The Last Newhart

Last updated
"The Last Newhart"
Newhart episode
Episode no.Season 8
Episode 24
Directed byDick Martin
Written byMark Egan, Mark Solomon & Bob Bendetson
Original air dateMay 21, 1990 (1990-05-21)
Episode chronology
← Previous
"My Husband, My Peasant"		Next →
—
Seinfeld season 7
List of episodes

"The Last Newhart" is the 184th and final episode of the CBS sitcom Newhart , which was the 24th episode of the eighth season. It first aired in the United States on 21 May, 1990.

Contents

Considered one of the most memorable series finales in television history, [1] the episode is ultimately revealed to be a dream by Dr Robert Hartley, the lead character from Bob Newhart's earlier sitcom The Bob Newhart Show which had ended four years before Newhart aired. The ending has been parodied frequently since it aired.

Plot

The entire town is purchased by a visiting Japanese tycoon, who turns the hamlet into an enormous golf course and recreation resort. Dick and Joanna are the only townspeople who refuse to sell. The others accept million-dollar payoffs and leave in a farewell scene that parodies Fiddler on the Roof .

Five years later, Dick and Joanna continue to run the Stratford Inn, which is now located in the middle of the golf course. The other townspeople, now richer and older, unexpectedly return for a reunion. The two Darryls also speak for the first time on screen, yelling "Quiet!" at their wives in unison. Dick gets frustrated with the increasingly chaotic scene and storms out, shouting "You're all crazy!", only to be knocked out by an errant golf ball.

The scene shifts to nighttime in the bedroom of Dr Bob Hartley (Newhart's character on The Bob Newhart Show ) and his wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). Bob awakens, upset, and he wakes Emily to tell her about the very strange dream he has just had: that he was an innkeeper in a small Vermont town filled with eccentric characters. Emily tells Bob "that settles it — no more Japanese food before you go to bed." Bob mentions his marriage to a "beautiful blonde," and that Emily should wear more sweaters (in reference to Mary Frann's form-fitting tops) before the credits roll.

Several references are made to Newhart's former show, including the use of its theme song and credits. Although the Bob Newhart Show theme was missing from the final closing credit shot in the series' initial syndication run, the theme has been reinstated in the current version syndicated by 20th Century Fox Television. The MTM cat logo normally closed the show end credits with Newhart voicing-over the "meow", but for the finale, the cat's voice was Darryl and Darryl yelling "Quiet!"

Development of the episode

Entertainment Weekly stated in 1995 that Newhart's wife Ginny had conceived the idea for the finale, but the show's executive producers, Mark Egan, Mark Solomon, and Bob Bendetson, denied this in a letter to the editor, "[T]he final episode of Newhart was not 'dreamed up' by Bob's wife, Ginny. She had absolutely no connection with the show. ... We wrote and produced the Emmy-nominated script (with special thanks to Dan O'Shannon)." [2]

In Newhart's 2006 book I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This! And Other Things that Strike Me as Funny, he stated that his wife had indeed proposed the ending of Newhart, which had been developed by the show's writers. [3] He reiterated this in a 2013 interview, saying,

That was Ginnie's idea. ... She said, 'You ought to end in a dream sequence because there was so much inexplicable about the show.' She said, 'You should wake up in bed with Susie and explain what's so—" and I said, 'What a great idea,' and I gave the idea to the writers and they fleshed it out with the Japanese buying the town and our not selling." [4]

Suzanne Pleshette, in a Television Academy interview, also said that the idea was Ginny's, having heard it from her over dinner with the Newharts several years before the finale was shot. [5]

Interviews with Newhart, Pleshette, and director Dick Martin [6] reveal that the final scene was kept a secret from the cast and most of the crew. A fake ending was written to throw off the tabloids that involved Dick Loudon going to heaven after being hit with a golf ball and talking to God, played by George Burns or George C. Scott. Pleshette was kept hidden until her scene was shot. When the scene began, many people in the live audience recognized the bedroom set from The Bob Newhart Show and burst into spontaneous applause. Pleshette and Newhart performed the scene in one take. [6]

Reception of the finale

In November 2005, the series finale was named by TV Guide and TV Land as the most unexpected moment in TV history. [7] The episode was watched by 29.5 million US viewers, [8] bringing in an 18.7/29 rating/share, and ranking as the most-watched program that week. [9]

In 2011, the finale was ranked number four on the TV Guide Network special, TV's Most Unforgettable Finales, [10] and in 2013 was ranked number 19 in Entertainment Weekly's 25 Best TV Series Finales Ever. [11]

In 1991, the cast of The Bob Newhart Show reunited in a primetime special. In one scene, Bob and Emily's neighbor Howard Borden (Bill Daily), quipped that he had dreamed about living for years as an astronaut, as scenes were shown of Daily in his earlier role as astronaut Roger Healey on I Dream of Jeannie . At the end of the special, Bob Hartley gets on the elevator, where he encounters three workmen: Larry, Darryl, and Darryl.

