The Mary Tyler Moore Show mirror those of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show". When the writers of the sitcom "Friends" were about to create their series finale, they watched several other sitcom finales. Co-creator Marta Kauffman said that the last episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was the "gold standard" and that it influenced the finale of "Friends". The show spun off three television series, all of which aired on CBS: the sitcoms "Rhoda" (1974–78) and "Phyllis" (1975–77), and the one-hour drama "Lou Grant" (1977–82). In 2000, Moore and Harper reprised their roles in a two-hour ABC TV-movie, "Mary and Rhoda". Two retrospective specials
Phyllis (TV series) played Audrey Dexter) took ill. These events put Phyllis' home life in flux, which necessitated more new storylines. Daughter Bess's role became more prominent and she found romance with Mark Valenti (played by Craig Wasson), the nephew of Phyllis' boss, and they later married. By the middle of the 1976–77 season, the ratings for "Rhoda" had improved but "Phyllis" was still faltering. As a result, "Rhoda" was renewed for an additional season (it would ultimately be canceled in December 1978), but "Phyllis" was dropped by CBS in the spring of 1977, finishing in 40th place that season. The show actually