>> oh, because he was a man. >> so i think the '70s is a reality check on whether or not the american dream is available for women. ♪ early to rise ♪ ♪ early to bed ♪ >> come on, you're going to be late for school. >> wait, i haven't figured out your tip yet. >> well, figure this, 15% of nothing is nothing. goodbye, i love you. >> until "alice," there hadn't been a single mother in a low-income job. >> mel, i know this is asking a lot, but i need 10 bucks a week extra to pay for tommy's braces. >> you know the refrigerator's on the blink. i've gotta come up with $800 just to replace it. >> fighting for healthcare. fighting for benefits. >> the refrigerator comes first. because if i close down, you're going to be out of work, and if you're out of work, you can't buy food. in which case, tommy doesn't need teeth anyway. >> there's a particular episode