Shark Bytes

I loved this show when I was a little girl, but in retrospect it makes me gag. I remember laughing out loud a few years ago hearing Marlo Thomas, narrating some sort of special about TV, talking about a groundbreaking show about an independent young woman in the big city. I was sure she was going to say "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" -- but it was "That Girl."

The LAST thing I would call that character was "independent." Her overprotective father's constant presence truly disturbing. When he wasn't running her life, she would run to Dawwwwnald, practically for permission to do anything.

Even as a child, I couldn't understand how she could keep her eyes open with those huge false eyelashes. That was the fashion, I suppose, but it is hard to get around the notion that this "independent young woman" - although they called her "girl" -- seemed to have no skills at all, just good looks. But, hey, that's all that matters for a girl, right? More a 50s sentiment than a 60s one. Hard to believe this was just a few years before "All in the Family."

I'm glad my daughter -- and my son -- didn't grow up watching this show.

Anne Marie made Doris Day look like a slut in this series. I suspect in real life her boyfriend would have given her up years earlier. . or maybe they were both gay and had a relationship of convenience

I don't know when it jumped but I hated this show. Seriously, the two characters were impossibly sexless prudes. It was so blandly sexless that it was completely offensive. It was like science fiction, except even Spock would mate every seven years or so. For all the complaints about sex on tv, tv still likes to create characters that are virtually sexless. Guess so some mother in middle America who is using the tv as a babysitter does not have to explain anything to their kid. Why was Anne Marie always such a wimpy, helpless baby who needed Donald to save her?

The best character on That Girl was one we only saw in season one: Anne's mutual friend Judy (played by Bonnie Scott)! Pretty, very talented, interesting was Ms. Scott. I wish she had stayed the show's entire run and had an expanded role.

On other points if you watch the fourth(?) season ep when Anne and Don (usually only she called him "Donald")are in the airplane you can see that it has a studio light reflected on its chrome! Imperfect shot. And isn't it weird how much kiddie appeal TG somehow had (btw as well as adult appeal too) when almost every one in it was an adult?

My favorite season of THAT GIRL was the last season. By then, Ann Marie was more spunky, lively and took more chances. Also, lyrics were finally added to the theme. There were more guest stars in that last and best season, too: William Windom, Cloris Leachman, Mabel Albertson, Frank Fay, Stan Musuel of St Louis Cards (when Ann visits Don's parents in St Louis, a 2 parter). Danny Thomas and Milton Berle. Not only was Ann Marie's hairstyle different, but her skin was very dark in that last season. I won't buy any DVD's until Season 5--the last season -- is included. To me, the show took more chances in the last season. When you're going to go off the air, it's easier to take chances, I guess. Also, That Girl's last season was on Fridays--and part of a great comedy line up on ABC. Ted Bessell was terrific as Don--a very under-rated actor who's very much missed!

I have the DVD and it brings back so many good memories of my childhood. I love this show. As for the hairstyle,they needed something that was iconic. Marlo Thomas was a pioneer, and I agree that Mary Tyler Moore's look and concept of a single girl in the big city was inspired by this show. The opening montages of Ann wide eyed and open mouthed and amazed by all the sights are a little over the top, the fact that when the camera is on Ann it's in soft focus but when it jumps to others it's normal again, and the bizarre behavior of her father who is obsessive and overprotective nonwithstanding, I still get a lump in my throat when I hear that music and see those train tracks. Those were the days. By the way, does anyone else think that Marlo Thomas is a dead ringer for Joyce De Witt after her nose job? Also, Don was the best boyfriend in the world!

i thought the show was great, i liked the show were ethel merman was on it. the toes stuck in the bowling ball is a all time classic, last season was the shark jumper with the new hair style.. with out the flip there was no anne marie... but none the less marlo was always hot and could get much better then phil. as for the butlers book of b.s. don't belive everything you read folks.. love ya that girl

I LOVE this show! I just ordered the DVD's from netflix and am watching one now. I think the entire box set is available--I did find it on the web.

