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Connect the dots of TV and feminism to American culture and politics with host Cynthia Bemis Abrams. Interviews with top names - in front of and behind the scenes - offer insights into TV that has shaped American culture and influenced the world. Check out episodes with actors Annie Potts, Margaret Cho, Stepfanie Kramer of Hunter, Kim Fields of Facts of Life and Living Single, and daytime's Cady McClain.  Television veteran writers Georgia Jeffries, Victoria Riskin and April Smith are featured in episodes that explain storytelling as a writing craft. These discussions will forever change how you watch TV. Explore issues of race through interviews with academics Robin Means-Coleman and Charlene Regester, and influencer Karly Beaumont. Ever since the #MeToo Movement of 2017-18, Cynthia has highlighted key episodes and events surrounding sexual harassment - fictional and real life.  With listeners around the world, Cynthia celebrates the progress of representation in media and captures the stories and insights that make TV a powerful storyteller and mirror of truth. In 2025, Cynthia started revealing more about the book she and a colleague are writing. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter at www.tvherstory.com. Promise,  your data will never be sold.
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  2. How "That Girl" Tackled Sexual Harassment in the 1960s

How "That Girl" Tackled Sexual Harassment in the 1960s

Jun 28, 2018

In this episode of Advanced TV Herstory, host Cynthia Bemis Abrams explores a pivotal episode of That Girl (1966-67), starring Marlo Thomas, which addressed sexual harassment long before the term was widely recognized. The storyline features guest star Carroll O'Connor as an opera singer who leverages his influence over Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) in exchange for an interview, highlighting the concept of quid pro quo harassment.

Through a critical lens, this discussion examines how mid-century male writers framed workplace harassment as a plot conflict rather than a societal issue. Cynthia references historical resources, including Time Magazine’s A Brief History of Sexual Harassment in America, to contextualize the portrayal of gender power dynamics on television.
 
TV’s handling of sexual harassment has evolved, but That Girl tackled it decades before the #MeToo movement. This episode breaks down how the show’s 1966-67 season portrayed an all-too-familiar power play, analyzing its cultural impact and the era’s gender norms.

With insights into Marlo Thomas’ legacy and the broader feminist implications of the storyline, Cynthia dissects how television shaped conversations about workplace harassment and the barriers women faced in professional settings.


Episode Resources
  • Referenced TV Show:

    • That Girl (1966-67)
  •  Resources:

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Episode Life Lessons
  • Media narratives shape perceptions – That Girl illustrated workplace harassment decades before mainstream discussions.
  • Feminism and TV go hand in hand – Marlo Thomas helped redefine women's roles on television.
  • Historical context matters – Looking back at mid-century TV helps us understand progress and ongoing challenges.

1960s feminism

civil rights

sexual harassment

quid pro quo

Marlo Thomas

baby boom

workplace harassment

feminism

MeToo

Danny Thomas

Ted Bessell

That Girl