Mary Ellen Trainor was everywhere. If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, her face is basically part of your DNA. She was the mom in The Goonies. She was the psychiatrist in all four Lethal Weapon movies. She even played the news anchor in Die Hard. But while her movie career is legendary, the tv shows with mary ellen trainor are often where she got to show off a different kind of range, jumping from wacky teen comedies to intense sci-fi dramas.
She didn't start out as an actress, though. Not exactly. She actually studied broadcast journalism at San Diego State and worked in radio before the acting bug really bit. It’s kinda poetic that she ended up playing a reporter in Die Hard and Ricochet, right? Honestly, she had this "everywoman" energy that made her perfect for television. You believed she was your mom, your doctor, or that lady down the street who knows a secret she probably shouldn't.
The Alien Secrets of Roswell
Most people today probably recognize her most from Roswell. She played Diane Evans, the adoptive mother of Max and Isabel. It wasn't a huge, flashy role, but she was the emotional anchor. When the show first aired on The WB in 1999, it was this weird, beautiful mix of teen angst and government conspiracies. Trainor brought a much-needed groundedness to all the alien madness.
She appeared in over 20 episodes. That’s a lot of screen time for a "supporting" character. She had to play a mother who slowly realizes her kids aren't just special—they’re literally from another planet. It takes a certain kind of talent to make that feel real instead of cheesy. She made you care about the human stakes in a show about silver handprints and UFOs.
High School Chaos in Parker Lewis Can't Lose
Before the aliens, there was Parker Lewis Can't Lose. If you don't remember this show, you missed out on one of the most stylish, surreal sitcoms of the early 90s. It was like a live-action cartoon. Mary Ellen Trainor stepped into the role of Judy Lewis, Parker’s mom.
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Interestingly, she wasn't the original mom in the pilot. She took over the role later and played it for 16 episodes. Her character had to deal with Parker’s constant schemes and his sister Annie’s general evilness. Trainor’s performance was great because she played it relatively straight amidst all the fast-cuts and sound effects. She was the calm in the eye of the Parker Lewis storm.
That Iconic Tales from the Crypt Episode
You can't talk about tv shows with mary ellen trainor without mentioning "And All Through the House." This is arguably one of the most famous episodes of Tales from the Crypt.
Trainor plays a woman who kills her husband on Christmas Eve. Bad timing? Definitely. Especially because a psychopathic Santa Claus is on the loose outside her house. Since she just murdered someone, she can't exactly call the cops for help. It’s a classic horror "stuck" situation.
She is fantastic in this. She spends most of the episode terrified, covered in blood, and dodging a maniac in a red suit. It showed a much darker side of her acting compared to the "sweet mom" roles she was getting in big blockbusters. If you want to see her really lead a story, this is the one to watch.
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The Short-Lived Gem: Relativity
In the mid-90s, Trainor had a regular role on a show called Relativity. It only lasted one season, which is a shame because it was created by Jason Katims (the guy behind Friday Night Lights).
She played Eve Lukens. The show was a deep, serialized look at a young couple and their messy, interconnected families. It was very "90s prestige TV"—lots of talking, lots of feelings. Trainor fit right in. She had this way of delivering lines that felt unscripted, like she was actually thinking of the words as they came out. That’s a rare skill in the era of multi-cam sitcoms and over-acted dramas.
Small Roles and Guest Spots
Trainor’s TV resume is actually quite long if you look closely. She popped up in Cheers way back in 1983 as a character named Mary. This was actually her first-ever television appearance. Imagine having your debut on one of the greatest sitcoms of all time. Talk about starting at the top.
She also did:
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- Remington Steele (she was Estelle Becker for a few episodes)
- Amazing Stories (working with Spielberg and Zemeckis’s circle)
- A handful of TV movies like Fear Stalk and Seduced and Betrayed
Basically, if a show was being produced by the "Brat Pack" era heavy hitters, Mary Ellen was likely on the call sheet. She was close friends with Kathleen Kennedy (yes, the Lucasfilm president), which certainly didn't hurt, but she kept getting hired because she was a pro. She was reliable. She was "the secret weapon."
Why Her TV Work Still Matters
It’s easy to get lost in her movie credits. I mean, The Goonies and Back to the Future II are giants. But the tv shows with mary ellen trainor give us a better look at her as an individual performer. In a movie, she might only have five minutes of screen time to make an impact. In a show like Roswell, we got to see her character grow over three years.
She passed away in 2015, but her work is still incredibly watchable. There’s a warmth to her that hasn't aged. She didn't feel like a "Hollywood" actress; she felt like a person.
How to find these shows today:
If you’re looking to binge some of her best TV work, here is the current state of play:
- Roswell: Usually available on Hulu or Disney+ (depending on your region) and definitely on DVD.
- Tales from the Crypt: This one is trickier due to licensing, but "And All Through the House" is often on YouTube or physical media collections.
- Parker Lewis Can't Lose: It’s a cult classic that occasionally pops up on niche streaming services like Shout! Factory or Crackle.
- Relativity: This one is the "Holy Grail" for fans. It’s rarely streamed, so you might have to hunt down old fan recordings or rare imports.
If you really want to appreciate her range, watch the Tales from the Crypt episode and then immediately watch an episode of Roswell. The transition from a desperate murderer to a protective, loving mother is the perfect testament to why she was one of the best character actresses of her generation.