Classic TV Episodes: Newhart – The Last Newhart

My favorite final episode of any TV series. I liked the 1980’s Newhart show but I preferred the seventies series “The Bob Newhart Show” where Bob played psychologist Bob Hartley. This was the most creative ending I have ever seen in a sitcom. I remember watching it and was caught completely off guard. Seeing Emily (Suzanne Pleshette) again in that role was great.

The story didn’t matter as much as the end. No one had a clue this was going to happen in the finale. Bob Newhart had planted a story in the press where the ending was going to be Bob talking to God…played by George Burns or George C. Scott…just to throw people off.

Some shows have let me down with their final episode…this one pays off. In 2013 it was ranked number 1 in Entertainment Weekly’s 20 Best TV Series Finales Ever

“You won’t believe the dream I just had.”

You should really wear more sweaters.

What do you mean, beautiful blonde?

Your- your brothers can speak? Why didn’t they say anything up ’till now?  I guess they’ve never been this P.O.’ed before.

Newhart: The Last Newhart

The characters: Dick Loudon / Robert Hartley, Joanna Loudon, Michael Harris, Stephanie Vanderkellen, George Utley, Larry, Darryl #1, Darryl #2, Emily Hartley

A Japanese firm buys up all the land in the town where Newhart is set to build a golf course. Everyone sells out and moves away wealthy… except Dick. Dick will not sell and they build the course around his Inn. Years pass and the old town residents return for a reunion at the Inn. They all regret moving and decide they are all moving back and will live at the Inn. Things are getting very bizarre and Dick, furiously yelling at everyone at how nuts they are steps out onto the Inn’s porch where he is knocked out by a stray golf ball.

We cut to a darkened bedroom. Bob Newhart wakes up and turns on a light. Its Bob Hartley’s bedroom from The Bob Newhart Show. Bob reaches over and shakes the person sleeping next to him awake. It’s Emily, Bob’s wife from The Bob Newhart Show. Newhart, now clearly Dr. Bob Hartley, starts to tell Emily about the strange dream he has just had – where he was an Inn Keeper in Vermont. The entire run of Newhart was nothing but Bob Hartley’s dream

 

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

32 thoughts on “Classic TV Episodes: Newhart – The Last Newhart”

    1. Off topic … I’m not sure if it’s nation wide but I’m heading to the theater to see The Godfather 2… Bailey told me select theaters are showing it.

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  4. Probably the best surprise ending ever, and one of the best finales for any show. I was a bit the opposite of you guys, seemingly, I watched the Vermont second series regularly (loved it then, not sure if it would stand up now if I re-watched) but was only vaguely familiar with the first, psychologist one. He’s a funny guy anyway.

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  5. Without a doubt, that was one of the funniest episodes I’ve seen. When the light goes on and he and Suzanne Pleshette were in the bedroom in their Chicago apartment, I laughed so hard that I missed the rest of it. That was inspired comedy.

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      6. Thanks for telling me…I’ll check it out…

        I thought of you tonight. We went to see The Godfather II at the theater. I was great.

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  8. I remember absolutely nothing about the final Newhart episode except the ending. You described the episode here and I still don’t remember it, haha. Just the ending. I loved the 70s Newhart, and did enjoy watching the Vermont Newhart sometimes. No matter what the story line was, Larry, Darryl, and Darryl were always worth it.

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    1. Yes the story didn’t mean a thing in it…it was just when the audience applauded the bedroom set is when it really started. I was shocked when I saw it. It was a great finale…

      My favorite Newhart moment other than this…was when the rude old patient of The Bob Newhart Show Mr. Carlin showed up at a psychologist that Dick was going to…The psychologist came out and apologized for Mr. Carlin being rude and that she was trying to undo what a quack in Chicago did to him.

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  10. adore Bob Newhart, but the first series never really caught on/got screened in the UK so it passed me by largely. I did try the first series on DVD long after Newhart but I didn’t think it was as wacky as Newhart – I like wacky! Absolutely one of the greatest show endings ever!

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