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24 Episodes 1972 - 1973
Episode 1
Mon, Sep 11, 197224 mins
Having dinner with Doris and Peter at her place, Cy remarks straight to their faces that they look like they are in domestic bliss and should get married. Both Peter and Doris are happy with the state of their relationship as is, without feeling the need to get married. That status may change when Doris works on a profile story for the magazine on anthropologist turned novelist Eric Stewart, who is in San Francisco for the article. Eric and Doris spend a lot of time together while he is in town. When Eric injures himself, Doris suggests that he go see a doctor friend of hers, namely Peter. Eric, not knowing Peter and Doris' relationship status beyond the fact that he is a friend of hers, confides in him that he sees with Doris a potential relationship. Doris fosters that relationship with Eric if only for the good of the story. Both Peter and Doris have to decide what to do about their own relationship in light of Eric's entrance into the picture. What each believes the other wants, and Cy's perceptions as an outsider looking in may factor into their individual decisions.
Episode 2
Mon, Sep 18, 197224 mins
John Scott is the managing editor of Prestige Magazine, which has twice the circulation of Today's World. John offers Doris the position of women's editor for the magazine, and will do whatever it takes to ensure she says yes, including doubling her current salary. Out of loyalty to Cy, Doris initially declines John's offer. But she changes her mind when she and Cy have an argument, in the process he, solely in the heat of the moment, implying that he doesn't appreciate her contributions to the magazine. Even after Cy apologizes, he not yet even knowing about the offer from Prestige, Doris still can't forgive how he made her feel after all they've been through together, let alone renege on a contract she's already signed with Prestige. After working at Prestige for a while, Doris admits that she doesn't like it there despite everyone being nice, supportive and as helpful as they can be. She knows Cy will take her back, the only question then being how she can gracefully get out of her contract with Prestige. She may need to take a play out of her most recent article, "A Woman's Perspective on Football".
Episode 3
Mon, Sep 25, 197224 mins
Doris is counting on the annual several hundred dollar profit sharing check from the magazine to cover the cost of a several hundred dollar custom made and thus non-returnable birthday present she has bought for Peter. When this year's checks are distributed, Doris is dismayed to see that hers is less than one hundred dollars - the reduced amount due to higher expenses - meaning she has close to a six hundred dollar shortfall to pay for Peter's gift. Doris, believing her only option is to moonlight at a second job despite moonlighting being against company policy, approaches her friend Dave Genson at a radio station, he who has a standing offer for her to work there. The only thing Dave has available that fits her schedule is a temporary gig to fill in for "Miss Understanding", the late night call-in advice show host, the regular host who is going on vacation. Doris accepts on the condition that no one knows she is doing this job, and despite the midnight to 5am time slot. Beyond Doris providing sage advice as Miss Understanding, she can't get enough sleep, trying to shorten her magazine working days without Cy noticing when she isn't sleeping on the job, and cutting her dates short with Peter so that she can get to the radio station on time. When Cy and Peter finally meet to discuss Doris, each believing the other is to blame for her exhaustion, they can only come to one conclusion: Doris is seeing someone else.
Episode 4
Mon, Oct 2, 197224 mins
Jonathan Rusk, Doris' old friend who was once her boyfriend, is running for Congress, and asks Doris to be his press secretary. Getting the OK from Cy who hopes to get inside and exclusive press access to Rusk, Doris accepts. Cy can see that there is still a romantic spark between the two despite the presence of Peter in Doris' life, and Jonathan being married. On the professional side, Doris grants Cy that access to Rusk, but not exclusive. On the personal side, Cy is correct in what he saw between Jonathan and Doris, who have to figure out if they can or want to maintain a strictly business relationship. The personal and professional side of the coins may end up meshing based on what Doris, Jonathan, and Cy want and decide. Jonathan's wife, Louise, will also factor into the decision making.
