Lou Grant

Another great MTM studio production from the 70's taking the major risk of re-setting a familiar comedic character - the boozy, boorish TV editor Lou Grant as the central character in a 50 minute topical drama set in a major city news-room.

Like its MTM comedy predecessors, likewise invariably named after one character "Lou Grant" of course isn't just about Lou, it's more about the interplay with an ensemble of strong, supporting characters. Better yet, the plot-lines were literate and credible slices of real life, often centring on corruption in high places, with the leg-work being done by the two bright young reporters Joe Rossi, played by Robert Walden and Billie, played by Linda Kelsey. Also in support are beatnik photographer Animal, presumably named after one of the Muppets, the style-conscious sub-editor Art Donovan and at the top end of the paper, its matriarch publisher Mrs Pynchon and her right hand man, Charlie Hulme. Edward Asner in the title role did a fine job re-inventing himself as the pugnacious but principled title character. The whole programme could have failed if his character had failed its transition but this was never in doubt right from the first episode I've recently re-watched.

The plots invariably involved some sort of moral dilemma for one of the characters, not unnaturally given the post-Watergate interest in newspapers and their role in exposing dirty deeds done in high places. Critics might argue against the show's occasional bleeding-heart liberalism, but I remember it just as high quality US drama and staying up till well after 11 o'clock to watch it in the days before video recorders.

In its wake came other MTM hit series like "Hill Street Blues" and "St Elsewhere" but I think I enjoyed this series even better than those. Bad fashion sense aside and even conceding the much lesser role that newspapers play in news dissemination today, I don't think this show has aged much at all, a testimony to good writing and good acting all round.

James L. Brooks (As Good as it Gets, Terms of Endearment) was one of the producers and acted as executive producer of the fabulous series. Edward Asner (Mary Tyler Moore Show, Down on the Waterfront) played Lou Grant in a spin off of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. The editor of the L.A. Tribune. Nancy Marchand (Dear God ) Margaret Pynchon was the big boss and owner of the newspaper. She would show up occasionally with her good advice, a walking cane, and wearing a very expensive suit. Although she was the head, she was very nice. Mason Adams (From the Earth to the Moon) was Charlie Hume, Managing Editor. Robert Walden (All the President's Men) Joe Rossi, was a reporter. Linda Kelsey (The Midnight Man) played Billie Newman McCovey who was a very smart reporter. The most interesting thing about this show was the serious journalism they engaged in providing for the audience. The issues raised on the show were very current. It raised some controversy which might have affected the future existence of the show. It was an outstanding series. It was nice to see Lou Grant more mature in his carrier as a journalist. The series was nominated for and won the most prestigious awards in the U.S. such as: Emmy, Golden Globe, American Cinema Editors, USA, Directors Guild of America, USA, Human Family Educational & Cultural Institute, USA, Won Humanitas. The series was done by very intelligent people and demonstrated that television can be good when the people doing the show are bright. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Good shows like Lou Grants are not readily available.

I try not to review old stuff from a present day perspective, because those films and shows were meant primarily for people at the time they were made.

Having said that, I love to watch old stuff to revel in the cultural tidbits from bygone eras. L.A. from '77-'82 was still America. People all over town were born in America and were mostly white or black. It was not yet Tijuana , or some other Third World satellite.I love to see the typewriters, old phones, old cars, etc., but I realize that at the time, nothing was old, it was all state-of-the-art.

I also enjoyed seeing the lifestyle of Reporters and Editors on salary. They were not chained to a desk. They could take a long lunch or go about town interviewing people at their leisure. As long as it relates to a story. I like to see how the show incorporates vignettes at restaurants and bars, because they used to play an important role in the Reporter lifestyle.

The mission of a Reporter is to hold the feet of people in power to the fire, or keep them in check so to speak. So yes, investigative reporters would often be hunting down corporate types, cops, the military, etc. That would be the case whether they are liberal or otherwise. Of course this show was developed during the Carter administration and influenced by the general Liberal mentality of that 70s era.

The first episode was more balanced than I expected. Cops are accused of sleeping with teen aged girls, but they claim that the girls looked like women. A reporter with a dad who is a cop, brings in a teenage girl whom everyone thinks is a grown woman. This shows that there was some truth to their claim.

Say what you want about Asner being a blow-hard, but he did play this role with a good deal of intensity and compassion. I don't remember all the social issues brought up, but I don't doubt that they were presented from a Liberal perspective. It's all part of the Hollywood indoctrination process. They used T.V. and film to brainwash multiple generations. But you could say that conservative shows of the 50s and early 60s presented a world view too. The Rifleman comes to mind.

I also loved the presentation of a Newspaper being enormously important as the heartbeat of a city. Again, I am saying this while watching old VHS reruns in the present day. When it was made, Newspapers were kings and no one knew that the Internet was coming in 20 years. So I am watching it as nostalgia. It was not meant as nostalgia when it came out.

Overall, a good ensemble cast, a fun and interesting workplace setting, and some intellectual grit for subject matter. Nice job. It could have been worse.

An earlier reviewer's "bleeding heart" references suggest a right-wing orientation. Perhaps this explains his sweeping but unsubstantiated comments concerning how this show's episodes were developed. "Lou Grant" was created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns, the writer-producers behind "Mary Tyler Moore," and Gene Reynolds, the force behind the TV incarnation of "M*A*S*H," who became the sole Executive Producer in the second year. Younger producers under Reynolds included Seth Freeman from "The Waltons" and Gary David Goldberg. However convenient it may be for people with an agenda to think otherwise the producers, not the star, dictated the content. There's no evidence Edward Asner ever suggested a single storyline, and plenty of testimony crediting others.

The entire MTM library was sold several times after Grant Tinker divested himself in order to run NBC. The likelihood of ever again seeing this fine show, which won 16 Emmys, two Humanitas prizes, and the Peabody Award, is absolutely zilch. Write to 20th Century Fox Television if you'd like the chance to see it, but don't expect to get anywhere.

Judged by 1977-82 standards, this show was peerless.

Today, it's a bit "dated" in certain ways. But these elements actually make it a valuable portrait of its era.

Talented cast, right down the line. Terrific writing. Skillful, sensitive directing. Highly relevant. Courageous. And one of TV's all-time-best role models in the lead.

Every Emmy -- & there were MANY -- was fully deserved. Also the Peabody, the Humanitas, & all the other awards it won.

Each season was as strong as or stronger than its predecessor; this is one show that was NOT running out of steam.

In fact, during the Reagan Years, we needed it more than ever! (Would have loved to see its take on Iran-Contra.)

Shame on CBS for bowing to pressure because of Asner's politics and the show's oft-controversial scripts.

LOU still shines.

Waiting impatiently for (legal) DVD release!