I got to spend a quiet time for the holidays. I have latched on to a new comfort show. I am sure that this idea came from Dick turning 100 last month. I realized that of all the things that I have seen Dick van Dyke, I don’t think I had ever seen his television show. Luckily… YouTube premium has the show available in its entirety with no commercials. Shout out the the Youtube Premium people out there.

The Dick Van Dyke Show is a sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from 1961, to 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was shot at Desilu Studios.The show starred Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, and Larry Mathews. The Dick Van Dyke Show centered on the work and home life of television comedy writer Rob Petrie who is the head writer for the fictitious variety show The Alan Brady Show in New York.

The series won 15 Emmy Awards and is consistently ranked among the greatest TV shows of all time. #13 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Shows (2002) and #20 on their 60 Best Series list (2013). It tackled topics like sex, child‑rearing, and modern culture in ways earlier sitcoms avoided which watching it in 2025/2026 has been really interesting to me. Seems pretty progressive for the time. Especially when Rob and Laura sleep in separate beds.

The great thing that stood out to me about the show was the fact that even though Laura is a house wife, her partnership with Rob seems genuine. There is not a power dynamic or a power struggle. Her opinion is respected. Even when they argue, it is lighthearted and respectful. Rob and Laura’s marriage is one of the healthiest in early TV:

• They communicate
• They tease
• They disagree respectfully
• They genuinely enjoy each other

The show’s theme here is radical for its time: Marriage is a collaboration, not a hierarchy. They mutually love and respect one another. This dynamic was unusual for the era and helped redefine what a TV marriage could look like.

The show is built on two worlds of Rob’s and how he exists between the two of them. In Rob’s writers’ room which is chaotic, witty, improvisational. Sally as one of the guys in the writer’s room where her contributions are equal to those of Buddy and Rob’s. This mirror’s his relationship with Laura at home. In the Petrie home which is suburban, orderly, aspirational, there is chaos that abounds, but not in the same way that he gets at work and the sitcom is built around his navigating the chaos of work and home. This contrast between the two spaces becomes a recurring theme: How do you balance creativity with responsibility? How do you bring humor home without bringing home the stress?
The show uses this duality to explore the early 1960s shift from traditional family roles to a more modern, work‑life‑balance conversation; decades before that term existed.

I think the show speaks to me as a creative, and a writer because it shows the creative process. What ideas come out, some of them not great, always second guessing yourself. Because Rob is a comedy writer, the show constantly explores the absurdity of show business, the creative process and how collaboration works with Buddy, Sally, and Mel. They are not always idea machines, they rack their brains to come up with great stuff and some of their ideas are shot down right away. Rob is one of TV’s earliest depictions of a creative professional. Rob becomes a stand‑in for the working creative: imaginative, stressed, inspired, and always juggling deadlines. Reminds me of my life.

Rob as a character made sense to me as a creative. He was an overthinker and anxious. Episodes often revolve around Rob’s anxieties — misunderstandings, or trying too hard to impress. This vulnerability makes him relatable and human. I love Rob’s character which doesn’t always happen the more I go back in time to watch television. Rob has a relatability of a man trying to balance work, family, and identity. And there is something to be said about the timeless appeal of a character who leads with heart, humor, and humility. He’s was the first blending of workplace chaos with domestic warmth.

Mary Tyler Moore as Laura Petrie is both hilarious and groundbreaking. Not only for her sense of style but also for her ability to state her opinion and her speak with authority. She’s witty, emotionally intelligent, and not afraid to challenge Rob who for his part really weighs her thoughts, feelings and input. She represents a transitional moment between 1950s domesticity and 1970s independence (The Mary Tyler Moore show being the catalyst to that.) She is the hinge between two eras of television.
Even her wardrobe for a television wife at the time was groundbreaking. Laura famously wore tight, mid‑calf capri pants, which no TV wife had done before along with flats or flip-flops. The Sponsors were nervous because surveys showed some women resented seeing her in pants because it felt too modern.Mary Tyler Moore insisted it was simply realistic: women didn’t vacuum in dresses and heels. This single wardrobe choice helped shift the portrayal of women on TV from decorative to authentic.

