The Bob Newhart Show

"The Bob Newhart Show" is possibly the most brilliant of the "adult sitcoms" of the early 1970's. Along with "The Odd Couple" and "Mary Tyler Moore", this show exhibits a subtle, mature humor that has all but disappeared from television today. Great actors make this show with a simple "situation" -- adults working, talking, eating, and going to bed -- hilarious and reflective. Bob Newhart's unique comedic style finds a perfect outlet in "The Bob Newhart Show." For the uninitiated, it might be compared to "Seinfeld" in that it is a "show about nothing" that derives humor from the interactions between people and not "jokes."

Bob Newhart and MTM put together a winning formula when they debuted the Bob Newhart Show in the Fall of 72. This was Deadpan comedy on the part of Newhart at it's best. Psychologist, Dr. Bob Hartley, deals with the day to day problems of his zany and quite real patient's. Jack Riley's, Elliot Carlin being one of the most notable of the group, with his bizarre problems and abrasive attitude towards other group members, especially the wishy-washy Mr. Peterson.

Bob's life outside his group was a bit less zany but just as interesting and funny. His relationship between his wife Emily, played by the sultry Susan Pleshette, was a very real relationship. Newhart and Pleshette complimented each other quite well.

I think everyone loved his wise cracking secretary, Carol, and the bumbling antics of his neighbor, Howard Borden.

Not cutting edge like "All in the Family," and lacking the social relevance of Mary Tyler Moore's single woman who was gonna make it after all in a man's world, "The Bob Newhart Show," which shared the CBS Saturday night lineup with those shows in the 70s, nonetheless had the strongest legs. While Archie Bunker fumbled once daughter Gloria and "Meathead" moved out, leaving him without a regular nemesis, "The Bob Newhart Show" delivered first rate comedy as dependably in its last season as it did in its first.

Newhart was a more mature Seinfeld in that most of the madness was provided by the supporting cast, and a terrific one it was too: Suzanne Pleshette, sassy and sexy as Bob's earthy wife, Emily; Peter Bonerz as the dentist and sarcastic ladies man, Jerry Robinson; and Bill Daley as perpetually befuddled pilot Howard Borden. Then there was Marcia Wallace as snippy receptionist Carole, the wonderful John Fiedler as mousy Mr. Peterson, and Jack Riley as the truly deranged Mr. Carlin. All had their moments of brilliance, but it was Newhart, with his low-key genius, who held the show together and made it work. A comedy classic.

Okay, the Bob Newhart Show wasn't for everybody. I never got a chance to watch it on television. Now on DVD, I am discovering it for the first time. The writing is smart and the acting is smarter than ever with Bob Newhart in the title role as a Chicago psychologist, Susan Pleshette as his wife and third grade school teacher. They are great couple on screen. Surprisingly, they don't have children in the show which is a big plus because the show works better without them. Marcia Wallace is wonderful as his secretary. The show is smart, funny, savvy, relevant, and most of all timeless. It's a classic sitcom that might be overlooked because it's not dirty or stupid like most sitcoms are today. The Bob Newhart Show and others of that era are classic and timeless and relevant to today's life. Too bad, shows like that aren't being developed for television today. It's our loss, isn't it?

The Bob Newhart Show has been my favorite comedy ever since it first aired in the 1970's. I have probably seen every episode at least 3 times and this show never fails to make me laugh. More than that, it is comfort television at its best! I always feel better after watching "Bob". When I was in high school I suffered from generalized anxiety disorder and the only time I was able to stop worrying was each weeknight at 9:00PM during reruns of "The Bob Newhart Show". This show so throughly brought me into the wacky world of Bob and Emily Hartley that for those 30 minutes I was able to forget my worries. Even now, I still find "The Bob Newhart Show" to be an excellent cure for the blues or a bad day. I'm still waiting for this best of comedies to be brought out on DVD season by season!!