Just curious what fans of this show thought about Nick Yemana no longer in the precinct.

I was devastated. And heartbroken. He was so damn funny. Although the show moved on without him, still, I was missing those funny lines of his and the faces he made. :rofl: It was just like in the real world, you miss someone when they are no longer there, but still you move on.

I was devastated. And heartbroken. He was so damn funny. Although the show moved on without him, still, I was missing those funny lines of his and the faces he made. :rofl: It was just like in the real world, you miss someone when they are no longer there, but still you move on.


Did you think the show suffered because of his death?

My opinion, no. The diversity of the other characters and the great writing, not to mention the farewell episode, helped to make the show move on. I was able to get back into the show. Just like CHEERS did when Nicholas passed away.

My opinion, no. The diversity of the other characters and the great writing, not to mention the farewell episode, helped to make the show move on. I was able to get back into the show. Just like CHEERS did when Nicholas passed away.


That's exactly the example that I was thinking about!!! Coach was a GREAT character, but Woody was so good, you were able to get past his absence.

That's exactly the example that I was thinking about!!! Coach was a GREAT character, but Woody was so good, you were able to get past his absence.
Exactly. We get so accustomed to tv characters, that the thought of them no longer being there is almost unbearable. :lol: However, here were two great tv characters who left us too soon and the way the shows were written after that is what made them exceptional. I think Barney Miller and Cheers are the epitomy of how a show can move on after the loss of a character. Eight is Enough, another show who lost its leading character when she passed away, slowly brought in another actress to be the step-mother. It was tastefully done. There were references made abt the mother and her passing in later episodes, which made it almost realistic, something that would occur in real life.

Det. Yemana was my favorite character and was really missed after Jack Soo passed away.. However Barney Miller had a wonderful cast and guest stars.. I continued to watch and never missed an episode.. It wasn't the same show but still a terrific show!!

Det. Yemana was my favorite character and was really missed after Jack Soo passed away.. However Barney Miller had a wonderful cast and guest stars.. I continued to watch and never missed an episode.. It wasn't the same show but still a terrific show!!


Thank you for posting! I am curious to get a feel what die hard fans think of this subject.

For me, the show took a hit when Fish left. And when Yemana passed, the show simply was not as good. Sitcom chemistry is one of most delicat things in art.

A couple of shows quickly come to mind that were devestated by cast changes/losses: Good Times: John Amos (the father), Designing Women: Delta Burke and Jean Smart. Those shows continued after the changes but were never nearly as good. I can see why many liked Cheers after Coach and Diane left, but for me the show was much better with Coach and Diane.

It's amazing that producers would dare tamper with a key cast member of a hit sitcom. That balance is so delicate that one hurtfull change can take a show from being a classic to just another nameless sitcom.

Sometimes changes can't be helped. But particularly in the case of Good Times and Designing Women one truly wishes some way could have been found to keep the original cast intact.

In the 70's and 80's sitcoms had a habit of spinning off any character who did well into his own sitcom. But that's a risky thing to do. Barney Miller definetly lost something when Fish left to do his own sitcom. But it was still an excellent show.

I do not think that The Show Suffered after Jack Passed Away

I don't think the quality of the show suffered, but Jack Soo/Nick Yemana were definitely missed. At least the core cast of Linden, Gail, Glass and Landesburg was still around.

I love this drawing I found on Deb Wong's site:

http://www.debwong.com/fanart.html

It's been awhile since I stopped by Deb Wong's site -- thanks for the reminder -- terrific pix!

It's been awhile since I stopped by Deb Wong's site -- thanks for the reminder -- terrific pix!
My pleasure! :wave:

Barney Miller was similar to M*A*S*H in that when they replaced a character, they replaced them with a character who was different and not just a pale imitation of the one they were replacing.

That's why I think shows like those survived and had long runs: New characters with new personalities gave the writers new angles to explore creatively and gave the shows a shot in the arm.

I think I missed Jack Soo after his death, but the show was so good and had such interesting characters and storylines that I was able to move on from it and still enjoy the show.

I did notice, though, that in his later episodes, Jack Soo indeed looked sick. He looked as though he'd lost some weight and as I recall, he didn't have as many lines. Hard to watch those episodes now in retrospect.

^ I don't think it lost a step either, because the writing, production and acting were still top-notch. But Jack's passing still left a void that could never be filled. :(

When I think of Yemana, I always remember Jack's contributions in the episode with the hash-laced brownies, where Yemana, after having a few, was acting crazy, saying "MOOSHI MOOSHI" or something to that effect. That was a classic episode. :lol:

The tribute episode to Jack was very well-done.

But no, I don't think the show lost a step after Soo died, either. It sustained itself well up to the end.

Any lesser show could've folded under similar circumstances, but it's a credit to the cast and crew of Barney Miller that they kept on going. :cool:

I think one thing that helped the transition after Soo's death was that the producers/writers were smart enough not to try to "replace" him.

