The Bob Newhart Show: Group on a Hot Tin Roof

The Bob Newhart Show: Group on a Hot Tin Roof
CBS
January 28, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B

Andrew Smith seems to have been one of the better Season Six writers.  (He also did "Carlin's New Suit.")  In this one, Mr. Plager, on the advice of the group, decides to write a play.  He sets it in World War I but the characters suspiciously resemble Bakerman, Carlin, and Peterson.  Their leader, Major Hartman, is handsome and heroic, so Bob doesn't mind, but the others are upset.  We get to see some of the play, as well as the party afterwards.  It's fun to watch everyone bounce off each other.  And the subplot has Emily practicing Chemistry experiments at home, including a self-tossing salad.  I'd go with a B+ but there are some relatively slow moments in the first half.

Amzie Strickland, who did a lot of television going back to the '50s, including two appearances on That Girl, had previously played Mrs. Walhauser and is the Bakerman character here.  Lou Cutell least resembles his inspiration (Peterson) and had previously played a Delivery Man.