"Newhart" The Last Newhart (1990)

User Rating:

9.4/10   

Director:

Dick Martin

Writers:

Bob Bendetson (written by)
Mark Egan (written by)

TV Series:

"Newhart" (1982)

Original Air Date:

21 May 1990 (Season 8, Episode 24)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Japanese investors buy everything in town except the Stratford Inn and convert the town into a giant golf course. |

Plot Keywords:

Negative Asian Stereotype | Asian Stereotype | Series Finale | It Was All A Dream | Twist In The End

Cast

Bob Newhart	...	Dick Loudon
Mary Frann	...	Joanna Loudon
Peter Scolari	...	Michael Harris
Julia Duffy	...	Stephanie Vanderkellen
Tom Poston	...	George Utley
William Sanderson	...	Larry
Tony Papenfuss	...	First Darryl
John Voldstad	...	Second Darryl
Thomas Hill	...	Jim Dixon
William Lanteau	...	Chester Wanamaker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shuko Akune	...	Sedaka
Nada Despotovich	...	Zora
Candace Hutson	...	Baby Stephanie (as Candy Hutson)
Rodney Kageyama	...	Mr. Tomagachi
Kathy Kinney	...	Prudence Goddard
Lisa Kudrow	...	Sada
Christie Mellor	...	Rhonda
David Pressman	...	Mr. Rusnak
Sab Shimono	...	Sunatra
Gedde Watanabe	...	Mr. Takadachi

Series Cast

These people are regular cast members. Were they in this episode?

Cliff Bemis	...	Paul
Ralph Manza	...	Bud

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

MTM Enterprises

Trivia:

The final scene was kept a secret from most of the cast and crew until moments before filming it. Only Newhart, director Dick Martin, the writers and producers knew. A curtain was put in front of the recreated "The Bob Newhart Show" (1972) set so the audience would not know the secret right up until the moment of filming. When the curtain was pulled back, the audience immediately recognized the set and reacted wildly. After filming, the audience was asked to keep the secret.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: Right before Larry, Darryl and Darryl show up, four other former townsfolk show up and are talking to Dick. Right before the townsfolk are done talking to Dick, a boom mic can be seen dipping into the scene for a few minutes, before pulling back up and out of sight.

Quotes:

First Darryl, Second Darryl: QUIET!
Dick Loudon: Your- your brothers can speak? Why didn't they say anything up 'till now?
Larry: I guess they've never been this P.O.'ed before.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "Dallas" (1978)

Perhaps the greatest final episode in television history

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This final episode of this wonderfully funny series is perhaps the greatest concluding episode of any television series in history.

Japanese businessmen have become so charmed by this small Vermont hamlet that they offer to buy each and every home for $1,000,000 apiece. All in the town readily agree to sell, except for Dick, who holds out on principle.

Fast forward five years. Dick is now miserable...the Stratford Inn in now in the middle of a golf course (that's what the Japanese businessmen turned the town into) and is constantly dodging golf balls. Joanna has become "too Japanese" for Dick's taste. When the town residents all return for a five year reunion, they hatch a plot to return to the town and live at the Stratford.

That's the last straw for Dick, who in disgust walks out on the loonies of Stratford, getting hit by an errant golf ball as he leaves the Inn.

The last 60 seconds are pure television magic, totally unexpected and hilarious. If you're any fan of Newhart or television, you'll roar with approval when the "lights come back up."