Maude: "Nostalgia Party"

Premiered December 30, 1974.

"This is going to be a fabulous party, the most fantastic party ever!  I mean I guarantee you this is not going to be one of those typical New Year's Eve disasters, where all the guests sit around waiting for Guy Lombardo to come on while two drunks throw up in their paper hats."
-Maude Findlay

Maude tells Mrs. Naugatuck about her party plans.

Dateline:December 31, 1974: Maude Findlay (Bea Arthur) is excitedly planning her New Year's Eve party.  She hopes it will be the greatest party of all time.  Maude says it will have what other parties don't: a scavenger hunt!  She will hide "little gifties" all over the house, and whoever finds the most "gifties" wins a prize.

Mrs. Naugatuck says it feels more like Labor Day than New Year's Eve to her!

Mrs. Nugatuck (Hermione Baddeley), the housekeeper,  is unimpressed with the plans.
Especially since the party means that she has to work on New Year's Eve.

Maude is undeterred, but her enthusiasm is dampened when her friends Vivian (Rue McClanahan) and Arthur (Conrad Bain) say they just attended a "scavenger hunt" party the night before.  Maude is convinced her party is ruined.  She gets angry when she learns that Vivian invited Estelle and Herman Ellinger, a couple who always have arguments and ruin everyone else's good time, to her party.

No one feels like celebrating 1974, Maude's friends and family are in a cranky mood.   They all agree it was an all-around bad year.  Maude's husband Walter (Bill Macy) has had a tough year running his business.  Inflation has hurt his appliance shop and Walter doesn't see that improving in 1975.

In this atmosphere, Arthur suggests they celebrate their favorite years instead of the current one.  Maude likes this idea and tells everyone to come to her party dressed as their "most nostalgic year".

Guests in nostalgic outfits of various eras

Vivian arrives dressed in a Shirley Temple outfit as if she was 5 years old (and her father's favorite child).  Her husband Arthur is 1952, the year he attended the convention where Dwight Eisenhower was nominated.

Walter does a Groucho Marx impression in uniform

Walter puts on his old Army uniform.  He says 1942 was a great year for him.

"That long-stemmed American beauty, Gypsy Rose Findlay!"

Maude tops them all. She reenacts her 1945 College Freshman Review performance, wearing what can best be described as lingerie and performs a burlesque dance for her guests!

The Ellingers arrive along with 90 something year old Aunt Polly (Judith Lowry).   The couple immediately get into a fight with each other and depart, leaving Aunt Polly behind.

The bickering Ellingers with Aunt Polly caught in the middle

As it turns out, the nostalgia angle leads to more arguments.  Maude and Arthur point out that Walter's favorite year was "great for Hitler, Moussolini,  and Hirohito".  Maude tells Arthur that '52 was a terrible year, with a recession and conflicts in the Middle East.  Vivian says Maude was "the campus zit queen" during 1945.

Aunt Polly breaks up the argument by blowing a noisemaker to get everyone's attention

Aunt Polly puts things in perspective and proposes a toast to her favorite minute, saying,  "Last year isn't important, it's what's happening now."   This causes everyone at the party to rethink their bickering and have a more positive approach.

J.A. Morris says:

There are not that many "New Year's" themed episodes.  And that's because there aren't many stories that can be told about Christmas' lesser sibling (plus, most series are on hiatus during the Christmas holidays).  But this episode makes good use of the New Year's Eve setting.  It's a typical episode of Maude, but that's not a bad thing.  Everyone has some good one-liners.  Maude gets in some zingers at Arthur, her political nemesis.  Mrs. Naugatuck points out Maude's classism.  Vivian says something slightly airheaded.

Vivian's childish behavior makes Maude want to throw up in a party hat!

 Bea Arthur deserves kudos for dancing around in a showgirl outfit.  It's something rarely done on tv (then or now) by a woman in her 50s, and she sells it!

I really like the idea of a party where guests dress as their favorite year.  Of course it helps when you have a sitcom's costume department to help you.  But the message here about living in the now and not romanticizing the past is a good one.

Arthur chants "I like Ike", the slogan for Eisenhower's 1952 campaign.

"Nostalgia Party" is a very good episode with plenty of laughs and some nice philosophy thrown in for good measure.

J.A. Morris' rating:

3 and a half champagne flutes.

RigbyMel says:

I really enjoyed this episode, which was new to me this past year.  (I've been watching quite a few episodes of Maude on the Antenna TV network recently.)

Mrs. Naugatuck winking

The nostalgia party idea is a really fun one,  and I like that this episode humorously points out that the "good old days" depend largely on point of view.    I also like that Aunt Polly, a feisty older lady,  puts all the bickering in perspective by suggesting that taking pleasure in "now" is a very important part of life.   That's a good message to ponder most days (not just New Year's Eve/Day).

Maude and Walter share a New Year's Eve kiss

This episode can be found on Maude:The Complete Series DVD set.  The series also currently airs on the Antenna TV Network  and is well worth checking out!

RigbyMel's rating:

3 and a half champagne flutes

Maude: "A Tuckahoe Bicentennial"

Maude and friends celebrate the "Spirit of '76"

First aired February 9, 1976

It's 1976 and Americans are swept up in Bicentennial Spirit.  Maude Findlay (Bea Arthur) of Tuckahoe, NY is no exception.  She has booked Tuckahoe's armory and plans to stage a musical variety show that will celebrate the contributions women have made throughout US history.

