Lou Grant

Lou Grant

1977 - United Kingdom

The end of one much loved series marked the beginning of another critically acclaimed creation, when in September 1977, Edward Asner's character of hard-bitten news editor, Lou Grant, finally stepped out of the shadow of his supporting role with the legendary Mary Tyler Moore, and stepped easily into the spotlight of his own series. The final episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show had seen the character of Lou Grant and most of the news staff of WJM-TV Minneapolis fired and going off in their own directions. 

The following season, the fifty-year-old Grant had relocated to Los Angeles and taken a brand new job as the city editor of the Los Angeles Tribune, a crusading, hard-hitting newspaper under the excessively autocratic rule of its owner/publisher, Margaret Pynchon. (A delightfully hard-edged performance from the late, sadly missed veteran Nancy Marchand). Although Lou officially worked for managing editor and old personal friend, Charlie Hume, he was more often to be found locked in a stubborn battle of wills with the his strong-minded publisher. Pynchon was a woman who exhibited personality traits of stubbornness, toughness, and bloody-minded determination, of equal measure to, and perfectly mirrored in the character of Lou Grant, which led to frequent disagreements but never failed to acknowledge the underlying mutual respect between the two characters.

Other core characters included Joe Rossi; an impulsive but deeply committed young investigative reporter; Carla Mardigian, a young and ambitious female reporter (who was destined to last mere weeks, before being replaced by the character of Billie Newman, another young reporter with similar aspirations); Art Donovan, the fastidious assistant city editor; and Animal, the nonconformist staff photographer. Unlike other 'MTM' show spin-offs Rhoda and Phyllis, Lou Grant dropped outright comedy, deftly mixing serious issue lead drama with moments of well judged humour and thrived on a succession of well crafted scripts, which made full use of the dynamics and interplay of a talented, finely balanced and experienced cast. 

The series won 11 Emmys in 5 years, including two for Asner as Best Actor and 2 for Outstanding Drama as it covered a range of serious issues such as Vietnamese refugees, child abuse and gun control, before it concluded its run in September of 1982, in a storm of controversy which could easily have served as a storyline from the show itself. Despite CBS' statement at the time that the series had been unexpectedly cancelled because of declining ratings, the real reason behind the network's withdrawal of support was due to the forthright political statements concerning U.S. involvement in Central America, by Asner, at the time head of the Screen Actors Guild, which led him into direct conflict with President Ronald Reagan. 

Published on December 31st, 2018. Written by SRH for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

Roots

US miniseries based on Alex Haley's saga of an African American Family.

Also released in 1977

Deadline Midnight

The day to day business of running a fictitious Fleet Street newspaper, the Daily Globe.

Also tagged Newsroom Drama

Secret Army

An underground Resistance movement risk life and limb in their endeavours to smuggle Allied airmen past the Nazis and return them back to Britain.

Also released in 1977

Honey West

Described as television's most beautiful private eye

Also tagged Us Drama Series

The Stand 1994

American post-apocalyptic television miniseries based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Stephen King, which poses the question - if we had a choice, would we choose good over evil?

Also tagged Us Drama Series

The Stand 2020

How would the survivors react to a total collapse of civilisation? Stephen King's epic post-Apocalyptic tale got a remake in 2020

Also tagged Us Drama Series

Robin's Nest

Young chef opens up a bistro with his girlfriend with comic consequences.

Also released in 1977

The Incredible Hulk TV series

After a scientist is exposed to gamma rays his body changes into a super-human rampaging 'monster'.

Also released in 1977