Season 7

October 9, 1976

Sue Ann becomes deeply depressed when her sister arrives and gets an offer to do a competing homemaker show in Minneapolis.

October 16, 1976

Mary hires a new sportscaster who refuses to cover any sports but swimming and is faced with the prospect of firing her.

October 23, 1976

Ted suffers a heart attack on the air and for the next few days becomes conscious of how precious life is.

October 30, 1976

Lou promotes Murray to co-producer against Mary's wishes to prevent him from accepting a producer's job at a rival television station.

November 6, 1976

Ted and Georgette are initially disturbed to find that their son, David, is not doing well at school, but a psychiatrist's test shows that he is a genius. Unfortunately, David lets this go to his head and takes advantage of Ted.

November 13, 1976

Mary faces a contempt charge for not revealing her news source. Lou recommends a lawyer friend who takes a romantic interest in Mary.

November 20, 1976

Lou realizes that he has feelings for Mary's Aunt Flo, a journalist with a similar pride and passion in the news profession.

November 27, 1976

Lou learns from a source on the Teddy Award's panel that Murray will finally win an award for his news writing.

December 4, 1976

Mary is having trouble sleeping and resorts to pills, which has Lou concerned that she's become addicted to them.

December 11, 1976

Mary and Murray find it hard to believe that an attractive young journalist has tried to seduce Ted while they are at a convention in Hollywood.

December 25, 1976

Mary and Lou threaten to quit after the new station manager refuses to give them a raise.

January 8, 1977

A pompous but renowned critic is hired to provoke controversy on The Six O'Clock News, but the newsroom thinks he has gone too far when he begins attacking Minneapolis and its residents.

January 15, 1977

Lou wants to return a favor to an old Army buddy, but balks when he asks for a date with Mary.

January 22, 1977

Ted and Georgette successfully audition for their own variety show, which becomes a big hit, but Georgette eventually finds that she would prefer being a wife and mother.

January 29, 1977

Sue Ann's Happy Homemaker show is canceled but she is determined to stay at WJM and asks Mary to give her a job in the newsroom.

February 5, 1977

WJM's former weatherman, Gordy Howard, returns to visit Minneapolis after becoming a highly successful network presenter in New York. Ted is desperate for a chance to join Gordy.

February 12, 1977

Mary happily accepts a date from a charming older man without realizing that he's Murray's father, but everyone else has difficulty coming to terms with the difference in their ages.

February 19, 1977

Ted offers Murray $200 to write an article on his behalf. The article becomes a success, but Ted refuses to share the credit with Murray.

February 26, 1977

Murray, Ted and Lou fantasize about being married to Mary.

March 5, 1977

Mary has planned a fancy party at her apartment, with a mystery guest of honor, but the power in the building goes before he arrives.

March 12, 1977

Mary has another disastrous date and worries she'll never meet the right man, until Georgette points out that every quality she seeks can be found in Lou Grant.

March 19, 1977

WJM-TV has some personnel changes in the executive department (again), and everyone except Ted Baxter is fired. The new station manager wants to see the WJM News the highest-ranked in Minneapolis, and for some reason feels that Ted can help him make it happen. (Seems a little odd, eh?) The gang says goodbye to each other in the form of a long, hard cry. Mary thanks them all for being her surrogate family, and Lou finally sentimentally says, ""I cherish you people."" They bravely march out the office doors singing, ""It's a long, long way to Tipperary."" At the last moment, Mary leans back through through the WJM-TV doors and turns out the light. So long, WJM-TV.