Button down world on TV

drystyx

Bob Newhart was one of the few stand up comics whose method has rarely been imitated.

He began his career by being more of an actor, in essence, as part of a conversation, but the conversation would always take place on a telephone.

The brilliance here is that his "straight man" could respond so matter-of-factly, and without outrage to the unheard voice on the other end of the phone, and the comedy was in realizing what the other person was saying.

Most of his comedy on his famous "Button Down" album involved phone calls, such a with Abe Lincoln and Abner Doubleday.

Here, he played off real people most of the time, but kept his usual straight routine. This meant that when he finally went home to his beautiful straight woman wife, the comedy would be from his explanations of his day, and from the intrusion of the lovable neighbor played by Bill Daily, who played the charismatic friend of astronaut Tony Nelson on another show.

The comedy would flow very evenly, and then erupt with some hilarity usually based on something that happened earlier.

His group therapy provided some great laughter, and foretold the success of later TV comedy "Dear John". In one show, his band of patients who met in group therapy found themselves characters in a play, written by a fellow member. At first, they hated the play, then after a production, they loved it.

This was a very funny show, and very timeless.

score 9/10

drystyx 12 February 2013

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2752693/