I was a fan of the "Newhart" series (apart from the episodes with Kirk in them...and NO ONE liked Kirk!!). However, as I watched it the first time, I noticed a distinct drop in quality of the shows in the last season. I don't exactly blame anyone...it's just that the show had been on so long and I think the writers had run out of ideas. As a result, more and more episodes centered on Michael and Stephanie and a few episodes, such as "Get Dick" were just ultra- bizarre and didn't seem to fit in stylistically with the previous shows.
In this episode, Dick and Joanna eat at Mason Hubert--a really nice French restaurant owned by a bigger-than-life Hubert (I.M. Hobson). However, upon learning the next day that the restaurant burned down, Dick realizes his cigar (he NEVER smoked on the show previously or after) must have started the fire. So, he stupidly tells Hubert and invites him to live with them...and Hubert swears revenge!!
So much of this show just didn't seem right...not just having Dick smoke. The acting on the show was generally NOT subtle but Hubert was so ridiculously over the top that he was a caricature of a man. Additionally, the show just wasn't funny and it seemed like everyone was just coasting...and the strangeness and unfunniness attest to that.
