FROM THE BACK OF THE BOX:
Bob Newhart returns as Dick Loudon, the New Yorker who runs a small B&B in Vermont with his wife Joanna (Mary Frann). Things operate a little differently up in ski country, as exemplified by their disparate group of friends and neighbors including Larry (William Sanderson) and his brother Darryl (Tony Papenfuss) and his other brother Darryl (John Voldstad).
Season Two highlights include Dick fighting against the advances of a celebrity author, Joanna challenging the town’s historical practice of the men and women eating separately during the town’s potluck dinners, Stephanie (Julia Duffy) getting lost in a snowstorm, Kirk (Steven Kampmann) planning to sell the Minuteman Cafe and more!
Newhart marked the return to television for multiple Emmy nominated actor and legendary comedian Bob Newhart. If you like Bob, you’ll love Newhart.
FROM THE BACK OF MY BRAIN:
“Newhart” enters its second season after 20th Century Fox let the first release die on the vine. I get it, major studios. You don’t believe that classic television deserves an unmolested releases into an uncaring market. Well, this market cares and it cares a lot! Shout already has Season 3 scheduled for April. If you’re just tuning in, this is the season where early attempts at Newhart finally became the show we love. Julia Duffy and Peter Scolari show up, the MTM meow is correct and we get that classic Mancini opening tune. It’s brilliant and it brings me back to childhood.
Bob Newhart has always been an early entertainment staple for me. I grew up watching this show and the first comedy album I ever listened to was “The Buttoned Down Mind of Bob Newhart”. So, I’m easy sell for the material. Looking at it from a harsher stance, there’s about half the season that plays like dead weight. The “My Fair Lady” episode and Larry, Darryl and Darryl finally clicking were the highlights. That being said, it would still take another year for the show to come into its own.
The DVD comes with no special features. Plus, Shout Factory gives you a warning early on about the video quality. This is the best it’s going to get from the original filming sources that were made available. After that, it’s all on the table for you. Great stuff all around and well worth revisiting.
RELEASE DATE: 02/11/2014