Top Ten #321: Special "Bryant Gumbel's Birthday" Edition!

1) Rhoda: It seems like even though the series started out strong and outdid its predecessor for a while, the character and the spinoff always live in the shadow of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. We try to give it some attention in its own right on the podcast.

Oh, and don't forget to check out last week's episode, an encore presentation of, uh, The Mary Tyler Moore Show!

2) Valerie Harper and David Groh: Count us squarely in the "We like Rhoda and Joe" camp.

3) Julie Kavner: I feel like I owe her a high spot here after my remarks on the podcast. Brenda is fine; I just don't want all-Brenda, all the time!

4) Burt Mustin: Stole the show in his all-too-brief (and all-too-somnambulant) appearance on "The Honeymoon," the episode that tis our focus on the pod. I can't be the only one who wishes they would have brought him back as a potential love interest for Rhoda after the divorce.

5) Diff'rent Strokes: It's the 40th anniversary of the premiere of the Ghostbusters episode!

6) Connie Chung: The longtime newswoman is doing press for her new memoir. What do you think of the book? Come on, just whisper it, just between you and me.

7) Big Shamus, Little Shamus: So many popular shows debuted on this date in history: Cheers, Alice, McMillan and Wife...and this one.

8) National Coffee Day: I don't partake, so I tell you what, you can have my cup.

9) Saturday Night Live: The venerable institution (almost older than Burt Mustin at this point) began its 50th season last night.

10) The Oakland A's: Shame on MLB, not just the A's current ownership, for letting the team relocate.