Newhart: The Complete First Season

Reminds me why I love this show. Wonderful characters.

Love this series. Always wanted to stay at a bed and breakfast, and of all of Bob Newhart's shows, I like this one the best.

I have finally watched all of the episodes on the "Newhart - Season 1" discs! I remember watching these episodes when they first debuted in 1982 when I was a teenager. The atmosphere of the Stratford Inn brought back a lot of great memories of the 80s, but potential viewers and fans have to understand that Bob and the creators were attempting to bring together the success elements that would eventually launch this series as the greatest sitcom of the 80s. Season 1 is not my favorite season, but since it's the start of a great comedy legacy, I have to give it 5 stars!THE PROS:1. Bob - 'Nuf Said2. Mary Frann was spectacular as Joanna Loudon. She eventually blossoms into the role and puts her own comedic spin into the role in future seasons of Newhart.3. Tom Poston's depiction of George Utley is dead on funny! And the reaction of Dick Loudon's face is always priceless to the offbeat things that George comments on.4. Jim and Chester - The 2 Town Selectmen make a solid debut as the two local bumpkins and they are on the launching pad for great comedy as well. Check 'em out in the last episode on this set, "I Love Being A Guy" - the poker game scene is hilarious!5. The Stratford Inn - The elegant dining room and the comfortable looking lobby just adds to the Vermont atmosphere.6. Recommended Episodes: The one with the witch buried in the Stratford's basement; the one where Joanna falls into the icy pond; the one where Dick, George, and Kirk go to the basketball game; the one where George thinks that he sees the UFO.7. The promise of Season 2 with more Stephanie and Larry, Darrel, Darrel.The Cons:1. Kirk Devane: Probably one of the most annoying sitcom characters ever created, but he has his purpose in eventually vacating the MinuteMan cafe in Season 2 when Larry, Darrel, Darrel take over and drive the laughs in hyperdrive!2. Leslie Vanderkellen - A very wooden performance from Jennifer Holmes. The only time I witnessed any character animation was in the episode when Kirk's grandmother(wonderfully played by Ruth Gordon!). Leslie actually smiles and talks and moves and everything in this episode. Thankfully, she exits the series after the debut season.3. Underutilizing Stephanie Vanderkellen - Julia Duffy appeared in one episode of Season 1 and her comedic talents are greatly underutilized and she comes across as almost too serious for the way her great character eventually blossoms. Thank God - Julia Duffy will be back in Season 2 - BRING HER ON! And, equally fantastic, will be the debut of Peter Scolari's hilarious, selfish and vain, Michael Harris in Season 2!4. Underutilizing Larry, Darrel, Darrel - The trio appear in 2 episodes and they are hysterical in their enthusiasm in digging up the 200-year-old witch and serving the convicts at the MinuteMan cafe while Kirk is recovering from surgery.Overall, if you are a Bob Newhart fan, you will not be disappointed in Season 1 of "Newhart" as there are great comedic moments in this set. However, when Season 2 debuts and Kirk and Leslie exit the series, and Stephanie and Michael enter the series, the comedy rocket definitely leaves the launch pad! BRING ON SEASON 2!

Thank heaven for this release! And at this price it is almost crazy NOT to buy it. This was comedic TV at its finest. It is the first season of one of the greatest sitcoms I have ever enjoyed watching--and I've been watching them for a LONG time--since I Love Lucy, right through Seinfeld et. al. in the later 90's. Sadly all this narcissistic reality drivel has absolutely turned me off from regular TV--but I do have many seasons of my favorite shows from the Twilight Zone, to Mike Hammer, to the Rifleman, and many others--and now I have at least one season of Newhart. Normally I would be giddy (like "Giddy Giddy Goose"--you Newhart fans will know whereof I speak!) at the prospect of getting all of the seasons. Alas! I'm noting that many of the later releases are clearly "syndicated" (as per reviews I've seen)---and that means "clipped".... I think I'll pass on that. 20th Century Fox seems to have released this issue--and while some may complain about it being in mono, and not having all the "extras"... I bought it for this GREAT show... and they're all there. Un "clipped"... no syndication logo anywhere--many lines you'll never hear in the syndicated episodes. That's "extra" enough for me! It's really a pity that 20th Century didn't do the following seasons with equal justice to all episodes. That said--I love this set. It is nostalgic, and it is funny. Personally, I liked Kampmann a hundred times better than that incredibly annoying Michael who came in full annoying bloom by season 3. I will say that Duffy was a better (and funnier) maid than was Leslie--yet there was still a certain charm about the character that keeps season one as my favorite year of the series. Steve Kampmann had an uncanny way of letting the lines of lies roll off his tongue one after another--each funnier than the previous. I loved all of the seasons of this comedy--Newhart's dry wit, the incredibly funny in his own goofy way the very droll handyman played by Tom Posten, the weird citizenry of wherever this is in Vermont--and his fantastic looking wife... Mary Frann (who left us far too early) who had her own quirks--each character so unique and yet so very entertaining. I know it's been said many times they don't make 'em like this any more--but it's true... they just don't. Heck if this keeps up--I'll just sit back with my TV and all my DVD's and go on a retro trip back to whatever era I wish to and enjoy TV from a time when it was just that -- "enjoyable" --who needs cable anymore?....Finally, addressing the "family friendly" comments, I must make a slight addendum--while this is certainly true for the overwhelming majority of episodes of the show, there were, on occasion some risque adult innuendos--but they were more often than not (with the exception of the episode "What is this thing called lust?") very subtle and quite family friendly, certainly far more family fare than the boldly openly bawdy tripe offered up on today's shows. If you liked good comedy--you'll be glad you got this one.

Nice

Love this show

Arrived quickly and exactly as described.

I used to watch this on a snowy TV smaller then my monitor when I was a lad. Also watched it on YouTube but this is quite the step up from both. Great show! Even my other brother Darrell like it.

I really REALLY like that series. Even though I like the other Seasons, the first one is my very favourite one.The humour of that series set in a great old inn placed in a beautiful Vermont cannot be compared to any of the other comedies. It is amusing , yet with a touch of rest (for me anyway ) I watched the whole season and had no problems with any of the discs.

...and are mature-minded...seasoned... you'll like it. Clean humour. Pleasant. Could've done without the DeVane character. Nice setting.