"Bob" will be back - really.
Just not where we thought he would be.Bob Newhart's third CBS sitcom has been through so many off-screen changes in recent months, the truth sounds like bad fiction.
"Bob" debuted in the fall of 1992 on Fridays at 8:30 p.m., where it languished throughout the season. Newhart and his producers complained publicly about the show not having a chance because of the time slot, so "Bob" spent several weeks on Mondays at 7:30 p.m.
But the ratings didn't perk up much.
When CBS announced its Fall 1993 schedule last May, "Bob" wasn't on it. The series was canceled.
But almost immediately, word leaked that CBS programmers were having second thoughts. Within a matter of a couple of days, CBS announced that a reworked "Bob" would return as a midseason replacement show.
From there, the scene shifts to another CBS sitcom - "Hearts Afire." After spending last season on Monday nights, the network announced that "Hearts" would be moving to Fridays at 8 p.m. this fall.
But creator/executive producer Linda Bloodworth-Thomason didn't want to be on Friday nights any more than Newhart and his producers did. So she opted out, and "Hearts" became a midseason replacement show. (It'll be back on Wednesdays soon.)
Anyway, "Hearts Afire's" withdrawal from the Fridays at 8 p.m. time slot resulted in Shelley Long's "Good Advice" shifting from 8:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on that night - and "Bob" being penciled in back on Fridays at 8:30 p.m.
At least, let's hope it was written in pencil. Because Long, stricken with the flu, hasn't been able to work. So "Good Advice" won't be ready to return next week after all.
So . . . "Bob" moves once again - this time to Fridays at 8 p.m., as of Oct. 22. (It will be followed, at least for a while, by "Family Album," which has been seen on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and was supposed to be going on hiatus.)
However, the way things are going, who knows what might happen next week?
CHANGES: When "Bob" does make it back, there will be a number of changes.
The only returning cast members are Newhart himself, Carlene Watkins (who plays his wife) and Cynthia Stevenson (who plays his daughter). Everybody else is gone.
So is his job as a cartoonist. His "Mad Dog" comic book has been canceled.
But Betty White signs on in the recurring role of Sylvia Schmitt, who owns the greeting card company Bob used to work for. And she asks him to take over as president - much to the chagrin of her son, Pete (Jere Burns of "Dear John.")
This won't be the first time a Newhart sitcom has undergone major changes. The 1982-90 sitcom "Newhart" underwent big revisions in its first couple of seasons.
The series' most prominent supporting characters, Stephanie (Julia Duffy) and Michael (Peter Scolari), were not members of the original cast. Duffy joined in the second season, when Stephanie replaced her cousin, Leslie.
And TV producer Michael didn't come aboard until season No. 3, when Newhart's character began hosting a television show.
He replaced the obnoxious Kirk (Steven Kampmann), who ran the restaurant next door - a restaurant he sold to backwoods brothers Larry, Darryl and Darryl.
What with the changes, "Newhart" became a great comedy after a shaky start. Let's hope "Bob" will show equal improvement.
FIRST LADY ON "SESAME STREET": Hillary Rodham Clinton spent part of yesterday with Big Bird.
The First Lady taped an appearance on "Sesame Street,"chatting with Big Bird and another Muppet by the name of Rosita about good health habits.
Clinton's appearance is scheduled to air Nov. 22 - "Street's" 25th season opener.
TONING IT DOWN: The folks at MTV are toning down "Beavis and Butt-head" just a bit.
All references to fire will be deleted from this rather sick animated series, which consists of the two lead character making crude comments about music videos and generally acting in a repulsive manner.
MTV's actions come after an Ohio mother blamed "B&B" for the death of her 2-year-old daughter, who died in a fire set by the girl's 5-year-old brother. The mother said her son got the idea from watching "Beavis," in which the two characters enjoy destroying and burning.
Earlier this week, MTV pulled an episode of the show that was to have featured an animated recreation of President Clinton.
In a formal statement, MTV called the young girl's death "a tragedy" but went on to say, "We do not believe the `Beavis and Butt-head' cartoon was responsible. We feel the steps we are taking are the proper ones."
Whether the show was in any way responsible for the tragedy, one has to wonder what a 5-year-old was doing watching "Beavis and Butt-head."
This is by no means a defense of this show, which I find reprehensible. But no 5-year-old should be allowed to watch MTV, let alone "Beavis and Butt-head."
Once again, let's hope that more parents will take the time to monitor and regulate what their kids are watching on TV.