Dietrich, Woj, Harris, Levitt, Luger and Barney were already there, and despite the VERY late attempt with Dorsey ( :( ), the viewers were left with great memories of Nick, period, and didn't have to be forced to compare him with a "new guy".

^ Very insightful!! No one could have "succeeded" Jack Soo/Nick Yemana.

Barney Miller was similar to M*A*S*H in that when a character left, they weren't replaced with a similar-type character. Very wise. Actors like Jack Soo and Abe Vigoda were unique and to try and come up with Yemana-lite or Fish-lite characters wouldn't have worked.

Yemana was definitely missed, yet, I never found myself making comparisons between him and a "replacement."

It's too bad some other shows didn't take the same approach.

^ I don't think it lost a step either, because the writing, production and acting were still top-notch. But Jack's passing still left a void that could never be filled. :(
:yeahthat

Barney Miller was similar to M*A*S*H in that when a character left, they weren't replaced with a similar-type character. Very wise. Actors like Jack Soo and Abe Vigoda were unique and to try and come up with Yemana-lite or Fish-lite characters wouldn't have worked.

Yemana was definitely missed, yet, I never found myself making comparisons between him and a "replacement."

It's too bad some other shows didn't take the same approach.
Exactly. Any aspiring TV writer should watch Barney Miller and learn how to do it right. :nod:

Barney Miller was similar to M*A*S*H in that when a character left, they weren't replaced with a similar-type character. Very wise. Actors like Jack Soo and Abe Vigoda were unique and to try and come up with Yemana-lite or Fish-lite characters wouldn't have worked.

Yemana was definitely missed, yet, I never found myself making comparisons between him and a "replacement."

It's too bad some other shows didn't take the same approach.

I always knew in my gut I really liked this show, and this is one compelling reason why. Thanks for articulating your observation so perceptively. And as Monika has stated, this does sound like a wise blueprint for dealing with key characters who leave a sereies.

Several of the writers and directors of Barney Miller went onto Mr. Belvedere. Having watched the DVD set of THAT show, I could definitely see their mark in the dry, sarcastic (but never mean-spirited!) humor. THAT'S got to be the hardest kind of comedy to write. I got turned off Everybody Loves Raymond because the show got TOO mean after awhile. I just couldn't stand it anymore.

When I think of Yemana, I always remember Jack's contributions in the episode with the hash-laced brownies, where Yemana, after having a few, was acting crazy, saying "MOOSHI MOOSHI" or something to that effect. That was a classic episode. :lol:

The tribute episode to Jack was very well-done.

But no, I don't think the show lost a step after Soo died, either. It sustained itself well up to the end.
I saw the Jack Soo Retrospective on YouTube. You're right - it was awesome. :cool: :D

Exactly. Any aspiring TV writer should watch Barney Miller and learn how to do it right. :nod:

And M*A*S*H, Cat!!! C'mon, now!

As you may have guessed, M*A*S*H is my favorite show of all time.

And M*A*S*H, Cat!!! C'mon, now!

As you may have guessed, M*A*S*H is my favorite show of all time.
No argument there!! :cool:

I saw the Jack Soo Retrospective on YouTube. You're right - it was awesome. :cool: :D
I just watched the tribute on Youtube this afternoon. I thought it was very well done. I especially like the clip were the guy thought he was a werewolf and was barking and Nick said "I better put newspaper down in the cage."

I just watched the tribute on Youtube this afternoon. I thought it was very well done. I especially like the clip were the guy thought he was a werewolf and was barking and Nick said "I better put newspaper down in the cage."
"The Werewolf" aired in Season 3. It was hilarious. "BARNEY!!!!" :rofl: :brent

No, I do not think Barney Miller lost it's appeal after the Yamana character was gone. The writers on the show just placed more of an emphasis on Dietrich, whose character seemed to filled in the void of the departed Jack Soo...

From what little I've seen of the post-Jack Soo era, it did seem that most of the really good zingers were given to Steve Landesberg. That makes sense, since they both had/have that certain deadpan humor going on.

No argument there!! :cool:

And Jack Soo also appeared on M*A*S*H a couple of times, so see how everything just comes together?

And Jack Soo also appeared on M*A*S*H a couple of times, so see how everything just comes together?
You're right; I'd forgotten that. D'OH!!

You're right; I'd forgotten that. D'OH!!

Just for that, you have to drink Yemana's coffee and go home to Bernice!

Just for that, you have to drink Yemana's coffee and go home to Bernice!
Man, you're brutal. :eek: :lol:

Man, you're brutal. :eek: :lol:

It's the only way you'll learn, Cat.;)

It's the only way you'll learn, Cat.;)
Who could forget a lesson like that?? :eek: :lol:

No I don't think The Series Lost it step after Jack Soo Passed Away.