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And Then There's Odd

G-Fafif Mar 24 2011 09:19 AM

Antenna TV aired the final episodes of Maude this week, one of the strangest arcs an established show ever ended on. Everybody's leaving Maude (except for Walter, who's retiring, which, a la Casey and Edna Stengel, is too much Walter for Maude), and she's depressed, but her great friend, a congresswoman (whom we had never heard of in the preceding seasons), was going to give her a job, so she had something to look forward to. Except while the two are celebrating together, the congresswoman drops dead. Maude's more depressed now. She goes to the "Irish wake" (where everybody's drunk) and she meets an abrasive good ol' boy who turns out to be the congresswoman's chief of staff. Maude's supposed to deliver the eulogy (at the wake) but is overcome by circumstances enough to declare her candidacy in the upcoming special election, pounding on the casket to make her points. The "governor" is so impressed, he calls off the special election and appoints Maude to fill out the unexpired term (which I'm pretty sure isn't how it works). Next thing we see, Maude and Walter are on Capitol Hill at Maude's new office, where she has a wacky new work family: the good ol' boy C-of-S who's a handful but great at his job; a voluptuous former burlesque performer who's a straight-talking crackerjack legistlative assistant; a vaguely sassy but very professional African-American lady press secretary; and, in the best tradition of Florida, Mrs. Naugatuck and Victoria (the one who came after the other two), a housekeeper who gives as good as she gets (in the swanky mansion that apparently comes with being a member of the House of Representatives). In 22 minutes, Maude learns the ropes of Washington, sways between adhering to her principles and getting important work done (she has to promise not to "say anything nice about blacks" at the Black Caucus meeting if she wants to ensure funding for women's shelters) and decides that this bunch of misfits really has her best interests at heart. Oh, and in the middle of all this, "President Jimmy Carter" calls (voiced by Jeff Altman of later Pink Lady & Jeff fame) to wish her well. That call, by the President of the United States to a freshman fill-in congresswoman, was arranged by the crackerjack legislative assistant -- best in the business, we are reminded -- to make Maude "feel important," which teaches Maude a lesson because Maude doesn't like the assistant's attitude, nor her sexiness, which has apparently caught Walter's eye. This episode was intended to serve as the pivot to a retooled Maude the following season, but Bea Arthur (and the ratings) decided enough was enough. Rep. Findlay (D-NY) never served another half-hour. And I have to say, all for the best.

TheOldMole Mar 24 2011 10:39 AM Re: And Then There's Odd

Pink Lady & Jeff was fame?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Mar 24 2011 10:45 AM Re: And Then There's Odd

What? No prehistoric puppet monster?

Benjamin Grimm Mar 24 2011 11:03 AM Re: And Then There's Odd

I know Jeff Altman from his appearances many years ago on Late Night with David Letterman. He used to be a very funny guest. These days, when he's on Late Show with Dave, not so much.

HahnSolo Mar 24 2011 11:51 AM Re: And Then There's Odd

G-Fafif wrote: The "governor" is so impressed, he calls off the special election and appoints Maude to fill out the unexpired term Yeah, but I wouldn't f*&k her with Bea Arthur's dick.

Fman99 Mar 24 2011 12:10 PM Re: And Then There's Odd

I always get the ending of Maude confused with the ending of Boogie Nights, where Marky Mark takes his cosmetically enhanced hog out and talks to it.

G-Fafif Mar 24 2011 12:15 PM Re: And Then There's Odd

Fman99 wrote: I always get the ending of Maude confused with the ending of Boogie Nights, where Marky Mark takes his cosmetically enhanced hog out and talks to it. They were both so sharp they could cut glass. Their names, I mean.

seawolf17 Mar 24 2011 12:21 PM Re: And Then There's Odd

That was the single worst movie in the history of film.

G-Fafif Mar 24 2011 12:21 PM Re: And Then There's Odd

That was the single worst movie in the history of film. I agree -- as a half-hour sitcom, it was fine, but Maude: The Movie was unbearable. Boogie Nights, however, I thought was quite good.