The physical comedy on the show is was keeps me cracking up. Even my mother loves it and she hates slapstick. However, Rob’s physical comedy isn’t slapstick for slapstick purposes. It reflects his personality: earnest, slightly anxious, and always trying to do the right thing even when he stumbles and he stumbles a lot. Too much if you ask me, but I too am unstable on my feet. That comes up in an episode about skiing which had me cracking up. I love a show that is a bit self aware. Dick van Dyke is tall and I think that adds to the physical comedy. The way he can move his body is hilarious.

In the way that I do, I am going to add some of the episodes that I really enjoy. If you get a chance to check them out please do. I also believe that Tubi has these for free as well. I am sad because I know that someone has the show colorized but I missed it. Let’s get into the list:

• My Blonde-Haired Brunette – (Season 1, Episode 2) – Laura is concerned when Rob would rather sleep in on his day off than have breakfast with her. She wonders if Rob is losing interest in her. When he finally gets up, he dresses like a slob. Rob teases Laura when he finds a gray hair on her head. Rob can tell she’s upset, but he does not know why. The next day, neighbor Millie Helper suggests that Laura bleach her hair blonde to get Rob’s attention. (Sometimes your friends are not the best help.) At the office, Sally tells Rob that maybe he’s not telling Laura often enough that he loves her. (Sally being the only woman in the group really offers a great perspective.) Laura does dye her hair and immediately regrets it. After Rob calls her, she learns how much he likes her dark hair. Millie calls the Druggist and wants him to drop off some dye. Rob comes home and Laura only has half her hair dyed back. She explains why she did it and Rob understands.

• To Tell or Not to Tell – (Season 1, Episode 8) – This one was both funny and had me thinking about how marriage was and still is looked at for women. Mel asks Rob if he would ask Laura whether she could serve as a temporary replacement for one of the show’s dancers. Everyone knows that Laura is a dancer and is really the natural choice. Laura accepts the offer. Consequently, Rob takes over the household chores, for which he has no aptitude. He doesn’t know how to use the washer machine or make breakfast. Eggs and bacon can’t be that hard. Rob is personally conflicted over Mel’s wish to offer Laura a full time contract. I find it to be interesting that he (Rob) gets asked whether or not she can be asked about whether she wants to work outside the house. While Rob is not a fan of the idea clearly, he understands that it should be her decision. Mel makes it a point to tell him that it is his decision, it is really not though. Even though he dithers whether or not to disclose the offer to her, she has an admission of her own. To his relief, Laura states that she enjoyed the week but doesn’t want to do it full time.

• Empress Carlotta’s Necklace – (Season 1, Episode 12) – Ever got a gift from a person who means well but that you hate. This is the premise of the episode. When Buddy’s jewelry friend shows up to the writer’s room. He talks Rob into buying an exceptionally gaudy necklace. Why didn’t he have Sally consult on this beforehand I do not know. Also does he not know what type of jewelry she already has. Laura is touched by Rob’s gift. Despite her intense dislike of it, she cannot bring herself to tell this openly to Rob. Her neighbor Millie is also no help because she refuses to have her husband look at it for fear he also will purchase one for her. Thank Goodness, Rob’s mother wants one.

• Where Did I Come From? (Season 1, Episode 15) – 6 year‑old Ritchie asks Rob and Laura the classic childhood question: “Where did I come from?” Instead of giving a birds‑and‑bees lecture, (although, there is a bit of a panic on Rob and Laura’s faces Rob launches into a hilarious flashback of the chaotic events surrounding Ritchie’s birth. Instead of dodging Ritchie’s question, Rob and Laura treat it with honesty and affection; a subtle shift from 1950s sitcom norms. Again for two people sleeping in separate twins beds… How did she end up pregnant? I digress. Rob remembers how wildly unprepared he was when Laura went into labor. That man was sleeping in his suit… And I believe had his hat close by. Rob remembers how wildly unprepared he was when Laura went into labor. This leads to a series of classic Dick Van Dyke physical‑comedy moments such as fumbling with clothes, dropping things, and panicking in ways only Rob Petrie can.

