Stephanie leaves the inn in a huff, wandering into the woods in a snowstorm. It isn't long before people begin to worry about our little prima donna. As she is freezing, she sees a cabin in the woods. There are three bowls, three chairs, and three beds. It's a wonderful setup for one of the most memorable of shows.
3 Reviews
Larry/Daryls first Titular Episode
TheFearmakers11 August 2023
While Jennifer Hughes as rich-girl-with-a-heart-of-gold Leslie was far cuter and more sweet than Julia Duffy... fighting the cliches of spoiled rich girls by working hard, or trying to... Duffy took the rich girl character to the extreme (of extremes), making her stand-out more as a character to clash with the more grounded leads, and fitting within the series as a comedy...
The first 22 episodes with the younger-than-she-looked college-aged Jennifer Hughes being lusted upon by the older and obnoxious Kirk is just wrong, and gross, creepy...
But Duffy was Kirk-proof as she had her own agenda... no time for other characters to prey upon her being she was too busy with her endearingly pretentious snooty-but-sweet persona... and soon Peter Scolari (who seems a prototype for Cheers' Frasier) becomes the lid for the pot... and thankfully would completely replace Kirk...
This episode is important however not for Duffy to shine... she's already shined... but it's the third episode to feature the soon-to-be fan-favorite Larry and the brothers Daryl...
Only this time they're part of the title and a piece of the show's fabric as opposed to being enter-and-exit punchlines... the titular Tramps to Duffy's Lady, and we get to see inside their woodsy world, a great place to be (as they too would replace Kirk by purchasing his cafe).
The first 22 episodes with the younger-than-she-looked college-aged Jennifer Hughes being lusted upon by the older and obnoxious Kirk is just wrong, and gross, creepy...
But Duffy was Kirk-proof as she had her own agenda... no time for other characters to prey upon her being she was too busy with her endearingly pretentious snooty-but-sweet persona... and soon Peter Scolari (who seems a prototype for Cheers' Frasier) becomes the lid for the pot... and thankfully would completely replace Kirk...
This episode is important however not for Duffy to shine... she's already shined... but it's the third episode to feature the soon-to-be fan-favorite Larry and the brothers Daryl...
Only this time they're part of the title and a piece of the show's fabric as opposed to being enter-and-exit punchlines... the titular Tramps to Duffy's Lady, and we get to see inside their woodsy world, a great place to be (as they too would replace Kirk by purchasing his cafe).
The First Real "Newhart" as We Know It
aramis-112-80488010 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"Newhart" was kind of a stage-bound "Green Acres" about a city couple who move to a small town only to enter a wacky "Twilight Zone." But the first season was on videotape, which showed up many of the flaws (including Bob Newhart's wrinkles).
Also in the first series Joanna is more of a "modern" liberated citified woman and city people always act more hifalutin' than country folk. She had none of the rapport in the town that Eva Gabor (herself otherworldly) acquired in Hooterville. Their neighbor, owner of the Minuteman Cafe and habitual liar of Clintonian proportions, Kirk, simply did not work. He was the typical person who used other people constantly, but he was only funny when the writers took this to cruel extremes. And while the heiress maid, Leslie Vanderkellen, Leslie was practically perfect in every way.
After the first season they dumped practically perfect Leslie for her cousin Stephanie (Julia Duffy, who made one appearance in Season One). Leslie was both nearly perfect and a hard worker at the inn. Stephanie thought she was perfect and hardly worked at the inn--a much funnier concept. Julia Duffy was a wonderful addition to the cast.
But dissatisfied with being a menial after years of being a pampered princess, Stephanie takes a long walk in the woods and gets lost in the snow. To save her life she breaks into a cabin and when golden-haired Stephanie enters and sees three bowls, three chairs and three beds, she says, "How far did I go?" Fortunately, the cabin does not belong to the three bears but to Larry, Darryl and Darryl, who made two welcome appearances in Season One. Stephanie's reaction to them is priceless, as is her manner toward them once she calms down.
It's still early in the second season. Stephanie is not quite as gloriously bratty as she later became, but here she shows flashes of the Stephanie we love to hate. And Julia Duffy is a great comic actress.
