On the DVD set, the producers/writers who were interviewed and participated in the commentary on the three-part series finale said they couldn't understand why women would want to watch the show. Obviously, I'm a woman and absolutely love this show - and here's why...

The show's humor is right up my alley. It is dry and sarcastic but not mean-spirited, which has to be the toughest balance of all to strike in a sitcom.

Watching this show is like watching a play - 99% of the action takes place in the squad room and Barney's ajoining office. I can't think of any other sitcom that has taken place in such tight confines, let alone doing it as well.

There were terrific characters who had their own quirks and foibles. They showed that cops aren't perfect, but do the best they can despite being at the mercy of budget cuts, layoffs, etc. Barney also showed that a boss can be someone to be admired and who cared, and not an ogre.

Then you had first rate acting, directing, writing, and production values. How many other TV crews were encouraged to keep the set looking like a dump?? All the cigarette butts and other trash on the floor was left to make the 12th look even more like a pit than it already was!! :lol:

Last, but certainly not least - and you knew this was coming!!

On the DVD set, the producers/writers who were interviewed and participated in the commentary on the three-part series finale said they couldn't understand why women would want to watch the show. Obviously, I'm a woman and absolutely love this show - and here's why...

The show's humor is right up my alley. It is dry and sarcastic but not mean-spirited, which has to be the toughest balance of all to strike in a sitcom.

Watching this show is like watching a play - 99% of the action takes place in the squad room and Barney's ajoining office. I can't think of any other sitcom that has taken place in such tight confines, let alone doing it as well.

There were terrific characters who had their own quirks and foibles. They showed that cops aren't perfect, but do the best they can despite being at the mercy of budget cuts, layoffs, etc. Barney also showed that a boss can be someone to be admired and who cared, and not an ogre.

Then you had first rate acting, directing, writing, and production values. How many other TV crews were encouraged to keep the set looking like a dump?? All the cigarette butts and other trash on the floor was left to make the 12th look even more like a pit than it already was!! :lol:

Last, but certainly not least - and you knew this was coming!!




You nailed it! I'm not a big fan of watching too much male-female tension -- there are MANY other shows that embody that and do a good to horrible job of it -- depends on so much the writing quality AND the natural chemistry between the actor and actress..... So when I want to watch good plot, topical storylines, interesting characters, it's easier when watching a show generally with an all male cast. For the moment, I don't remember or have a favourite all-female cast show except perhaps HOT in Cleveland (but they, like many 'female' shows tend to spend a lot of time on the women trying to go after men, get validation through men, etc...).

But back to watching an all-male cast... I was an early watcher and predictor of the success of the original Law and Order. I'm a big FAN of the original all-male cast. Complete police procedural... mostly plot-driven, topical (stories grabbed from the headlines!), fantastic writing and ALL about the the investigation, then court... very little personal life (great!) EXCEPT what you learned by carefully listening to the dialogue!

Thank you for your insights!! I'm also a big L&O fan, especially of those first few seasons where it was all guys (I even have two autographed photos of Michael Moriarty!!).

Welcome to the boards, by the way! Keep the posts coming! :wave:

Thank you for your insights!! I'm also a big L&O fan, especially of those first few seasons where it was all guys (I even have two autographed photos of Michael Moriarty!!).

Welcome to the boards, by the way! Keep the posts coming! :wave:


Thanks for the WELCOME! :wave: right back at ya! I find it fun now and then to chat about a particularly well done TV show/episode... or even movies I find it soooooo rare these days. Your posts are very insightful. I'm a HUGE fan of Michael Moriarty as the ADA...sure, his idealism was a bit over-the-top, but it was FUN to see this calibre of acting and reacting to his the DA and to his idealistic but also cynical subordinate played brilliantly and stiffly by actor Chris Brooks. There was HUGE chemistry and also comedy between all four main characters from that first season. Anyway, I'll stop and post about L&O in the proper thread... btw- you MUST post on how you got autographed photos of Michael Moriarty!

