by Ted Davis

Original Air Date: January 3, 1976

Directed by: Eddie Ryder

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains a spoiler for this episode!

Synopsis: Mild-mannered psychologist Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart) has an opportunity to make a bundle of loot by investing in a real estate scheme provided by his perennially pessimistic patient Mr. Carlin (Jack Riley), but backs out at the last minute because he doesn’t want to throw cantankerous old coot Mr. Arbogast (Malcolm Atterbury) out of the building where he’s lived for 47 years.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Although Mr. Arbogast mentions his cat Arbogast several times during the episode (and in fact Bob questions the actual existence of said cat), he is not seen until the last moments of the show when, in response to Mr. Arbogast’s offscreen call, a large white and ginger tabby cat hops down from the apartment window and trots off the set stage left.

During the end credit sequence, Arbogast the cat replaces the kitten in the MTM logo. (The regular meow remains the same.)

Final Mewsings: The buildup was tremendous, but Arbogast the cat, when he finally arrived, did not disappoint.

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