T V | House of Stapleton

The Bob Newhart Show (1972)

Rating

Run Time: 30 min

Color: Color

Aspect Ratio: 1.33 : 1

Sound: Mono

Producer: MTM Enterprises

Genre

Comedy

Seasons: 6

Episodes: 142

Overview

The show centers on Robert "Bob" Hartley, Ph.D. (Newhart), a Chicago psychologist. Most activity occurs between his work and home life, with his supportive, although occasionally sarcastic, wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette), and their friendly but pesty neighbor, airline navigator Howard Borden (Bill Daily). The medical building where Bob's psychology practice is located also houses Jerry Robinson, D.D.S. (Peter Bonerz), an orthodontist whose office is on the same floor, and their receptionist, Carol Kester (Marcia Wallace), as well as a number of other somewhat eccentric doctors who appear occasionally.*Bob's three most frequently seen regular patients are the cynical, mean-spirited and neurotic Elliot Carlin (Jack Riley), the milquetoast Marine veteran cook, Emile Peterson (John Fiedler), and quiet, reserved Lillian Bakerman (Florida Friebus), an older woman who spends most of her sessions knitting. Carlin was ranked 49th in TV Guide's List of the 50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time, and Riley reprised the character in guest appearances on both St. Elsewhere and Newhart.*Most of the situations involve Newhart's character playing straight man to his wife, colleagues, friends, and patients. A frequent running gag on the show is an extension of Newhart's stand-up comedy routines, where he played one side of a telephone conversation, the other side of which is not heard. In a nod to this, for the first two seasons, the episodes opened with Bob answering the telephone by saying "Hello?". Emily routinely acts as straight woman to slow-witted Howard, and on occasion to Bob.

Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 Season 5 Season 6

1. Enter Mrs. Peeper

First Aired September 24, 1976

The Peeper returns yet again, this time with a new wife.

2. Caged Fury

First Aired October 01, 1976

Emily accidentally gets herself and Bob trapped in the basement storage locker while they're preparing for their Bicentennial party.

3. Some of My Best Friends Are...

First Aired October 08, 1976

Bob has to handle the prejudice in his group when Mr. Plager (Howard Hesseman) comes out as gay.

4. Still Crazy After All These Years

First Aired October 15, 1976

Howard sees a therapist (Leonard Stone) to cure himself of his dependency on Bob and Emily, but the cure turns him into an exact clone of his doctor.

5. The Great Rent Strike

First Aired October 22, 1976

Slumlord Mr. Carlin takes over Bob and Emily's building, leading Bob to organize a rent strike.

6. Et tu, Carol?

First Aired October 29, 1976

Bob must find a new receptionist after Carol quits.

7. Send This Boy to Camp

First Aired November 05, 1976

Bob and Jerry volunteer to organize a camping trip for underprivileged children.

8. A Crime Most Foul

First Aired November 12, 1976

Everyone, including Emily, is a potential suspect after Bob's new tape recorder vanishes.

9. The Slammer

First Aired November 19, 1976

Bob and the Peeper visit the bar they used to go to in college, and get arrested when the bar is raided.

10. Jerry's Retirement

First Aired November 26, 1976

When Jerry comes into a lot of money, he decides to quit his practice and do nothing for the rest of his life.

11. Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson

First Aired December 03, 1976

The newly wealthy and retired Jerry goes on a quest to find his biological parents.

12. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

First Aired December 10, 1976

Bob is stunned when his parents announce they're separating.

13. Making Up Is the Thing to Do

First Aired December 24, 1976

Bob invites his separated parents to Christmas dinner to try to get them back together.

14. Love Is the Blindest

First Aired January 07, 1977

Mr. Carlin tries to impress his attractive new secretary the only way he knows how: lying.

15. The Ironwood Experience

First Aired January 14, 1977

Bob gives a lecture at the Ironwood Interpersonal Relationships at the invitation of its director (Max Showalter), but is surprised when his entire audience shows up naked.

16. Of Mice and Men

First Aired January 21, 1977

Emily plays the wife in a role-playing game with Bob's group of henpecked men.

17. Halls of Hartley

First Aired January 28, 1977

Bob considers leaving the city and taking a position at a college in the sticks.

18. The Heartbreak Kid

First Aired February 04, 1977

A psychology student (Tovah Feldshuh) gets a crush on Bob while interning with him.

19. Death Be My Destiny

First Aired February 11, 1977

After a near-death experience, Bob becomes obsessed with the fact of his own mortality. In 1997, TV Guide ranked this episode #50 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.

20. Taxation Without Celebration

First Aired February 18, 1977

Bob has to choose between celebrating his wedding anniversary and doing his taxes on time.

21. Desperate Sessions

First Aired February 25, 1977

A bank robber (Robert Pine) takes Bob as a hostage.

22. The Mentor

First Aired March 04, 1977

On Bob's advice, Carol's husband Larry opens up a travel agency?in Bob's building.

23. Shrinking Violence

First Aired March 11, 1977

Emily has trouble expressing anger against an obnoxious mechanic (Robert Ridgely), so Bob tries to show her how it's done.

24. You're Having My Hartley

First Aired March 18, 1977

Bob dreams that both Carol and Emily are pregnant. Note: This script was originally written as the series finale. When Newhart decided to return for one more season and didn't want to play a father, the episode was rewritten into a dream sequence.