MovieChat Forums > Newhart (1982) Discussion > Different types of episodes

Different types of episodes

posted 10 years ago by jarrodmcdonald-1
17 replies | jump to latest

I think the episodes can be grouped accordingly:

- ones focusing on Dick & Joanna's marriage
- ones focusing on Michael & Stephanie's relationship (or Kirk & Leslie, then Kirk & Cindy in season 2)
- the George-based episodes
- episodes about Larry & the Darryls (which always seem like a spinoff/separate show)
- ones that take place mostly at WPIV
- the episodes built around a big-name guest star
- business-related episodes focused on the Stratford Inn
- ones focused on Dick's career as a writer
- ones that focus on the town and some event that involves all the recurring townsfolk (these are my favorites)

Which ones do you prefer...?

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[–] dini0519 10 years ago

I like the ones about the townsfolk too! Examples: The Great White Buck, The book burning, The poetry reading with Miss Goddard, The Bell Tower, etc.
Dini

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 10 years ago

I don't think I've seen the book burning one (how did I miss it?). The other three you mentioned are among my most favorites. I also love the one where the town has to cancel its winter festival in February because there is no snow. The second half focuses more on Larry & the Darryls making snow, but the first half, where we see how all their jobs and lives are affected by the carnival is great.

The Martian/War of the Worlds episode is also good, where everyone is gathered at the inn.

And I enjoy the one where Joanna has been selected as a speaker at the town museum and Dick writes a speech for her that does not impress the townsfolk or the visiting tourists.

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[–] dini0519 10 years ago

The book burning episode is called Town Without Pity. I forgot to mention the Apple Festival episode, and also the one about the New England Colonial Festival. All are great!

Dini

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 10 years ago

Thanks. I will look for the book burning one. For the most part, I feel the show changed too much in seasons 7 and 8. The new writing staff killed off Harley (big mistake) and Officer Shiflett appears a lot less. But the poetry one you mentioned with Miss Goddard is from the beginning of the last season, and I think it is a brief return to form. It is truly classic Newhart.

The 8th season especially becomes more of a sketch type comedy show and less character-driven. But when they go back to featuring all the oddball townsfolk, they are able to recapture the original flavor of the series.

Another good one from season 8 is where George admits to having been responsible for a childhood prank on Dick's talk show. Then we get to see all the townsfolk overreact and shun him.

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[–] dini0519 10 years ago

How about when George created the Handmania game and the whole town gets addicted for awhile, or when Michael becomes the town guru for a day or two! So funny...

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 10 years ago

Yes, you're right-- I love the Handymania episode. That was at the end of the last season. What I most liked about that episode is they used the upper balcony, with people playing the game upstairs as well as downstairs. It was one of the few (only?) times they used the entire lobby set that way.

I don't remember Michael the town guru-- which episode/season was that?

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[–] dini0519 10 years ago

It was next to last season probably. He lost his job, broke up with Steph for awhile and went to a sanitarium to recover. He came out very wise in the eyes of the townsfolk-for awhile!

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 10 years ago

Okay, I missed it. I will look for it when it comes around again on Antenna-TV. I wish this whole series was on DVD.

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[–] dini0519 10 years ago

The entire series has been on YouTube for quite awhile...

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 10 years ago

Great. Thanks for letting me know!

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[–] pd3145 9 years ago

I enjoyed all of the above mentioned type of episodes except the ones with George and Larry and the doors. While there personalities where a nice balance to the other characters in the show, I find entire episodes devoted to them rather insufferable.

I also agree that season 8 was quite a bit different and a little trying from the other earlier episodes. They probably could have finished a year early and just kept the awesome finale still.

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 9 years ago

Well, there are still some noteworthy episodes in the final season. The Handymania episode mentioned earlier is very good. I also like the poetry episode...and the one where George is exposed for a childhood prank gives us a nice ripple effect across the community, as well as some more insights into George's upbringing.

The episode with Nancy Walker as Joanna's aunt has some good acting in it...and I thought 'Child in Charge,' the one where baby Steph is running the station was a brilliant satire on the infantile mentality of network television in the late 80s and early 90s.

Definitely, some episodes from the final season fell flat. The one about George's recurring nightmare was not very funny (I think it's the worst episode of the entire series)...and the story where Stephanie's hormones were out of control before she had the baby was a little forced.

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[–] dini0519 9 years ago

I liked the episode about George's recurring nightmare and the way the townspeople rallied around him, including Ms Goddard and Larry and the Darryls. That episode also had a cameo with Jack Riley from The Bob Newhart Show. It was one of my favorites.
Dini

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 9 years ago

As the old saying goes 'different strokes for different folks'...right? LOL

I didn't care for it, because it seemed overdone, dragged out and just not funny to me. Plus, I thought they were trying too hard in some of the final episodes to connect 'Newhart' to 'The Bob Newhart Show,' which seemed contrived to me. I don't particularly care for the Dallas-inspired dream ripoff at the very end of the last episode, either. I know a lot of people like the finale, but I don't care for it. In my opinion, they were getting a little bizarre in some of the 8th season episodes because they knew they were going to write it off at the end as a dream, which sort of undermines the sanctity of the characters. Seeing George plagued by a nightmare is one example of this.

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[–] dini0519 9 years ago

I definitely agree with you about not liking the final episode. I've mentioned that on this board before, but I did like The Jumping George episode as it was called. Aw well, as you say, different strokes. We both agree it was a great show for the most part.

Dini

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[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 9 years ago

I definitely agree with you about not liking the final episode. I've mentioned that on this board before

Yes, and it's the highest-rated episode here on the IMDb. But it wouldn't even make my top 10. Many episodes much better...without the need for some last-minute gimmick.

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[–] dini0519 9 years ago

Jack Riley was not in the Jumping George episode, he was in I married Dick, another good one about Dick and Joanna going to couples therapy.

Dini

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