'Barney Miller' Had Weak Writing & "Chano" Was the Only Character Worth Watching - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 08-27-2010, 10:08 AM

....Or so says a review of the sitcom back on January 24th, 1974. lol Weak writing? Really? I guess nobody liked the Barbara Barrie Season? lol On the bright side, Gregory Sierra gets more props!

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...y+sierra&hl=en

catlover79 · 08-27-2010, 01:27 PM

Any paper that gives Gregory Sierra extra props is OK by me.

catlover79 · 08-27-2010, 03:57 PM

Actually, the article was written in January 1975, not 1974. Admittedly, S1 was probably the weakest season the show had (with a few exceptions, like the episodes "The Hero", "Graft", and "Snow Job"). Dumping Barney's home life and focusing full-time on the precinct was the smartest move they did, and thankfully, they did it very early. Although why Barbara Barrie continued to get second billing after Hal Linden in S2 when she only appeared in two episodes that year is a mystery.

Retro4Life · 08-27-2010, 04:01 PM

Well, this reviewer is certainly on the wrong side of history. I mean, the show DID get better as it went along but even in the early stages it was much better than this poser is giving it credit for.

He nuked "Hot L Baltimore", too. Funny, while I think everyone knows and acknowledges the accomplishments of the BM cast and crew, I don't seem to recall "Jay Sharbutt" (?!) making much of a contribution to American pop culture.

Next!

catlover79 · 08-28-2010, 01:07 AM

Yup, Barney Miller was a show that just got better and better as it went along. Nowadays it is regularly named amongst the top shows of the 70s. Hard to fathom that it wasn't always this way, such as this article proves.

MickeyMac · 08-28-2010, 02:24 PM

I disagree

I thought the show got weaker as it moved on, especially after Jack Soo and Abe Vigoda were gone. We were left with Levitt.

MickeyMac · 08-28-2010, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Any paper that gives Gregory Sierra extra props is OK by me.

I never would have guessed that

catlover79 · 08-28-2010, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

I never would have guessed that

Guilty as charged!!

energy · 08-30-2010, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

I disagree

I thought the show got weaker as it moved on, especially after Jack Soo and Abe Vigoda were gone. We were left with Levitt.

I agree.

It took a severe hit whe Vigoda left. And then was just not as strong a show when Soo passed.

The Deitrich and Levitt characters were good. But they couldn't match what Vigota and Soo brought.

The last couple of years of the show were really weak. I say that as a person who LOVES the show.

I'm not sure if Barney Miller specifically factored in their thinking. But Seinfeld and Romano clearly wanted to go out on top even though they could have made millions more if they had chosen to have kept their shows going.

08-27-2010, 10:08 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	'Barney Miller' Had Weak Writing & "Chano" Was the Only Character Worth Watching ....Or so says a review of the sitcom back on January 24th, 1974. lol Weak writing? Really? I guess nobody liked the Barbara Barrie Season? lol On the bright side, Gregory Sierra gets more props! http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...y+sierra&hl=en Attached Images
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08-27-2010, 01:27 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Any paper that gives Gregory Sierra extra props is OK by me.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

08-27-2010, 04:01 PM	#4
Retro4Life Accept No Substitutes Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 04, 2009 Location: IL Posts: 6,708	Well, this reviewer is certainly on the wrong side of history. I mean, the show DID get better as it went along but even in the early stages it was much better than this poser is giving it credit for. He nuked "Hot L Baltimore", too. Funny, while I think everyone knows and acknowledges the accomplishments of the BM cast and crew, I don't seem to recall "Jay Sharbutt" (?!) making much of a contribution to American pop culture. Next!
	__________________ Alex Reiger :[Trying to convince Louie not to antagonize Bobby] "It's not hard to make people feel bad about their lives. What's hard is making people feel good about their lives."

08-27-2010, 03:57 PM	#3
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Actually, the article was written in January 1975, not 1974. Admittedly, S1 was probably the weakest season the show had (with a few exceptions, like the episodes "The Hero", "Graft", and "Snow Job"). Dumping Barney's home life and focusing full-time on the precinct was the smartest move they did, and thankfully, they did it very early. Although why Barbara Barrie continued to get second billing after Hal Linden in S2 when she only appeared in two episodes that year is a mystery.

08-28-2010, 01:07 AM	#5
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Yup, Barney Miller was a show that just got better and better as it went along. Nowadays it is regularly named amongst the top shows of the 70s. Hard to fathom that it wasn't always this way, such as this article proves.

08-28-2010, 02:24 PM	#6
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,006	I disagree I thought the show got weaker as it moved on, especially after Jack Soo and Abe Vigoda were gone. We were left with Levitt.