History Series / Newhart

* {{Expy}}: At times Kirk Devane seemed like one of Herb Tarlek. That wasn't a coincidence; Steven Kampmann had been a writer on ''Series/WKRPInCincinnati'' and had been instrumental in developing Herb as a character.

The first season aired to solid but not sensational ratings, but at first reviewers didn't think the show had much going for it outside of Newhart himself. Newhart and creator and executive producer Barry Kemp weren't completely happy either, so when the show was renewed, it was {{retool}}ed somewhat: the show switched from harsh videotape to a warmer film production; Leslie was replaced as maid with her bitchy, self-absorbed cousin Stephanie (Creator/JuliaDuffy); and, toward the end of Season 2, Dick was persuaded to host a local TV talk show, ''Vermont Today''. Dick's involvement with the show and its producer, the vapid but manic Michael Harris (Creator/PeterScolari), became a whole new source of humor, as did Michael's budding romance with Stephanie. Adding to the fun was a trio of zany backwoodsmen who purchased the Minuteman Café from Kirk: Larry (William Sanderson), his brother Darryl (Tony Papenfuss), and his [[OneSteveLimit other brother Darryl]] (John Voldstad); Larry did all the talking, because neither of the Darryls [[TheVoiceless ever spoke]]. [[spoiler:At least [[SuddenlySpeaking until the series finale]].]]

The first season aired to solid but not sensational ratings, but at first reviewers didn't think the show had much going for it outside of Newhart himself. Newhart and creator and executive producer Barry Kemp weren't completely happy either, so when the show was renewed, it was {{retool}}ed somewhat: the show switched from harsh videotape to a warmer film production; Leslie was replaced as maid with her bitchy, self-absorbed cousin Stephanie (Creator/JuliaDuffy); and, toward the end of Season 2, Dick was persuaded to host a local TV talk show, ''Vermont Today''. Dick's involvement with the show and its producer, the vapid but manic Michael Harris (Creator/PeterScolari), became a whole new source of humor, as did Michael's budding romance with Stephanie. Adding to the fun was a trio of zany backwoodsmen who purchased the Minuteman Café from Kirk: Larry (William Sanderson), his brother Darryl (Tony Papenfuss), and his [[OneSteveLimit other brother Darryl]] (John Voldstad); Larry did all the talking, because neither of the Darryls [[TheVoiceless ever spoke]]. (At least [[SuddenlySpeaking until the series finale]].)

* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: The town in which the series takes place is never specified, with some media sources identifying it as Norwich, VT, across the Connecticut River from New Hampshire, with Vermonters complaining that the opening scenes are of New Hampshire instead of Vermont, and filming locations taking place at the Waybury Inn in East Middlebury, VT [[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083455/location according to the Internet Movie Database]]. Throughout the series, the name of the community is never mentioned.

Newhart starred as Dick Loudon, a successful author of do-it-yourself and travel books, who along with his wife Joanna (Creator/MaryFrann) decided to move from New York City to a small town in Vermont, where they purchased and ran the 200-year-old Stratford Inn. The comedy stemmed from OnlySaneMan Dick's interactions with various EccentricTownsfolk, including George Utley (Creator/TomPoston), the inn's addle-headed handyman; Kirk Devane (Creator/StevenKampmann), a compulsive liar and the owner of the nearby Minuteman Café; and Leslie Vanderkellen (Creator/JenniferHolmes), a wealthy heiress and Dartmouth student who worked as a maid for the inn.

The first season aired to solid but not sensational ratings, but at first reviewers didn't think the show had much going for it outside of Newhart himself. Newhart and creator and executive producer Barry Kemp weren't completely happy either, so when the show was renewed, it was {{retool}}ed somewhat: the show switched from harsh videotape to a warmer film production; Leslie was replaced as maid with her bitchy, self-absorbed cousin Stephanie (Julia Duffy); and, toward the end of Season 2, Dick was persuaded to host a local TV talk show, ''Vermont Today''. Dick's involvement with the show and its producer, the vapid but manic Michael Harris (Peter Scolari), became a whole new source of humor, as did Michael's budding romance with Stephanie. Adding to the fun was a trio of zany backwoodsmen who purchased the Minuteman Café from Kirk: Larry (William Sanderson), his brother Darryl (Tony Papenfuss), and his [[OneSteveLimit other brother Darryl]] (John Voldstad); Larry did all the talking, because neither of the Darryls [[TheVoiceless ever spoke]]. (At least [[SuddenlySpeaking until the series finale]].)

