Ep 6. Support Your Local Mother

Mary finds herself in an interesting situation when her visiting mother, Mrs. Richards, falls in love with Lou Grant. Mary's mother, who is recently divorced, is excited to be free and looking for a new relationship. She initially sets her sights on Ted Baxter, but quickly realizes that his personality doesn't match her criteria. Lou, on the other hand, is older and wiser, and seems to be a perfect candidate for Mrs. Richards.

As Mary begins to witness her mother's flirtatious behavior towards Lou, she becomes increasingly uncomfortable. She confides in Rhoda about the situation, but Rhoda encourages her to embrace it and be happy for her mother's newfound happiness. However, Mary still thinks it's inappropriate and tries to discourage her mother from pursuing a relationship with Lou.

Things get even more complicated when Lou starts to reciprocate Mrs. Richards' affections. He is flattered by the attention and enjoys spending time with her. Despite Mary's protests, Lou and Mrs. Richards continue to spend time together and even go on a date. Mary is mortified when she discovers this and becomes even more determined to put a stop to the romance.

Meanwhile, Ted is feeling left out and jealous of the attention that Lou is receiving from Mrs. Richards. He tries to win her affections by serenading her with a song, but unfortunately for Ted, it only makes things worse.

The episode reaches a climactic point when Mary finally confronts Lou and tells him how uncomfortable she is with the whole situation. Lou initially brushes her off, believing that Mrs. Richards is a grown woman who can make her own decisions. However, he eventually realizes that Mary is right and he should not be pursuing a relationship with her mother.

In the end, everything works out for the best. Mrs. Richards realizes that Lou is not the man for her and decides to move on. Lou and Mary patch things up and continue their working relationship as normal. The episode ends on a heartwarming note as Mary and Mrs. Richards bond over their shared experience and reaffirm their love for each other.