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Series regular Valerie Harper's 20-pound weight loss between seasons two and three of The Mary Tyler Moore Show was cunningly written into this classic episode. Despite her new slim, trim figure, Rhoda (Harper) is still convinced that she's unattractive. Feigning disinterest when the department store where she works enters her in a beauty contest, Rhoda can't hide the fact from Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) that the outcome of the contest means a lot more to her fragile ego than she's willing to admit -- even to herself. "Rhoda the Beautiful" originally aired on October 21, 1972.