Do you Think Emily Hartley Was A Groundbreaking TV Character? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 03-04-2011, 10:57 PM

Emily Hartley, 'The Bob Newhart Show' | Played by Suzanne Pleshette

If you were looking for a liberated woman in the mid-1970s on TV, but were turned off by the overly aggressive Maude, you gravatated to 'The Bob Newhart Show' and enjoyed the subtle feminine wiles of Emily Hartley. Emily was both a homemaker and a professional woman -- a teacher -- but she was not a mother. Children weren't a part of the Hartley marriage and it was a choice, not a situation. Emily and Bob were happy together as romantic grown ups in a loving relationship.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/03/04/ou...haracters-lis/

catlover79 · 03-05-2011, 01:05 AM

I think so - Emily was an equal partner in the marriage and I think that's one of the first times we saw that on TV (I will also make a case for Samantha and Darrin on Bewitched). Besides, who needed kids when you had Howard Borden living next door?

Marvo301 · 03-05-2011, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I think so - Emily was an equal partner in the marriage and I think that's one of the first times we saw that on TV (I will also make a case for Samantha and Darrin on Bewitched). Besides, who needed kids when you had Howard Borden living next door?

Your absolutely right Monika. Howard Borden was in many ways the child Bob and Emily never had! And it's also true that Emily was an equal partner in the Hartley marriage. She was on of television's first liberated married women.

PGood97041 · 03-07-2011, 12:16 AM

I hadn't thought about it, but if you're telling me that Emily WAS the first equal partner in a real marriage on a TV show, absolutely she was groundbreaking! (I don't count Samantha Stevens because that show, although amusing, wasn't real enough for me).

I appreciated Emily's looks, of course, but I loved her sense of humor and the way she could go right back at Bob with the verbal jabs. I got the sense Bob was always happy to head home for a variety of reasons, not just the most obvious one!

Also, great point on Howard Borden being the kid Bob and Emily never had! I think there's a lot to that!

catlover79 · 03-07-2011, 12:50 AM

Remember this quote from "Guaranteed Not to Shrink" (Season 4)? Bob is talking to Emily, the elementary school teacher, about an old girlfriend and how she "wasted" her potential:

Bob: She could've been anything. She gave up art to do something she could've done in her sleep. She became a school -
Emily: She became a school?! A school, Bob?
Bob: Well, she only thought she was a school. She was really a bank.

How Suzanne Pleshette got through that line without losing it is a mystery. I love it!!!!!!!!!

tmac81s · 05-19-2011, 11:05 PM

she was a great character. I love especially the episode "Don't Go to Bed Mad," where they had this agreement about that subject, and she says, "You can't go to bed, Bob." "Why not?" "Because I'm mad!"

Then they make this list of what bugs them about the other, and she is writing away while Bob can't even think of one thing, then she's like "More paper, please." lol!

There was also this rare opening sequence, where instead of Bob coming home to the apartment to find her waiting there, they meet on the street, both coming from their respective jobs. I think that opening was only used in one or two episodes.

I agree with above, Howard was like their child! it was also nice to show a married couple that didn't have kids, since that had been pretty much the norm from the beginning of TV. if they didn't have kids at the start of the show, they'd sure have some by the end of the series.

catlover79 · 05-19-2011, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmac81s

Then they make this list of what bugs them about the other, and she is writing away while Bob can't even think of one thing, then she's like "More paper, please." lol!

That was an awesome moment.

Yong Fang · 05-19-2011, 11:56 PM

The writers were thinking about writing in a child for the Hartley's, but Bob Newhart vehemently said no to the idea, as in, I'll quit if you try.

It would of been a bad idea anyway, because the Hartley's were parental material. They were professional people with adult friends without kids themselves. I can't see Bob Hartley with a kid. The child would of ended up like Richie from the Dick Van Dyke show, trotted out a bit and then sent to his room forever.

catlover79 · 05-20-2011, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

The writers were thinking about writing in a child for the Hartley's, but Bob Newhart vehemently said no to the idea, as in, I'll quit if you try.

The word was that when Bob read the proposed script that had Emily announcing her pregnancy, he said, "That was great. Who are you going to get to play Bob?" His instincts were right on the money, as usual!

PGood97041 · 05-20-2011, 02:14 PM

I'd never heard that!
That's a fantastic story!
I agree that Bob's instincts were correct. I don't think a kid for the Hartleys would have been a jump the shark situation, but something along those lines!

catlover79 · 05-20-2011, 02:31 PM

Besides, like I said before, the Hartleys already had a kid - Howard Borden!!

Yong Fang · 05-31-2011, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

The word was that when Bob read the proposed script that had Emily announcing her pregnancy, he said, "That was great. Who are you going to get to play Bob?" His instincts were right on the money, as usual!

Bob's last sitcom (George & Leo maybe?) had his character with an (adult) child. It was cancelled in less than a year.

catlover79 · 05-31-2011, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Bob's last sitcom (George & Leo maybe?) had his character with an (adult) child. It was cancelled in less than a year.

He also had an adult daughter in his 1992-93 sitcom, Bob.

Retro4Life · 05-31-2011, 02:09 PM

An unqualified "yes" to the question. Emily was a great role model and independent wife and partner for Bob; easily his equal in smarts and wisdom, and wielded just as much power in the marriage as Bob did.

