Would The Bob Newhart Show not be so well received today - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 07-29-2019, 03:59 AM

Due to in no small part to its portrayal of those who suffer from mental disorders? I mean, let's look at things like this:

The patients were often the butt of the jokes - While most were harmless jibes and even laughing with them, some of them weren't particularly funny.

A successful psychiatrist would have had his own office and receptionist.

It would take a very skilled comedian to pull it off - Bob Newhart is one of a kind and not many people could inhabit the role in the manner that he did.

It would have to mix things up between comedy and drama as mental illness isn't the same way today.

Samme · 07-30-2019, 03:39 PM

Adjust nothing, and it would still work.

vitoscotti · 07-31-2019, 09:16 AM

Everything is so bizarrely pc today..who knows. Dr. Hartley really had a deep care for his patients, no matter how comical they were.

Babalu · 07-31-2019, 09:45 AM

Not a chance that kind of a show would be on today. And if the basic premise did exist, Dr. Hartley would be the typical TV white male moron and all his patients would be smarter than he was while he would be the butt of all the jokes.

My favorite of all time is still jelly belly Gianelli.

CosmicCharlie · 08-09-2019, 10:37 PM

Bob's dry humor is very Top Notch and acceptable today - but having patients that are comical losers would not be PC today for the most part +-

The comments traded back & forth by the patients are not kind & many times MEAN Spirited - funny but not nice

I enjoy the show for Bob and his acting as well as most others, but Carlin being a jerk is not realistic to have that continue week after week - but it worked for the show so what do I know ? LOL

TVFactFan · 08-27-2019, 11:06 PM

Sophisticated comedies still have appeal today and yes the show would still have fans

SitcomsHeydayfan · 09-16-2019, 02:36 AM

Many shows from the 1980s and earlier would have some problems if aired today because the overly PC liberal thought police DEMAND complete subservience to ONLY their point of view!!

Hazel Anyday · 09-23-2019, 11:52 PM

I am always overjoyed to violate the commands issued by the ever so sensitive (except to any view different from their own) lib PC police. Of course even the term PC is the lib way of masking what is really out and out censorship. Just as "choice" is the lib way of masking what is really infanticide.

Libs long time practice is to re-term anything horribly negative and anti-American that they're doing with a term that sounds so innocuous, innocent and a complete opposite of what it is they are actually talking about and doing. Our beloved Barack Husain Obama was an expert of terming his dirty works the total opposite of what they were in reality. Branding their underhanded practices with opposite innocent sounding labels is a long time practice of the libs. Don't be fooled.

MichaelKeith · 01-03-2020, 06:06 PM

Hazelanyday, I like a lot of your viewpoints.

SitcomsHeydayfan · 01-05-2020, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazel Anyday

I am always overjoyed to violate the commands issued by the ever so sensitive (except to any view different from their own) lib PC police. Of course even the term PC is the lib way of masking what is really out and out censorship. Just as "choice" is the lib way of masking what is really infanticide.

Libs long time practice is to re-term anything horribly negative and anti-American that they're doing with a term that sounds so innocuous, innocent and a complete opposite of what it is they are actually talking about and doing. Our beloved Barack Husain Obama was an expert of terming his dirty works the total opposite of what they were in reality. Branding their underhanded practices with opposite innocent sounding labels is a long time practice of the libs. Don't be fooled.

Right on bro(or sis)!You sound like a true American patriot i.e. a Trump voter like me!

Janice · 01-05-2020, 07:39 AM

Please, no political discussion allowed outside of the Politics Forum.

Thank you.

TMC · 07-30-2024, 05:08 AM

One has to wonder that if something like The Bob Newhart Show was done today, it would naturally, have to be inherently darker since people presumably, have a stronger awareness of psychology now than they did over 50 years ago when the series first aired. In other words, things that may have seemed amusing then, might not be viewed in the same manner today.

CosmicCharlie · 07-30-2024, 07:41 AM

TMC
Good Point and I agree
The "masses" may not be amused

dee2364 · 07-30-2024, 08:01 AM

Whining about political correctness is the excuse that people use when they can't handle the fact that the humor they enjoy has become stale and dated and that most of the world has moved on from it.

Back on topic. Newhart wouldn't work today, because what passed for sophisticated humor in the 1970s became dated with shows like Frasier. Also, Americans don't believe in psychiatry or experts anymore. They believe in self help books, personalities like Dr. Phil and social media. Most people today probably don't even know what group therapy is or what it means to be neurotic, so the concept and humor wouldn't fly.