The cast will feature only women, no men.  She enlists her daughter Carol (Adrienne Barbeau), best friend Vivian (Rue McClanahan) and housekeeper Mrs. Naugatuck (Hermione Baddeley) and others to perform.  They are rehearsing a patriotic medley featuring "I Am Woman" with extra lyrics that mention many women of historical importance.

Maude's husband Walter (Bill Macy) and friend Arthur (Conrad Bain) don't understand why Maude would want to pay tribute to American women this way. Walter's appliance store is one of several local businesses sponsoring the show and he hopes to make a big profit from his "Buy-Centennial Sell-A-Bration".  He believes men will stay home from an all-female show, thereby killing his sales figures.

"You know, that President Ford is a smart cookie.  Just when the economy hits rock bottom, he dreams up this gimmick of a Bicentennial!" - Arthur Harmon

Colonel Reikert (Richard Deacon), who operates the armory, isn't happy either.

He needs to sell tickets to make money as well and threatens to eject Maude and cancel her musical.  Maude is defiant and continues to rehearse her women-centric song & dance numbers.

If that isn't enough trouble, Vivian is determined to perform some solo songs in the show.  Maude finds all her songs to be less than desirable.  

Vivian (dressed as Carrie Nation) REALLY wants a solo number in the show 

The colonel is ready to cancel the event until tickets for the musical sell out.  Walter and Arthur also change their tune.  Maude is disappointed, thinking Walter is only concerned with his wallet.  She threatens to cancel the show causing Walter to have a moment of clarity.  He trashes his store's display and tells Maude she should do the show her way.

Walter destroys his store's display booth

He also requests that the men of Tuckahoe be allowed to do one number in the show to demonstrate their solidarity.

In the new atmosphere of cooperation, Maude relents and allows the show to go on with the additional number from the men.

Maude as George Washington on a horse! 

Will the show be a success?  Will the additional number from the gents celebrate the dignity of American women?  Will Maude's portrayal of George Washington be well-received?   Watch and find out!

J.A. Morris's Review:

First off, let me say that Maude was a great series.  I watched it when it was airing new episodes back in the 1970s, but I appreciate it more as an adult.  The issues that were discussed on the show are still relevant, and it's also hilarious.   Maude currently airs on Antenna TV, check to see if it's part of your cable package.  We hope to review Christmas episodes of the series in the near future.

The Bicentennial was a major event of my childhood.  Red, white and blue products were everywhere, George Washington, Ben Franklin and 'Yankee Doodle' were in seemingly every commercial and it bordered on the obscene.  4th of July parades were bigger than ever.  And who can forget Bicentennial Minutes?

"A Tuckahoe Bicentennial" captures this moment nicely.  In the era of 2nd Wave Feminism, who can blame Maude for wanting to celebrate the overlooked contributions of women since 1776?  And Walter's attempt to cash in on the once-in-a-lifetime event mirrors what most local businesses were up to at the time.

Arthur Harmon (Conrad Bain) and Walter Findlay (Bill Macy) contemplate the financial possibilities of the Bicentennial

The musical performances are still funny 37 years later.  Bea Arthur does a great job singing "You're A Grand Old Flag" in the manner of Barbra Streisand.

Maude channels Barbra Streisand.

Rue Mclanahan is also great as Vivian.  I felt like Maude was a bit rough on her best friend, but Vivian's song choices were weak at best.  While I always supported the goals of feminism, I've never cared for the song "I Am Woman."  But Maude, Carol and Vivian deliver a great version, and the extra "Bicentennial" lyrics make it an unforgettable performance.

Fans of classic television shows will appreciate the presence of Richard Deacon as Col. Reikert. Deacon is best remembered from his roles on Leave It To Beaver and The Dick Van Dyke Show.  He serves as a good foil for Maude in this episode.

There aren't many episodes or specials dedicated to Independence Day.  "A Tuckahoe Bicentennial" is a great episode of an influential series, and I can see myself watching it every year around July 4th from now on.  

J.A. Morris' rating:
4 Flags!

RigbyMel's review:

I was too young to remember much of the Bicentennial festivities, but I suspect that this episode from the fourth season of  Maude captures the ambiance of the time very well. This is a very fun and funny episode of the show.

Maude as George Washington

Being a bit of a music geek, I particularly enjoyed all of the great songs in the episode as well as the fact that it gave Bea Arthur a chance to show off some of her formidable Broadway talent. Her send up of Barbra Streisand is hilariously brilliant as is her impassioned performance of "You're Gonna Hear From Me" - a song (originally written for the 1965 film Inside Daisy Clover) which was covered by luminaries like Frank Sinatra ... and Barbra Streisand!

Maude sings "You're Gonna Hear From Me"

Hermoine Baddeley (who is probably best known nowadays for her performance as Ellen the maid in Mary Poppins) also gets a chance to show off her comedic singing talents in this episode.

Mrs. Naugatuck (dressed as Betsy Ross) takes some direction from Maude

The men's "tribute to women" at the end is utterly cringe-inducing and also utterly laugh-inducing.   If one can't have a little fun with feminism and its vicissitudes, what's the point?

"There is nothing like a dame, nothing in the world ....!" 

Credit is also due to Norman Lear for bringing great topical shows like Maude (and All In The Family, The Jeffersons and others) to television in the 1970s.   They often feel like good stage plays and tackle issues that continue to resonate today with humor and wit.

"A Tuckahoe Bicentennial" is well worth seeing if you get the chance.  It's available on the Maude:The Complete Series dvd boxset and Antenna TV currently airs reruns of Maude.

RigbyMel's rating:

4 Flags