Episode 5
Mon, Oct 9, 197224 mins
While Doris is getting ready for an evening out, she spots a Peeping Tom on a rooftop across the street spying on her, he using a pair of binoculars. Incensed at the man's depravity and being a bit scared, Doris calls the police. By the tone of Sgt. Murdock's voice, Doris expects little to no action by the police. As such, Cy, who happens to be at the apartment at the time, volunteers to investigate himself. Regretting volunteering as soon as he mentions it based on not knowing who he may be dealing with, Cy may end up regretting it even more as his action may affect he being named Citizen of the Year by the City of San Francisco, he being on a short list of two. If Cy and/or Doris discover the truth about the Peeping Tom, they will find that he has motives other than sexual voyeurism. If she pays attention, she may even be able to figure out who he is outside of the context of the nighttime binocular use.
Episode 6
Mon, Oct 16, 197224 mins
Many of Doris' friends and relatives, primarily women, are going through relationship problems, with them talking about splitting from their respective significant other. Doris feels that people give up too easily nowadays on those relationships. She convinces Cy to let her write an opinion piece for the magazine on her views - a woman's views - on staying together for better and worse by exercising more forgiveness in those relationships, even in cases of cheating. The article ends up being a big hit because of how controversial it is for good or bad. She defends her position against a bunch of married women who believe she may think differently if she was married and was facing infidelity herself. Doris has to put those views to the test when she has to decide how she will deal with Peter as he deals professionally with a young actress who seemingly has her sights set on him romantically, while Peter, in Doris' eyes, doesn't seem to work too hard in not seeing her after hours, even if it still is on the surface solely for professional reasons.
Episode 7
Mon, Oct 23, 197224 mins
Doris co-signed a loan for friends, Tom and Helen Parsons, in the amount of $1,100. As Tom's business is close to bankruptcy and as Helen is pregnant, they cannot repay the loan, and as such the finance company has notified Doris that she is now responsible for repayment, money which Doris does not have. Because of this issue, Doris can't focus on a work deadline for an article on which Cy is counting for the next edition of the magazine. Doris goes through the list of friends who could possibly afford to loan her the money, none of who comes through for her. Resulting from an inquiry by Jackie, Doris remembers that the cousin of a friend owes her $800 from six years ago. That person, Greg Mitchell, was a player in every sense of the word who bought Doris' car but never paid her a cent for it before he left town for good. Doris does find out that Greg is back in town. The questions are is if Greg remembers and owns up to never having paid Doris, and even if so if he is still the player who will find some excuse for not paying her the money.
Episode 8
Mon, Nov 6, 197224 mins
The magazine has run a series of articles on a rash of robberies, twelve so far committed in three weeks. The M.O. is reminiscent of retired thief Jimmy "the Gent" Callahan, who worked for twenty years with never a conviction. Doris wants to interview him for a story but he does not grant interviews. As Jimmy is currently in the hospital recovering from injuries associated with an auto accident, Doris, with Peter's help, figures she can go undercover as a fellow patient to gain his trust. As Peter will not admit her since she isn't sick, Doris has to devise a way either to pretend to be sick, or be in a situation that would require hospital tests, without Peter finding out. If she can accomplish this task, she then has to figure out a way to get to see Callahan, as he has requested no visitors, except for his brother, George Callahan. Trying to accomplish all these tasks leads to one misadventure after another for Doris, the staff and patients at the hospital.
Episode 9
Mon, Nov 13, 197224 mins
Doris is writing an article on the recording business. Doris wants to change the focus of the article from the business in general to a profile of Johnny Reb, the biggest rock star in the business. Doris had a chance meeting with Johnny, who agreed to this profile article, which would require Doris to tag along with him wherever he goes for a few days. What Doris is unaware of is that Johnny only agreed to the article because he is attracted to her, despite the difference in their ages and despite he already having a girlfriend. Doris ends up becoming very close to Johnny, a little too close for Cy's taste, who believes that Doris may lose her objectivity in writing a balanced article about Johnny. Although she had no intention of falling for a much younger rock star when she started, she will have to decide if she truly does love Johnny as he loves her, and if being the wife of a rock star is in her cards.
