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The Best Episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3

Every episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3!

Binge this in 10h 0m•Peaking at 8.9/10

30-year-old single Mary Richards moves to Minneapolis to start a new life after a romantic break-up. There she reacquaints with Phyllis who rents her a room, and meets her upstairs neighbor and new best friend

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 1 - The Good-Time News
    8.2/10(242 votes)

    #1 - The Good-Time News

    S3:E1

    Mary is given the task of making The Six O'clock News more upbeat, and her plans are on target to succeed until they're frustrated by Ted.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:James L. Brooks

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  2. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 2 - What is Mary Richards Really Like?
    7.4/10(193 votes)

    #2 - What is Mary Richards Really Like?

    S3:E2

    Mary is interviewed by a newspaper columnist and ends up telling a little too much.

    Director:Jerry Belson
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 3 - Who's in Charge Here?
    7.6/10(193 votes)

    #3 - Who's in Charge Here?

    S3:E3

    Lou is promoted to the position of program director but has to decide to whom his old job should go. Meanwhile, The Six O'clock News begins falling apart without him.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 4 - Enter Rhoda's Parents
    8.1/10(221 votes)

    #4 - Enter Rhoda's Parents

    S3:E4

    Ida Morgenstern, Rhoda's mother, mistakenly believes that her husband is seeing other women, so Rhoda and Mary try to clear things up between them.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 5 - It's Whether You Win or Lose
    7.9/10(212 votes)

    #5 - It's Whether You Win or Lose

    S3:E5

    When Lou's trip to Las Vegas is cancelled, Mary organizes a poker game at the office where Murray loses a substantial amount to Ted.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 6 - Rhoda the Beautiful
    8.3/10(247 votes)

    #6 - Rhoda the Beautiful

    S3:E6

    After losing 20 pounds, Rhoda enters a beauty contest at work, but continues to put herself down.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Treva Silverman

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  7. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 7 - Just Around the Corner
    7.4/10(212 votes)

    #7 - Just Around the Corner

    S3:E7

    Mary is worried that her parents, who have moved to the Twin Cities to be close to her, may pry into her life too much.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 8 - But Seriously, Folks
    6.8/10(212 votes)

    #8 - But Seriously, Folks

    S3:E8

    Mary begins dating the writer of the Chuckles the Clown show, whose real ambition is to become a stand-up comedian.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 9 - Farmer Ted and the News
    8.3/10(232 votes)

    #9 - Farmer Ted and the News

    S3:E9

    Ted refuses to sign his contract renewal until Lou agrees to let him pursue other ventures, a decision he soon regrets when Ted begins appearing in commercials.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 10 - Have I Found a Guy for You
    7.1/10(204 votes)

    #10 - Have I Found a Guy for You

    S3:E10

    Two of Mary's friends separate and Mary accepts a date from the husband.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 11 - You've Got a Friend
    7.6/10(190 votes)

    #11 - You've Got a Friend

    S3:E11

    Mary becomes concerned when her father, newly retired, appears to have no friends or hobbies in Minneapolis, and tries to take on the role herself.

    Director:Jerry Belson
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 12 - It Was Fascination, I Know
    7.1/10(202 votes)

    #12 - It Was Fascination, I Know

    S3:E12

    Bess's 15-year-old boyfriend falls in love with Mary and begins to surprise her with visits to her apartment and her work.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 13 - Operation: Lou
    8.4/10(223 votes)

    #13 - Operation: Lou

    S3:E13

    Lou goes to hospital to have a piece of World War II shrapnel removed and, surprisingly, he and Ted become best friends.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writers:David Pollock, Elias Davis

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  14. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 14 - Rhoda Morgenstern: Minneapolis to New York
    7.9/10(221 votes)

    #14 - Rhoda Morgenstern: Minneapolis to New York

    S3:E14

    Rhoda decides to move back to New York but Mary is taking the whole thing with a grain of salt.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Treva Silverman

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  15. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 15 - The Courtship of Mary's Father's Daughter
    7.6/10(207 votes)

    #15 - The Courtship of Mary's Father's Daughter

    S3:E15

    Mary runs into her former boyfriend Dan Whitfield in an elevator by chance. Subsequently, Dan realizes he still has feelings for Mary, breaks off his engagement, and begins dating her again.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writers:David Pollock, Elias Davis

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  16. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 16 - Lou's Place
    7.5/10(212 votes)

    #16 - Lou's Place

    S3:E16

    Lou spots an opportunity to buy a bar after realizing a lifelong dream. However, he is short of several thousand dollars and Ted is the only one who can come to his aid.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 17 - My Brother's Keeper
    8.3/10(264 votes)

    #17 - My Brother's Keeper

    S3:E17

    Phyllis wants to set up her visiting brother with Mary, but instead he hits it off with Rhoda and begins spending time with her to Phyllis's disapproval.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Dick Clair

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  18. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 18 - The Georgette Story
    8.2/10(209 votes)

    #18 - The Georgette Story

    S3:E18

    Mary and Rhoda try to encourage Georgette to take a stand for herself after seeing how Ted takes advantage of her.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 19 - Romeo and Mary
    6.7/10(223 votes)

    #19 - Romeo and Mary

    S3:E19

    Rhoda introduces Mary to a very irritating Warren Sturges, who tries everything including a giant billboard across the road from the WJM-TV offices to get her to accept his marriage proposal.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Jim Mulholland

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  20. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 20 - What Do You Do When the Boss Says, I Love You?
    7.5/10(200 votes)

    #20 - What Do You Do When the Boss Says, I Love You?

    S3:E20

    The new station manager, an attractive woman, falls for Lou.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writers:David Pollock, Elias Davis

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  21. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 21 - Murray Faces Life
    7.1/10(187 votes)

    #21 - Murray Faces Life

    S3:E21

    Murray becomes depressed when he realizes that the years are passing him by, after he learns that a contemporary has won a Pulitzer Prize.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 22 - Remembrance of Things Past
    6.7/10(192 votes)

    #22 - Remembrance of Things Past

    S3:E22

    A former boyfriend visiting Minneapolis calls Mary who, deep down, wants to see him again but she has been hurt by him too many times before.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Dick Clair

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  23. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 23 - Put On a Happy Face
    8.9/10(325 votes)

    #23 - Put On a Happy Face

    S3:E23

    Everything goes right for Rhoda and everything goes wrong for Mary on a disastrous day when she is due to go to the Teddies.

    Director:Jay Sandrich
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 3 Episode 24 - Mary Richards and the Incredible Plant Lady
    7.7/10(208 votes)

    #24 - Mary Richards and the Incredible Plant Lady

    S3:E24

    Mary lends Rhoda almost $1,200 to start a new venture and worries she may never see her money again, after Rhoda postpones repayment, hires Georgette full-time and begins expanding her business.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 3 Ratings Summary

"The Good-Time News" is the best rated episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" season 3. It scored 8.2/10 based on 242 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by James L. Brooks, it aired on 9/16/1972. This episode is rated 0.8 points higher than the second-best, "What is Mary Richards Really Like?".