Abortion. Post-divorce trauma. Black militia, Scotch and Valium -- in the same half-hour.
Nothing was off-bounds for "Maude," arguably the real jewel in Norman Lear's crown, and the rare example of a spinoff rivaling (and often outshining) the show that spawned it (Maude first appeared on "All in the Family" as Edith’s liberal cousin).
No slight to the marvelous Archie Bunker and crew, but even now, 35 years later, Bea Arthur's refreshingly un-PC title character is all things at once, a polyester-clad, scarf-wrapped lightning rod for women's issues, class issues, race issues, you name it. The rest of the show spins giddily in her orbit.
"Maude" just hit DVD for the first time last week; it's only the first season, with nary an extra to be found, but we'll take what we can get.
written on Tuesday Apr 3, 2007
liberal,
steamroller,
dvd.
