Debuting on CBS on September 16, 1972 and completing its original run on August 26, 1978, THE BOB NEWHART SHOW celebrated the life of Chicago psychologist Dr. Bob Hartley. The show was the product of the same creative team that had earlier produced THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW. Along with that series, NEWHART  made up part of a highly rated Saturday night lineup of adult comedies on CBS in the early to late 1970s.
NEWHART resembles MARY in other ways as well. Both shows focus equally on the main character's office and home life. Both rely on eccentric minor characters to offset the main character's straightness. And both feature homes with sunken living rooms and kitchenettes with counters. To be sure, there are differences: Whereas THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW exemplifies the 1970s with its characters' clothing, THE BOB NEWHART SHOW expresses Seventies style primarily through decor. |