MARY & TIM (TV)
Summary
This drama is based on the film based on the Colleen McCullough novel "Tim," about the relationship between a mildly brain-impaired man, Tim Melville, and a lonely widow, Mary Horton. After the death of her husband, forty-something Mary remains content at being single, despite attempts from her neighbor Dale to set her up on dates. One day she meets Tim, a handsome man in his twenties, working with a construction crew next door. After a practical joke mishap, Tim ruins Mary's flowerbeds and is given the task of repairing them. At home that night, Tim's father, Ron, instructs him on how to deal with the troublemakers in his construction crew, while Tim worries about "losing" his sister, Justine, after she gets engaged. That Saturday morning, Tim fixes Mary's flowerbeds and, impressed by his work, Mary hires Tim as her gardener. Meanwhile, Mary goes about life running a bookstore, The Reader's Edge. Upon trying to give Tim some written instructions, Mary realizes that her new gardener can't read. At first she is frustrated, until Tim reveals his cicada-wrangling skills, leading her to decide she'll teach Tim to read. Soon, Tim and Mary are having reading lessons, despite Dale's slight consternation. Eventually, Tim is able to read a bit, and, upon revealing his new skill to his family, jubilation ensues.
On the day of Justine's wedding, fearing a disturbance, Tim is not allowed to attend the reception but instead joins Mary at her beach house, ostensibly for some further work. However, the two find themselves swimming in the ocean during the day and sitting by a bonfire discussing their lives at night. Upon returning to the Melville home the next day, Tom and Mary find that Tom's mother, Esther, has died. Without Esther, Tim and Ron struggle to cope with their lives, prompting Mary to invite the forlorn pair to her beach house for a respite. There, Tim becomes jealous when Mary comforts Ron, wondering why she never comforts him. Eventually, the two kiss. The next day, Ron proposes that, should he die, Mary would become Tim's legal guardian. Furthermore, Mary attempts to discuss the ramifications of her kiss with Tim, not wanting to go down that road again. Later, over a family dinner at the Melville house, Justine explodes upon seeing Mary wearing her mother's old apron and cooking in the family kitchen. Justine also accuses Mary of being in love with her brother, before Tim proposes marriage to Mary. Needing to "cool off" from her situation, Mary considers traveling to Bali, while the heartbroken Tim tries to rectify Mary's rejection with some help from his father. After Tim makes one final plea to her, Mary begins examining the potential of a relationship with him. Ultimately, Mary, Tim, Ron, and Justine sit down to try to figure out the best course for all concerned. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: November 3, 1996 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:31:29
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:56506
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: She Made It Collection (Candice Bergen); Drama; Romance
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1996
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Robert Halmi … Executive Producer
- Candice Bergen … Co-Executive Producer
- Glenn Jordan … Producer, Director
- Robert Bennett Steinhauer … Co-Producer
- David Simmons … Associate Producer
- Ann Beckett … Writer
- Michael Pate … Based on the film written by
- Colleen McCullough … Based on the novel "Tim" by
- Michel Colombier … Music by
- Candice Bergen … Cast, Mary Horton
- Richard Kiley … Cast, Ron Melville
- Thomas McCarthy … Cast, Tim Melville
- Louise Latham … Cast, Forbsie
- Kelli Williams … Cast, Justine Melville
- Debra Mooney … Cast, Dale
- Sean O'Bryan … Cast, Steven
- Shirley Knight … Cast, Esther Melville
- Rosemary Dunsmore … Cast, Beth Willis
- Norman Parker … Cast, Noel Shore
- Michael Alldredge … Cast, Steve Michaels
- Larry Cedar … Cast, Minister
- Edward Evanko … Cast, David Hutman
- David Fabrizio … Cast, Bradey
- Melissa Papp … Cast, Exercise Woman
- F. William Parker … Cast, Callahan
- Roger Rook … Cast, John Willis
- Brett Wagner … Cast, Henderson