Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"if you can't write in Vermont, you can't write..." !, March 21, 2004
This review is from: Newhart Volume 1: Meet Larry, Darryl, and Darryll (Includes: "In The Beginning" (premiere episode) & "Mrs. Newton's Body Lies a 'mould'ring in the Grave", 1st appearance of Larry, Darryl, and Darryll) (VHS Tape)
Jack Dodson, famous as the mild-mannered city clerk Howard Sprague on Andy Griffith's show and Mayberry RFD, sells the Stratford Inn to the Loudons. the show was shot on videotape and not film in the beginning, and you'll spot this right away as the show looks clear and shiny. in this episode we're introduced to neighbor Kirk Devane, who turns out to be a self-admitted pathological liar which is even more hilarious because he might be lying about THAT! but, Kirk and Leslie were the younger set while Dick and Joanna tried to get the Stratford up and running. Joanna, as she's bragging on Dick's "how-to" book success, realator Jack Dodson tries to sell the couple on the Inn but indirectly insults Dick's career by saying: "well, if you can't write in Vermont, you can't write!". George Utley {Tom Poston} comes into the picture and his history of the Inn is explored. a funny first episode where all the droll, sophisticated, and at times eccentric humor of the 1982-1990 hit are layed out for the first time. the next episode deals with the couple learning that a dead woman is buried in their basement. George says something like: "oh, Mrs. Newton? gee, it's not that bad. sometimes when i'm down there i don't even realize i'm walking on her" to which Joanna looks as if she's about to throw up on her sweater. Dick and Joanna travel to Reverend Miller's church and inquire about Newton. she turns out to be a witch. Miller has a funny line after they ask how she died. Miller, acting fatherly, says: "come now, they didn't burn witches in the 1700s" and there's a slight pause and he says: "they hung her!". Newton was accused of making a woman's hair fall out and turning someone into a badger. later, after an unsuccessful run in with a typical yuppie teenager at the Inn who shown up to get the body {not knowing she was in the basement and had been dead for at least a century}, he freaks out and says "hey, what is this? the Addams Family?" and just at that moment the cast involved (Dick, Joanna, Kirk, and Leslie) look at him strange and Joanna starts to walk toward him and he runs off! the classic line by Dick: "somebody needs to turn that kid into a badger!" as the kid speeds off in his car. earlier the kid had said that because he now "has wheels" he's going over to England! Dick, very dryly says: "that's...that'll be some trip!". anyway, Kirk suggests that Dick hire some people who'll do anything for a buck. Their card reads: "we'll do anything for a buck". then, a few minutes later in walks Larry, Darryl, and Darryl as three woodsmen who'll do anything for a buck. Larry announces that Darryl had a rough time when he was crawling under a house. Dick says: "that must've been a tough job" and Larry says: "it wasn't a job, Darryl here just likes to crawl under houses!". as the trio are in the basement, excited over their witch digging job, Dick and Joanna decide to leave Newton buried in the basement. Here's the classic scene that explains why the three characters were so hilarious: Dick yells down in the basement for them to come back up. Dick asks how things are going and Larry, the only one who talks, says that they hadn't started digging yet due to the fact that they were flipping coins to see who got the first dig! When the Loudons announce that they've changed their mind, the woodsmen bow their heads and look sad that their moment of fun has ended. as they make their exit, Joanna yells: "well, there was this rat..." and Larry says: "we'll take it!!" and off they go in happiness over their job and that is the true essence of this show. absurdity and wacky people came and went but yet some people who feel the need to have reality in their shows, even in a comedy, will certainly be put off by this low-brow laugh riot. this show was hilarious but it's often viewed as inferior when compared to Newhart's earlier, 1972-1978, show. i like both programs equally but i'll have a fondness for this '80s show because that was what was on TV when i was growing up...every Monday at 9pm on CBS for a good number of years. this video is just a sample of how great the show was. highly recommended viewing with very little thinking required.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Should Be on DVD!, October 6, 2005
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Newhart Volume 1: Meet Larry, Darryl, and Darryll (Includes: "In The Beginning" (premiere episode) & "Mrs. Newton's Body Lies a 'mould'ring in the Grave", 1st appearance of Larry, Darryl, and Darryll) (VHS Tape)
Okay first off I want to admit that when it comes to humour I prefer the Bob Newhart Show which is one of my favorite classic sitcoms but that doesn't mean that I don't like Newhart. I do like this show and this tape has some good episodes including the first episode where writer Dick Loudon and his wife Joanna move to Vermont and buy and old bead and breakfat inn but I think this show should be on DVD in complete season sets like old Bob Newhart Show! Bob Newhart was very good as Dick Loudon and Mary Frann was good as Dick's wife Joanna so was Tom Poston as George and of course the guys who played Larry, Darryl and Darryl and the actor who played Kirk and the actress who played Leslie are good too but I think the show got even better in the coming seasons when they got rid of Leslie and Kirk and brought in Julia Duffy as Stephanie and Peter Scolari as Michael.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not a review--a plea!, April 18, 2005
This review is from: Newhart Volume 1: Meet Larry, Darryl, and Darryll (Includes: "In The Beginning" (premiere episode) & "Mrs. Newton's Body Lies a 'mould'ring in the Grave", 1st appearance of Larry, Darryl, and Darryll) (VHS Tape)
C'mon, studio! Time for Newhart to be put on DVD! At least the Bob Newhart Show (1st season) is coming out, but what's taking them so long? And I love Newhart (Bob as Dick) even more than the BNS (Bob as Bob). There's an amazing amount of other stuff out there (Too Close for Comfort? Three's Company? Puh-leez!) but not Newhart? Newhart was sitcom TV at its best, the sort of clever and riotous wrtiing and acting that is gone now with the retirement of Frasier. There's a huge market out there! Maybe the studio should read Dick Loudon's book: How To Put a Great Show on DVD. Now!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
