The Mary Tyler Moore Show coincided with changing attitudes about women in the workplace, both on screen and off.
Treva Silverman is among several TV writers who appear in NBC News Studio’s My Generation — a look back at the news stories and pop culture moments that changed life for Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Gen Z.
In her sit-down, Silverman opens up about being offered the job to write on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and what it meant at the time. The already-accomplished comedy writer knew James L. Brooks from when they were both coming up as young creatives in New York City.
“He said, ‘So what are you doing now?’ I said, ‘I’m just about to wash my hair,’ ” she recalls. “He said, ‘No, no, no career wise, writing wise. We’re going to be doing Mary Tyler Moore’s series.’ “
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Silverman says that next “came the words that ring in my memory. ‘You’re the first person we’re calling. We would like you to write as many as you would like.’ “
“That was a dream come true. I thought, ‘I’m home,’ ” she shares.
Silverman’s impact would be felt early on, with her writing credit on five of the 24 half-hour episodes that made up the show’s first season.
The results were episodes that rang true with an audience of increasingly female viewers throughout the show’s run.
“It was not the traditional story, which is that a woman was incomplete until she met the right guy, and that was remarkable,” shared fellow TV creator Chuck Lorre.
Learn more about the moments that made each generation by watching My Generation on MSNBC.
