M*A*S*H: Mail Call Three

M*A*S*H: Mail Call Three
CBS
February 6, 1978
Dramedy
DVD
B

This Fritzell & Greenbaum story is better than most, maybe all, of the similar ones, because the letters actually have consequences and play off of each other in interesting ways.  And as Radar sums it up when Klinger returns from his attempt to go AWOL, the M*A*S*H unit is itself "family."  Note that Klinger had married Laverne long-distance while stationed in Korea, so he hasn't actually seen her during their marriage, although we learn here that they grew up together.  It's funny that of all the married regular characters, he's the first to get divorced.  Also note that Hawkeye says his father has been a widower for years (by the time Hawkeye was twelve), despite the early references to his mother and sister.  But that's part of the retcon reset I guess.

Oliver Clark makes his second appearance on the show, this time as the other Capt. Ben Pierce.  Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) and Carmine Scelza (his last appearance, again as a Corpsman) return.

The Bob Newhart Show: Shrinking Violence

The Bob Newhart Show: Shrinking Violence
CBS
March 12, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
C+

Sy Rosen wrote this story where not only Bob's patients but Bob himself confuse expressing anger with being hostile and even violent.  Robert Ridgely had previously played an Elevator Repair Man and here is Marvin the Mechanic.  Bonerz directed.

The Bob Newhart Show: Death Be My Destiny

Writer/producer Tom
Patchett as "Dave Death"

The Bob Newhart Show: Death Be My Destiny
CBS
February 12, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
B+

Sy Rosen wrote this episode that has some great wordplay (including "Uncle Death" and the stuff about Johnny Cash) and wonderful sight gags, as well as a good use of Mr. Herd, already established as a man with a lot of phobias, to explore the subject of fear.

The Bob Newhart Show: Of Mice and Men

Bob Newhart as a mouse (with Dean
Martin, Nipsey Russell, and Petula Clark) 

The Bob Newhart Show: Of Mice and Men
CBS
January 22, 1977
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This is the third and last BNS script written by Bruce Kane, and considering he gave us the "Moo Goo Goo" episode, it should be much better than it is.  Even when Howard thinks that the role-playing game is like charades-- with Mr. Peterson as himself, Mr. Carlin as Mrs. Peterson, Mr. Herd as Mrs. Peterson's mother, and Emily as Barbara Walters-- it's just not that funny or insightful.  I couldn't help thinking that if this were a second or third season episode, it would've been a B or even B+.

Waitress Flo (not to be confused with the one on Alice) played Mrs. McCarty on That Girl, and was in fact married to Lew Parker, as well as Jim Backus. Bonerz directed.

M*A*S*H: 38 Across

M*A*S*H: 38 Across
CBS
January 11, 1977
Dramedy
DVD
C+

In this Fritzell & Greenbaum story, Hawkeye gets help solving a crossword puzzle, Klinger tries to eat a Jeep, and Margaret mocks Frank in the OR.

Oliver Clark, moonlighting from The Bob Newhart Show, plays Lt. Tippy Brooks.  Dick O'Neill has his first of three M*A*S*H roles, as Admiral Cox.  Gwen Farrell (this time as an Anesthetist), George F. Simmons (his last appearance, uncredited and unnamed), and Momo Yashima (this time as a Korean Mother) return.

The Bob Newhart Show: A Crime Most Foul

The Bob Newhart Show: A Crime Most Foul
CBS
November 13, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In this Sy Rosen story, Bob loses his expensive new tape recorder and suspects everyone around him.  For those keeping track, when Emily refers to Bob's best friend, he assumes she means Jerry.  And Emily is a much better harmonica player than Bob.  This time around, Bob's group includes Mr. Herd (Oliver Clark) but not Michelle or the recently added Mr. Plager.

The Bob Newhart Show: Birth of a Salesman

Oliver Clark

The Bob Newhart Show: Birth of a Salesman
CBS
February 14, 1976
Sitcom
DVD
B-

In this Sy Rosen story, Mr. Herd (Oliver Clark) considers suing Bob for bad advice.  Meanwhile, Jerry tries on glasses that are garish even by mid-'70s standards.  This is the first of three series episodes directed by John C. Chulay.

The Bob Newhart Show: The New Look

The Bob Newhart Show: The New Look
CBS
February 8, 1975
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This first of thirteen BNS episodes written by Gordon and Lynne Farr (who wrote separate episodes of That Girl) has Bob unhappy with the redecoration of their apartment that Emily did without his input, one of those episodes where neither Bob nor Emily is completely right or wrong.  Oliver Clark returns as Mr. Herd.  Cliff Norton was on That Girl three times and is Maury here, while Marcia Lewis, who plays his wife Dorothy, would be Louise Gross.  Bonerz directed again.

The Bob Newhart Show: The Gray Flannel Shrink

Oliver Clark as Mr. Herd

The Bob Newhart Show: The Gray Flannel Shrink
CBS
October 19, 1974
Sitcom
DVD
B

This story by Jerry Mayer, directed by Bonerz, has Bob briefly taking a job at an insurance company, so there's a whole other set of people Bob interacts with, although we still see him with his friends at work and home.  (Emily is visiting her parents for their 37th wedding anniversary, which narrows her age down to I'm guessing 33 and 36.)

Mary Robin Redd, who's Susan Wick, was Janie Downs on That Girl and Sister Theresa on M*A*S*H.  Jerry Fogel, who plays Paul Hollander and would play Paul Billingham, was also on That Girl, four times.  This time Edward Winter's terse delivery is used well for the character of Wes Greenfield.

The Bob Newhart Show: The Battle of the Groups

The Bob Newhart Show: The Battle of the Groups
CBS
September 21, 1974
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Patchett & Tarses story has its moments (yes, some of them include Jack Riley streaking), but it doesn't work as well as it could.  On the one hand, the idea of Bob's two therapy groups going on a marathon weekend in the woods, with Emily tagging along, has potential, but unfortunately there are two many performers, and some of them are either not fleshed out or they're clearly substitutes for other characters or performers.  Meanwhile, Ellen apartment-sits for Bob and Emily, and Bob is clearly worried that Howard will spend the weekend there, too.  (He does, but only because Ellen gets the flu.)

Group #1 is comprised of Mr. Carlin, Mr. Gianelli (played by Daniel J. Travanti this once), Mrs. Havlicek (Lenore Woodward, doing her best Florida Friebus impression, knitting and all), Michelle, and Mr. Peterson, while Group #2 is Carlin again, Mr. Herd (Oliver Clark), Craig Plager (Hesseman), Shirley Ullman (Millie Slavin), and Mr. Vickers (Lucian Scott).

The Bob Newhart Show: The Jobless Corps

The Bob Newhart Show: The Jobless Corps
CBS
January 19, 1974
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Patchett and Tarses story shows that Mr. Carlin will join almost any group, in this case the one for the Out of Work Workshop, composed of some new patients who would all return: Mr. Ed Herd (Oliver Clark), Craig Plager (33-year-old Howard Hesseman), Shirley Slavin (Millie Slavin, with her character later renamed Shirley Ullman), and Mr. Edgar Vickers (Lucian Scott).  When Howard is fired from his current job-- replaced by a computer, very timely-- he joins the group and gets his confidence back.  And he gets another job, for a cargo airline, at the end.