• The Curious Thing About Women – (Season 1, Episode 16) – To Rob’s point I agree with him. I really hate it when my personal things are rifled through. Or Packages opened before I get a chance to look at it. However, writing a sketch about it seems like a lot. After bickering with Laura over her habit of preemptively opening his mail, Rob decides to write a comedy sketch based on this. A success upon broadcast, friends and acquaintances recognize Laura as the inspiration for the sketch, causing her embarrassment.I really enjoyed this one because of its blend of marital comedy, workplace satire, and one unforgettable physical‑comedy set piece involving an inflatable life raft.

• The Two Faces of Rob – (Season 2, Episode 2)- This was a dumb idea and Rob gets his just desserts with this one. What I find to be interesting is the fact that Buddy and Sally do not approve of this idea. He does it anyway… To prove a theory that a wife can’t always recognize her husband on the phone, Rob calls Laura and disguises his voice and pretends to be suave Dr. Benno Benelli. But when Laura makes a phone date with the charming imaginary physician, he becomes obsessed with whether she’s playing along with the joke or not. The level of jealousy when he comes home is something to behold. If you are this jealous over your wife… maybe do not pretend to be a suave lover. Laura for her part is laying it on thick, from her dress to the food to the speaking Italian. Of course she knew it was him. The scene at the end is real icing on the cake. Because I was not expecting to walk through the door while she was on the phone.

My Husband’s Not a Drunk – (Season 2, Episode 6) – This is craziness and chaos at its finest. Why do you all have a friend that is a hypnotist? Of course Rob is the one that is most susceptible. And hilarity ensues. Rob and Laura invite hypnotist pal Glen to a dinner party with Buddy, Sally, Jerry and Millie. Glen tries to hypnotize Buddy into acting drunk whenever he hears a bell ring. Buddy pretends to be under, but it is Rob, who is watching from the kitchen, that really gets hypnotized. Not knowing that Rob was under, Glen leaves without removing the spell. He ends up at work sliding around any time the phone rang or the typewriter dinged. SMH.

• What’s in a Middle Name? – (Season 2, Episode 7)- Never give into people who want to name your baby. I do not care who they are. Parent, Grandparents. Richie finds his birth certificate and asks if the other name listed on it – Rosebud – is his middle name. Answer: Yes. Rob and Laura seem somewhat reluctant to answer, but say they will tell him the whole story later. It all started the day that Laura told Rob she was pregnant. Friends and relatives were excited and everyone had a specific name they wanted to call the baby, with no one willing to budge from their stance. Rob came up with Rosebud as an agreeable compromise name because it used letters from all the names the parents suggested. R: Robert, O: Oscar, S: Sam, E: Edward, B: Benjamin, U: Ulysses, D: David. SMH. Ritchie loved it. Because he swore he did not have one.
• The Night the Roof Fell In – (Season 2, Episode 9) – This episode was funny and too serious. Rob and Laurie both had hard days and end up in an argument when he comes home from work. Marital strife is to this existent is not normally something we see from them. However, Each recall their version of the fight to a friend. The friends for their parts call out how these stories seem far fetched. Because they are. Dick Van Dyke as Fred Astaire is icing on the cake though. After calming down they both try different ways to make amends.

• Somebody Has To Play Cleopatra – (Season 2, Episode 14)- This is up there with one of my absolute favorites. Because Rob keeps talking to much and having to do things he really doesn’t want to… He needs a stronger back bone. Dreading the thought of being forced to direct a fund-raising show by Mrs. Billings of the PTA, Rob remembers the previous year’s show when he tried to cast the role of Cleopatra. His impression of her is spot on. He quickly discovers that suburban egos are far harder to manage than professional actors. Everyone wants to play Cleopatra or their spouse to play Cleopatra, and no one wants their spouse kissing someone else onstage. The result is a comedy of jealousy, suburban politics, and theatrical chaos. Jerry Helper is cool with hyping up his wife and wanting her to play Cleopatra until she has to kiss Harry who stinks and is really just in it to kiss other peoples wives. Jerry is upfront about his jealousy although, he does talk to Rob in the kitchen about uncasting his wife. Rob tells him he is being silly, and Jerry challenges him to let Laura play the role. Which Rob in the beginning, seems fine with. At least until the kissing starts happening. Still what I laugh at the most. When Mrs. Billings stops by, she surprises Rob in her reason for the visit.

