Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will celebrate the 35th anniversary of "Maude," the controversial 1970s sitcom, with the March 20th DVD debut of "Maude: The Complete First Season."
Created and produced by Norman Lear and starring Bea Arthur (who received five Emmy nominations for her performance, winning once), the 3-Disc boxed set will feature all 22 episodes from the critically acclaimed comedy series’ top-rated First Season.
A complete episode breakdown follows after the jump.
The character of Maude (Bea Arthur) was originally introduced as Edith Bunker’s (Jean Stapleton) cousin in two episodes of "All in the Family," and generated such positive viewer feedback that the network spun her off into her own series.
Excluding the common denominator of outspokenness, Maude was the complete opposite of prejudiced, narrow-minded Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor). She was an upper middle class liberal feminist on her fourth husband and willing to speak her mind on any issue. Maude usually got the last word in her many arguments, in the form of her trademark catchphrase, “God'll get you for that.”
Lear's penchant for mingling realism and provocative social issues with humor resulted in the series broaching several highly controversial topics, including women's liberation, pornography, political campaigning, race relations and marijuana laws.
By far, the biggest controversy was raised by the two-part episode “Maude's Dilemma,” which featured the 47-year-old Maude discovering she’s pregnant, and, after much debate, deciding to have an abortion (the first show to ever have the lead character make that decision).
While some viewers picketed or protested by phone calls and letters, only two affiliates refused to carry the episodes. By the time the viewer mail was tallied, the network found audience reaction was six to one in favor of the subject matter and the way the topic was resolved.
In addition to Maude, the other characters on the show included her fourth husband, appliance salesman Walter (Bill Macy), her divorced daughter from her first marriage, Carol (Adrienne Barbeau), Carol’s son Phillip (Brian Morrison), Walter’s best friend and next-door neighbor Arthur (Conrad Bain), and Maude’s best friend Vivian (Rue McClanahan).
Esther Rolle appeared as Florida, Maude’s maid, a character that obtained such popularity with viewers that, like "Maude" itself, was spun off into its own series, the long-running “Good Times.”
"Maude" premiered as a series in September of 1972, and over the course of its six-season, 141-episode run, was nominated for a total of 12 Emmy Awards, as well as eight Golden Globes. By the end of the series’ First Season, the show was number four in the overall ratings and remained a fixture in the top ten for most of its subsequent run.
The show will be presented on DVD in its original full screen format with digitally remastered video and audio in English (Mono).
The Suggested Retail Price will be $29.95, but you should be able to find this at most stores for about $21.00.
Pre-order "Maude: The Complete First Season" now and save 30%.
"Maude: The Complete First Season" episodes include:
Maude's Problem
Doctor, Doctor
Maude Meets Florida
Like Mother, Like Daughter
Maude and the Radical
The Ticket
Love and Marriage
Flashback
Maude's Dilemma (Part1)
Maude's Dilemma (Part2)
Maude's Reunion
The Grass Story
The Slum Lord
The Convention
Walter's 50th Birthday
The Medical Profession
Arthur Moves In
Florida's Problem
Walter's Secret
Maude's Good Deed
The Perfect Marriage
Maude's Night Out
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