Besides being about characters who moved from familiar surroundings to a new area;(Oliver and Lisa of "Green Acres"moved from New York to Hooterville-farm life,and at first,she HATED the idea of moving to a farm,and Dick and Joanna Loudon of "Newhart,from New York to an inn in Vermont-they I think both liked the idea,and meeting the oddball Vermont natives),the main similarity of both shows later on in their run,is that most shows dealt with ONE character(On "Green Acres" ,most episodes were about Arnold the pig,and on "Newhart"most episodes centered around Stephanie and Michael).On some episodes,it's as if Oliver and Lisa on "Green Acres" and on "Newhart"Dick and Joanna were shoved aside,as well as the ORIGINAL format of both shows.But they were STILL funny.Anyone agree?Feel free to post.

Bob Newhart on "Newhart" and Eddie Albert on "Green Acres" both played straight man to a bunch of wacky friends and neighbors. It was because they were both so good at this that it often allowed the supporting characters to appear more prominent than the series star. It wasn't that they were fading into the background. It was that, in the best traditions of a straight man, they where pushing their co-stars forward and allowing them to shine. Another words they were doing their jobs and doing them very well!