Hegemony, feminist criticism andthe Mary Tyler Moore Show

This essay claims that the feminist premise of The Mary Tyler Moore Show is contradicted by the patriarchal relationships and role definitions developed within its narrative, hegemonic devices that are bolstered by the conventions of the situation comedy genre. The conclusion explores the ideological tension produced by the show's narrative that allows for differing evaluations of the program's message, and discusses the implications for feminist criticism of television's hegemonic patterns.