On the February 11, 1995, episode of Saturday Night Live , which was hosted by Bob Newhart, the closing sketch ended with a redux of Newhart's final scene, in which Bob Hartley again wakes with his wife Emily (special guest Suzanne Pleshette) and tells her that he had just had a dream of hosting Saturday Night Live. Emily responds, "Saturday Night Live, is that show still on?"—this during a period when SNL was heavily criticized for its declining quality. [12] [13]

In 2010, Jimmy Kimmel Live! presented several parody alternate endings to the television show Lost , one of which mirrored the finale of Newhart, complete with a cameo appearance by Bob Newhart and with Lost star Evangeline Lilly in place of Emily/Pleshette. [14]

The final scene with Newhart and Pleshette was later parodied in an alternate ending to the television series Breaking Bad , where star Bryan Cranston wakes from a dream next to his Malcolm in the Middle co-star Jane Kaczmarek, and they assume their respective roles of Hal and Lois. Hal recounts the events of Breaking Bad in humorous fashion as though he is horrified that he could do those things, albeit as Walter White. Lois reassures him that everything is all right, and the final shot is of Walter's hat. [15]

The final scene of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson parodied this as well. After revealing that Bob Newhart had been playing the on-set pantomime horse Secretariat, Ferguson wakes up as his The Drew Carey Show character Nigel Wick, in bed with his sham civil partner, named and played by Drew Carey. The two then discuss the crazy possibility of Wick being a talk show host and Carey losing weight and becoming a game show host. (The shot continued with a parody of the twist ending of St. Elsewhere and then the closing song from The Sopranos finale.) [16]


Related Research Articles

<i>Gilligans Island</i> American television series (1964–67)

Gilligan's Island is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson, and Dawn Wells. It aired for three seasons on the CBS network from September 26, 1964, to April 17, 1967. The series follows the comic adventures of seven castaways as they try to survive on an island where they are shipwrecked. Most episodes revolve around the dissimilar castaways' conflicts and their unsuccessful attempts to escape their plight, with the ship's first mate, Gilligan, usually being responsible for the failures.

<i>Newhart</i> American television sitcom (1982–1990)

Newhart is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife who own and operate the Stratford Inn in rural Vermont. The small town is home to many eccentric characters. TV Guide, TV Land, and A&E named the Newhart series finale as one of the most memorable in television history. The theme music for Newhart was composed by Henry Mancini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Newhart</span> American comedian and actor (1929–2024)

George Robert Newhart was an American comedian and actor. Newhart was known for his deadpan and stammering delivery style. Beginning his career as a stand-up comedian, he transitioned his career to acting in television. He received numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2002.

<i>The Bob Newhart Show</i> American TV sitcom (1972–1978)

The Bob Newhart Show is an American sitcom television series produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychologist whose interactions with his wife, friends, patients, and colleagues lead to humorous situations and dialogue. The show was filmed before a live audience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reset button technique</span> Plot device that resets continuity in works of fiction

The reset button technique is a plot device for interrupting continuity in works of fiction. The reset button device is used to return all characters and situations to the statusquo prior to some major change. It can be employed in the middle of a program to negate some portion of what came before. It is often used in science fiction television series, animated series, soap operas, and comic books. The reset button technique accommodates dramatic changes to characters and the fictional universe that might otherwise invalidate the show's premise with respect to future episodes or other plot details. For example, writers may use the device to improve the audience's experience of the lead character's death, which is usually impossible without effectively ending the work or significantly altering its course.

<i>St. Elsewhere</i> American medical drama television series (1982–1988)

St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982, to May 25, 1988. The series stars Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd, and William Daniels as teaching doctors at an aging, run-down Boston hospital who give interns a promising future in making critical medical and life decisions. The series was produced by MTM Enterprises, which had success with a similar NBC series, the police drama Hill Street Blues, during that same time. The series were often compared to each other for their use of ensemble casts and overlapping serialized storylines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Poston</span> American actor (1921–2007)

Thomas Gordon Poston was an American actor, appearing in television roles from the 1950s through the early to mid-2000s, reportedly appearing in more sitcoms than any other actor. In the 1980s, he played George Utley on the CBS sitcom Newhart, receiving three Emmy Award nominations for the role. In addition he had a number of film roles and appeared frequently on Broadway and television game shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Pleshette</span> American actress (1937–2008)

Suzanne Pleshette was an American actress. Pleshette was known for her roles in theatre, film, and television. She was nominated for three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. For her role as Emily Hartley on the CBS sitcom The Bob Newhart Show (1972–1978) she received two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Daily</span> American actor and comedian (1927–2018)

William Edward Daily was an American actor and comedian known for his sitcom work as Major Roger Healey on I Dream of Jeannie and Howard Borden on The Bob Newhart Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Riley (actor)</span> American actor (1935–2016)

John Albert Riley Jr. was an American actor and writer. He was known for playing Elliot Carlin, a chronic psychology client of the main character on The Bob Newhart Show, and for voicing Stu Pickles, one of the parents in the animated Rugrats franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Westphall</span> Fictional TV character

Tommy Westphall, portrayed by Chad Allen, is a minor character from the drama television series St. Elsewhere, which ran on NBC from 1982 to 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Goen</span> American television personality

Robert Kuehl Goen is an American game show emcee and television personality, best known for his work on Entertainment Tonight between 1993 and 2004 and as the fourth and final host of the daytime Wheel of Fortune from 1989 to 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Bonerz</span> American actor and director (born 1938)

Peter Roman Bonerz is an American actor and director.

