Maude — Season 4

Walter is furious when Maude shows up late for an awards dinner. It seems Maude has been busy lobbying for an anti-pollution bill and now must decide to run for a position on the New York State Senate. However, Walter does not look forward to having a weekend wife and makes Maude choose between her marriage or her budding political career.

Maude is terribly upset that Walter has moved out and decides to go to his new apartment to see if they have a chance of getting back together. However, Maude gets an eyeful of Walter's swinging singles apartment which leads to another argument leading the two of them to decide to get a divorce.

An election party finds Maude with Senator Bob Myers as an escort. Meanwhile, Walter shows up at the party with an escort as well, a much younger woman. Naturally, this leads to a spat which leads to Walter falling off the wagon. Later, Maude wants to be sure Walter got home safely and discovers him in bed, however she doesn't realize, he's in bed with a passed out Arthur.

Maude is relieved to discover Arthur was the one who she saw in Walter's bed, however, Walter continues to drink. Maude decides to give in to Walter and pull herself out of the election, if it means saving Walter from alcoholism. However, Walter realizes how selfish he has been and decides Maude should continue to run for election.

It is finally election day, and Maude is happy that her marriage is back on track and that her and Walter have reconciled. However, she's nervous that she may not win the election, especially when she appears on a television talk show and voices her liberal views toward premarital sex. Suddenly Maude realizes she may lose the election.

When Vivian and Arthur go out of town on a vacation, Vivian leaves her dog, Chuck in Maude's care. However, when Chuck unexpectedly passes away, Maude must break the news to Vivian but fears Vivian will blame her for Chuck's death.

Mrs. Naugatuck has been conning everyone out of money. She cons not only Maude and Walter but also Vivian, Arthur, Carol and even her boyfriend Bert. Maude soon discovers a piece of paper that Mrs. Naugatuck dropped with an address on it and she becomes determined to find out what Mrs. Naugatuck is up to.

While having dinner with Vivian at a restaurant, Maude spots Vivian's ex-husband, Chuck, who has been enjoying living the swinging single life. When Chuck invites Vivian to his hotel room, Maude tries to prevent her best friend from having an affair, only to find Chuck could easily take her instead.

Maude has a session with a psychiatrist and soon pours out all her innermost feelings, revealing long-hidden secrets and anxieties ranging from her feelings for her dead father and her resentment toward her mother as well as her love for Walter and the fact that she's on the verge of turning 50.

Walter accompanies Arthur on a trip to Pittsburgh to attend a medical convention. As a joke, Walter poses as a doctor at Arthur's convention. However, his "medical expertise" is called for in an emergency, when a handyman begins to have a heart attack in the hotel room.

Arthur makes an investment in a new invention, flashlight slippers. Meanwhile, Vivian returns from a retreat feeling revitalized and eager to spend time with Arthur, who nothing on his mind but his investment and the impending loss of the $18,000 that he invested.

Walter is on the verge on making a key business deal with a Randolph Cutler. When Walter notices Cutler getting cozy with his secretary, he invites her to dinner to be sure Cutler agrees to the deal. However, Maude is furious with Walter's pandering business ethics and becomes even more furious when his secretary cancels and he throws Carol at Cutler.

Maude receives a letter from her ex-husband Albert, who believes he's on death's doorstep. Ironically, shortly thereafter, Albert arrives on Maude's doorstep with a final request of her. Meanwhile, Founders Day has Walter advertising in the local newspaper and gearing up for a big sale.

With Christmas on the way, Walter has his annual office Christmas party at the house, however, he's worried that Maude's feminist friend, Stephanie, who goes out of her way to preach to everyone on women's rights, will put a damper on the festivities.

Maude and Walter return home from their second honeymoon to discover that Maude's priceless antique crystal punch bowl was smashed during a party at the Harmons. Maude is soon presented with conflicting stories from both Vivian and Arthur of just how her punch bowl was broken.

Maude is excited for Walter's birthday as she has planned a surprise birthday party. Meanwhile, two police officers have tracked down the identity of a flasher and Walter happens to fit the description. Later, when Walter arrives home he is arrested but his alibi might prove to be even more embarrassing than the accusation.

Maude has decided that Henry Fonda would make the perfect President of the United States and starts a campaign to get him elected, with or without his approval. Meanwhile, Maude's bizarre reasoning and plans for this campaign lead Walter and Carol to worry about Maude's mental stability and learn from her doctor that she is a manic depressive.

After Henry Fonda refuses to run for president, Maude's obsession with getting him elected spirals out of control. Meanwhile, Walter comes to terms with the fact that Maude is a manic depressive and refuses to believe that she has a mental disorder.

Maude stages a tribute to American women for the Tuckahoe Bicentennial celebration and all the men are convinced it is a money losing proposition. After seeing some of the practice performances, the man who owns the studio pulls out. However, it seems that all the men were wrong, soon the show is sold out.

Mrs. Naugatuck has been studying to take her final exam to become a United States citizen. However, the day before the examination, she falls ill after suffering a minor stroke and is hospitalized putting her chances of becoming a citizen in jeopardy.

Walter has become fed up with Maude's nephew, Steve, who has been staying with the Findlays. Steve's laid back lifestyle quickly begins to appear as a cover for his lack of responsibility, when his 19-year-old ex-girlfriend shows up at the front door with an announcement ... she's pregnant.

Maude is ecstatic when she discovers that Vivian is having a literary authority over for lunch. Maude had previously met him at a cocktail party and is dying to spend time with him. However, she is stunned and unable to come to terms with the fact that he can not stand her.

Carol is fully qualified for a higher position where she works, however, her boss is in no hurry in giving it to her based solely on the fact that she is a woman. Carol soon becomes determined to get promoted at all costs, but Maude does not want her to sacrifice her integrity.

Mrs. Naugatuck takes a three week vacation to England and in the meantime, Maude hires an ex-con, Ambrose Riley, to do the housework. Soon Maude, Walter, Vivian and Arthur are scared to death when Vivian discovers that Ambrose served time for killing his previous employers.