I never saw the series Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, from which this show was a spin-off, but I don't suppose it makes too much difference. This was a little gem tucked away in a period where shows like The Love Boat and The Gong Show were among the most popular forms of entertainment. It examines the provincial mindset of mediocrity, all in a comic format of a small-town talk show. In the generic America of today, even small towns are far too sophisticated for the kind of TV show that Fernwood 2 Nite was, but the show was spot on for what small-town America was like twenty-five years ago.