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Newhart


Deej

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17 minutes ago, Mac8111 said:

Will be interesting to see how it holds up for me. I was middle school / early high school when it aired. I loved the Darrells.

I was around that age, I wanted to move to Vermont and open up an inn with Mary Frann.  I'm not sure a 40-something Mary Frann would have wanted to open up an inn in Vermont with a teenager, but a boy can dream.

These are both from the late 80s during her run on Newhart.

MV5BMTk5NTVjMTMtNmY2Mi00ZDQwLTkxMzMtMjI2

mary-frann-al-peoples-choice-awards-15th

 

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19 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

I was around that age, I wanted to move to Vermont and open up an inn with Mary Frann.  I'm not sure a 40-something Mary Frann would have wanted to open up an inn in Vermont with a teenager, but a boy can dream.

These are both from the late 80s during her run on Newhart.

MV5BMTk5NTVjMTMtNmY2Mi00ZDQwLTkxMzMtMjI2

mary-frann-al-peoples-choice-awards-15th

 

Always thought they were an unlikely couple cuz she was so hot.

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I’ve actually gone back,and watched the first few seasons on YouTube the last several months (I started watching when it aired probably around S3 or 4 back in the day), but it’s horrible quality on YT, so I’ll check out the Amazon recommendation (I hope OP means it’s available with a Prime subscription and not buying the episodes). 

The show took a while to get its footing: S1 had in the cast a completely unfunny young female college student to help out at the inn. They thankfully dumped her in S2 for her “cousin,” Stephanie Vanderkellen (the actually funny Julia Duffy).

Worse, S1 and S2 had one of the worst characters in TV history, the completely irredeemable Kirk, the compulsive liar who owned the Minuteman Cafe next door. Not funny, needy, annoying, pick your synonym for shitty. And he had a MAJOR role. He was finally dropped and essentially replaced by Peter Scolari’s hilarious Michael.

The “Larry/Darryl/Darryl” thing actually gets really old when binging. And I would do unspeakable things to a young Julia Duffy.

The rewatch reveals Newhart has a certain asshole quality. Yes, there’s the obvious sane guy surrounded by idiots dynamic that’s the core of the show, but he’s also kind of a dick, so that’s even funnier.

Favorite line came during an early episode about UFOs, as Joanna asks Dick Louden (Newhart), “Why would aliens pick Vermont?” After a long beat, Newhart deadpans, “Schools?”

 

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10 hours ago, Mac8111 said:

Will be interesting to see how it holds up for me. I was middle school / early high school when it aired. I loved the Darrells.

I was also young when it first aired. I loved it. The two Darrells were a pop culture smash.

I’ve recently seen it in syndication. It doesn’t hold up. The Darrells aren’t funny. At all. Really, I don’t think there’s anyone funny on that show other than Bob. The Bob Newhart Show still holds up. Newhart not so much. 

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Yes but they make the top five.   And behind Newhart by a large margin.
Newhart is the best with an asterisk. The first 20 minutes was generic tying up of loose ends that was pretty formulaic. But he had the ace up his sleeve of throwing back to an equally legendary show. The final 2 minutes was outstanding and may never be topped.

MASH is still the gold standard, IMO.
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On 4/22/2023 at 6:35 PM, GhostOfTomJoad said:

Newhart is the best with an asterisk. The first 20 minutes was generic tying up of loose ends that was pretty formulaic. But he had the ace up his sleeve of throwing back to an equally legendary show. The final 2 minutes was outstanding and may never be topped.

MASH is still the gold standard, IMO.

There is something funny when one show references another as a nod to the fans. I recently watched Maverick with Mel Gibson. Definitely a funny cameo from Danny Glover since its a reference to Lethal Weapon.

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Just a few days ago I was thinking of a great Newhart interview I heard on sat. radio.  I think it was Bennington.  And Bob was regaling him with these great early-year stories of his marriage to his wife Ginny.  And them kind of navigating hardship and success and around and around.  And it was so warm and lovely, with of course so many great subtle jokes.  Married 60 years.  I was thinking about them on Sunday, my wife and I's 17th anniversary.  I didn't realize until just now that Ginny passed away on Sunday at 82, 60 years of which with Bob.  I know he must be in such pain, he's 93 now (he was probably 90 at the time of this interview and sharp as a tack).  Bob lost his best friend, everybody else he came up with is gone as are a lot of his co-stars.  But I am reminded that people like him endure, as will their work. 

I watched Newhart as a junior high kid, and it was funny but not that funny to us.  This was long before you could access the original Bob Newhart show.  But my mother told me that when she and my late father started dating in Chicago, they would get together with friends to watch the Bob Newhart show (which took place in Chicago as most of you know).  She didn't know what was a thing, to meet other couples to drink and watch a TV show.  And my father absolutely loved him because like pop, he was so deadpan and ridiculous at the same time.  So I go back now and watch the old episodes and think of what my parents would have laughed at and cringed at.  And it feels like this private little moment in time that Bob let us in on.  His style is beyond original, maybe one of just 6 or 7 truly unique and organic comedic stylings of the last 100 years.  His shall never come our way again.  

RIP, Ginny.  Take Bob when he's ready.  He's shared enough laughter with us for ten lifetimes.  What a wonderful ride it must have been...

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11 hours ago, Nole-4-Life said:

She was smoke all the way back to The Birds.

Farther back than that. She played a hot little señorita in an episode of Have Gun Will Travel. I can’t find a very good pic. This was all I could find:

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While searching, I also found this:

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Loooved Suzanne Pleshette and Bob. What a combo. As a kid I played a few games of tennis with Bob's son Timmy. Spotted his his name in the closing credits as a production assistant. Very nice, quiet guy.

And lol at Lisa Kudrow being the dark haired Sada of the 3 sisters. One of her first tv credits.

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17 hours ago, Vic Mackey said:

I loved the Bob Newhart Show. Never watched this one yet. Is it worth it seeing I've already heard what the ending is?

"Newhart" paled in comparison to BNS, at least that's my recollection from way too many years ago.

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Loved both Newhart shows. Tom Poston always cracked me up going all the way back to the Steve Allen mon on the street segments with Louis Nye and Don Knotts.

In the Pleshette show Tom used to occasionally appear as "Peeper," Bob's old college buddy. 

During one episode when they got together and talked about the old days, they tried to remember the words of their old college fight song.

Tom Poston, in his quiet way, with that slow, thoughtful delivery says:  

"It was.... 'Something.... something. Rah-rah-rah.' "
 

I just love that shit.

 

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