Bob Newhart is a clinical psychologist living with his wife, teacher Susanne Pleshette, in a Chicago high rise apartment. His neighbor is airline navigator Bill Daily. Newhart commutes daily to his office where he is on friendly terms with the dentist who has an office on the same floor, Peter Bonerz, with whom he shares a secretary, the toothy but amiable Marcia Wallace. Newhart treats various clients, none of whom are suffering very much. The most cynical and sometimes obnoxious is Jack Reilly.This template allows for various forms of comedic exchanges between multiple characters and the opportunities are seized aptly.The central figure is Newhart himself and he's a caution. He's always low-keyed in his responses, almost a straight man, sometimes in the grip of some loony phone conversation, his reactions usually minimal and restricted to blinks or moues.The series is a constant treat if what you're looking for is understated, genteel humor. (Its opposite may be "Married With Children.") Newhart's character is conventional in the extreme, a font of humor. He wears those 1970s loud, polyester suits and wide ties as if born in them. His apartment is disgustingly bourgeois -- lots of dark wood paneling, frilly lampshades and table cloths, a wide sliding-glass window overlooking beautiful downtown Chicago. There's no point, and no room, in giving examples of the jokes but, well, hell, I'll briefly describe one. Newhart visits the office of a minister where, unknown to Newhart, a worker upstairs has just installed an air-conditioning vent. Newhart is uncomfortable in the presence of the reverend and keeps slipping in remarks about having to answer to a higher authority and so forth. As Newhart is leaving, the worker's voice issues from the air conditioner near the ceiling, shouting, "Dan, I'm coming DOWN now!" Newhart blinks and exits rapidly.Now, this doesn't sound funny, I admit, but that's part of my point. The humor lies in the way the situation is played. And the set-up is such that the slight variations in normal exchanges stand out vividly. It's rather like the contemporaneous "Mary Tyler Moore Show," which shared the same production company and sometimes writers and directors.You wouldn't want to live the ritualized existence of Newhart, his family, his friends, and his patients. "Hi, Bob," is a greeting so often repeated that a generation ago it was a drinking game among college students. They watched the show and every time a character said "Hi, Bob," the next kid in line would have to chug-a-lug his beer. I certainly wouldn't want to live in Newhart's Land of Cockaigne either. It's all so demoniacally clean. There's no filth, not anywhere.But it must be said, it's funny as hell, in the best sitcom tradition.

Okay, the Bob Newhart Show wasn't for everybody. I never got a chance to watch it on television. Now on DVD, I am discovering it for the first time. The writing is smart and the acting is smarter than ever with Bob Newhart in the title role as a Chicago psychologist, Susan Pleshette as his wife and third grade school teacher. They are great couple on screen. Surprisingly, they don't have children in the show which is a big plus because the show works better without them. Marcia Wallace is wonderful as his secretary. The show is smart, funny, savvy, relevant, and most of all timeless. It's a classic sitcom that might be overlooked because it's not dirty or stupid like most sitcoms are today. The Bob Newhart Show and others of that era are classic and timeless and relevant to today's life. Too bad, shows like that aren't being developed for television today. It's our loss, isn't it?

Bob Newhart and MTM put together a winning formula when they debuted the Bob Newhart Show in the Fall of 72. This was Deadpan comedy on the part of Newhart at it's best. Psychologist, Dr. Bob Hartley, deals with the day to day problems of his zany and quite real patient's. Jack Riley's, Elliot Carlin being one of the most notable of the group, with his bizarre problems and abrasive attitude towards other group members, especially the wishy-washy Mr. Peterson.Bob's life outside his group was a bit less zany but just as interesting and funny. His relationship between his wife Emily, played by the sultry Susan Pleshette, was a very real relationship. Newhart and Pleshette complimented each other quite well.I think everyone loved his wise cracking secretary, Carol, and the bumbling antics of his neighbor, Howard Borden.

The Bob Newhart Show is my favourite show on television, I find it incredibly relaxing and the jokes funny. I find it is a great way to relieve the stress that is experienced every day. If you enjoy comedies, you will love the Bob Newhart Show!