Newhart starred as Dick Loudon, a successful author of do-it-yourself and travel books, who along with his wife Joanna (Mary Frann) decided to move from New York City to a small town in Vermont, where they purchased and ran the 200-year-old Stratford Inn. The comedy stemmed from OnlySaneMan Dick's interactions with various EccentricTownsfolk, including George Utley (Tom Poston), the inn's addle-headed handyman; Kirk Devane (Steven Kampmann), a compulsive liar and the owner of the nearby Minuteman Café; and Leslie Vanderkellen (Jennifer Holmes), a wealthy heiress and Dartmouth student who worked as a maid for the inn.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Stephanie for Leslie. They are so similar one has to wonder if the character change was just a means to put a different actress into the role.

* HilariousOuttakes: Including one where [[https://youtu.be/g10N6wHoV-E?t=180 Newhart accidentally refers to Mary Frann's character Joanna]] as "[[Series/TheBobNewhartShow Emily]]", which Frann immediately catches and makes a huge production out of (taking her bows and pretending as if she's going to leave the set). The audience howled and screamed with laughter.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: George. As [[spoiler]]Dr. Robert Hartley[[/spoiler]] recounts in the series finale, "The handyman kept missing the point of things..."

* {{Cloudcookoolander}}: George. As [[spoiler]]Dr. Robert Hartley[[/spoiler]] recounts in the series finale, "The handyman kept missing the point of things..."

The first season aired to solid ratings, but at first reviewers didn't think the show had much going for it outside of Newhart himself. Newhart and creator and executive producer Barry Kemp weren't completely happy either, so when the show was renewed, it was {{retool}}ed somewhat: the show switched from harsh videotape to a warmer film production; Leslie was replaced as maid with her bitchy, self-absorbed cousin Stephanie (Julia Duffy); and, toward the end of Season 2, Dick was persuaded to host a local TV talk show, ''Vermont Today''. Dick's involvement with the show and its producer, the vapid but manic Michael Harris (Peter Scolari), became a whole new source of humor, as did Michael's budding romance with Stephanie. Adding to the fun was a trio of zany backwoodsmen who purchased the Minuteman Café from Kirk: Larry (William Sanderson), his brother Darryl (Tony Papenfuss), and his [[OneSteveLimit other brother Darryl]] (John Voldstad); Larry did all the talking, because neither of the Darryls [[TheVoiceless ever spoke]]. (At least [[SuddenlySpeaking until the series finale]].)

The first season performed decently in the ratings, but reviewers didn't think the show had much going for it outside of Newhart himself. Newhart and creator and executive producer Barry Kemp weren't completely happy either, so when the show was renewed, it was {{retool}}ed somewhat: the show switched from harsh videotape to a warmer film production; Leslie was replaced as maid with her bitchy, self-absorbed cousin Stephanie (Julia Duffy); and, toward the end of Season 2, Dick was persuaded to host a local TV talk show, ''Vermont Today''. Dick's involvement with the show and its producer, the vapid but manic Michael Harris (Peter Scolari), became a whole new source of humor, as did Michael's budding romance with Stephanie. Adding to the fun was a trio of zany backwoodsmen who purchased the Minuteman Café from Kirk: Larry (William Sanderson), his brother Darryl (Tony Papenfuss), and his [[OneSteveLimit other brother Darryl]] (John Voldstad); Larry did all the talking, because neither of the Darryls [[TheVoiceless ever spoke]]. (At least [[SuddenlySpeaking until the series finale]].)

In addition to being a solid ratings performer (spending its first six seasons in the Nielsen Top 30, four of those in the Top 20), ''Newhart'' earned plenty of critical acclaim and a number of UsefulNotes/EmmyAward nominations. And the show will be forever remembered for the ending of its final episode, which revealed its entire eight-year run to have been an extended nightmare dreamt by Dr. Bob Hartley of ''Series/TheBobNewhartShow'' (to which this series might therefore be retroactively viewed as a kind of StealthSequel). Some have also seen ''Newhart'', with its premise of a straitlaced urban protagonist finding himself a FishOutOfWater in an often-absurdist version of rural America, as an '80s answer to ''Series/GreenAcres''.

