"Newhart" The Last Newhart (1990)

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 | Hit With Golf Ball | Series Finale | It Was All A Dream | Asian Stereotype

Cast

Bob Newhart	...	Dick Loudon / Robert Hartley
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

Cliff Bemis

...

Paul

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

MTM Enterprises

Trivia:

To protect the secret of the ending, a fake script was leaked to the press. In it, after Bob gets by the golf ball, he dies, goes to Heaven and meets God played by George Burns.

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:

[last lines]
Dick Loudon: You should really wear more sweaters.

Movie Connections:

References "The Bob Newhart Show" (1972)

Best Ever - No Doubt

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The shock value of seeing this episode sticks with me to this day. There is no question that this is the best final episode of any comedic TV series to date. All others, no matter how excellent, just have not been able to live up the simple, disarming, and utterly convincing ending as he wakes up. The increasingly bizarre behavior of the cast over the years as the series matured, and especially the last couple of episodes, really sealed the deal.

Hearing Suzanne Pleshette's voice and seeing her and Bob in the bed was just way too hysterical. I laughed until I cried. I was watching it with my family, and everyone just went to pieces.

Well Played Sir!