NEWHART: ATTENTION, WPIV SHOPPERS (TV)
Summary
One in this series of comedies about Dick and Joanna Loudon, who run a country inn in Vermont.
In this episode, George admits that he has become "nostalgic" for his childhood, including a special pudding often made for him by his mother. Michael and Stephanie announce that they have decided to mount a home-shopping television program, hosted by Stephanie – and Dick. Dick, hating such shows, refuses to participate, but Stephanie employs an effective combination of threats, brown-nosing and pouting, and Dick eventually gives in. On the first day of taping, Dick unenthusiastically invites viewers to buy a variety of unusual tchotchkes; several men soon call in to make large purchases solely because of Stephanie's attractiveness.
Back at the inn, Joanna struggles to recreate George's mother's exact recipe as Dick admits that he is annoyed to be outsold by the ditzy Stephanie. Larry and the Darryls stop by to reveal that they, too, have ordered a number of useless items from her. Stephanie grows annoyed with her local fans, preferring to interact with only "pleasant-looking people," and Dick adopts an over-the-top "crazy" persona, boisterously encouraging viewers to place an order. Stephanie soon gets bored and walks off the show, leading to an immediate cancellation. After much trial and error, Joanna eventually nails the precise combination of ingredients for George's pudding – but George then finds that he is "sick of" the concoction. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: February 15, 1988 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:23:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:64865
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Television personalities; Shopping
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1982-1990
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David Mirkin … Executive Producer
- Douglas Wyman … Executive Producer
- Stephen C. Grossman … Coordinating Producer
- Arnie Kogen … Producer
- Matt Dinsmore … Associate Producer
- David Steinberg … Director
- Sheldon Bull … Developed by
- Barry Kemp … Created by
- Merrill Markoe … Writer
- Tim Truman … Music by
- Henry Mancini … Theme Music by
- Bob Newhart … Cast, Dick Loudon
- Mary Frann … Cast, Joanna Loudon
- Peter Scolari … Cast, Michael Harris
- Julia Duffy … Cast, Stephanie Vanderkellen
- Tom Poston … Cast, George Utley
- William Sanderson … Cast, Larry
- Tony Papenfuss … Cast, First Darryl
- John Voldstad … Cast, Second Darryl