The first episode of The Bob Newhart Show aired on September 16, 1972. It would run for six seasons, and garner a well-deserved reputation as one of the great television shows of the seventies—often paired in historical memory with The Mary Tyler Moore Show. That coupling makes sense, as for much of its run the two MTM productions aired back-to-back on Saturday nights.
Notably, however, the sensibilities of the two series were fundamentally different. The Mary Tyler Moore Show, great and groundbreaking to be sure, was nevertheless very much a traditional sitcom (if with an unmarried female protagonist). The Newhart show, in contrast, was at its core an extension of the persona of its eponymous star. Some of our younger readers may not remember this (and, ok, maybe it all happened before I was born) but Bob Newhart was part of that revolutionary cohort who transformed standup comedy in the 1950s and 1960s. Less flashy than his peers (that was a key to the act) he is nevertheless properly placed alongside titans that include Mort Sahl, Mike Nichols and Elaine May, Woody Allen, and Lenny Bruce, on the strength of dozens of signature routines grounded in everyday situations (our favorite involves the advent of double-edged razor blades).
After a postwar decade toiling in regular jobs, including a stint as an accountant, Newhart got his break in comedy by way of copywriting for an advertising firm (it’s easy to imagine him as a toned-down Mad Man of the Midwest). From those experiences his comedic persona would emerge, first informally on radio and then, razor sharp, in nightclubs. His deadpan, observational style was captured on the blockbuster, Grammy-winning record The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart (1960)—the first comedy album to top the Billboard charts.
Wisely and fortuitously, in developing The Bob Newhart Show creators David Davis and Lorenzo Music built around that persona. As Newhart explained in an outstanding oral history of the series, “I’m a listener and I react to what people say. We needed a profession that suited that.” Thus the (then gently envelope-pushing) inspiration for Dr. Robert Hartley, psychologist. Bob, as he was invariably called (inspiring the legendary drinking game Hi Bob) was married, to Emily. Played impeccably by Susanne Pleshette, the chemistry between the two stars allowed the show to reflect a subtle but sophisticated portrayal of a marriage, one characterized by a palpable, mutual affection (and the suggestion of a healthy sex life), but which also took a deep (if cleverly packaged) dive into the inherent tensions and challenges of any long-term intimate relationship.
The stuffing of the Newhart show was found in its relationships, not situations (as the title sequence effectively illustrates, the “situation” is pretty much Bob at work, Bob at home), and in addition to his marriage to Emily, Bob is enmeshed in a coterie of friends, colleagues, and patients. Central among these are Jerry the orthodontist (Peter Bonerz), Carol (Marcia Wallace), who directs traffic for a menagerie of medical professionals at the office, and first patient Elliot Carlin (Jack Riley), who appeared in over a third of the series’ 142 episodes. We’ve always thought these were the show’s five essential players (apologies to ubiquitous neighbor/navigator Howard Borden—you can find peak Borden in S3/E16 “Tobin’s Back in Town”), and we tend to especially relish any episode that features best friend Jerry. (Bonerz would direct twenty-nine episodes and move on to a career behind the TV camera, notably helming ninety-three episodes of Murphy Brown.) But beyond that core quintet the show boasted innumerable guest stars and other eye-catching featured players; consider, for example, that Barnard Hughes and John Randolph played Bob and Emily’s fathers.
Reflecting that deep talent pool, The Bob Newhart Show was ultimately propelled by its interpersonal engagements, and characterized by a consistent level of high quality leavened with subtle humor and sophisticated wordplay. Some of its biggest laughs derive from Newhart listening (frequently on the telephone, a trademark from his stand-up days), and, with patient precision, reacting. Must-see TV, to be sure, but this made the task crafting a “best of” list a bit more challenging than usual—lots of great shows, very few show-stoppers. But here they are, a baker’s dozen of our favorites:
S1/E1 Fly the Unfriendly Skies. Emily joins Bob’s fear of flying group at the last minute—and “turns another big jet around.” As they on Seinfeld, Gold, Jerry, Gold.
S1/E8 Don’t Go to Bed Mad. Bob and Emily have a pact never to go to bed angry. Which turns out to be easier said than done.
S1/E17 The Man with the Golden Wrist. An expensive birthday gift leaves Bob, a child of the depression who still calculates costs by the ice-cream bar, feeling like he was run over by the Good Humor truck.
S2/E10 I’m Okay, You’re Okay, So What’s Wrong? Our (relatively) happy couple go to a therapist (Katherine Helmond) to explore their marital ennui. Bob stacks the deck.
S2/E20 Mind Your Own Business. Bob gives Jerry’s business manager (Ron Rifkin) a try, leading to the world’s most risqué joke about sex on mainstream TV. (Hint – it’s the story about the duck.)
S2/E23 Confessions of an Orthodontist. Bob covers for another shrink who is suddenly called out of town. A tad far-fetched, but turns out he is treating Jerry. Hijinks ensue—and look for Teri Garr.
S3/E20 My Business is Shrinking. Business is down, in this especially thoughtful episode that includes especially outstanding Mr. Carlin moments. (Quote of the show: “That man is an imposter!”)
S4/E3 Death of a Fruitman. It takes some guts to end a greeting card with “Mr. Gianelli’s Dead.” Carol shines here, and it’s Mr. Peterson’s (John Fielder) best episode. Aired a month before Chuckles the Clown bought it on the Mary Tyler Moore show.
S4/E8: What’s it all about Albert? Soul-searching about his career path leads Bob to seek out the wisdom of his former mentor (Keenan Wynn).
S4/E9: Who is Mr. X? Possibly our favorite episode. Bob, ambushed on TV by a suddenly less-than-benign talk show host (Jennifer Warren), stammers out a bit more than he should have.
S4/E11: Over the River and Through the Woods. Perennially mentioned as a fan favorite, an odd Thanksgiving finds Bob, Jerry, Howard and Mr. Carlin drinking, watching football—and ordering impossible amounts of Moo Goo Gai Pan.
S5/E15: The Ironwood Experience. Dr. Hartley is invited to lecture about sex at an institute that turns out to have a novel therapeutic approach, leading Bob’s immortal query, “How wide a podium?”
S5/E19: Death Be My Destiny. Bob comes quite close to falling down an elevator shaft; clinging desperately to the cables (the one moment of physical comedy in the entire series?) is the sort of experience that can focus the comedic mind.