What is it? Maude, the Complete Series, 141 episodes on 19 discs from Shout! Factory
How much? $159.99
When? Tuesday
Who is Maude? Short answer? According to the show's theme song, she's "uncompromisin', enterprisin', anything but tranquilizin'."
Maude Findlay (Beatrice Arthur) is a militant feminist liberal in the 1970s, an outspoken supporter of women's rights, minorities of all kinds, legal marijuana, gun control, you name it. The character was first introduced on another Norman Lear series, All in the Family.
She's married to Walter (Bill Macy), her fourth husband, with whom she has an alternately loving and fractious relationship. Walter's far more laid back than Maude, but he's also not afraid to fight back and shoot the occasional zinger, which usually earns him a "God'll get you for that, Walter" from his wife.
They share their home with Carol Traynor (Adrienne Barbeau), Maude's divorced daughter from her second marriage, and Carol's young son, Philip (Brian Morrison and Kraig Metzinger).
Maude's most frequent "enemy" was their neighbor, Dr. Arthur Harmon (Conrad Bain), Walter's strait-laced, conservative friend from his Army days. When Arthur fell in love with and married Maude's best friend, scatty Vivian (Rue McClanahan), Maude was comically disgusted.
The Findlays also had, over the course of the series, a string of maids, including Florida Evans (Esther Rolle), a sensible woman amused and annoyed by Maude's attitude (who got her own spinoff, Good Times), and the bawdy Brit Nell Naugatuck (Hermione Baddeley).
Like other Lear series, the series tackled quite a few political and social issues, most memorably abortion. But other episodes functioned as your typical sitcom.
How does it hold up? Many of the issues (race relations, sexism, drugs, alcoholism, abortion, gay rights) are still vital today. Yes, it's dated, and the way the show tackles some of these problems wouldn't or couldn't be done now.
Is it good? That depends on your feelings about Beatrice Arthur. Her character is strident, abrasive and can be a full-on pain in the neck, and she's front and center 90 percent of the time, so keep that in mind.
As for the politics, it's more even-handed than one might think. Yes, Maude is the heroine and she's as left-wing as they come. But at the same time, she's not a liberal paragon. She's basically a mirror image of All in the Family's Archie Bunker. She's shown to practice a knee-jerk form of liberalism that isn't always backed up by facts or common sense, and the show doesn't hesitate to poke fun at her for it.
For instance, when Maude decides to take in a disadvantaged black teenager for a week, she positively revels in her own righteousness while unintentionally being condescending and offensive to the surly girl, who is neither grateful nor impressed.
The series is at its best when it's being funny, not tipping over into overly dramatic "lessons." Those who like their humor dry, sardonic and loaded with clever insults will find a lot to like. Obnoxious as her character could be, few could do withering sarcasm like Arthur, and her costars gave her excellent support.
Are there any extras? A few. There are three featurettes, about 14-22 minutes long each, with cast and creator interviews about the creation of the characters, filming and the political issues addressed. There's also the Syndication Sales Presentation with Norman Lear, which is essentially a clip show episode with Lear's introduction and comments. Two unaired Maude episodes and the two Maude All in the Family episodes are also included.
New this week: Bewitched, Seasons 5-6; Dexter, Most Shocking Episodes; Ghost Whisperer, Complete Series; WKRP in Cincinnati, Seasons 1-2.
Next week: The Donna Reed Show, Season 2; Mr. Bean, 25th Anniversary Collection; Mystery Science Theater 3000, XXXII.
Style on 03/15/2015