. It ends up being a mild heart attack from which he will fully recover. The heart attack makes Ted a changed man, where every little thing in life - even a grain of salt - now has a special meaning to him. But the new Ted does not go over too well. Not only is Ted's new outlook starting to grate on everyone, including Georgette, but it's also starting to affect Lou, Mary and Murray's ability to do their jobs. But when they think about it, will Ted's new outlook ultimately have an affect on the outlook of those around him?
7My Son, the Genius
Ted and Georgette are beside themselves not only because of David's poor showing in school (his latest report card filled with D's), but also because he doesn't seem to be trying and doesn't seem to really care he's failing. Against Ted's wishes, Georgette makes an appointment for David to see a child psychologist to determine if there are any emotional issues causing the problem. What they learn is that David's poor showing is because he has a genius IQ of 160 and is bored. This news makes Ted and Georgette take a new approach not only with David's schooling, but most specifically the way Ted treats his son. Ted, now in awe of David, gives in to his every wish. And David, asking more and more, throws tantrums whenever he doesn't get his way. Georgette thinks they've created a monster, and needs Ted to demonstrate to David that they deserve respect. Ted learns that it's not so much discipline that David needs. Meanwhile, Mary tries to put into practice what she is reading in "The Importance of Being Selfish". And Lou reluctantly hosts his daughter's father-in-law, Morris Bender, who Lou deems the slowest man in the world.
12Ted's Temptation
As a cold snap has hit Minneapolis, everyone in the newsroom is vying to be Lou's business companion to the broadcaster's convention in sunny, warm Hollywood. In reality, Lou has two extra tickets which he plans to give to Mary and Murray. Forgetting that he promised Ted the next freebie being offered through the station, Lou gives up his ticket to Ted, much to Mary and Murray's dismay. At the convention, Mary, Murray and Ted meet the beautiful Whitney Lewis, a Los Angeles based freelance journalist who wants to interview them for a story on putting on local television news. After meeting Whitney, Murray is incredulous at Ted's belief that Whitney is after Ted. What Ted later finds out direct from Whitney's mouth is that he's right about Whitney's intentions toward him. Although he loves Georgette, Ted has to decide if a one time shot at a woman like Whitney is worth risking his marriage.
13Look at Us, We're Walking
15Lou's Army Reunion
Lou is attending his army unit's reunion (which they hold every ten years) only because this year it's being held in Minneapolis and he feels he has no choice but to attend. One of the other attendees is womanizing Ben Selwyn, to who Lou owes a favor for an incident during the war. After invading Mary's apartment on a drunken spree at three o'clock in the morning, Ben knows how Lou can repay him: help him get Mary to go out with him. Lou is reluctant to do this favor since he knows that Ben is only after Mary for a good time, like he is with all the other women in his life. But Lou does Ben this favor, however warning Mary about Ben. Mary, who liked Ben upon meeting, has no hesitation in agreeing to go out with him despite Lou's warnings. Lou does whatever he feels he needs to to protect Mary from Ben's advances on their date. Meanwhile, Ted's contract is coming up for renewal. He hires a new agent to negotiate on his behalf: meek Georgette.
16The Ted and Georgette Show
When Mel Price, the station manager, mentions at a party at Mary's place that he needs to fill one hour's worth of variety time on the network since the existing talent has left, Ted volunteers. Ted and Georgette do a corny, simplistic skit for Mel that they did at a church function. Mel loves their husband/wife chemistry and gives them an on-air audition. Mel loves their audition, and the Minneapolis public loves their resulting show, much to the surprise of Lou, Mary and Murray, who can't understand the appeal of the corny material. Mary's feeling doesn't stop her from agreeing to appear on the show to describe her work. Another person who is surprised at the success of the show is Georgette, who increasingly hates the job to the point of tears. She is only doing it for Ted, who enjoys the spotlight at any cost, perhaps even the cost of his wife's happiness or lack thereof. But as Ted and Georgette have it out, they leave the actually hosting of that evening's show to their bewildered guest, Mary.
18Hail the Conquering Gordy
Gordy Howard, MJM's old weatherman who is back in Minneapolis for a visit, has made it big in New York City with a six figure network job hosting a morning news show. When Ted reads about Gordy's success, he is green with envy and takes whatever opportunity to berate Gordy to others, until he learns that Gordy is looking for a co-host. Ted does whatever he can to ingratiate himself into Gordy's favor so that Gordy will recommend him to the network. When Gordy tactfully but bluntly turns Ted down, Ted takes it upon himself to prove to Gordy that his life is as good if not better than his. This competition ends up affecting Mary more than anyone else. Meanwhile, Gordy's old friends in the newsroom want to throw him a welcome back party. Mary talks Lou into hosting it, meaning that she won't have to take the responsibility of being host as she usually is. Or will Lou turn the tables back on her?
19Mary and the Sexagenarian
20Murray Ghosts for Ted
Ted has been asked by a local newspaper to write a 1,500 word article on Freedom of the Press for $200. Ted thinks it's going to be an easy task, and is out to prove he can do it after Lou bets him that he can't. But Ted finds that it is much more difficult to write than he thought. Ted asks Murray to write it for him. The deal: Ted will give Murray the entire $200, in exchange for the article and a complete vow of silence, even to Marie and Georgette. The article ends up garnering much public praise, with those that know Ted not believing that he actually wrote it. Both Mary and Lou know in their hearts that Murray wrote it, but Murray does respect his and Ted's agreement. When they all learn that Reader's Digest is reprinting the article and paying Ted $2,500 for it, Mary and Lou do whatever they can to break the code of silence between Murray and Ted.
23Lou Dates Mary
After yet another disastrous date - by her calculations, her two thousandth date - Mary comes to the realization that she hates the rituals of dating. She also doubts that her version of Mr. Right will come into her life. But as Mary lists all those attributes of who she considers Mr. Right, Georgette tells her that she already knows him: Lou. Mary is at first incredulous to the idea of even dating Lou, but the more she thinks about it, the more it seems like a good idea. The first hurdle is actually convincing Lou it's a good idea. After thinking about it, Lou agrees to dinner at Mary's place. The second hurdle is for Mary to be able to call him "Lou". The third hurdle is overcoming their respective nerves for the evening to be a comfortable and fun one. And the fourth hurdle is moving their relationship from the realm of friends into lovers, which includes no talk about the newsroom. Can both overcome all these hurdles?