Robert Bendetson is an American television writer and producer. He has written for a number of TV series, including ALF, Home Improvement and two episodes for The Simpsons. He lives with his wife Heidi and his two children Ellie and Jesse Bendetson.

<i>The Drew Carey Show</i> American television sitcom (1995–2004)

The Drew Carey Show is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 13, 1995, to September 8, 2004. Set in Cleveland, Ohio, the series revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the comedian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who Shot Mr. Burns?</span> Two-part episode of The Simpsons

"Who Shot Mr. Burns?" is a two-part episode of the American animated television series The Simpsons.Part One is the twenty-fifth and final episode of the sixth season and originally aired on Fox in the United States on May 21, 1995, while Part Two is the season premiere of the seventh season and aired on Fox on September 17, 1995.

Dallas is an American prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. The show debuted in April 1978 as a five-part miniseries on the CBS network, and then was subsequently broadcast for thirteen seasons from April 2, 1978 to May 3, 1991. It has been a frequent reference in popular culture. At its height it was regarded as cult viewing both in America and in much of the rest of the world. In the communist Soviet Union thousands of people drove regularly to the northern tip of Estonia to pick up the series on Finnish TV.

"A.A.R.M." is the collective name for the twenty-second and twenty-third episodes of the ninth season of the American comedy television series The Office, as well as the 198th and 199th episode overall. It was also the series' penultimate entry, airing a week before the series finale. It originally aired on NBC on May 9, 2013. This episode guest stars Nora Kirkpatrick, Aaron Rodgers, Clay Aiken, Mark McGrath, Santigold, Jessica St. Clair, and Rachel Crow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Last Forever</span> 23rd and 24th episodes of the 9th season of How I Met Your Mother

"Last Forever" parts 1 and 2 are the 23rd and 24th and final episodes of the ninth season of the American sitcom television series How I Met Your Mother, and the series finale of the show as a whole. The episode, written by series creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and directed by Pamela Fryman. The episodes are the 207th and 208th overall. It originally aired in the United States on CBS on March 31, 2014, and was watched by 13.13 million viewers in the United States.

The Bob Newhart Show: The 19th Anniversary Special is a 1991 American television special to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the 1972–1978 sitcom The Bob Newhart Show. Directed by Dick Martin, it was taped in front of a live audience on October 30, 1991, at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, California, and broadcast on CBS on November 23, 1991.

References

  1. ↑ "100 most memorable TV moments". TV Land . Archived from the original on December 15, 2004. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Mail Page". Entertainment Weekly . June 2, 1995. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
  3. ↑ Newhart, Bob (2006). I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This! And Other Things that Strike Me as Funny (1st ed.). New York: Hyperion. pp.  225–26. ISBN   978-1-4013-0246-7.
  4. ↑ "Bob Newhart and Louis C.K.". Inside Comedy . Season 2. Episode 1. 16 February 2013. Showtime.
  5. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "Suzanne Pleshette on the final episode of "Newhart"". Television Academy Interviews– via YouTube.
  6. 1 2 "Newhart: The Last Newhart". Archive of American Television. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  7. ↑ "TV Guide and TV Land Join Forces To Count Down The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments". TV Land. December 1, 2005. Archived from the original on August 30, 2006. Retrieved March 7, 2021– via PR Newswire.
  8. ↑ "On This Day... Bob Newhart snaps out of it". The Birmingham News . 2011-05-21. Retrieved 2019-05-21.
  9. ↑ Margulies, Lee (1990-05-31). "TV RATINGS: 'Newhart' Comes in First but CBS Is Still Last". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2019-05-21.
  10. ↑ Harrison, Shaun (April 17, 2016). "The Best TV Finales Ever". TV Guide. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  11. ↑ "The 25 best TV series finales ever". Entertainment Weekly. January 22, 2016. Retrieved 5 Nov 2023.
  12. ↑ Newcomb, Horace (2004). Encyclopedia of Television. Fitzroy Dearborn. p. 278. ISBN   978-1-5795-8394-1.
  13. ↑ Smith, Chris (1995-03-13). "Comedy Isn't Funny: Saturday Night Live at twenty – how the show that transformed TV became a grim joke". New York Magazine . Retrieved 2015-02-10.
  14. ↑ "'Lost' Ending: Jimmy Kimmel and the Parodies" . The Wall Street Journal . May 24, 2010. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  15. ↑ Harnick, Chris (2013-11-18). "Breaking Bad' Reveals Wonderful Alternate Ending With 'Malcolm In The Middle,' Jane Kaczmarek". Huffington Post.
  16. ↑ Maglio, Tony (December 19, 2014). "Craig Ferguson Wakes Up in Bed With Drew Carey on Final 'Late Late Show' (Video)". The Wrap.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.