Take 5: Ed Asner is still gruff and ready

Ed Asner returns to series TV this week in "Working Class," the first original sitcom airing on CMT (Friday at 8 p.m.). The 81-year-old actor plays Hank Greziak, the "cranky and opinionated" neighbor of Carli, a single mom played by series star Melissa Peterman.

Asner playing someone cranky and opinionated? H

e practically invented cranky and opinionated 40 years ago as WJM's news director Lou Grant on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." That's where we first heard these barbs:

1. When Lou's nephew, Allen, once tried to put the move on Mary Richards, Lou became angry and told him, "Listen, you, let me remind you of something, and remember this forever: I think of this girl here as if she were my own daughter, and that means she is your cousin, you get my drift?"

2. "Mary, I don't want you to take this wrong, but you're a jerk."

3. "Rule number one: Never hire friends. I hired a friend once, and you know what happened? Worked out great. But that's me. You couldn't handle it."

4. "If I don't like you, I'll fire you! If you don't like me, I'll fire you!"

5. "You've got spunk. . . . I hate spunk!"