Bob Newhart loved to watch Newhart reruns
Newhart, which premiered in 1982, was Bob Newhart's second sitcom, following The Bob Newhart Show. The successful comedy sitcom ran for eight seasons and solidified his place as one of TV's most hilarious actors.
In the series, Newhart played Dick Loudon, a mild-mannered author who moves to Vermont with his wife, Joanna (Mary Frann), to run a quaint inn. In a town full of quirky characters, his level-headed nature sets the stage for countless comedic moments.
The show consistently performed well in the Nielsen ratings, attracting both longtime fans of The Bob Newhart Show and new viewers across the country. Each week, it averaged around 16–20 million viewers—but one of those viewers was a very familiar face.
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According to a 1988 interview with The Spokesman-Review, fans not only loved Newhart and rewatched episodes whenever they could, but Bob Newhart himself also watched every single episode—though not in the way a typical viewer would.
"I check to see which jokes we left out, what works, and what doesn’t," Newhart said.
Newhart didn’t watch his own series for entertainment—he watched it for research.
According to the interview, Newhart decided to end his role as Bob Hartley in The Bob Newhart Show mostly due to burnout. After six seasons, it became difficult to avoid repeating storylines and episode ideas, which was also a concern for Newhart.
"I thought we were beginning to repeat some of the same situations and jokes," Newhart said. "After 24 episodes a year for six years, I wasn't sure where the characters were going. I was proud of the series and didn’t want to see it start copying itself."
Despite the demanding schedule of The Bob Newhart Show, he said his return to TV was inevitable—he was too good at it, and his shows were loved by too many people. He learned a valuable lesson in television: quit while you're ahead and never repeat jokes.
Rewatching episodes helped him set Newhart apart and keep it fresh throughout its eight seasons on the air.
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