BOB NEWHART SHOW, THE: I'M DREAMING OF A SLIGHT CHRISTMAS (TV)
Summary
One in this series of comedy programs about the personal and professional life of a Chicago psychologist. In this episode, it's Christmastime and Howard comes over to exchange gifts. He and Emily are disappointed that Bob brought back a tiny Christmas tree. Bob has one appointment that day and then is coming back to spend Christmas Eve alone with Emily after spending time at his office Christmas party. He attends the party and exchanges gifts with Jerry and Carol, who is inebriated on Irish coffee. Jerry gets Bob a record player as a gift, although Bob feels that Jerry is being far too generous and that his gift is too extravagant compared with the mittens and goggles he got Jerry in return. Mr. Peterson comes in for his appointment and Bob shows him in. Mr. Peterson has made so much progress in his sessions that Bob gives him a “gift” by informing him that he will no longer require his psychological care. However, Mr. Peterson balks at this, believing that he is not ready to face his own decisions, but accepts this and departs.
Bob comes home to find Emily preparing a romantic Christmas dinner for the two of them. Both of them look forward to spending a quiet Christmas with each other, but are interrupted when Carol and Mr. Peterson call; he ended up staying at the office since he was too afraid to drive home. Bob reluctantly agrees to go down there and talk to him, leaving Emily bitter at what she feels are Bob’s skewed priorities towards his work. He arrives back at the office with the party still in full swing and speaks to Mr. Peterson in his office. Mr. Peterson reveals that he doesn’t feel comfortable being without Bob’s guidance, and that he suffered from a terrible anxiety attack while doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. Bob agrees with Mr. Peterson that he still requires help, and Mr. Peterson is happy to know that he can see Bob again. He panics when the building suffers a power failure and hides under his desk. Bob decides they have to leave and offers to drive Mr. Peterson home. However, the elevators are nonfunctioning and everyone is stuck at the office due to a blizzard.
Eventually Bob manages to get in touch with Emily and inform her of his situation. She is angry that he wasn’t able to make it home for Christmas, but is also worried about him. The phone line gives out and ends their conversation. Bob gets back home in the middle of the night and enters while Emily is asleep on the couch. She awakens and tries to help him, as he walked home through the blizzard after his car broke down and got towed away, and he is practically frozen. He decides that he still wants to celebrate Christmas Eve with Emily, but Howard knocks on their door and Bob doesn’t want him to interrupt their celebration. Bob sits him down and is about to tell him to leave, but Howard tells them that he is spending the evening with a guest and that he “doesn’t want to share” with them. Bob and Emily exchange gifts, but Bob falls asleep and Emily decides to cuddle up with him. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: December 22, 1973 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:25:11
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:64789
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Christmas
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1972-1978
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Davis … Executive Producer, Created by
- Lorenzo Music … Executive Producer, Created by, Theme Music by
- Martin Cohan … Producer
- Michael Zinberg … Associate Producer
- Peter Baldwin … Director
- Tom Patchett … Writer
- Jay Tarses … Writer
- Pat Williams … Music by
- Henrietta Music … Theme Music by
- Bob Newhart … Cast, Bob Hartley
- Suzanne Pleshette … Cast, Emily Hartley
- Bill Daily … Cast, Howard Borden
- Peter Bonerz … Cast, Dr. Jerry Robinson
- Marcia Wallace … Cast, Carol Kester
- John Fiedler … Cast, Mr. Peterson
- Larry Gelman … Cast, Dr. Tupperman
- Gene Blakely … Cast, Dr. Ralph Tetzi