The nerve of Joe demanding things of Rhoda, he was the one that broke it off. So wishy washy.

I absolutely hate that the writers chose to have Rhoda get divorced but I hate it more that Rhoda didn't tell Joe to screw off.

For two people that loved each other, they sure blew it. Joe had been married before, he should have known the score with marriage. Of course this is fiction, but we just loved and rooted for Rhoda to be happy

Wow that was so unfair of Joe not to tell Rhoda he was no longer seeing the doctor.

The best episode of Rhoda. Honest, imperfect, heartwarming. And Mary was there for Rhoda too :)

i love Valerie shes so genuine and talented ! her and Marys chemistry is insane.

Farewell to Joe Girard. I hate how they made him out to be a real jerk. David Groh did not want to leave the series, and he hated what the writers did to his character.

They definitely maried Rhoda way too soon. The joe character probably shouldn't have even have appeared till season 2.

lesson ladies, never force a man to marry you...the shit wont last

I’m watching Rhoda in 2022 and I’m damn mad at the producers to break up the marriage. The way Rhoda says Joe.. with such feelings and admiration breaks my heart !

My wife and I had been separated for 3 months in May of 70 and tried a reconciliation. I spent the night at Her Apartment, everything went well. The next morning I was combing my hair and noticed a stack on names and numbers on Her dresser, I asked Her about them. She told Me that they were men that She had dated since We were separated. I was crushed, my heart was broken, I couldn't accept the fact that I meant so little to Her that She was sleeping around while We were trying to work out Our problems. I hadn't even looked at another woman. That was the end of Our marriage, it ruined my life and severely damaged the life of Our Son. Trial separations only work if the bonds of marriage are not broken.

How can rhoda at this point still want to get back with joe is beyond me, say he moves back in she would live each day wondering if and when he is gonna leave again

" Hes a psychologist" "oh are you nuts?" haha love carlton

God I love that blouse and coat she’s wearing at the doctor office. So bohemian and hippy❤️

So hated what the writers did with Joe. I never knew which really was his last episode. He just kind of faded away.

LadyDuck106 - You are absolutely correct. I once met Charlotte Brown, one of the writers of this series, and she said that the biggest mistake the producers made was having Rhoda get married too soon in the series (episodes 8-9) and by the 3rd season, they were running out of ideas for the show. I always felt that they should have had Rhoda get pregnant. But as you said, the audience didn't take to the divorced Rhoda. Probably because too many fans of the show were also going through the same trauma themselves and Rhoda and Joe getting divorced reminded them of their own painful experiences.

that creepy shrink!

i often wonder why joe dragged it out... its obvious he didn't want to be married any more.

Things may have been a bit more loose in 1977, but it was never "ethical" (as Dr. Fox describes it), for a physician to date a patient (or even a former patient). Today, doctors would lose their license for doing such a thing.

Ironically, Valerie Harper's first marriage was also starting to fall apart around this time so I can only imagine how difficult it was for her to play Rhoda getting divorced.

Bye Joe. Gone & forgotten.

"The Ultimatum" is the 18th episode of Season 3 of "Rhoda". This episode was written by Charlotte Brown, and directed by Tony Mordente. It originally aired on CBS on January 30, 1977. This episode featured the final appearances of David Groh and Mary Tyler Moore. David Groh went on to star in a short-lived CBS series "Another Day" (1978). He first appeared in the series premiere "Joe", which aired on September 9, 1974. Mary Tyler Moore first appeared in the series premiere "Joe", which aired on September 9, 1974, but it was cut from syndicated prints, as well as the Season 1 DVD release.

What's really sad is that only the actress that played Brenda is alive today. The series was no doubt in trouble because of the writers. They made the mother the only strong character. The father was weak, the daughters were weak, and even Brenda's love interests were weak. The first opportunity that Brenda had at getting married, instead of her being happy she met someone who really loved her and was successful, they had her break up with him quickly. It seems that they enjoyed having female characters be weak and incapable of finding happiness on their own, or with someone who truly loved them. I liked the Joe character he was written in to help Rhoda find her backbone, then they rewrote him to be a narcissist. Actually, it seems that the character just got tired of Rhoda's insecurities. Terrible writing and lack of character development. Someone should have spoken up about the scripts.

I read that the show's writers thought the audience would prefer to have Rhoda like her former character on the MTM show; single and dealing with the dating game. It was a mistake; audiences didn't go for it and the show was eventually cancelled. The network built up the marriage then had Joe pretty much dump her. David Groh actually got hate mail! I thought the show was still pretty good because of the chemistry between Rhoda and Brenda!

They never should have written Joe out. The show went downhill from there.

At 18:22 : I like how Dr. Fox all of a sudden magically is sitting on the sofa rather than the arm.

Wow great seeing Mary Tyler Moore

I wish Rhoda stayed merrierd

Dr. Fox is hilarious 😂 He totally cracks me up 😆 Joe on the other hand...🙄 What a waste of man..

Rhoda and Joe were great it made Valerie's show different they wanted to make her like Mary but she wasn't.

