Between 1972 and 1975 the real “must-see TV” was on CBS, 8-11 p.m. on Saturday nights, when the network broadcast All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, and The Carol Burnett Show. Newhart's sitcom, which debuted in 1972 and ran for six seasons, wasn't the comic's first series: he hosted a brilliant comedy-variety show on NBC a decade earlier, where he reprised many of his standup routines. But it's The Bob Newhart Show, in which he plays Chicago psychologist Bob Hartley (and his third series Newhart, 1982-1990) for which he's best known, and this three-disc set compiling the 24 first-season episodes ably demonstrates why. Much of the fun comes from the good writing, excellent direction, and fine supporting cast, including Suzanne Pleshette (wife Emily), Bill Daily (neighbor Howard), Peter Bonerz (office-mate Jerry), Marcia Wallace (secretary Carol), and Jack Riley and Florida Friebus (long-term patients Elliot Carlin and Mrs. Bakerman). But the glue that holds everything together is Newhart, with deadpan timing rivaling that of past masters such as Buster Keaton and Jack Benny. The humor is softer than today's fare, and it takes a while for the program to find its rhythm (the decision to drop Patricia Smith, who plays an intrusive neighbor, after this first season is understandable); in some ways the later shows were even better, with additional characters added to Bob's patient list. But even three decades later, this initial season of The Bob Newhart Show still leaves you smiling. Unfortunately, the set offers no extras whatsoever. Still, this is highly recommended. (F. Swietek)
The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete First Season
Fox, 3 discs, 657 min., not rated, DVD: $29.98 June 13, 2005
The Bob Newhart Show: The Complete First Season
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