Alan Brady's Hair · 07-30-2024, 11:22 AM

Again, the audience will accept anything that's well-done. It's the producers, networks, advertisers who decide what gets promoted and what goes out of fashion.

07-29-2019, 03:59 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,106	Would The Bob Newhart Show not be so well received today Due to in no small part to its portrayal of those who suffer from mental disorders? I mean, let's look at things like this: The patients were often the butt of the jokes - While most were harmless jibes and even laughing with them, some of them weren't particularly funny. A successful psychiatrist would have had his own office and receptionist. It would take a very skilled comedian to pull it off - Bob Newhart is one of a kind and not many people could inhabit the role in the manner that he did. It would have to mix things up between comedy and drama as mental illness isn't the same way today.

07-31-2019, 09:16 AM	#3
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,072	Everything is so bizarrely pc today..who knows. Dr. Hartley really had a deep care for his patients, no matter how comical they were.
	Last edited by vitoscotti; 08-02-2019 at 10:14 AM.

07-31-2019, 09:45 AM	#4
Babalu Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 22, 2014 Posts: 4,779	Not a chance that kind of a show would be on today. And if the basic premise did exist, Dr. Hartley would be the typical TV white male moron and all his patients would be smarter than he was while he would be the butt of all the jokes. My favorite of all time is still jelly belly Gianelli.
	__________________ . I just nailed Mrs. Trumbull

09-23-2019, 11:52 PM	#8
Hazel Anyday Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 12, 2002 Posts: 2,135	Put That In Your Real Tobaccy Pipe and Smoke It I am always overjoyed to violate the commands issued by the ever so sensitive (except to any view different from their own) lib PC police. Of course even the term PC is the lib way of masking what is really out and out censorship. Just as "choice" is the lib way of masking what is really infanticide. Libs long time practice is to re-term anything horribly negative and anti-American that they're doing with a term that sounds so innocuous, innocent and a complete opposite of what it is they are actually talking about and doing. Our beloved Barack Husain Obama was an expert of terming his dirty works the total opposite of what they were in reality. Branding their underhanded practices with opposite innocent sounding labels is a long time practice of the libs. Don't be fooled.
	__________________ Haaazeelll!! Last edited by Hazel Anyday; 09-23-2019 at 11:56 PM. Reason: Brilliance

07-30-2019, 03:39 PM	#2
Samme Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 01, 2001 Posts: 676	Adjust nothing, and it would still work.

08-09-2019, 10:37 PM	#5
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,421	Bob's dry humor is very Top Notch and acceptable today - but having patients that are comical losers would not be PC today for the most part +- The comments traded back & forth by the patients are not kind & many times MEAN Spirited - funny but not nice I enjoy the show for Bob and his acting as well as most others, but Carlin being a jerk is not realistic to have that continue week after week - but it worked for the show so what do I know ? LOL

08-27-2019, 11:06 PM	#6
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,999	Sophisticated comedies still have appeal today and yes the show would still have fans

09-16-2019, 02:36 AM	#7
SitcomsHeydayfan Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2018 Location: The Show Me state Posts: 2,966	Many shows from the 1980s and earlier would have some problems if aired today because the overly PC liberal thought police DEMAND complete subservience to ONLY their point of view!!

01-03-2020, 06:06 PM	#9
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	Hazelanyday, I like a lot of your viewpoints.

01-05-2020, 07:39 AM	#11
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Please, no political discussion allowed outside of the Politics Forum. Thank you.

07-30-2024, 05:08 AM	#12
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,106	One has to wonder that if something like The Bob Newhart Show was done today, it would naturally, have to be inherently darker since people presumably, have a stronger awareness of psychology now than they did over 50 years ago when the series first aired. In other words, things that may have seemed amusing then, might not be viewed in the same manner today.

07-30-2024, 07:41 AM	#13
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,421	TMC Good Point and I agree The "masses" may not be amused

07-30-2024, 08:01 AM	#14
dee2364 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 20, 2019 Posts: 643	Whining about political correctness is the excuse that people use when they can't handle the fact that the humor they enjoy has become stale and dated and that most of the world has moved on from it. Back on topic. Newhart wouldn't work today, because what passed for sophisticated humor in the 1970s became dated with shows like Frasier. Also, Americans don't believe in psychiatry or experts anymore. They believe in self help books, personalities like Dr. Phil and social media. Most people today probably don't even know what group therapy is or what it means to be neurotic, so the concept and humor wouldn't fly.

07-30-2024, 11:22 AM	#15
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,822	Again, the audience will accept anything that's well-done. It's the producers, networks, advertisers who decide what gets promoted and what goes out of fashion.