Rhoda needs to understand joe does not want to be merrierd

RIP Rene Auberjonois

I love Rhoda she is great. 🌟 She is a star

He is hilarious here! He is Rene Auberjonois. He played "Odo" in Star Trek Depp Space Nine, "Clayton Endicott III" in Benson, and even "Father Mulcahy" in the 1970 movie M*A*S*H! I am a big fan!

This episode made me angry in so many ways. Why did they make Rhoda such a doormat?

Awful job writers!

just realised brenda does the voice of mardge simpson from the simpsons

Rhoda, go, he's a doctor!

But I thought they were on their way to divorce. I mean, he has been dating other women. Obviously he doesn't miss her. Why is she doing that to herself? I don't understand this series.

I can also tell he didn’t want to get merrierd

OMFG, Rhoda! How much of this will you take before you finally Divorce Joe's love-bombing, discarding, breadcrumbing, "lying, cheating, two-timin' double dealin', mean, mistreatin' lovin' heart" ?! (Had to quote a country song to convey the messed up depths of this plot!) "I guess YOU won, congratulations." Wooooowwww. He really called her bluff and gaslighted TF out of her. WAKE UP, RHODA!!!!! -- (Yikes, Dr. Fox! 😬 Only in the 70's!) -- "Are you sick?" No, he's a psychologist. "Oh. Are you nuts?" 😂 Carlton! -- Joe has every single bit of NERVE to expect Rhoda to just remain in limbo forever, in anguish, just waiting by the phone at his beckon call while he dates other people. He doesn't want her, but he doesn't want anyone else to have her either. Wants to have Rhoda's cake and eat random pies, too! And then twist it around on her like this is what SHE wanted?! The nerve! The pomposity! *"Rhoda, Rhoda. Your life isn't over. You can get along without Joe."* Rhoda's already been knowing this. She just had to put the words in Mary's mouth to shake herself out of denial.

I'm solo excited that I finally got to see the WEDDING!!! I've waited for a lotta years for it and never dreamed there was any chance to see it, voila, it came up on KZfaq, after 'these eyes-the guess who'. I'm not askin', just sayin' I'm glad it did!!

I'm hating this Joe/Rhoda story arc. She's such a doormat. Joe walked out on her after 2 years of marriage now keeps her dangling on a string with one date a week, while he enjoys his bachelor life the rest of the time. Now she wants a bit more attention from HER HUSBAND he throws a fit. What a Jerk! I know he never really wanted to get married, that was Rhoda, he just wanted them to live together. But that's a red flag right there. He wanted a backdoor for when he got bored. He'd have left her either way. That's why he wanted to live together instead of marriage. An easy out. She needs to serve divorce papers first thing. It's weird without Ida meddling. It's Dec 2020, binge-watching Rhoda thru quarantine. I'm way too invested for a 70s TV show!

Rhoda would have worked if she did not marry so fast. She should dated and gotten settled in NYC for season 1. Get married in season 2. Get pregnant in season 3. Have the baby in 4.

I've only recently started watching more Rhoda. The show is so well-written.

To Joe’s defense, I was married less than two years with a baby and my sister needed to stay with us while finishing high school. A year later my father lived with us part time. The crib moved into our bedroom and we had little time together as a couple. My husband never complained but watching this series, brought it all back.

I've seen interviews with Valerie Harper & David Groh and they were friends with each other. This show was off-track due to the sh*ty writers..

That was a nice touch at end with Mary . At first I thought it was Brenda and then I was thinking where did she move to , thats a nice apartment .

If I had been a writer of this show, Rhoda and Joe would have been happily married, and she wouldn't have been so high strung and Joe wouldn't have been a hothead. There could have been adventures made for them as a happy duo, especially in NYC., and she'd have her jobs. Alot of tv sitcom characters are happily married...sitcom shows don't have to be about dating. As much trouble as Lucy Riccardo caused Ricky he always loved her. That doctor played on several sitcoms.

JFC, in what world can you barge in on a therapy session and just plop down and start therapy. It's no wonder we're in this present day state of affairs.

Boy have times changed. Joe's character didn't want to say 'pissed off' in front of his wife yet Judge Judy says it in front of millions of people now. And if a doctor kissed his patient now a days, he'd be sued up his PhD arse and lose his license. The future looks dismal! :)

Doctor Fox is so out of line. You can't hit on patients like that. Rhoda's still mourning the break up of her marriage. Loved this episode because of the focus on dysfunctional relationships.

I liked the actor. But Joe the character was such an enormous jerk.

I hate what they did with Joe. It's ridiculous.

This episode is both funny and sad. It is Joe's last episode. The doctor is hysterical.

What would be the point of Rhoda going to a marriage counselor, anyway? Joe never wanted any part of it. And I am not saying her job is of no importance, but good grief, she often acts like she is Madam Curie or a biologist working on a vaccine. She is a window dresser. Joe never wanted to marry her or anyone else. They should never have married, but she kept pushing it. They really didn't know each other that well when they married. Rhoda sometimes acts like the world revolves around her, barging in and demanding to see that therapist when he had a session going on.

I like, "some nebish who had a crush on Rhoda."

