Other than the Mary Tyler Moore show in the 1970s, the Bob Newhart show was the best comedy of the era. In hindsight, the two comedies are much closer than you would think. With the quirky characters, the setup of a flawed psychologist, and his adoring wife made for a very funny situational comedy. As a psychologist Bob was able to bring in all sorts of individuals under his care and use the comedy and comedic timing that he was known for in the 50s and 60s as a device to interact with patients and those around him. The combination of Bob, Emily, Jerry, Carol, and the original Kramer, Howard, allowed Bob to play off of them individually while also exposing some of his personal weaknesses. There are several character actors fulfilling various roles that many will recognize. Though only running for 6 seasons, the show prospered each year. The first season, probably of any season I've seen, started off extremely strong and stayed strong the entire season. As the seasons progressed and the Hartleys weaved their way through life we do see changes but the ensemble cast was there for all of the episodes and so it made for a very consistent funny comedy. Also, the fact that it ran in tandem with Mary Tyler Moore each season, except one, made it that much better because those shows were a staple while on air. So anybody that wants to watch a situational comedy and see Bob Newhart at his best and what he was about would love this series.
Review of The Bob Newhart Show
