The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Watch the Last Episode’s Rare Curtain Call

It’s just been announced that the seventh and final season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show will finally be released on DVD. The set will include all 24 episodes of the show’s swan song, including the series finale called “The Last Show.”

As you probably know, the last episode revolves around WJM’s new station manager (Vincent Gardenia) firing many of the station’s staff, including Mary, (Mary Tyler Moore), Lou (Edward Asner), Murray (Gavin MacLeod), and Sue Ann (Betty White). Incredibly, bumbling newsman Ted (Ted Knight) is spared. Lou flies Mary’s friends, Rhoda (Valerie Harper) and Phyllis (Cloris Leachman), in from New York and San Francisco to cheer up his spunky co-worker. The episode ends with a memorable embrace of the co-workers and Ted’s wife, Georgette (Georgia Engel).

The Mary Tyler Moore Show has been in syndication for many years so fans have probably seen the tearful farewell as many times as they’ve seen “Chuckles Bites the Dust.” What they haven’t seen is the original ending of the finale.

In syndication, the end credits play like a typical episode. But, when the show originally aired on March 19, 1977, the credits ran over the show’s emotional final curtain call. The upcoming DVD set will include that ending but, if you can’t wait, here’s a low-quality version (followed by the syndicated version).

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Seventh Season will be released on October 5th. The three disc set will retail for $29.88. Amazon’s taking pre-orders for The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Complete Series but the release has been delayed.

What do you think? Do you have fond memories of The Mary Tyler Moore Show? How would you rate the series finale? One of TV’s best?