Television series

The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd

Name: The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Released: 1987
Cast: Blair Brown

Drama

A smart, tender sitcom about a single woman navigating life, love, and work in 1980s New York. Molly Dodd exists in the space between comedy and genuine feeling—funnier than a drama, sadder than a joke. It's warm without being sentimental, and it treats its heroine's messy real life with respect. A show about being young and unmoored, looking for something solid to hold.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy talky, romantic character comedy where a wry New York heroine's voice carries every scene, and you don't mind tracking it down.

Skip it if you need brisk plotting or a steady laugh rate, since this one lingers in conversation and its tone shifts between wry and wistful without much warning.

What it asks of you: Half-hour episodes, sixty-five in all across five seasons, so it rewards committing to a run rather than dipping in for one sitting.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Murphy Brown1988

Another NBC comedy about a woman building a life on her own terms in a chaotic city. Fast, smart dialogue, a workplace that crackles, and a lead character who refuses to be softened for the sake of likability.

But It's more overtly political and satirical than Molly Dodd, which might feel broader or more obvious depending on what you're after.

Cheers1982

The gold standard for ensemble comedies with real warmth. Every character gets genuine depth and growth; it's funny and moving in the same breath, and the writing is pristine across all eleven seasons.

But It's a bar sitcom, not a personal journey. If you're drawn to Molly Dodd's specificity and melancholy, Cheers might feel more interested in universal comedy.

Ally McBeal1997

Spiritual descendant of Molly Dodd—a woman's interior life in the city, the mess of dating, professional ambition, and neurosis played for both laughs and real hurt. It leans harder into the surreal and the romantic.

But It's airbrushed where Molly Dodd is grounded. The stylization can feel dated now; some people find it exhausting rather than illuminating.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Heartbeat1992

Both are about women in transition, finding their footing in a city, treated with emotional seriousness rather than being punchlines. Both prioritize mood and character over story.

An almost-lost British drama-comedy about a woman in her forties starting over—actually older than Molly Dodd, actually more melancholic. It's gorgeously shot, genuinely moving, and feels utterly real. The writing finds humor in real pain.

But It's British television, quieter and more austere than American comedy. Very few people know it exists; it's not easy to find, and it won't give you the plot momentum you might want.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show1970

The prototype of the intelligent woman-in-the-city comedy. Warm, funny, structurally perfect, and genuinely revolutionary. If Molly Dodd feels familiar, this is why—and it's essential viewing.

But The '70s distance it—hair, set design, some attitudes. It's older and slightly stiffer, though no less good.

Taxi1978

An ensemble comedy set in a working world, where oddball characters become vivid, complex people. The writing is exquisite; it's funny and human in equal measure, and the cast (including Nathan Lane's future collaborators) is phenomenal.

But It's workplace-focused rather than personal-focused. If you want Molly Dodd's intimate romantic and emotional turbulence, Taxi won't quite scratch that itch.

St. Elsewhere1982

A hospital ensemble that proved TV drama could be smart, funny, moving, and genuinely unpredictable. The mix of comedy and genuine stakes feels refreshingly balanced.

But It's a drama first, and much longer episodes. The tone is darker and more procedural than Molly Dodd's personal exploration.

The Golden Girls1985

Four women of different ages sharing a home, finding humor and depth in each other's lives. It's warm without being saccharine, and the writing is sharp. A genuine celebration of female friendship.

But It's ensemble-focused rather than following one woman's story. The comedic tone is lighter and more consistent than Molly Dodd's tonal shifts.

Northern Exposure1990

A character trapped in an unfamiliar world, learning to build a life. Quirky, philosophical, funny, and touched with real melancholy. The writing is ambitious and the ensemble is wonderful.

But It's set in a small Alaskan town, not a city, and it's more overtly surreal. Some find the eccentricity affected rather than earned.

Kate & Allie1984

Two women rebuilding their lives together in New York, navigating work, romance, and friendship. It's gentle and funny, and the chemistry between the leads is genuinely warm.

But It's lighter and less conflicted than Molly Dodd. If you want more edge and genuine uncertainty, this might feel a bit too comfortable.

Parenthood1989

Both explore what it means to build an identity and a life in real time, on-camera, while funny things happen and serious things hurt. Both trust that comedy and genuine feeling can coexist.

Ron Howard's film about family and becoming yourself, but focus on the comedy rather than the obvious sentimentality. It's genuinely funny, surprisingly tender, and it understands the vulnerability of reinvention. Dianne Wiest is extraordinary.

But It's a film, not a series, so it can't give you that cumulative deepening. Some find it too broadly heartfelt, too willing to earn the emotion instead of trusting you to feel it.