Ep 2. Mrs. Newton's Body Lies A'Mould'ring in the Grave

In the second episode of Newhart's first season, titled "Mrs. Newton's Body Lies A'Mould'ring in the Grave," Bob Newhart plays Dick Loudon, the owner of the Stratford Inn in Vermont. Dick and his wife Joanna (Mary Frann) have only just moved to the small town, and in this episode, they meet some of their new neighbors.

One of these neighbors is Mrs. Newton (Barbara Barrie), an elderly woman who lives alone in a large and eerie mansion on the outskirts of town. The Loudons are invited over for tea, but things take a dark turn when they discover that Mrs. Newton is convinced that her late husband is trying to kill her from beyond the grave. The old woman is agitated and paranoid, and her deteriorating mental state is made worse by the fact that her husband's body is missing from its grave.

Throughout the episode, the Loudons become embroiled in Mrs. Newton's increasingly bizarre and macabre situation. They try to reassure her that her husband's death was simply a heart attack, and that there's no evidence to suggest that he's orchestrating her demise from the grave. However, as the days go by, strange things start happening - unexplained noises in the house, objects moving on their own, and eerie shadows glimpsed in the corners of rooms.

Meanwhile, in the small town of Stratford, Vermont, life goes on as usual. The Loudons struggle to get adjusted to their new surroundings, and they encounter a colorful array of characters - from the amiable locals to the strange and offbeat guests at the Stratford Inn (whose eclectic group includes a ventriloquist and his dummy). As the episode draws to a close, the mystery of Mrs. Newton's missing husband takes a surprising and unexpected twist, leaving the Loudons (and the audience) on the edge of their seats.

Overall, "Mrs. Newton's Body Lies A'Mould'ring in the Grave" is a classic example of Newhart's signature style - a mix of lighthearted comedy and offbeat quirkiness, with a twist of mystery and suspense. The episode introduces the series' central characters and themes, setting the stage for the many adventures (and misadventures) to come.