How The Bob Newhart Show was "quietly revolutionary"

[TMC]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...it-changed-tv/

Bob Newhart's classic sitcom, which ended 40 years ago last month, "warmly seeped into people’s houses," says Travis M. Andrews. He adds: "Newhart’s comedy — unlike that of his good friend and caustic comedian Don Rickles — was quiet, sly and absurdist. It was never callous, and the adults at which it was aimed could comfortably watch his routine, and his show, with their children in earshot."

[um]

Originally Posted by TMC

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...it-changed-tv/

Bob Newhart's classic sitcom, which ended 40 years ago last month, "warmly seeped into people’s houses," says Travis M. Andrews. He adds: "Newhart’s comedy — unlike that of his good friend and caustic comedian Don Rickles — was quiet, sly and absurdist. It was never callous, and the adults at which it was aimed could comfortably watch his routine, and his show, with their children in earshot."

IDK, the same could be said for a lot of classical TV shows before Bob Newhart.
Shows like the Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Danny Thomas Show.
It seems that by the 1970s a certain kind of "comedy" already took over, one that included "insult comedy" and shows like Father Knows Best and Donna Reed may have been considered classic then but were "old fashioned" and "wholesome" so while the airwaves were increasingly incorporating shows with the kind of "All In The Family" controversial humor, such as Maude, The Jeffersons, The Don Rickles Show , etc it seemed that Bob Newhart was very unlike those others and was "revolutionary." But actually it was one show that vary much followed in other shows that came before it.