Here's an interesting blog entry by my friend Andy Ihnatko. He has a short but good observation about The Dick Van Dyke Show.
I would add that not only is Mr. Van Dyke maybe the best physical comedian to ever work television but he has another skill that I think stands out. Watch sometime when he's making a phone call and we don't hear or see who's on the other end. It's just Dick Van Dyke pretending to be talking to someone who isn't there but boy, is he ever convincing.