Episode 10
Mon, Nov 20, 197224 mins
At a press conference for visiting dignitary Nikolai Smaltzoff - the general of a Soviet-bloc country - Doris and Cy are approached by Marvin Patterson, who wants to sell them an exclusive story concerning the general which would entail an advance of $10,000. Doris, who had earlier been approached by Marvin, believes it's a scam as she's heard him trying to pedal the story to every magazine in town, while Cy's gut tells him that Marvin is on the up and up. As such, Cy goes ahead with a contract with Marvin. Doris has to try and show Cy that Marvin is a fake by getting some alone time with the general to see how true Marvin's story is, which may not be difficult if only because the general sees himself as a ladies' man. But Doris still has to convince Cy, which may entail getting the general, Marvin and Cy all in the same room at the same time, a task a little more difficult to accomplish.
Episode 11
Mon, Nov 27, 197224 mins
Doris is quietly overjoyed when Jarvis tells her that he is moving. She changes her mind when she learns the reason is that their elderly landlord, Mr. Carter, has passed away. She isn't as concerned about Mr. Carter's actual death as she is that the estate is selling the building to a conglomerate, which generally means that the building will not be as well taken care of as it would be under a private owner. Based on information from Cy, Doris comes up with the idea that the eight current tenants, her included, should buy the building and turn it into a co-op. All the legal and financial information she receives points to it being a sound move. The meeting among the tenants starts off well enough and it looks as if they make a quick decision to buy, until... That delay results in another private investor buying the building instead. The actions of the new landlord makes the tenants make him work so that they get more than their money's worth out of their respective rents.
Episode 12
Mon, Dec 11, 197224 mins
Doris and Peter are celebrating the one year anniversary of their first date. As a gift, Peter buys her an antique car she admired while on that first date, the car who she names Clara. As she loves the car and the sentiment attached to it, Doris sells her only other car. Because of Clara, Doris misses one appointment after another, both professional and personal, with Doris and Clara needing to be towed to get from place to place more often than not. These late arrivals threatens all of Doris' relationships. Regardless, Doris still loves Clara, who she believes can be repaired to her original glory. Sam, the mechanic, may give Doris a better perspective on Clara.
Episode 13
Mon, Dec 18, 197224 mins
Colonel Fairburn is dismayed by the decrease in productivity in all departments at the magazine, which has resulted in errors and less than top notch issues of late. He believes that all the staff are too reliant on their department heads. As such, he provides Cy with an edict that all department heads will relinquish their position to one of their staff for at least one issue of the magazine, this edict which includes Cy himself. Who Cy appoints as editor-in-chief for that one issue is Doris. Doris, who is initially insecure in her new job, eventually learns that Cy picked her instead of one of the senior editors since he does not see her as a threat. So Doris goes to prove Cy wrong, which includes putting Cy in his place as just one of the staff in each and every situation, no matter how difficult the issue.
Episode 14
Mon, Jan 1, 197324 mins
A retired mobster makes Doris an offer she can't refuse: he'll donate $10,000 to her animal charity if she will babysit his dog Tiger for two weeks. It won't be easy money because the reigning syndicate leader as well as the police are determined to get their hands on the pooch.
Episode 15
Mon, Jan 8, 197324 mins
While they're out for lunch, Doris and Jackie are approached by a man named Mitch Folger who is in San Francisco for the day, he a representative of Hollywood based Associated Talent Agency and Drama School, which trains and represents actors specifically for television commercial work. He wants to represent Doris. Cy is certain Mitch is a charlatan, and always wanting to do a story on these fakes wants Doris to enroll in Associated in Hollywood. As Doris starts to work on the story, it becomes abundantly clear to her that Mitch is indeed a fraud as he asks her for more money after more money. But Cy and Doris believe they will be able to nail Mitch as the contract guarantees an acting job. Mitch may have some say in the matter.
Episode 16
Mon, Jan 15, 197324 mins
Approaching age sixty-five, Sam Johnson, a forty year employee of the magazine specifically as a lino-typist, is forced into retirement. Doris, who sees Sam as a vibrant, young-at-heart human being, believes Sam will be crushed by enforcement of what she sees as an arbitrary policy. However, Sam is elated by the news. But the more Doris speaks to Sam about the mandatory retirement, the more it becomes clear that Sam doesn't like what his retired future looks like and really wants to stay in his current position at the magazine. Cy will have none of breaking company policy. Doris, however, believes that Cy's own health history in relation to his job is a bargaining chip she can use to negotiate on Sam's behalf.
