Bob Newhart Season 1 in April (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Z]

I liked the "Bob Newhart show" better than "Newhart" also. Mainly the same reason as Rob Keil. Another reason might be because I am from New York city, and "TBHS" is more big city humor, because it takes place in Chicago as compared to a small town in Vermont.

I think "TBHS" as a more diverse appeal than "Newhart." And while I can't speak for them, I assume most minorites would take "TBHS" over "Newhart", because there are a handoff of episodes with african americans, latinos, etc. characters. While in "Newhart", exept for the last episodes with the Japanize buying the town, had no minorites.

I like both shows though.

 

[GeorgePaul]

So, has anyone heard of any extras on this Season 1 set yet?

 

[Jaime_Weinman]

There are no extras (unless you count the unaired pilot), but the low price and the uncut 25-minute episodes more than make up for that IMO.

One thing "Newhart" and "Bob Newhart" both had in common is that both shows got much weirder as they went on. "Bob Newhart" started very much in the vein of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," sort of low-key, feel-good humor, but when Jay Tarses and Tom Patchett took over as showrunners (around season 4), the show got much weirder and focused much more on Bob's crazy patients. "Newhart" started as a low-key rural comedy, but when David Mirkin took over as showrunner (around season 4) the show got much weirder and focused more on satirizing the media through Dick's job as a TV host.

I think Newhart deserves a lot of credit for being willing to let his shows take some chances and get nuttier (though he always steadfastly refused to let his TV wives have a baby).

 

[Rob P S]

Bob wanted to end TBNS after the fifth season, which ended with Emily becoming pregnant. When he agreed to do a sixth season, the pregnancy was explained away as Emily's dream! (So that's where they got that idea!)

 

[Steve_Z]

Little off topic, but some people think the final episode of "Newhart" is a ripoff of "Dallas" when Pam Ewing dreamed an entire season.

Which might be true, but I think it one upped it, "Dallas" the dream was one season, on "Newhart" the dream was the whole series.

And those things are common on soap operas. For a sitcom to do something like "Newhart" did was un heard of.

 

[george kaplan]

It's not a ripoff, it's a funny mockery.

 

[MatthewA]

Jaime,

The 1980s "Newhart" theme also has lyrics, available only on an LP (which I have) and, mercifully, never sung on air.

God, I hope it's not mutually exclusive to like one or the other, because both "The Bob Newhart Show" and "Newhart" are high on my TV-DVD wish list.

The Newhart/dream season was indeed a parody of the "Dallas" 1985-1986 season, also parodied on the final "St. Elsewhere." But, apparently, the folks at Southfork weren't the first...Emily Hartley's pregnancy was a dream, too?

 

[Rob P S]

http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet...78/epid-28494/

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I was real glad to find out that this series is coming to DVD. I want my classic thanksgiving episode "over the river and through the woods" and so I hope this series sells well on DVD, I know I'll be buying it that's a great list price.

 

[Carlos Garcia]

What season does my favorite episode appear in? "MORE MOO GOO GAI PAN!"

 

[Scott Moyer]

I think that was in the episode where Bob,Howard,Jerry and Mr.Carlin are all drunk and trying to cook the frozen Thanksgiving turkey while Emily is away.I don't know what season that is though.That's my favorite episode,and I think truly a classic comedy bit.

 

[Dan McW]

"Over the River and Through the Woods" (a.k.a. the "moo goo gai pan" episode) is from the fourth season, so it may take a while before it appears on DVD. It was issued on VHS by MTM, FWIW. That's my favorite episode of the series for a number of reasons—the "drrr (Dr.) Bob Hartley" phone routine, the line that "you know it's a bad party if Elliot Carlin's the happiest guy in the room," the variations on the knock-knock joke, Bob's drunken greeting to Emily upon her return, etc.

Getting drunk obviously can have tragic consequences, and I don't mean to ignore that, but it makes for some of the funniest sitcom episodes, IMHO. To me the funniest episodes of All in the Family ("Archie in the Cellar" ) and I Love Lucy ("Lucy Does a TV Commercial") both involve characters getting drunk, and at least one of the funnier Dick Van Dyke Show episodes does as well. When Archie turns his head and sees who "God" is, coming down the cellar steps, it evokes what has to be the biggest laugh in the history of AITF and surely one of the biggest in American sitcom history.

 

[Scott Moyer]

It looks like Amazon.com will be offering TBNS season one for $20.99 when it is released.I think you'd have to add $2.49 for shipping unless it's combined with certain other purchases to get the total up to their minimum free shipping total.

 

[David Von Pein]

"Holy Geez.....The Jeffersons was right!"

 

[TomWoodward]

We've posted the artwork here if you're interested...

 

[Rob P S]

The "Sit, Whitey" gag also produced the longest laugh in the history of TBNS.

 

[Steve...O]

Thank you Tom!

That is some seriously cool artwork. I love it!

Steve

 

[David Lambert]

Possible delay?

 

[Jeff Willis]

Hey, Dave, I had a question about the "Video Business" site. Is it available to anyone? Could you post a link if it is? Sounds like an interesting place

BTW, thanks for the cover art for the Bob Newhart Show set. (How many more can I afford? )

BTWII, great info on "The Nanny". Almost thought I was reading a post about a CIA report (that's a "kudos"....detailed info! Bravo!!

 

[Steve...O]

I'm not Dave, but I can tell you that Dave linked to the website in his article. Just follow the link as they say.

You will have to register. It's free and painless. Some interesting reading from time to time there.

Hope this helps.

Steve