TV Show Review: The Bob Newhart Show - Season 1

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Bob Newhart's facial expressions and sarcasm

Cons: The natural growing pains of a first season

The Bottom Line:

Beginning of laughs

Some things quickly dropped or changed

But it's still funny

Disjointed but Promising First Season

The 70's seem to be the age of the sitcom. While the dramas were cheesy, the comedies tried to find their humor in everyday situations. One such sitcom is The Bob Newhart Show.

Now I'll confess, before I got this set, I wasn't that familiar with the show. So this was my introduction to psychologist Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart) and his friends. He has a mostly happy home life with his wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). Their friend and neighbor Howard (Bill Daily) pops in on a regular basis when he's home from his job as an airline pilot. Bob's psychology practice is doing very well. When he's not dealing with his patients, he's interacting with Jerry (Peter Bonerz), Bob's best friend and an orthodontist, and their secretary Carol (Marcia Wallace).

Those looking for physical comedy will be highly disappointed. This show relies on dry wit for its laughs. Bob Newhart is the rock of the show's humor. That man can get more laughs from just a look then I have ever seen. His trademark sarcasm is also on display here, especially when dealing with his patients. And they are a weird, humorous bunch from the paranoid grouch to the emotional eater and the abrasive man who doesn't understand why people don't like him.

That's not to take away from the other regulars. They all do a great acting job. But Bob is obviously the star at this point and everything is being written around him.

The show is quite obviously still developing this season. For example, the original pilot aired as the ninth episode. Emily seems to go from being a full time teacher to a substitute every other episode. And there's the sad case of Margaret, a neighbor who vanished half way through the season. Of course, every show goes through growing pains like these, so that's understandable. The show also seems to still be finding its humor legs and a few of the shows aren't that funny.

But there are some funny ones in the bunch. Jerry tries to become one of Bob's patients to get over his commitment phobias. Carol quits her job because she's upset at turning 29. Rumors start flying that Bob and Emily had split when he checks into a hotel to get some work done. And Bob must face his own fears when he and Emily start talking about buying a house.

Fans of the show will be mostly pleased with the set. All 24 episodes are preserved on three double sided DVD's. They look mostly sharp with the occasional bit of grain betraying their age. The sound is mono, which is just fine for a show filmed before an audience. There is nothing in the way of extras; a situation remedied in future season sets.

Though this season isn't the best it could be, there are still plenty of humorous moments that hold promise for better things down the road.