Don't miss understand what I am saying. I think Jack Soo was great on Barney Miller.I am just curious if his passing led to other characters to grow and develop OR did the show lack something for the rest of its run?

http://www.jacksoo.com/images/crew_image.jpg

He was sorely missed, but I think having the retrospective episode in his honor helped the cast/crew (as well as the audience) move on. There were many more interesting episodes until the show ended in 1982, and you still had the core of Linden/Gail/Glass/Landesberg/Carey, with the occasional appearance by James Gregory (Luger) and George Murdock (Scanlon). People retire (Fish), move away (Chano, Wentworth), etc. So the death of Mr. Soo didn't hurt the show as much as it could've. Am I making any sense?

He was sorely missed, but I think having the retrospective episode in his honor helped the cast/crew (as well as the audience) move on. There were many more interesting episodes until the show ended in 1982, and you still had the core of Linden/Gail/Glass/Landesberg/Carey, with the occasional appearance by James Gregory (Luger) and George Murdock (Scanlon). People retire (Fish), move away (Chano, Wentworth), etc. So the death of Mr. Soo didn't hurt the show as much as it could've. Am I making any sense?
You make a lot of sense. This is a sitcom set in a workplace. And in any workplace there is a certain amount of staff turnover. And the 12th precinct was no different. In a sense having some staff leave made the show more realistic. Those that left were missed but the remaining members of the 12th had to deal with the departures and get on with doing their jobs and in so doing they set the example for the audience to also move forward.

I think the show could have been just as good if Soo had remained. It would have been cool to see him working alongside Dietrich more than he was able to.

I agree with what Monika and Marv said, but I also feel it's not an "either/or" situation. The show made the most out of Soo's absence, but it could have been equally good with him. (And I don't think anything that anyone else said contradicts this, btw).

As Nick Yemana himself would say, "Very well put." :cool:

Yea Jack Soo was great on BM but I'm sure the other characters would have been able to shine whether he was there or not. BM was really an ensemble show which is why it was able to survive all the characters that left.

I agree with that, Sonny - with one exception. The only cast member who couldn't be replaced would be Hal Linden. After all, the name of the show was Barney Miller!!! :cool: :D