Bob's character draws a comic book called Mad-Dog. In 1993, Marvel Comics published six issues of a Mad-Dog comic book as a tie-in with the TV series.
During the run of Bob Newhart's previous series, Newhart (1982), he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) and joked with Johnny Carson that since other permutations of his name had already been used for his TV shows' titles, his next series would probably just be called "Bob" - which is exactly what happened.
Was the only show on CBS's Friday Night Comedy block not to end up canceled. The shows in the same block were Major Dad, Designing Women and The Golden Palace.
The series is loosely based on the comic book artist Bob Kane and his co-creation Batman. Kane and a cadre of contemporary comic book professionals guest starred on the show in You Can't Win (1993).
In this show, Bob plays a cartoonist. Twenty years earlier in Mom, I L-L-Love You (1972): Mom, I L-L-Love You (1972), Bob Hartley's mother was disappointed Bob became a psychologist instead of a cartoonist.