BOB US sitcom starring stand-up comedian Bob Newhart. 1992 - 93

After exhausting 'Bob Newhart' and 'Newhart', the comic logically decided to just use his first name as the title of his third CBS series. This time, he was Bob McKay, a cartoonist who created a comic super hero named Mad-Dog in the 1950's. But the comic disappeared after members of Congress decided the character could corrupt young minds. Bob then became an artist for greeting cards and years later, a corporate conglomerate purchased the rights to Mad-Dog, making him a vigilante out for blood-something that didn’t suit Bob.

His home life was filled with conflict as well, thanks to wife Kaye (Carlene Watkins) his woefully-pathetic single daughter Trisha (Cynthia Stevenson), roommate Kathy (Lisa Kudrow-again), fellow cartoonist Chad (Timothy Fall), who had a crush on Trisha, and Kathy’s parents Patty and Jerry (Dorothy Lyman and former 'Newhart' co-star Tom Poston). But instead of Monday nights, CBS sent 'Bob' to do battle on Fridays, where it languished with low ratings. A mid-season shift to Mondays sent ratings higher and earned 'Bob' a second season. At the end of the first season, the conglomerate that owned Mad-Dog was sold to a billionaire who hated comics and fired the entire staff (Bob included).

For the second season, most of the supporting cast was gone. Betty White became the owner of Schmitt Greetings, where Bob becomes president. Her son Pete (Jere Burns) was upset because he expected to take over the family business. Megan Cavanagh played the company bookkeeper Chris, while Whitey (Eric Allan Kramer) was a fellow employee who worshiped Bob. Unfortunately, CBS returned 'Bob' to its Friday night lineup, where its ratings again suffered. A last-minute switch to Mondays came too late, and 'Bob' was taken off the air on December 27th, 1993. One reason for the show’s eventual failure was that the Bob McKay character was more outspoken and somewhat bitter than either Bob Hartley or Dick Loudon, something critics may have liked but audiences weren’t able to accept. That also proved to be the case with Newhart’s fourth (and so far final) situation comedy effort for CBS.

LINKS:

THE BOB NEWHART SHOW

NEWHART

GEORGE & LEO