I think you mean Richard Brooks, who played ADA Paul Robinette. Anyway, there were several BM cast members who guested on L&O throughout the years...Abe Vigoda, Steve Landesberg, Barbara Barrie, George Murdock...and both Hal Linden and Linda Lavin were guest stars on L&O: CI (though not in the same episode). I'll PM you about how I got Michael Moriarty's autograph...and thanks so much for your kind words!!!! :D

I think you mean Richard Brooks, who played ADA Paul Robinette. Anyway, there were several BM cast members who guested on L&O throughout the years...Abe Vigoda, Steve Landesberg, Barbara Barrie, George Murdock...and both Hal Linden and Linda Lavin were guest stars on L&O: CI (though not in the same episode). I'll PM you about how I got Michael Moriarty's autograph...and thanks so much for your kind words!!!! :D


Yes, it was RICHARD Brooks...:lol: loved his stiff, strait-laced character. I think later on when he got replaced by another prosecutor played by Toronto actress Jill Hennessey, I recall they brought the Robinette character back for an episode-- he's gone into private practice to the other side doing defense work and he's much more cynical...

I have to confess that of all the L&O franchise, I liked LEAST the Criminal Intent series -- just couldn't get into all the angst/anxiety. But now that you've mentioned Hal Linden and Linda Lavin, I'll have to try and catch these clips/episodes on the net/youtube!

I was sad that L&O: Los Angeles got axed pretty early. I thought the show had great potential. The vast expanse of LA plus the quirky, crazy LA and environs offered quite the backdrop for stories... whether original or ripped from the headlines

The Law & Order CI episode with Hal Linden is called "Suite Sorrow" -- he is, of course, in top form!
..
Which is one of the reasons I love Barney Miller -- the acting was always so good -- as well as the writing!
..
Unlike some of today's shows, Barney Miller was just funny..
..
And that some of the actors were good looking didn't hurt either -- LOL.
..

The Linda Lavin episode is called "Shandeh", and aired in CI's second season. She plays a scary Jewish grandmother. :lol:

Thanks for the great comments!! Let's keep 'em coming!!! :D

What I liked about the show was how different each character was but yet they were able to get along (for the most part) in that small squad room. Also each week you'd be introduced to some new & unusual characters and some of those moments were just priceless like Mr Kopeckne, the man who thought he was a werewolf. This show just had some terrific actors & writers.

Well said!! I agree!!

:bump

The fact that it was one of the first "smart" sitcoms.

Also. Cops have always interested me. I kinda would have like to been one. But, not sure if it would work out.

Oh...and the eye candy. Dietrich. Also Harris were kinda hot dudes.

Barney Miller was a well written and wonderfully acted show.

99% of the episodes took place in the squad room and that was enjoyable.

Watching reruns today on Antenna TV, the show still makes me laugh.

The humor, the chemistry between the cast, the brilliant acting and writing.

It was one of my dad's favorite shows (I think he missed his calling and was supposed to be a cop - he loves cop shows), and when I was little, I would watch it with him. I love it's dry and snarky humor - right up my alley. I don't enjoy shows with a lot of sexual tension, or will they/won't they stuff. Meh. I also never cared for shows with a lot of mouthy kids, or sappy/maudlin stuff where life is wrapped up in a bow inside of 30 minutes. Humor with a little bit of realistic drama/darkness is more up my alley. Yemana and Dietrich were always my favorites.

The appeal for me (at first) was that the show is funny. It's a comedy and it makes me laugh.

But then as I continued watching I came to really like how caring and compassionate the squad is, for the most part anyway. It's almost like a fantasy of how the police will treat people who have committed crimes. They're not overly tough on anyone they are arresting. They are mostly kind and willing to listen to even the "bad guys."

I like the way the officers relate to each other, too. They like each other but sometimes they are frustrated with each other, and have conflict that they usually resolve.

I've never thought that the show might not be for me because I'm a woman. Even though the main characters are all men they do often have women guest stars and also had women officers working with them. I wouldn't think that this was a gender specific show, geared to men. It's for everybody who likes comedy.

As a woman, there are many reasons why I love this show. The acting and writing was terrific. having 95% of the action take place entirely within the Squad Room and Barney's office for 8 seasons was remarkable and made it feel more like a play than a sitcom. The recurring and one shot characters every week were memorable and hilarious. The culturally diverse cast and addressing of issues like racism, homophobia and gun violence was very progressive for the time. Most importantly, I love the main characters. As other have already pointed out, they were kind, compassionate cops who treated everyone with fairness and respect. Barney is the best TV boss ever and most people could only dream of working for a man like him. I also liked the character developments over the years, particularly with Wojo and Harris. And I absolutely didn't mind that it was a male dominated show. Too many female-centric shows feature women with negative stereotypes and/or poor writing, which is why I avoid them altogether. But this show was amazing and deserving of so much more praise than it gets.

Only woman in my family who watched this show was my aunt. Actually she was the only person in my family who watched it:lol: