Original subtitles

Who can turn the world on with her smile?

Who can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?

Well, it's you, girl, and you should know it.

With each glance and every little movement you show it, love is all alone,

need to waste it. You can never tell, why don't you take it?

You're gonna make it after all.

You're gonna make it after all.

Mary?

Yeah? I found you a vegetable. Oh, Rosie, thank you. You saved my life.

That's all I had in my freezer.

Now, I'm not sure what it is because the wrapper's torn off, but I know it's a

vegetable. Yeah? How do you know it's a vegetable? Well, because the only thing

left in the box is this giant green toe.

Cauliflower. Cauliflower.

I don't even like cauliflower.

What's cauliflower doing in my freezer?

Oh, I remember I was making dinner for a guy, and he asked me what he could

bring. And I told him, listen, we're having fish, so you should bring

that's white and chilled.

Hmm.

that's channeling the best ratings in town. They win all the awards, too.

Ross won three.

Best coverage, best feature story, and outstanding editorial achievement.

How'd he do in the swimsuit competition?

If they'd had one, he would have won it. Oh, really?

Mm -hmm. Ooh.

Listen, Mayor, how does W .J .M. feel about this? I mean, you know, after all,

he is directly opposite you. Your show.

I mean, is it dangerous dating the enemy?

Oh, Rhoda, that's so high school. That's the truth.

Listen. In high school, if a sharkette was ever caught even talking to a guy

wasn't a shark, they would drag her into the girls' room and bleach her bangs.

I'm kidding you.

We're not really enemies. I mean, Channel 8 has their audience. We have

audience. It's just that theirs is huge and gross. Ours is small and tasteful.

It is. Well, I guess I better be racing on.

meet Ross Nelson.

Hello. Oh, nice to meet you. It's a great pleasure to meet you, really. I

miss your show. Never. I thought you never missed Star Show.

And last night, I loved that expose you did on the corruption in Councilman

Homburg's office.

Oh, listen, that gave me goosebumps.

We did a great interview with the cottage cheese queen.

It was really good meeting you. Really, it was a pleasure. Same here, Rhoda.

Maybe from now on you should watch WJN. They need the audience.

That's the truth.

We should be back in a few minutes.

I'm Bill Bradford. Hi, I'm Mary Richard.

Here's the background on the construction.

Thank you. Boy, it's a lot of activity.

No, don't judge us by this. It's a slow day.

Wow, would you look at all the monitors.

They're called monitors. We use them to watch all the other news shows. Right,

right. You know, see who's getting a jump on a story. Yes, I know, I know. I

work in the newsroom at WTM.

share of stories, too.

We used to monitor you.

But you know how Ted Baxter is?

A crowd would gather, everybody would start to laugh, and then nobody would

any work done.

Excuse me.

Bill, one of our swingers just phoned in with a tip. A freighter hit a sandbar

on the Mississippi River about 20 miles south of here, and it's sinking. They're

trying to get the men off. Now, nobody else in town has this story.

Can we get a mobile unit available? Yeah, number four just came back.

All right, and we'd better send a helicopter and...

got to take care of this.

new skill.

There's room.

Ted, listen, it's Mary.

Oh, hi, Mary. It's Mary.

Ted, you won't listen to me, will you? Because I've got to tell you something.

Will you speak up, Mary? We've got a bad connection. I can barely hear you. Ted,

a freighter is sinking in the Mississippi on a...

the phone, somebody stole the canvas chair out of my dressing room.

You know, the one with my name stencil on the back?

Just because she didn't know the answer, she'd have to get angry.

I doubt if the same guy was responsible.

Don't you ever ask yourself why we are always last in the ratings?

Yes, and I've come up with what I think is a very good explanation.

Fewer people watch us.

It's because they're watching Channel 8.

I always hear about Channel 8. What's so terrific about Channel 8 anyway?

Mr. Grant, boy, they have got an organization over there like nothing of

their...

But that doesn't make a newsroom, Mary. You take away their helicopters and

their mobile units and their walkie -talkies and their big budget, and what

you got?

Us.

People. All the equipment in the world doesn't make a news team, Mary. I know.

You've got to have the people. But that equipment is why they're always beating

us to the stories. Oh, there's more to news than just getting there first. It's

what you do with the story, how you handle it.

I wouldn't trade my staff for the Channel 8 newsroom if they threw in all

high -priced gear in Minneapolis.

Oh, Mr. Grant, you're right. This is a great team, and I am really proud to be

part... Come in.

Hey, Mary.

That's who's outside.

Ross Nelson.

Oh, Mary, why did you let him in?

Couldn't you have kept him waiting outside?

You're ashamed of us. Oh, Mr. Grant, you know that I love you. Mary, let me tell

you a little story.

When I was a kid, my dad had a tiny little grocery store.

It was a good store and honest work, but I was ashamed of it.

So whenever one of my friends would come to visit me at the store, I would

always tell him my dad had three more like it.

You see what I'm leading up to?

that I should stop being childish and go out there with my head held high.

Right. When you show him around the newsroom, tell him we have three more

him.

Ross, how nice of you to drop by. I wanted to apologize for standing you up.

that's all right. Would you like to go to lunch now? I'll go with you. I think

I'd rather see your newsroom.

Where is it?

Yeah, we've met. Mary, I'm going down to the coffee shop. You want a popsicle or

something? No, thank you, Murray. No, stay, Ross. Right.

Just one writer?

No, no, we don't have just one writer. We have another one.

Oh, this is our producer, Lou Grant.

Ross Nelson.

How you doing?

Nice little operation you got over there at Channel 8, is it? Right.

Thanks, Lou. You too.

Oh, thanks. Go on, Mary.

in the rest of our plant.

Oh, no, I don't think we're all... Yes, I do. I do, really.

Okay, that's our monitor.

And this is our wastebasket. But, you know, it's a central one that's used,

you know, by... No, of course, there's a series of clocks up there, you know,

around the world.

Ross Nelson?

Yeah.

Ted, where are you going? Lou, I don't want to be here when he gets back.

I mean, what do I say to him? He's number one.

Ted, you're as good as he is.

We're as good as they are.

Tell me the truth, Lou.

You're just so important to me. You have no idea how important. Tell me the

truth. Are we as good as they are?

No.

I said the truth.

Yes. Really?

A tad.

Oh, okay.

I'm not worried about it. I suppose underneath that tinsel and glitter, he's

probably just an ordinary guy. I know I am.

Of course, he'd be glad to meet you.

What'll I say to him, Lou?

I mean, I'm not good at making conversation.

It's hard to me. Oh, sure, with chicks it's easy, but with other guys, I don't

know what to say, Lou.

All you have to do is just shake his hand and say hello.

Then he'll say hello back and it'll be my turn again.

This has happened to me before, Lou.

All right, Ted, why don't you just start by saying, how do you do, Nelson? It's

always nice to meet a fellow anchorman.

Hello, Nelson. How do you do, Nelson? How do you do, Nelson?

It's always nice to meet a... Fellow anchorman. Fellow anchorman.

I suppose I could say that.

Ted Moore.

Oh, Ted, this is Ross Nelson. Ted Baxter.

Ted Baxter, eh?

Pleasure. How do you do, Nelson? It's always nice to meet a fellow anchorman.

Same here.

Well.

Well, well.

So.

So, so, well.

Hey, Lou. Hey, a bridge under construction just collapsed over on...

hold it, Murray.

I'm afraid you'll have to excuse us, Nelson.

Oh, come on, Lou. I hardly think in this day and age... Oh, sorry, but we are

competitors after all.

Okay, thanks for the tour, Mary. See you for dinner. Right.

Okay, where's that bridge? Over on Grove Street.

Mary, get a unit out there right away and cancel that film on that feature

we're running tonight.

Which one? The one about the German shepherd raising the baby duck as her

puppy.

No, no, no. This is a bigger exclusive.

This is a bigger story.

You see, Mary?

People. That's what makes a news team.

People. Hey, where'd you find out about that bridge anyway?

Well, the TV was on in the coffee shop. Channel 8's coming up by a helicopter.

I just thought you'd like to know.

Mary, put back the baby duck. Right.

Okay, now. I'll tell you why I asked you here.

I want us to try to find ways to improve the quality of our news.

Now, first off, I talked to the station manager, and he said he certainly

understands our... problem.

Hi,

guys.

What is it, Ted?

Well, I was a little lonely in my dressing room, and I figured if you guys

weren't doing anything, that maybe we could... Ted, we are all doing

He's having a meeting.

You mind if I watch?

Watch what?

Whatever it is you're doing.

Please.

I don't want to go back to my empty dressing room. There's nobody to talk,

nobody to have fun with.

Please, Lou, I'll be good.

Okay, Ted, you can stay on one condition. You keep your mouth shut,

And he has approved an increase in our budget of $250 a month.

Now, I know that's not a lot, but maybe we can find some good ideas of how to

spend it.

All right.

Well, uh... Wait a minute.

I knew I was supposed to be quiet, but I got an idea how to spend that money

that'll make our news a lot better.

All right, Ted, what is it?

of $250 a month.

That's going to make the news better? Sure it is.

You get what you pay for, Lou.

I'm not saying I've been holding back.

I mean, I've been giving 100%, but with $250 more, something really

special. The lid will be off.

Ted, I know that you're going to find this hard to understand.

But I don't want your lid off.

Go ahead, Murray.

You were saying?

Well, I have this one idea.

I don't know if you're going to like it or not.

Ah, no, you're not going to like it. Murray, come on. It might be a terrific

idea. Go, sing. Yeah, well, okay.

Now, look, I was thinking that we could take the money and buy an electric

typewriter. I mean, just think.

If you make a mistake, you can X out by holding your finger on the key.

And you can change the typeface any... Why

did you make me tell it, Mary? I didn't want to tell it.

You're always pushing me, Mary.

I knew it was a lousy idea. I never should have said it.

Mr. Grant, I have an idea. It's something that I've been thinking about

long time. And, well, now with the extra money and all.

You know, like college kids who are interested in journalism and take them

part -time reporters.

You mean like stringers? Yeah, right.

Stringers. I mean, it wouldn't cost us that much money and they'd be getting

great experience.

Wait a minute.

Let me get this straight.

You want to hire a bunch of know -nothing teenage reporters?

A bunch of 17, 18 -year -old kids to find stories for my show?

Can you believe your ears, Lou?

Can you? Yes, Ted.

Because I was a stringer when I was 15 years old. I was a pretty good newspaper

man, too.

Oh, sure. 15 years old, but not 17, 18.

Oh,

by the way, Mary, been watching the show.

Listen, kid, I felt bad about what happened last week. I have been watching

every single night.

Don't really watch it tomorrow night, Rhoda. Stick with Channel.

Mary, what are you talking about? Listen, I'm watching the show. I'm

it. Really, that's how I feel. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, what's the matter?

Oh, Ruda, I don't know. For the first time in my life, I am embarrassed about

where I work.

I feel terrible. I mean, I hate it, but since I've been going out with Ross, I

just feel so inferior.

Inferior. It's funny how I guess that.

I mean, in my life, that's pretty big news, Mary. You feeling inferior. Yeah,

well, it's true.

I mean, it's like finding out that Yul Gibbon eats pizza.

Like the other day, I told Ross that we'd hired those college students

as part -time reporters. Right.

So now every time I see him, he says, oh, how are things on Sesame Street?

I mean, ordinarily, Rhoda, someone says something cute like that, I laugh, you

know, but now all I want to do is just wipe that smug...

Oh, kid, you're really upset, huh? Yeah, because I feel sorry for all of us.

Murray, Mr. Grant, me, Ted, even... You know, last night, Ross's closing story

was an interview with Secretary of State Kissinger.

Really? Ted's closing story was an exclusive interview with a minor bird

had been taught to say good night and good news.

How'd they ever get Kissinger?

I don't know.

Took us two weeks just to get the bird.

two -inch dwarf.

Police say that the closed -circuit cameras were unable to get a picture of

holdup man because his head did not reach the counter.

Pardon me for laughing, but that's the first time I heard that.

Now, on the lighter side... He mixed up his pages again. That was the lighter

side. The French government announced today a new series of atom bomb tests in

the South Pacific.

and he says the strike is over.

See, his old high school English teacher is on the negotiating committee, and

she said that they're going to vote to accept the package.

Ron who?

Ron McGuire, one of the kids I hired as a part -time reporter.

He sure?

Yeah. Call strike headquarters and see if you can reach anyone there to

No, Ron says that he's the only one who knows.

Pete!

for a tech. You know what we need?

Let me speak to the kid.

His name is Ron.

Hello, kid.

Well, Grant, one question.

Are you sure about this?

He says he's sure.

Grant? Huh?

Channel 8 has nothing on the strike yet. Keep watching.

Right. Ron, listen to me.

It's very important to us that you are very sure.

We're sticking our neck...

Is he sure?

Okay, Kim, hold on.

Here's the intro.

You're going to take a chance.

What do you say, Mary?

I say, let's do it.

So do I. Let's go with it. Mary, get that intro down to Ted. Right.

Mary, get the library to find a slide of the teacher's picketing.

just the way you told it to Mary.

Huh? We're all hooked up.

Okay, Ron, we're ready to put it on the air.

We interrupt our scheduled news to bring you this exclusive late bulletin.

WGM has learned exclusively that the teacher strike is over.

Now we're bringing you in exclusively by audio our exclusive WGM correspondent

on the scene, Ron McGuire. Come in, Ron, with that exclusive...

Ed Baxter saying good night and good news.

Anything on Channel 8? They said from our reports, the strike should continue

for at least two more weeks.

And there's nothing on the wires, Lou. Nothing on Channel 8, nothing on the

wires. Lou, look, what happens if we're wrong, Lou? We're not wrong.

If we're wrong, we're wrong, that's all.

So we make a mistake, big deal.

I bet Channel 8 makes lots of mistakes. Right.

I mean, what's the worst thing that can happen?

Thousands of kids will show up for school tomorrow and nobody...

Four o 'clock in the morning, somebody phoned in a story, and I had no way to

check it out.

It was either print the biggest story of the century and beat every paper in the

city by hours, or kill it.

I was a gutsy kid, so I decided to print it.

You want to know what that story was?

I'll tell you what that story was.

The Japanese had just