• Don’t Trip Over That Mountain – (Season 2, Episode 22) – Now why someone who can’t even walk through his own house without tripping could be trusted to go skiing is beyond me. I am with Laura on this one. Rob, who has never skied before, is going on a skiing trip with Jerry. The plan is for Jerry to teach him which seems okay on the surface. Laura fears that Rob will injure himself. (She is spot on.) Her fears worsen when Rob and Jerry are late returning from their trip. As Laura and Millie wait together, Rob and Jerry are in a hospital getting medical attention for injuries sustained in a four person/one goat on-slope collision. Rob sustains a full-body sprain, and now he does all he can to keep it from Laura rather than admit her woman’s intuition was correct. How he thought no one was going notice his limping around… or the cane is interesting.

• Racy Tracy Rattigan – (Season 2, Episode 27) – British actor ‘Racy’ Tracy Rattigan is filling in as substitute host for The Alan Brady Show and he seems to have an interest in Laura. This was so out of pocket. I figured Rob was going to resort to physical harm. I would not have been against it if he had. Rob finally has to spray him with champagne to stop his flirtatious advances at Laura. The next day, Tracy comes to the office and tells everyone that last night was all a gag. Will they ever know if that is the truth?

• That’s My Boy – (Season 3, Episode 1) – During a dinner party, Rob tells Mel about the time he thought he brought home the wrong baby from the hospital. The hospital staff kept mistaking Laura’s room (208) with that of a Mrs. Peters (203) who also had a baby boy that same day. Because of Rob’s sleep deprivation, Rob begins to believe that the Peters’ baby and theirs were mixed up. Not wanting to concern Laura, Rob tried to find evidence of the mix-up and talks to the Peters on the phone. Only after meeting the Peters does Rob become certain that they had the correct baby all along. Why? Because the Peter’s are a Black couple.

“It was the longest laugh I’ve ever experienced in my entire show business life. We just cut the cameras ‘cause they laughed and laughed and cheered. It was amazing,”

— Dick Van Dyke

• Who and Where Was Antonio Stradivarius? – (Season 3, Episode 7)- Please do not break things over your head. I would figure that goes without saying. While doing a run-through of a sketch for The Alan Brady Show, Rob smashes what he thinks is a breakaway violin over his head. Instead, it is a real violin, and the blow from the instrument brings on a bout of temporary amnesia. It sets in while he’s in the office with Buddy, Sally, and Mel. Although, none of them seem to think he is acting bizarrely. I would hope my friends and colleagues notice if I had some sort of medical emergency and not let me leave much less drive. But Rob is sent on an errand by his job. And is not home for HOURS causing Laura to worry. Rob winds up at a party in Red Hook, New Jersey, with no memory of his real identity. How can Rob convince Laura that he had amnesia and that he is not lying to her? Especially since the lady who left lipstick on his collar shows up at their front door. Something about Dick Van Dyke stuttering is hilarious to me.

In the end, The Dick Van Dyke Show endures not just because it was funny but because it understood something essential about everyday life. The show captured the rhythms of marriage, work, friendship, and identity with a sincerity that still feels modern. The physical comedy, and sharp writing, still land more than sixty years later. The episodes are well written and it showed it was exploring how couples negotiate honesty, how families navigate domesticity, and how creativity and domestic life constantly collide. Rob and Laura’s world was idealized, yes — but it was also recognizably human.
For anyone who loves classic television like I do or simply loves stories about people trying their best to love each other well, The Dick Van Dyke Show remains top tier. It reminds us that comedy isn’t just about punchlines — it’s about connection. And that’s why, all these decades later, we’re still talking about it.

Here are some funny scenes to finish this post off