Watching the end of the Mary Tyler Moore Show (dating myself again?) was agonizing for me. First of all, she was so cool. I mean, she lived in MY hometown. She was a producer at a television station, pretty, smart, and funny. One year when I marched in the St. Paul Winter Carnival, my mom had a hat made that looked just like hers: the one she threw up in the air on a corner in downtown Minneapolis.

It would be redundant to say it was cold marching in the parade. All that baton twirling went out the door and our little group of girls focused on just staying in step and making it to the end. When we passed my mom, she clapped. The sound of muffled mittens gave me the strength to forge on. But for a day, I was just like Mary. Back when there was no Internet, I connected to characters on the television probably a little more than I should have…Mary, Lou, Ted, Georgina, and of course Rhoda.

I would bawl today as much as I did then. It was some darned clever writing for the times. For the last two Fridays while I kill time before I’ve had to go pick up my daughter from her friend’s house, I’ve tuned into The Ghost Whisperer. Need I say there was nothing else on? Last week I never did find out why the mother was haunting the family instead of the father because I had to leave. Last night, I missed twenty minutes of the middle of the show, and it didn’t matter much. The Ghost Whisperer just wrapped up the whole plot in the last five lines. The little jokes in the show were staged and overused. I guess that’s where the writers of Mary’s show had their advantage in that they were breaking new ground. I haven’t seen a re-run in years. But I bet I’d still laugh. I’d smile at Archie and Edith too. Television has to get smarter because we’re all spending our time here - with each other on-line. The thing is, I fail to see it. I know there is some good stuff out there, I’ve read some good reviews. My cable station in Costa Rica gets a few HBO shows, but we tend to miss out on all the edgy ones.  And after one reality show, you’ve seen them all. Furthermore, I just don’t like watching people belittle themselves in front of a “panel” of people they barely know for a chance at fame.

It’s always a toss up on how to end a series. Letting millions of viewers go and satisfying their craving to still love all these characters without hating the ending has got to be tough. For the last episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, all the characters gathered in a group hug. When a few needed a Kleenex, they couldn’t let go of each other and shuffled in harmony over to the box. In the middle of the sadness, a laugh. Perfect writing. The end was paid homage to when St. Elsewhere ended - a group hug, a laugh.

I’ve watched a lot of television in my days, I admit it. I barely turn it on now. Where’s the time? Maybe this time on the Internet is like the era of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. I’m hoping I can be just like her: gather up millions of viewers, offer up some laughs, a tear, and hold everyone in a group hug.

Where’ the Kleenex?