I was only 6 years old when That Girl first aired but even at that young age it was my favorite show. I always resented the MTM show being given the credit for being the first show about a single woman etc. To me it was always Marlo Thomas and That Girl! SHE was my role model. I know it sounds strange but I didn't have any sisters or female relatives around me. My mom was a cross between June Cleaver and I don't know who but she had very old fashioned ideas of what a girl should do, aspire to do and not do.As a little girl, I couldn't wait to grow up and get my own apartment, have my own career and boyfriend.I wanted to be just like her--not the acting thing though!

This show is timeless and I'm enjoying it even more now than I did when I was young because now I understand some of the episodes a little more!

Marlo Thomas has continued on and remains a role model and personal hero of mine.

I loved this show. It reminds me of when I was a little kid. The nostalgia of it all is why I still like the show. Sure, it wasn't the best comedy of all time, but just remembering back in those days watching that show with my family and eating popcorn and drinking grape juice. Those were the good old days. It is strange how hearing an old song or the opening theme of an old show floods the memories of the good old days. Excuse me, I am starting to get a little misty.

The show never jumped. I LOVED That Girl and couldn't wait to watch it every week. I had such a crush on Ted Bessell. I was only 9 when it first aired but I still thought he was the cutest thing. I loved Ann's hair the last season. By that time I was teenager and wanted to emulate everything about her. It was so romantic when Donald finally proposed to her. I didn't care for the fact that he did it with a used ring or that she found out about it and had to give it back. It spoiled the whole sentiment. I too, was disappointed that they didn't get married at the end. Even back then, I was an old-fashioned girl who believed a woman's most important contribution to society was staying home raising her family.

Jumped for me when one day I couldn't take that squeaky voice even one more second. Would like to watch now in the Writers' Strike. Better than anything these days. Fire greedy, untalented, unionized recyclers of old scripts now!

OMG, show definitely jumped last season when...all of a sudden, that September, it seems...Ann decided to go fully MOD! From helmet flip to helmet straight Cher Hair! And it never...moved! I think she wore the new style exactly the same every single episode, maybe a headband or two, despite hurricanes, plague or earthquakes. And it seemed out-of-character that Ann Marie, who for 4 seasons had been into all those cutesy, baby-doll clothes, would suddenly become Strong Indian Woman and switch to all those modern, maxi-skirt earth-mother clothes. (To me, "Bewitched" jumped in last season when Elizabeth Montgomery suddenly did the same thing with her show hairstyle and wardrobe.)

Marlo was always very talented -- as were all the show's regulars -- but she kind of went over the top sometimes. But always a sweet, honest, determined character, which I respected.

Hey: anybody remember her TV mom, Rosemary deCamp, doing the Snowy Bleach commercials during breaks on this show?!

AS a little girl, I adored this show. The new hairdo was much prettier and sexier, so enough with the comments about the flip. I wanted to be a struggling actress with a fun cute personality too. So what if the premise isn't "realistic" with her being able to somehow afford a NY apartment. It's a comedy, people!

While this show honestly was a little too much about romance (at times) for male tastes it was very well acted and usually well-written. Mr. Marie was a fine character but should he have stayed for all the five years? Wouldn't three years have been enough for his daddy character?

On other points: remember the Dennis Weaver-ep where Ann was a former metre maid? That ep establishing Ann was part of a police dept. before coming to NYC
leaves her less right to be so in the dark about police work when she gets arrested by (or just has to deal with) the NYPD. Also, we thought Ann lived nowhere but Brewster, NY before coming to NYC. The Weaver ep showed diffrent stuff about her and was contradictory in two ways about Ann's past. Besides, Dennis Weaver was a lousy comic actor.

I have to admit it. Marlo Thomas was annoying. Whether it was her batting her false eyelashes or that wwhhiinneeyyyy voice that would go up an octave when she wanted something. The show jumped the shark at the get-go. I also have read her butler's tell-all book and while her husband Phil Donahue looks like the biggest dolt, she definitely comes off as being the biggest bitch. How could a person treat her hired help that way! Now I'd like to see a reality show of the personal life of Marlo Thomas..."That Girl" fans would definitely change their minds about its star.