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“Hi Bob” became the catch phrase for comedy when this series premiered in 1972. The Id would be delighted to be a fly on the wall in Bob’s psychology practice. Why? Because his patients let their Ids run free and wild and the world rocks with hilarity as a result. Despite his best Freudian coach side manner, Bob’s patients never really get better. Lucky for us he seems to be a pretty lousy psychologist. This classic TV series got plenty of airtime in syndication years after it ran its last original run episode (that would be 1978 for those of you that don’t have any wrinkles around the eyes). During its hilarious six year run Bob managed to be baffled, befuddled and generally lost as to why people acted the way they did (and do) in the real orld. With his beautiful wife Emily (the under rated Suzanne Pleshett), their pilot neighbor Howard (the very funny Bill Daily) and his strange neighbors in the office building where his office is located (Peter Bonerz as his often clueless dentist friend Dr. Jerry Robinson receptionist Carol played by the droll Marcia Wallace) as foils, it’s a wonder that Bob Harley hasn’t been committed yet. Oh, and just in case you wondered where “Seinfeld” borrowed Kramer’s burst through Jerry’s apartment door, Howard did it here first with much the same reaction. ---

Freud would be disappointed as there’s no there, there (to paraphrase Gertrude Stein). We get the original unaired pilot which is a nice plus and we also get the original uncut episodes as near as I can tell (the syndicated versions were trimmed anywhere from one to three minutes on average). Beyond that, there are no retrospective featurette not even vintage interviews or promos for the show that might have been shown to affiliate stations. Hopefully this set will sell well and Fox will reconsider adding extras to the third through sixth seasons (the second season although not out yet has already been prepped). Considering how many well known writer-producers flew through Bob’s door (Glen Charles, Gary David Goldberg, Carl Gottlieb co-writer of “Jaws” and “The Jerk”), I’m disappointed that these talented individuals weren’t asked for their feedback on this seminal series in a featurette or two. ***

Oh, by the way Fox the packaging sucks. I’m tired of these dual sided discs being released in a holder that offers the potential to scratch them. Do us all a favor and go back to putting one DVD in each holder and staying with a dual layered single sided disc. Most fans hate these and some won’t buy them (or will return them) when they’re released like this. It may be cost effective but it doesn’t drive up the cost all that much to provide better packaging. ---