Episode 17
Mon, Jan 22, 197324 mins
Peter is mad that the work he and the Hospital Benefit committee have done for their latest fundraiser was pulled at the last minute by their sponsor. With all her work contacts, Doris believes that she can organize a fashion show as a replacement fundraising event, even on such short notice. Peter asks Doris to liaise directly with someone from the committee to get it going. That person ends up being a nurse by the name of Lois Frazier. Despite Lois' seemingly cool attitude toward Doris by some implied personal connection to Peter, and the committee's reluctance to go ahead with the idea, Doris, with a little help from Cy, is able to convince them to let her go ahead. But something that Doris learns from Jackie half way through the show itself in combination with the fact that Doris felt Peter provided no support for her in dealing with the committee have the potential to destroy Doris' relationship with Peter.
Episode 18
Mon, Jan 29, 197324 mins
While in the parking lot, Doris saves a stray dog from being caught by the dog catcher by pretending that the dog belongs to her. Based on the conversation with the dog catcher, she decides to name the dog The Biggest and keep it after no one claims him. But Cy points out one problem that Doris may have: Jarvis, who probably has instituted a no pet policy in the building since he bought it. Cy is correct as Jarvis won't let Doris keep the dog, and if she breaks the rule, he will evict her. Feeling as if her rights are being trampled upon, Doris convinces Cy to let her write an article on the subject. In her continuing negotiation/feud with Jarvis on the issue, Doris thinks she may have a solution when she saves another stray in combination with the dog catcher stopping by to collect the license fees for the two dogs.
Episode 19
Mon, Feb 5, 197324 mins
Through work, Doris learns that her old flame Sir Robert Kingsley is coming to the US, including a week in San Francisco, on a speaking tour. She is initially not given the assignment to cover his San Francisco stop as Cy believes she is too close to Robert. Cy eventually relents and gives Doris the assignment. In meeting with Robert, Doris finds that the sparks are still there, Robert who would probably still want to marry her. Cy believes so as well as based on a misunderstanding, Cy is under the impression that Doris and Robert are involved in what he calls "hanky panky", which he will not tolerate as Doris is an employee of a "family magazine". Despite not doing anything wrong with Robert, Doris believes there is a double standard at the magazine where men are allowed to get away with such unseemly behavior. The fact that Robert has a new book and is looking for a publisher may change Cy's perspective on the matter as he gets involved in Doris' love life, pushing Doris and Robert together much as he did last time when Doris was in London. Doris and Robert may have some say in response to Cy's actions and Cy's double standard.
Episode 20
Mon, Feb 12, 197330 mins
Cy is ecstatic at the prospect of his ex-wife remarrying and releasing him from paying her alimony, but Doris has reasons for keeping the cork in the champagne bottle a little longer.
Episode 21
Mon, Feb 19, 197325 mins
Doris' art-forging uncle visits and to keep from being returned to jail enlists Doris and Cy's help in switching out a forged painting from the collection of a wealthy art collector.
Episode 22
Mon, Feb 26, 197325 mins
With Doris no longer with Peter, and Jonathan Rusk divorced from his wife, former candidate Jonathan returns to declare his love for Doris. But will her jealousy of his new globe-trotting reporting career come between them?
Episode 23
Mon, Mar 5, 197324 mins
On Jonathan's urging, Doris is able to convince Cy to let her have a Friday off so that she and Jonathan can spend a romantic extended weekend away at Big Sur. Just as they are ready to leave, they are stopped by Jackie, who called in sick, and her watch salesman boyfriend Sid, who were on their way to Los Angeles for a trade show which starts Monday. Remembering that Doris is heading in that direction, they came to bum a ride instead of taking the bus, and to go to Big Sur as well instead of Los Angeles for the weekend. All Doris and Jonathan's subtle hints that they would prefer to have a romantic weekend alone don't work on Jackie and Sid. But Jackie and Sid are not Doris and Jonathan's only unwanted guests for the weekend.
Episode 24
Mon, Mar 12, 197330 mins
A struggling Today's World writer on the verge of being fired asks Doris to ghostwrite an important story for him. Final episode of the series.