PGood97041 · 06-02-2011, 05:09 PM

OMG, I just last weekend saw "Don't Go To Bed Mad" for the first time in about 35 years and it was as funny as I had recalled!

The "more paper, please!" line was priceless, and I also enjoyed it a scene or two later when Emily says, "Look, Bob, I'll give you 2 through 46 if you'll just give me No. 1." Meaning she'd gotten up to 46 [I think that was the number] things Bob did that made her mad!

Priceless!

03-04-2011, 10:57 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Do you Think Emily Hartley Was A Groundbreaking TV Character? Emily Hartley, 'The Bob Newhart Show' \| Played by Suzanne Pleshette If you were looking for a liberated woman in the mid-1970s on TV, but were turned off by the overly aggressive Maude, you gravatated to 'The Bob Newhart Show' and enjoyed the subtle feminine wiles of Emily Hartley. Emily was both a homemaker and a professional woman -- a teacher -- but she was not a mother. Children weren't a part of the Hartley marriage and it was a choice, not a situation. Emily and Bob were happy together as romantic grown ups in a loving relationship. http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/03/04/ou...haracters-lis/
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

03-05-2011, 01:05 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,396	I think so - Emily was an equal partner in the marriage and I think that's one of the first times we saw that on TV (I will also make a case for Samantha and Darrin on Bewitched). Besides, who needed kids when you had Howard Borden living next door?
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

05-19-2011, 11:05 PM	#6
tmac81s Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 06, 2011 Location: Kalispell, MT, USA Posts: 203	she was a great character. I love especially the episode "Don't Go to Bed Mad," where they had this agreement about that subject, and she says, "You can't go to bed, Bob." "Why not?" "Because I'm mad!" Then they make this list of what bugs them about the other, and she is writing away while Bob can't even think of one thing, then she's like "More paper, please." lol! There was also this rare opening sequence, where instead of Bob coming home to the apartment to find her waiting there, they meet on the street, both coming from their respective jobs. I think that opening was only used in one or two episodes. I agree with above, Howard was like their child! it was also nice to show a married couple that didn't have kids, since that had been pretty much the norm from the beginning of TV. if they didn't have kids at the start of the show, they'd sure have some by the end of the series.
	__________________ "Aaaaayyy"~~The Fonz, "Happy Days" "I've Heard it Both Ways"~~Shawn Spencer, "Psych" "Well how the hell should I know?”~~Thelma Harper, “Mama’s Family”/“Carol Burnett Show”

05-31-2011, 02:09 PM	#14
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	An unqualified "yes" to the question. Emily was a great role model and independent wife and partner for Bob; easily his equal in smarts and wisdom, and wielded just as much power in the marriage as Bob did.
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

03-07-2011, 12:16 AM	#4
PGood97041 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 03, 2008 Location: Boston Posts: 747	I hadn't thought about it, but if you're telling me that Emily WAS the first equal partner in a real marriage on a TV show, absolutely she was groundbreaking! (I don't count Samantha Stevens because that show, although amusing, wasn't real enough for me). I appreciated Emily's looks, of course, but I loved her sense of humor and the way she could go right back at Bob with the verbal jabs. I got the sense Bob was always happy to head home for a variety of reasons, not just the most obvious one! Also, great point on Howard Borden being the kid Bob and Emily never had! I think there's a lot to that!

03-07-2011, 12:50 AM	#5
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,396	Remember this quote from "Guaranteed Not to Shrink" (Season 4)? Bob is talking to Emily, the elementary school teacher, about an old girlfriend and how she "wasted" her potential: Bob: She could've been anything. She gave up art to do something she could've done in her sleep. She became a school - Emily: She became a school?! A school, Bob? Bob: Well, she only thought she was a school. She was really a bank. How Suzanne Pleshette got through that line without losing it is a mystery. I love it!!!!!!!!!

05-19-2011, 11:56 PM	#8
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,072	The writers were thinking about writing in a child for the Hartley's, but Bob Newhart vehemently said no to the idea, as in, I'll quit if you try. It would of been a bad idea anyway, because the Hartley's were parental material. They were professional people with adult friends without kids themselves. I can't see Bob Hartley with a kid. The child would of ended up like Richie from the Dick Van Dyke show, trotted out a bit and then sent to his room forever.

05-20-2011, 02:14 PM	#10
PGood97041 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 03, 2008 Location: Boston Posts: 747	I'd never heard that! That's a fantastic story! I agree that Bob's instincts were correct. I don't think a kid for the Hartleys would have been a jump the shark situation, but something along those lines!

05-20-2011, 02:31 PM	#11
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,396	Besides, like I said before, the Hartleys already had a kid - Howard Borden!!

06-02-2011, 05:09 PM	#15
PGood97041 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 03, 2008 Location: Boston Posts: 747	OMG, I just last weekend saw "Don't Go To Bed Mad" for the first time in about 35 years and it was as funny as I had recalled! The "more paper, please!" line was priceless, and I also enjoyed it a scene or two later when Emily says, "Look, Bob, I'll give you 2 through 46 if you'll just give me No. 1." Meaning she'd gotten up to 46 [I think that was the number] things Bob did that made her mad! Priceless!