At this point, the Dick Van Dyke Show knew what it had going for it. The writing could always come up with situations and concepts for comedy. The supporting cast was wide and deep and could sing and dance and make with the jokes. The leads were stellar, choreographing comedy in a way that created its own genre. Carl Reiner had taken the Show of Shows idea and evolved it into a new form of TV comedy, the half-hour sit-com with a variety show inside it. And Mary Tyler Moore was still ascendent, on her way to her own era of redefining TV comedy with the legendary Mary Tyler Moore Show. And man, oh, man did she have talent.
Here, you can see the set-up: find a new way to challenge MTM to embody comedy. Take a few pills, play off the challenge of the parents, get into some literally rolling-on-the-floor laugh-making. Good Lord but MTM was a robust comedian!
Spartacus Super Bowl says episodes like this are why so many people identify the Dick Van Dyke Show as a groundbreaker into a new era.
Here, you can see the set-up: find a new way to challenge MTM to embody comedy. Take a few pills, play off the challenge of the parents, get into some literally rolling-on-the-floor laugh-making. Good Lord but MTM was a robust comedian!
Spartacus Super Bowl says episodes like this are why so many people identify the Dick Van Dyke Show as a groundbreaker into a new era.