# There was once a TV Lineup that included 4 of the best shows in TV History and the Bob Newhart Show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [May 30, 2023, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756 "2023-05-30T00:31:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/41 "2023-05-30T11:56:42Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I’ve always felt that Bob Newhart’s shows tended to break the usual TV comedy template. Usually, the main character is eccentric and goofy, interacting with a supporting cast of mostly normal, sane people. Newhart always played to reasonable center, surrounded by a cast of crazies. I have nothing to back this up but I think the way Newhart did things, with the main character being the normal one and everyone else being crazy, is more typical. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/42 "2023-05-30T12:00:52Z")
You all have surely overlooked the 1957-58 Tuesday night lineup on NBC: - The George Gobel Show - Dotto - The Bob Cummings Show - The Californians mmm ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/43 "2023-05-30T12:14:44Z")
Night Court was amusing, but nowhere near one of the best ever. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/44 "2023-05-30T13:00:10Z")
_Newhart_ was the best of Bob Newhart’s shows. _The Bob Newhart Show_ wasn’t bad, and in the end we learn the former was actually a spin off of the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/45 "2023-05-30T15:49:20Z")
Having watched _The Bob Newhart Show_ and _Newhart_, which ran back to back on MeTV for a long time, I’m prepared to argue that Newhart was the better written of the two. However, TBNS had Suzanne Pleshette, who was a far better performer, and a far better character as Emily than Mary Frann as Newhart’s Joanna (or any other of the show’s characters who weren’t named Bob.) The strength of TBNS was the interplay between Bob and Emily. As for the CBS vs. NBC lineups in general: _Family Ties_ was the weakest of all the shows (take Michael J. Fox out and there’s no reason to watch) and Bill Cosby used up just about all of his really good ideas in the first season. _Night Court_ pales in comparison to any of the CBS shows. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/46 "2023-05-30T16:12:25Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Early 80’s ABC Tues night had Happy Days, Laverne Shirley, Too Close for Comfort and Hart to Hart. > > That was the night that I always stayed home. 79-80 featured Taxi instead of Too Close Comfort. You forgot _Three’s Company_ wedged between _Lavern and Shirley_ and _Taxi_. That was the first “must see” lineup I remember. (By that time all of the shows in the OP were already in syndication…_everyday_ of the week!) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/47 "2023-05-30T16:16:21Z")
This lineup was mentioned in the HBO doc on Mary Tyler Moore that aired last weekend. I was assuming that’s where it was brought @What_Exit 's mind. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/48 "2023-05-30T16:17:40Z")
Indeed, mentioned in the next post: > [@There was once a TV Lineup that included 4 of the best shows in TV History and the Bob Newhart Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/5): > > I’m watching the Mary Tyler Moore Bio on Max and they rattled off the lineup so quick I had to Google to see if it was for real. It turns out Wikipedia has it year by year 4 of the shows are considered huge game changers. All in the Family the biggest but MASH & Mary Tyler Moore Show right behind it. Carol Burnett trail blazed in her own way and of course it considered one of the greatest shows of all time. And that 5th show, wasn’t bad, was it. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/49 "2023-05-30T16:23:07Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > And that meant my parents weren’t out every Saturday night either, not with me and my three younger siblings at home. I think this is the biggest factor here. People forget how much more prevalent the “Family stays home” thing was back in the 70s. My parents rarely “went out” when we were kids. They played in a bowling league for a short while, but that was about it. Also, there were a lot fewer kid’s “activities” like families have now. My parents would have been completely boggled by the notion of driving each kid to multiple events almost every day. We had Scouts, and some little league baseball, and that was about it. Maximum once per week, and even that wasn’t very consistent. This was the pattern for most of the kids I knew. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/50 "2023-05-30T16:23:56Z")
Yeah, it’s what I get for not reading the whole thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/51 "2023-05-30T16:40:58Z")
For the record: 2008-2013: Breaking Bad 2007-2015: Mad Men 2011-2019: Game of Thrones 2010-2015: Justified 2010-2013: Spartacus 2010-2017: Sherlock 2010-2019: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Favorite of some) 2002-2015: Top Gear (original trio) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/52 "2023-05-30T17:57:32Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > For the record: What record? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/53 "2023-05-30T18:01:52Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > People forget how much more prevalent the “Family stays home” thing was back in the 70s. My parents rarely “went out” when we were kids. I watched those top shows on Saturday night when I was a teenager, then I’d go out looking for trouble like any other night. It’s not like there were other things to watch on TV. I think we were up to 5 channels then, plus UHF which was slightly worse than watching TV in a snowstorm. Those would be the best shows on TV all week, not just that evening. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/54 "2023-05-30T18:06:33Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > The NBC 1984-85 Thursday night line up… This is around the era when NBC started labeling their Thursday night lineup “Must See TV”, if I’m not mistaken. ETA: It looks like they didn’t actually use that slogan until '93, but that was the time when they started the practice of putting all their best shows on Thursday night. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/55 "2023-05-30T18:10:40Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > What record? I forgot to give a specific year but 2011-2013 seems to have been pretty strong. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/56 "2023-05-30T18:22:22Z")
The big lineup I always think of started in 94 or 95 on Thursday nights: _Friends_ some other show _Seinfeld_ yet another other show _ER_ Three shows that had huge cultural relevance for their time, and at least two of them that have had some real staying power, and are still watched 25+ years later. I’m sure I watched the other shows in H:30 slots, but I can’t remember what they were. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > the CBS Saturday Line up was The biggest time competitor to TV is video games. It’s not necessarily that the kids and parents are out on Saturday night, but that they’re likely playing video games. There just wasn’t that competition for couch time in the 50s-70s. Even as far back as the 80s, Saturday night TV was likely to be a rental movie, and there are even more choices now. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/57 "2023-05-30T18:27:19Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > My parents rarely “went out” when we were kids. They played in a bowling league for a short while, but that was about it. Mine too. My babysitter was a pinball machine and a long-distance view of the TV in the bar. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/58 "2023-05-30T18:36:07Z")
For what? All of those shows are on different channels for the most part. The OP gave a list of shows on one channel’s lineup for one particular night - the ‘73-‘74 CBS Saturday night lineup. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/59 "2023-05-30T18:47:26Z")
I was able to watch them in any order, at my time of choosing, all on iTunes. If I wanted to watch them back-to-back on a Saturday, I could have done it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756/60 "2023-05-30T19:16:10Z")
I think it is pretty clear when you read the OP that “Tv lineup” means all the shows are from one network and on the same night, and not “here are some of my favorite shows”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-was-once-a-tv-lineup-that-included-4-of-the-best-shows-in-tv-history-and-the-bob-newhart-show/984756.md?page=4)