"Bob"

does anyone remember "Bob", with Bob Newhart? he played a comic book writer, and it was made in the early 90's. thats all i really know-i have a partial episode on tape, but it doesnt tell me much.

[callmetootie]

I remember it. In 1998 or 1999 in went into syndication here, but left within a few weeks.

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Andrew Carden

[Drew]

yeah i remember it to. I liked the show. But the theme song wasnt very good. It didnt go good with the show.

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Designing Women
JULIA~"...And that Margerie, is the night the lights went out in Georgia.

All in the Family
EDITH to ARCHIE~"Im not sure who married the meathead, Gloria or me."

the Golden Girls
SOPHIA~"Silly Rabbi, Trix are for kids."

The one i have on tape is missing all but a few scenes- they show bob and harlan in a focus group full of old people critisizing their comic book.

[TMC]

http://greatbutforgotten.blogspot.co...05/bob-tv.html

Pop quiz: suppose, as a network executive, you have a TV sitcom with a well-known star, great supporting cast, and clever scripts. It's not doing too bad in the ratings, either. What do you do?

Well, you certainly don't treat it like Bob.

This was Bob Newhart's return to TV after the triumph of the Newhart 1finale (well, except for a Bob Newhart Show reunion special that continued where Newhart left off -- one of the better reunion specials on the air). The concept was a good one: Bob McKay (Newhart, of course) was a comic book writer/illustrator and the creator of a failed superhero, Mad Dog. Years later, Mad Dog gets a revival, and Bob -- now working as an artist at a greeting card company -- is asked to help.

"Because of the exciting nature of this comic, we cannot allow you to read it until you sign this release."But there's a problem. Harlan Stone (a combination of Harlan Ellison and Frank Miller), is the new writer of the strip, and wants to darknight Mad Dog into the brooding, moody, haunted superhero who was the new style in the 90s. "We can unleash the beast and reveal the true Mad Dog-a tortured, maniacal vigilante!'' Stone exclaims. Bob wanted Mad Dog to be an older model -- truth, justice, that sort of thing. (Marvel Comics actually did a series of Mad Dog comics to tie in with the show.)

But that was only a part of the show. Newhart knew how to use a good supporting cast, and a lot of the fun involved Albie Lutz (Andrew Bigore) and Chad Pfefferle (Timothy Fall), twos slightly warped, low-level comic book geek employees. Cynthia Stevenson (later Georgia's Mother in Dead Like MeI) was also there as Bob's daughter Tricia (the only time Newhart had an offspring in any of his shows). Stevenson at the time had a nice loopy persona and was great at ditzy comedy.

The show was created by three writers of Cheers (Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner and Phoef Sutton) so the writing was always sharp and funny. Even the title of the show was a joke: After The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart, Bob Newhart joked on the Johnny Carson Show that his next sitcom would follow the progression and be calledBob.

The episodes soon went far afield from comics: One great episode starred George Wendt as "The Guy Who Played Norm on Cheers," and old friend of Bob's who can't avoid being confused with his TV roles. There was also a very funny show where Albie, Chad, and Tricia played "Mystery Date," and a nasty little parody of Barney the Dinosaur. Dick Martin, who directed some of the episodes, had some funny on-screen appearances as an old comic book writer friend.

The show got great critical buzz, but, for some reason, CBS moved it around the schedule like a chess piece in an earthquake. Ratings were -- middle of the pack, and especially good when it was shown on Monday -- but were definitely hurt by the fact it didn't have a regular home.

Still, CBS decided to renew. But I really wouldn't call it a renewal. The entire premise was changed. Bob left Ace Comics (leaving Harlan, Albie, and Chad behind) and went back to work for the greeting card company he had been at before Mad Dog called. Betty White and Jere Burns were added to the cast, and the scripts were taking from the Beginning Sitcom Writers Guide to Bad Comedy. It was unwatchable, and unfunny and quickly cancelled.

The first season is well worth preserving on DVD, so we can again see a show that deserved much better than it got.

[bh7812]

^ that's a great article and sums up everything I've tried to say here about his third series! Phenomenal first Season, agonizingly disappointing second. So much potential up in smoke I'm still angry over what CBS did to the show 3 years after really watching through it! I urge any fan of Bob's that hasn't seen the show to definitely watch all of Season 1 because it's some of his best work. Up there with the best seasons of his first two series. It could and should have lasted 3 to 4 seasons at least. CBS should have never messed with the show that is all, writing about his third series makes me both upset and angry due to the destroyed potential

Edit: ty to whoever posted the cast photo from season 1 on the show's forum page. That's the season worth remembering so I'm glad they all got their due credit here.