My Top 25 Favorite TV Shows: #17!

These days, Saturday nights are a complete wasteland for television. As a matter of fact, one network now uses that low viewing nights to show reruns of shows that are broadcast on other nights.

What the hell happened?

Back when, a Saturday night on CBS is where you wanted to tune your set. One classic comedy after another (several will show up on this list later on) and the topper would be Carol Burnett and her crew at 10PM.

Sandwiched in the middle of all this smart programming was the truly exceptional "Bob Newhart Show." While it may not have had the wild popularity or flash the other Saturday night shows had, the Newhart laughfest more than held its own. And, viewing it again years later, you realize just how good it was.

This was intelligent comedy that was offered up by Mary Tyler Moore's production company. A half hour consisted of very little slapstick. You had to listen to the words. Shows like "Frasier" and "Cheers" years later owed their legacies to MTM. And "The Bob Newhart Show" was one of those stalwarts. And, of course, the late Suzanne Pleshette didn't exactly give you a stye.

There is a moment in this series which is probably one of the best written scenes I have ever seen. I posted it a while ago and the video is no longer available. Bob is on a local talk show and the hostess/interviewer is super nice---off camera. She attacks him with such venom as soon as the camera is turned on. His virtually wordless reaction is sheer brilliance. A classic TV moment.

For some inane reason, there is a dearth of Newhart clips available on the internet. Like the one I mention above, they're all gone. But I did find this really bizarre example of somebody with way too much time on their hands. This kid re-enacts the opening credits.

"The Bob Newhart Show" made me want to be a writer. It, along with some other comedies of the time, formed a master class in the art. For some odd reason, I keep seeing Bob Newhart in the neighborhood around my apartment. I saw him drinking a soda outside Walgren's. I have seen him three times pushing a shopping cart around Ralph's. I've always wanted to tell him what that show did for me with regard to mining my creative juices. But, I just leave him alone. I rarely break my self-imposed rule of intruding upon celebrities I don't know. But, some day, I will say...

"Hi, Bob."

Dinner last night: BLT Sandwich at Charcoal.