Mary Frann was never a great comic actress but her hard edges do begin softening in the Season Two, especially the way she lets little Stephanie steamroll her. Joanna Loudon never really gained a perfect rapport with the townsfolk until the final episode, but instead of being a catalyst for change Joanna from Season Two on tries to fit in, a different slant on Gabor's "Green Acres" character and just as funny in its way.
And though Larry, Darryl and Darryl are not yet shooting for the stratospheric heights of utter weirdness that, more than anything, made "Newhart" a classic show, they are funny as always (watch for the moment Larry asks the Darryls if they want coffee!) The only piece still missing from "Newhart" at this point is the introduction of dim-bulb/TV-whiz Michael Harris (who enters the scene seven episodes later). And the constable who shows up is not the happily-malicious Todd Sussman--Officer Shifflet doesn't make a bow until Season Three.
Apparently, Tom Poston had a perfect sense for George the handy man from the word Go, as his character remains virtually unchanged.
If any "Newhart" can said to be pivotal, it is this episode with its initial meeting of Stephanie, Larry and the Darryls. Though "Newhart" did not gain full steam and momentum for another Season, from this episode on it never looked back. It's a long way from plumbing the depths of the bizarre, but it quivers on the brink. It's also one of the first episodes of "Newhart" that is funny throughout (even with Kirk, thanks to a little canine assistance).
Also in the first series Joanna is more of a "modern" liberated citified woman and city people always act more hifalutin' than country folk. She had none of the rapport in the town that Eva Gabor (herself otherworldly) acquired in Hooterville. Their neighbor, owner of the Minuteman Cafe and habitual liar of Clintonian proportions, Kirk, simply did not work. He was the typical person who used other people constantly, but he was only funny when the writers took this to cruel extremes. And while the heiress maid, Leslie Vanderkellen, Leslie was practically perfect in every way.
After the first season they dumped practically perfect Leslie for her cousin Stephanie (Julia Duffy, who made one appearance in Season One). Leslie was both nearly perfect and a hard worker at the inn. Stephanie thought she was perfect and hardly worked at the inn--a much funnier concept. Julia Duffy was a wonderful addition to the cast.
But dissatisfied with being a menial after years of being a pampered princess, Stephanie takes a long walk in the woods and gets lost in the snow. To save her life she breaks into a cabin and when golden-haired Stephanie enters and sees three bowls, three chairs and three beds, she says, "How far did I go?" Fortunately, the cabin does not belong to the three bears but to Larry, Darryl and Darryl, who made two welcome appearances in Season One. Stephanie's reaction to them is priceless, as is her manner toward them once she calms down.
It's still early in the second season. Stephanie is not quite as gloriously bratty as she later became, but here she shows flashes of the Stephanie we love to hate. And Julia Duffy is a great comic actress.
Mary Frann was never a great comic actress but her hard edges do begin softening in the Season Two, especially the way she lets little Stephanie steamroll her. Joanna Loudon never really gained a perfect rapport with the townsfolk until the final episode, but instead of being a catalyst for change Joanna from Season Two on tries to fit in, a different slant on Gabor's "Green Acres" character and just as funny in its way.
And though Larry, Darryl and Darryl are not yet shooting for the stratospheric heights of utter weirdness that, more than anything, made "Newhart" a classic show, they are funny as always (watch for the moment Larry asks the Darryls if they want coffee!) The only piece still missing from "Newhart" at this point is the introduction of dim-bulb/TV-whiz Michael Harris (who enters the scene seven episodes later). And the constable who shows up is not the happily-malicious Todd Sussman--Officer Shifflet doesn't make a bow until Season Three.
Apparently, Tom Poston had a perfect sense for George the handy man from the word Go, as his character remains virtually unchanged.
If any "Newhart" can said to be pivotal, it is this episode with its initial meeting of Stephanie, Larry and the Darryls. Though "Newhart" did not gain full steam and momentum for another Season, from this episode on it never looked back. It's a long way from plumbing the depths of the bizarre, but it quivers on the brink. It's also one of the first episodes of "Newhart" that is funny throughout (even with Kirk, thanks to a little canine assistance).
See also
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