The Dick Van Dyke Show

I have to say, even knowing enough about TV history to have respect for this show didn't prepare me AT ALL for how ridiculously funny it is. As a long time fan of "Mad About You," which is clearly a tribute, I can see the setup here, but it's amazing to see how one of the truly landmark television shows still stands up after all this time. I'm just finishing Season 2 on DVD, and I have to say kudos to whoever put these together.

As to the show itself, if you've never seen it, you're seriously missing out. Some of the best laughs I've ever had watching television have come from watching this show. In fact, watching this, I can see many early glimpses of popular sitcom characters from later years.

A real treat!

If there was ever a show that seemed an unlikely candidate to be regarded years later as a masterpiece of TV comedy, it would have to be the Dick Van Dyke Show (TDVDS). And younger viewers who happen upon it while cycling through their many cable channels might not give it a chance when they see the banal-looking living room of Rob and Laura Petrie that looks like it was furnished by K-Mart, or the office of the comedy writers of the Alan Brady Show which looks more like a waiting room at a dentist's office. But behind the veneer of what looks like a vanilla-clad suburban cliché is actually a little TV wonder boasting biting wit, outlandish circumstances, and perpetual unstoppable humor. This was the show that the likes of The Brady Bunch or Happy Days aspired to but could never ever hope to attain.

There are three reasons why The Dick Van Dyke is the best and not to be missed: The writing, the writing, and the writing. It all starts with the genius of Carl Reiner who did what all young writers are told to do at the beginning of their careers: write what you know, and Reiner did just that. He wrote about the life of a comedy writer, which is what he was. For years he was one of the writers for two of Sid Caesar's shows: "The Caesar Hour" and "Your Show of Shows" from the 1950's. And when he created the Dick van Dyke Show he re-created much of what he had experienced as a comedy writer and layered it into this new sitcom.

When Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) is not at home with his wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore), he is the head comedy writer of a fictional television show, The Alan Brady Show. His fellow comedy writers are Sally Rogers (Rose Marie) and Buddy Serrell (Morey Amsterdam), and his boss Alan Brady occasionally appeared played by Carl Reiner, the producer of the Dick Van Dyke Show in real life. Even the premise seems tame at first.

Why does this show work? What Reiner did was take a scenario that seems rather hum-drum on the outside, and then gradually take the characters into unchartered territory simply for the purposes of entertaining TV audiences for 30 minutes (well really 22 minutes). There are many standout episodes, but some of the best involve Alan Brady, the self-centered star and boss of The Alan Brady Show who could give Atilla the Hun a run for his money. One episode, which has become a TV classic, involves Laura accidentally revealing on national TV that Alan Brady wears a toupee, and how Rob and Laura must jump through hoops to soften the damage. Another episode equally as hilarious recounts when the comedy writers, Rob, Sally, and Buddy, are mad at Brady and decide to write an insulting script about him with the intention of discarding it without Brady seeing it. Of course, it ends up falling into Brady's hands! The comedy writers then go on a wild goose chase trying to get it back before he reads it! You'll be rolling over the floor with this one.

Another ingredient, often overlooked, is the comic genius of Morey Amsterdam. Amsterdam, as the other comedy writer, improvised many of his caustic biting sarcasm that gives the needed edge to scenes at the office. Often, Mel Cooley, Brady's lackey, is the butt of much of Amsterdam's cruel humor. Amsterdam was actually a major inspiration to Robin Williams who became Mork of "Mork and Mindy" fame, another show that was inspired by The Dick Van Dyke Show. Check out "the Walnut" episode, and read some of Buddy's dialog under the "quotes" section. Are you sold yet?

Ironically, The Dick Van Dyke is far better than the Sid Caesar shows, which were its parents. Today the Caesar shows come off dated, while the Dick Van Dyke Show continues to gain new audiences, even since the passing of Amsterdam. A strange and wonderful chemistry came together although it was under-appreciated during its original airing. Dick Van Dyke himself became one of the biggest entertainment stars of the 1960's, and Mary Tyler Moore got her own show ten years later, and twenty years after that was nominated for an academy award for "Ordinary People". But the Dick Van Dyke Show reigns supreme as possibly the funniest show ever produced by American television, much funnier than even "Saturday Night Live". As for THE funniest show ever to air on television, you have to go overseas because the award for that goes to "Monty Python's Flying Circus".

Carl Reiner made one of the most best written shows with this series by creating all of the scripts by himself. The man has an innate talent for comedy, timing and characters as the first show known where the characters spend half of the time hurling funny insults at their boss, and the other half showing the life of a happily married couple very much in love with each other. This is probably the first show to show the husband at work where so many other tv husbands vanished to "the job;" for all we know, Ward Cleaver and Ozzie Nelson could of been embezzlers or secret agents. This show went one more level further by showing the scenes behind the writing of a comedy-variety show. Dick Van Dyke is an eternally likeable talent and Mary Tyler Moore was demurely sexy and wonderfully irresistible before her looklike cousin got a job in that Minneapolis news office. That role was a far distant cry to this one. Forget the Bradys, they were the parents I wanted; they were both wonderful, fair and funny, but who wants to have a crush on their mom ? Larry Matthews was every model son as he played the "low-maintenance kid" missing from shows on end. Morey Amsterdam and Richard Deacon were perfect comedy foils for each other as was Rose Marie who played eternally optimistic bachelorette Sally Rogers. Jerry Paris and Ann Morgan Guilbert were everyone's favorite neighbors. All this and appearances by Reiner himself as oft seen Alan Brady, the star of the show within the show, made this series a comedy classic even above The Cosby Show or the Brady Bunch.

I guess the most dated item on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" are those silly twin beds in Rob and Laura's bedroom. This had to be one of the last sitcoms to feature such absurdities.

Regardless, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" is the best sitcom ever! The writing, characterizations, and timing are flawless. Few sitcoms since the mid '60's have measured up to the quality of this series. None have surpassed it.

Be thankful for the incredible 5-season DVD set. This set has been a long time coming, but the wait has been worth it. The DVDs will help preserve the greatness of this show into the 21st century.

The crazy tales of comedy writer Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke), his wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore), son Ritchie (Larry Matthews) and co-workers Buddy Sorrell (Morey Amsterdam) and Sally Rogers (Rose Marie). Usually, some mishap starts out small, but spreads and ends up involving everyone. As a side note, whenever Rob, Buddy and Sally's producer Mel Cooley (Richard Deacon) enters the office, Buddy always makes unfriendly remarks about his bald head.

I watch "The Dick Van Dyke Show" every chance I get. From the moment that Rob trips over the ottoman in the opening sequence, you know that something loony is fast approaching. Whether Rob and Laura accidentally eavesdrop on their neighbors Jerry and Millie Helper (Jerry Paris and Ann Morgan Guilbert), or Sally's relationships remain in limbo, TDVDS never disappoints me.

While of course Rob is the main character, my favorite character is Buddy. I nearly die laughing at his comments about Cooley's bald head. It's just wickedly funny. The sort of material that could only come from Carl Reiner (who occasionally appeared on the show as Rob, Buddy and Sally's boss, the tyrannical Alan Brady).

All in all, TDVDS is definitely one of the funniest shows in TV history. I hope that it never stops rerunning!