I'm starting to think the writers have made Rhoda just like her mom, nagging all the time, getting riled up about things, etc. She was so laid back in earlier shows, kind of hippy, make love not war when she first was introduced on MTM. Now she goes off all the time. Sad they made her this way, I loved the laid back, chill character Rhoda use to be.

That last part with Mary and Rhoda is priceless. It didn't matter that Mary repeated her words. The words were coming from MARY, so you just believed she was right. :-)

Maybe if these two dated each other longer they would've realized they weren't right for each other. Then again, maybe not.

Loving this episode.

I guess we will never know the true reason they changed the show the deal about how the writers had trouble writing about a married couple doesnt cut it there is another reason what it is I guess only the people actually involved will ever know

I don't like that they broke Joe and Rhoda up 😩 and certainly don't like at all the way they had Joe (David Groh) treat Rhoda😩. What was the purpose of them breaking up anyway 🤷. It all ended so quickly and upbrutly. Why did they do that???🤦 PS - I L ☺️ V E Carlton, the doorman!! He cracked me up back in the day and he still does!!! 😅🤣😂😭 01.27.2022

Joe: "you mean men" Rhoda: "maybe" hahaha

Shrink was on benson too!

2024❤. Rip, all. Good times!😂

Good grief, doesn't Brenda have friends or common sense? Seems like every hour she has a problem she has to talk to Rhoda about. That marriage counselor has played on various TV shows back then. I watched this show new. I think he was a lawyer on Night Court. Joe and Rhoda's marriage sure didn't last long, for all all the hype it had gotten at the start.

That doctor what was in? Looks familiar

wasn’t the same after season two joe my favourite but still a good episode

Watching old reruns of this. I remember the show as a kid not this episode though. This doctor is so unethical. What they did to Joe character is terrible. What happened to Ida and Marty? These changes were good for this show. ETA. I meant were not good for the show

Tell me that my life isn’t over that I can get along without _____.

I just realized that Oprah acts like Mary

I liked the psychologist better on Benson... Clayton Endicott the 3rd..Him and Benson always on each other's nerves

I guess this was at a time where patient and doctor were ethically allowed to date

I wouldn't have waited 20 minutes, I would have waited 19.

I really didn't like the way the writers took Joe off the show. I thought we were beyond in seeing Rhonda single when she was single on the Mary Taylor Moore show.Ry and her should have gotten married not just being single.

Painful to watch.

What happened to mom and dad Morgenstern this season? As annoying as they could be, it's as though they never existed. And what about Rhoda's work, and her friends? I don't think Rhoda's and Joe's separation and her relationship with Brenda is enough to carry the entire show. Only saving grace is that the writers remembered she had a friend named Mary! You can see with each season how writers struggled to manage Rhoda's identity. It was almost too realistic and deep to be considered a sitcom

After the demise of this show, Valerie Harper tried to embark on a film career. Her first attempt, The Last Married Couple in America. How ironic. Sort of shades of this show. She was a friend of Natalie Wood's character. A decent movie.

I left my ex boyfriend cause he was being a royal pain in the butt

Nebish. I know that word.

Joe is so patronizing. it’s nauseating

They r both gone how sad

I think if this was real life, Joe should have been "Honest" off bat. I don't want to be "married and like this theis why" I think they made Rhoda very clingy and pushing Joe to stay in the marriage. Instead of letting him go.

Who thought that theme song was a good idea?

Like Brenda's long hair.

Joe was not marriage material. I believe he loved Rhoda but didn’t want to be tied down, he married her because SHE wanted ti be married. He just wasn’t the marrying kind.

why is Rhoda wearing a mumu? she doesn't look heavy, is she pregnant?

I liked Joe.

"oh my god did i kiss you ?" uh yeah haha soo funny

The show got too dark and too angry toward the last few seasons. I never liked joes character because he was always complaining. I didn’t like seeing Rhoda angry, hurt and unhappy. Rhoda is at her most beautiful when she’s happy, laughing and loving.

Rhoda is a very nice person but sometimes her Joe acts a little too macho from my opinion. She is an artist and beautiful person, but he has her on a string like a little puppy sometimes. All in all, i guess they had chemistry.

Would have been a twist if at 6:26, while they were arguing weather to role play or not, Rene Auberjonois (Dr. John Fox) was replaced with David Groh (Joe Gerard) for a single shot to have Rhoda wonder about her sanity.

I hate the writer's changed Rhonda so much. Why did they start dressing Rhonda in those loose dresses that made look dowdy.

What a jerk Joe was being. He wanted to have his cake and eat it too. He wanted to see Rhoda when he wanted to, then put her in a box until the next time he wanted to see her, knowing she wasn't seeing anyone else. He frankly needed to fish or cut bait. I guess this is his last episode and soon they'll be divorced. Too bad. I really did like them together as a married couple.

Joe's just a jerk. He married her and now he doesn't want to be married. His vows to her meant nothing. He's just a macho jerk. I didn't see him correctly the first time around with this series.

Rhode's guy was cheating,but back then shows are discreet

I loved Rhoda, but i wasn't always in favor of Joe's beliefs and attitudes.

She can get doctor.pretty face.

Rhoda is incredibly selfish and irritating