Question About "Backlash" Episode? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jack1000 · 11-13-2005, 02:50 PM

Guys,

This is the one where one of Bob's patients hits him in the back as Bob is trying to teach him how to show more affection to people and Bob's back goes out. This phostpones his and Emily's planned vacation to Mexico.

In this episode, there are sutle references to Bob and Emily trying to have a baby. "Well according to my chart, on the 16th that's when we should lie around the hotel room." Than at the end in the tag, Bob says something like, "Sorry about the Baby." Emily says, "They'll be other times." However, I don't recall pregnency or baby issues coming up again after this episode. Was this idea abandoned by the writers as fast as it was brought up? I do recall an episode where they think about adopting kids.

Jack

CAJeannieFan57 · 11-13-2005, 09:20 PM

Bob made no bones about it from the git-go ... he did not want to do a show where he played a father. He didn't want the kind of show where the dad screws up and the kids get him out of the mess, or even anything like Bill Cosby ever played. Not that he didn't like kids - Bob had 4 of his own and was fine with Howard's character having a son - but he didn't want to play a dad. He wanted to show a couple that survived without children.

That being said, I guess that didn't hold the writers back from trying to show him as a prospective father-to-be. I gather that everytime the writers tried that (most notably in the 6th season), Bob made a crass remark about "who are you going to play Bob?"

Whether he made that kind of remark with this 2nd season episode, I don't know. It's not mentioned in Joey Green's book, and Bob didn't specifically mention this 2nd season ep on any of the interviews that *I've* seen/heard.

The subject also came up in the initial pilot (shown as episode 9, P-I-L-O-T). I guess Bob nixed that idea.

So the only kid we got in that show was Howie, son of Howard, and an occasional other guest.

Information, btw, came from Joey Green's _Hi, Bob_, and a couple of taped interviews with Bob Newhart that I've seen.

Donna

catlover79 · 09-05-2011, 07:11 PM

I love this episode - especially when Bob is laid up in bed watching the cheesy soap opera with "Stephanie" and "Jason", complete with REALLY hokey organ music.

Michael Conrad also did a great job as the poor lug who accidentally injures Bob. "Oh, I need to be more gentle!"

11-13-2005, 02:50 PM	#1
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	Question About "Backlash" Episode? Guys, This is the one where one of Bob's patients hits him in the back as Bob is trying to teach him how to show more affection to people and Bob's back goes out. This phostpones his and Emily's planned vacation to Mexico. In this episode, there are sutle references to Bob and Emily trying to have a baby. "Well according to my chart, on the 16th that's when we should lie around the hotel room." Than at the end in the tag, Bob says something like, "Sorry about the Baby." Emily says, "They'll be other times." However, I don't recall pregnency or baby issues coming up again after this episode. Was this idea abandoned by the writers as fast as it was brought up? I do recall an episode where they think about adopting kids. Jack

11-13-2005, 09:20 PM	#2
CAJeannieFan57 Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 01, 2005 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 871	Bob made no bones about it from the git-go ... he did not want to do a show where he played a father. He didn't want the kind of show where the dad screws up and the kids get him out of the mess, or even anything like Bill Cosby ever played. Not that he didn't like kids - Bob had 4 of his own and was fine with Howard's character having a son - but he didn't want to play a dad. He wanted to show a couple that survived without children. That being said, I guess that didn't hold the writers back from trying to show him as a prospective father-to-be. I gather that everytime the writers tried that (most notably in the 6th season), Bob made a crass remark about "who are you going to play Bob?" Whether he made that kind of remark with this 2nd season episode, I don't know. It's not mentioned in Joey Green's book, and Bob didn't specifically mention this 2nd season ep on any of the interviews that I've seen/heard. The subject also came up in the initial pilot (shown as episode 9, P-I-L-O-T). I guess Bob nixed that idea. So the only kid we got in that show was Howie, son of Howard, and an occasional other guest. Information, btw, came from Joey Green's _Hi, Bob_, and a couple of taped interviews with Bob Newhart that I've seen. Donna
	__________________ Donna

09-05-2011, 07:11 PM	#3
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,392	I love this episode - especially when Bob is laid up in bed watching the cheesy soap opera with "Stephanie" and "Jason", complete with REALLY hokey organ music. Michael Conrad also did a great job as the poor lug who accidentally injures Bob. "Oh, I need to be more gentle!"
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