What Are Friends For?

Mary faces the possibility of a term behind bars when she refuses to reveal her source of a story about corruption in high places.

Mary's new romance with a tall, dark and very handsome man seems to be progressing quite well until her friends convince her that she's attracted to him only because he's so attractive.

After Lou loses his temper with Ted, Mary’s advocacy of non-violence backfires when Ted takes advantage of Lou’s new disposition and becomes more insufferable than ever.

Lou’s romance with a brassy lounge singer has him feeling like a new man—until the guys in the newsroom begin to joke about her questionable past.

Tensions mount and morale drops when a young consultant, hired by Lou Grant to boost the ratings, begins usurping Mary's responsibilities and ordering changes in Ted's on-the-air delivery and Murray's copy.

The happily-married Murray considers having an affair when he meets an attractive, single woman at one of Mary’s parties.

Everyone keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop when Sue Ann Nivens plays the "good sport" while a sweet young thing with a terrific figure and no television experience manages to take over her show.

Looking for intellectual stimulation, Phyllis begins to date a man platonically, but the situation heats up when he takes an interest in Mary.

When the staff is trapped in the newsroom, Sue Ann decides that it’s time for a little Christmas cheer—no matter that it’s only November.

When Mary and Sue Ann attend a broadcaster's convention in Chicago, Mary learns that Sue Ann is actually a very lonely person.

Ted is flabbergasted when his mother decides to move in with her boyfriend rather than marry the man.

The newsroom is divided when Murray, the father of three daughters, decides that he wants a son even though his wife doesn’t want to have another baby.

Lou Grant moves into Rhoda's old apartment and takes over Mary's private life in much the same way he runs things at the office.

Lou decides to add a female newscaster to his staff and gives orders to find a "girl like Mary," which leads Mary, as well as Sue Ann Nivens, to audition for the job.

Who would believe that Ted and Mary are having an affair? Maybe no one, but that doesn’t stop Ted from spreading rumors around the newsroom.

Producer of WJM-TV's news program in name only, Mary asks Lou for the chance to actually produce the show on her own, and she gets it – along with the last minute problems and decisions that go with the job.

Gambling fever takes over the WJM newsroom when Ted, who knows nothing about gambling, invents a "can't-miss" system for betting on football games.

Phyllis suffers the ultimate indignation when she's forced to seek a job after Lars suggests she live within a budget and cuts off her credit cards.

Longing for his dynamic days as a crusading reporter, Lou launches a misguided investigation into corruption in big-city politics.

Ted gets swept up in the spirit of Murray's 20th wedding anniversary party and chooses the most public place possible to pop the question to Georgette.

Mary takes on the frustrating task of helping Sherry Ferris, a girl with whom she once shared a jail cell, "go straight," even though the girl herself doesn't seem too thrilled with the idea.

Lou wins an award that he doesn’t want and is terrified at the thought of making an acceptance speech.

When Ted is tricked by a smooth-talking con man into opening his own broadcasters’ school, the WJM staff is recruited to be the faculty.

Mary’s new boyfriend seems like a keeper, but there’s just one small problem—his obnoxious son is absolutely intolerable.