“Episode 11” deals with social issues of the 70s. First, George criticizes the police in regards to an all points bulletin (APB). In addition to this, Loretta makes a hit country song, which makes the Billboard charts. Besides that, Blanche organizes a march against SMUT. This airing of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman really says a lot about what happened in the 70s.
At the police station, George has some words for his dead wife. George looks up to heaven and says, “Did you hear that! My granddaughter has been missing for 24 hours. And the police haven’t lifted a diddly finger.” The police are incompetent.
Apart from this, George has some words for Sgt. Foley. “Another ‘All Points Bulletin’. Is that what I pay taxes for?” bellows George.
George wonders what the police are doing when a mass murder has been committed.
“Do you realize there has been a mass murder?” screams George.
Notably, in this segment, Loretta writes a hit country song during a stressful time.
“It is so strange how the mind works during a crisis,” she tells Charlie and Mary.
At this point, George wants to leave while at the police station. He tells Martha and the family, saying: “We’re getting out of this looney bin ‘All Points’.” George has had it with the police.
Once again, Mary starts to lose it in this broadcast. She tells us, saying, “You see my dryer broke and I don’t have the guarantee. And the store won’t do the work without the guarantee.”
Moreover, Mary blames herself. She tells Tom: “Everything that has happened is all my fault. I read that in ‘It’s A Woman’s World’.’
During her self blame moment, Tom comes home when out all night. Mary looks at him and says, “Where have you been? Where you been all night? Well, you should of called. The neighbors worry when you don’t call.” The “neighbors” are Tom’s parents.
As well, we get to meet Blanche, wife of the Fernwood Highschool coach, who is organizing a Fernwood, Ohio, march against pornography. Blanche tells Mary and Loretta: “(SMUT) Society of Mothers Upset with Trash. We could of closed every adult bookstore and dirty movie in this town… With TV showing all those filthy programs. And I know Heather watches television. All the kids do it.” This was the 70s and these kinds of marches were common.
Even so, Martha believes television is getting cleaner.
“Which station shows pornographic movies? The Waltons isn’t dirty! Why television is getting cleaner every year with this family hour business and all.”
In spite of this, Blanche remains stanch in her beliefs. “Television isn’t getting cleaner. It’s getting filthier. Nothing isn’t sacred anymore,” sighs Blanche.
To conclude, I found this broadcast informative. I got to see how normal people got mad at police in the 70s. Too, it felt good to see Loretta finally make it in the country world of singing. Not only that, I thought the local protests against SMUT were informative. This was a great segment.
