Why does everyone hate Leslie? I mean she was such a sweet and caring character! Leslie and Kirk were way better then Stephanie and Michael [although the first few Stephanie seasons were way better then the first]. I mean, I could have lived with her throughout the series. Kirk I could have lived without.

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Andrew Carden

Her character was too similar to Joanna's. Stephanie was a good foil to not only Joanna but everyone else on the show.

I didn't dislike Leslie. But I think the show was more entertaining when Stephanie came on the scene!In fact, after seeing the first season again on TNN I kind of missed Leslie!!

Leslie was simply too nice and sweet to be a character on a comedy show. Bob Newhart needs funny people to play off of and react to, and Leslie was more of a straight woman; she didn't do anything funny that could provoke a funny reaction from Bob. When Stephanie came on as a guest character, she simply blew Leslie off the screen, not only because Julia Duffy was a more forceful presence but because she had really funny personality traits: selfishness, silliness, spoiled-brattiness... and suddenly Newhart was funnier too, because he had someone to react to. The producers just decided it would be better to have one straight woman (Mary Frann) and one funny woman (Julia Duffy) instead of two straight women.

Leslie was simply too nice and sweet to be a character on a comedy show. Bob Newhart needs funny people to play off of and react to, and Leslie was more of a straight woman; she didn't do anything funny that could provoke a funny reaction from Bob. When Stephanie came on as a guest character, she simply blew Leslie off the screen, not only because Julia Duffy was a more forceful presence but because she had really funny personality traits: selfishness, silliness, spoiled-brattiness... and suddenly Newhart was funnier too, because he had someone to react to. The producers just decided it would be better to have one straight woman (Mary Frann) and one funny woman (Julia Duffy) instead of two straight women.

Also Duffy was to be the original BUT could not because of a contract obligation ... but finally arrived as cast

If the show was a gentle realistic comedy Leslie would have worked.

But she had no business being on a sitcom like Newhart. She had no flaws and had no quirky humorous traits like everyone else.

They should have brought her back for one episode later on and shown Leslie as a much more flawed character who somehow messed up either her academic career or her Olympic dreams after Season 1.

If the show was a gentle realistic comedy Leslie would have worked.

But she had no business being on a sitcom like Newhart. She had no flaws and had no quirky humorous traits like everyone else.
They should have brought her back for one episode later on and shown Leslie as a much more flawed character who somehow messed up either her academic career or her Olympic dreams after Season 1.