While never a ratings blockbuster (its highest season ranking was #12), ''Newhart'' earned plenty of critical acclaim and a number of UsefulNotes/EmmyAward nominations. And the show will be forever remembered for the ending of its final episode, which revealed its entire eight-year run to have been an extended nightmare dreamt by Dr. Bob Hartley of ''Series/TheBobNewhartShow'' (to which this series might therefore be retroactively viewed as a kind of StealthSequel). Some have also seen ''Newhart'', with its premise of a straitlaced urban protagonist finding himself a FishOutOfWater in an often-absurdist version of rural America, as an '80s answer to ''Series/GreenAcres''.

* JustHereForGodzilla:
** Bob Newhart's star power/appeal was the main thing that kept the show afloat through its rough first 1 and 1/2 seasons, until it was fully able to [[GrowingTheBeard grow the beard]] via {{Retool}}.
** The famous TwistEnding series finale is about the only thing the series is remembered for today.

The first season performed decently in the ratings, but reviewers didn't think the show had much going for it outside of Newhart himself. Newhart and creator and executive producer Barry Kemp weren't completely happy either, so when the show was renewed, it was {{retool}}ed somewhat: the show switched from harsh videotape to a warmer film production; Leslie was replaced as maid with her bitchy, self-absorbed cousin Stephanie (Julia Duffy); and, toward the end of Season 2, Dick was persuaded to host a local TV talk show, ''Vermont Today''. Dick's involvement with the show and its producer, the vapid but manic Michael Harris (Peter Scolari), became a whole new source of humor, as did Michael's budding romance with Stephanie. Adding to the fun was a trio of zany backwoodsmen who purchased the Minuteman Café from Kirk: Larry (William Sanderson), his brother Darryl (Tony Papenfuss), and his [[OneSteveLimit other brother Darryl]] (John Voldstad); Larry did all the talking, because neither of the Darryls [[TheVoiceless ever spoke]]. [[SuddenlySpeaking Until the series finale]], at least.

* ButtMonkey: Dick on many occasions, usually in response to him trying to act reasonable.

** Bob Newhart (in his memoir), Suzanne Pleshette, and episode director Dick Martin (in two separate interviews with the Archive of American Television) all credit Ginnie Newhart, Bob's wife, with the idea for the "all just a dream" ending. The show's writers, presumably in fear that Ginnie Newhart might try to claim some of their royalties, vociferously dispute this and credit staff writer Dan O'Shannon (later known for his less-than-stellar tenures as showrunner on ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' and ''Series/{{Frasier}}''). instead[[note]]O'Shannon has conceded that he and Ginnie Newhart might've separately come up with the idea independent of one another[[/note]]

** Bob Newhart (in his memoir), Suzanne Pleshette, and episode director Dick Martin (in two separate interviews with the Archive of American Television) all credit Ginnie Newhart, Bob's wife, with the idea for the "all just a dream" ending. The show's writers, presumably in fear that Ginnie Newhart might try to claim some of their royalties, vociferously dispute this and credit staff writer Dan O'Shannon (later known for his less-than-stellar tenures as showrunner on ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' and ''Series/{{Frasier}}'') instead[[note]]O'Shannon has conceded that Ginnie Newhart might have come up with the idea independently[[/note]].

* OvershadowedByAwesone: Both when it was new and in syndication, ''Newhart'' remains stuck in the shadow of ''Series/TheBobNewhartShow''.

** '''Dick''': Stephanie, what are you doing here?!
** '''Stephanie''': How did you know it was me?
** '''Dick''': It's because I'm not a moron!

While never a ratings blockbuster (its highest season ranking was #12), ''Newhart'' earned plenty of critical acclaim and a number of Emmy Award nominations. And the show will be forever remembered for the ending of its final episode, which revealed its entire eight-year run to have been an extended nightmare dreamt by Dr. Bob Hartley of ''Series/TheBobNewhartShow'' (to which this series might therefore be retroactively viewed as a kind of StealthSequel). Some have also seen ''Newhart'', with its premise of a straitlaced urban protagonist finding himself a FishOutOfWater in an often-absurdist version of rural America, as an '80s answer to ''Series/GreenAcres''.