Wojo Or Fish? Should Max Gail Been The One To Actually Get His Own Show? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 02-19-2012, 12:29 PM

Sure, 'Fish' only lasted an unmemorable 2 seasons, but it did make the cut and actually lasted longer than many other ill conceived spin-off attempts. What about Wojo? The producers gave serious thought to spin him off into his own series, but thought better of it at the last minute.

The question I pose is this, should Max Gail have gotten his own series? Was he a strong enough character to carry a show? Would he have been a better option than Abe Vigoda's 'Fish' character?

catlover79 · 02-20-2012, 03:00 AM

No - I don't think Wojo was a strong enough character to carry his own show. Besides, the dynamics of Barney and Wojo's bond would have been sorely missed.

AB · 02-20-2012, 05:23 PM

I don't believe his character could carry a show either. He played the big, strong, gung-ho & slightly dumb detective and it worked out well with the other characters on the show. But I can't see a show revolving just around him. Now Harris on the other hand might have a been a good choice for his own show. He was smart, cool, witty & was also an author which would have made for an interesting show.

sara · 02-21-2012, 07:34 AM

Well considering that Wojo's Girl Part 2 is my least favorite episode, a Wojo spinoff would not have worked. Now the Harris and Dietrich odd couple type spinoff they were thinking about would have been awesome.

catlover79 · 02-21-2012, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sara

Now the Harris and Dietrich odd couple type spinoff they were thinking about would have been awesome.

I concur!!!!

LeeBlue · 02-23-2012, 11:49 PM

Wojo and Fish were wonderful characters.

However Wojo had kinda unknown personal life -- Fish was married to Bernice and it was easier to write stories around the two of them..

.

catlover79 · 07-24-2013, 12:37 PM

Plus Florence Stanley played the nagging wife so well it was easy to see why Fish complained about her all the time.

Reemo · 01-27-2016, 09:49 AM

Wojo has always been my number one favorite character. Some of the best lines and acting of the series by far.

His own personal arc as Wojo would say that no, he probably wouldn't have succeeded having his own show.

He started as the one dimensional extra dumb guy, blossomed into the "complex dumb guy with a heart" that really shined, and ultimately started phoning it in, in the final seasons.

But hey, everybody thought Abe would be a lead-pipe cinch for having his own successful show. And it didnt turn out that way.

People can say that contract negotiations killed that show but let's be real. FISH was a stinker.

Who the hell needed a ghetto version of "Eight is enough"?

bmasters9 · 01-27-2016, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reemo

People can say that contract negotiations killed that show but let's be real. FISH was a stinker.

And such is why I haven't even touched the one season's worth that was included on Shout!'s full release of Barney Miller.

verajay · 04-23-2016, 04:45 PM

i thought they were gonna give him a show after we saw him and his girl in his apartment

EccentricGenius · 11-14-2016, 03:35 PM

Season five's "Wojo's Girl" was actually a backdoor pilot for a potential "Barney Miller" spin-off called "Off Duty," which would've focused on the personal lives of Barney and his detectives. "Wojo's Girl" originally aired as an hour-long episode that was re-edited into a two-part episode for syndication.

RetroTVNitekatt · 03-22-2017, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reemo

People can say that contract negotiations killed that show but let's be real. FISH was a stinker.

Well, if someone could dig up old issues of VARIETY from the time-period, there's bound to be a mention that ABC canceled FISH either from ratings or contract issues.

king of comedy · 03-22-2017, 04:49 PM

Wojo

EccentricGenius · 03-23-2017, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroTVNitekatt

Well, if someone could dig up old issues of VARIETY from the time-period, there's bound to be a mention that ABC canceled FISH either from ratings or contract issues.

According to Todd Bridges (in his 2010 memoir "Killing Willis"), Abe Vigoda demanded more money to star in a third season of "Fish." Producers refused to accept Vigoda's demands, so ABC decided to cancel "Fish" in the summer of 1978. This is probably the reason why Vigoda didn't appear on "Barney Miller" until season seven's "Lady And The Bomb" in 1981.

EricPost · 04-22-2017, 10:52 AM

I don't see any of the actors except Abe Vigoda being strong enough to support a show. Even Hal Linden was pretty useless alone.

Barney Miller was the classic example of an ensemble cast. Jack Soo's character was probably the weakest.

02-19-2012, 12:29 PM	#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: 63,108	Wojo Or Fish? Should Max Gail Been The One To Actually Get His Own Show? Sure, 'Fish' only lasted an unmemorable 2 seasons, but it did make the cut and actually lasted longer than many other ill conceived spin-off attempts. What about Wojo? The producers gave serious thought to spin him off into his own series, but thought better of it at the last minute. The question I pose is this, should Max Gail have gotten his own series? Was he a strong enough character to carry a show? Would he have been a better option than Abe Vigoda's 'Fish' character?
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

02-20-2012, 03:00 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	No - I don't think Wojo was a strong enough character to carry his own show. Besides, the dynamics of Barney and Wojo's bond would have been sorely missed.
	__________________ "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

02-21-2012, 07:34 AM	#4
sara Member Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2002 Location: grandville michigan Posts: 2,296	Well considering that Wojo's Girl Part 2 is my least favorite episode, a Wojo spinoff would not have worked. Now the Harris and Dietrich odd couple type spinoff they were thinking about would have been awesome.
	__________________ Help stamp out and eradicate superfluous redundancy!

02-23-2012, 11:49 PM	#6
LeeBlue Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 16, 2006 Location: NYS Posts: 871	Wojo or Fish? Should Max Gail Been The One To Actually Get His Own Show? Wojo and Fish were wonderful characters. However Wojo had kinda unknown personal life -- Fish was married to Bernice and it was easier to write stories around the two of them.. .

02-20-2012, 05:23 PM	#3
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,426	I don't believe his character could carry a show either. He played the big, strong, gung-ho & slightly dumb detective and it worked out well with the other characters on the show. But I can't see a show revolving just around him. Now Harris on the other hand might have a been a good choice for his own show. He was smart, cool, witty & was also an author which would have made for an interesting show.

07-24-2013, 12:37 PM	#7
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Plus Florence Stanley played the nagging wife so well it was easy to see why Fish complained about her all the time.

01-27-2016, 09:49 AM	#8
Reemo Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 27, 2016 Location: NYC Posts: 5	Wojo has always been my number one favorite character. Some of the best lines and acting of the series by far. His own personal arc as Wojo would say that no, he probably wouldn't have succeeded having his own show. He started as the one dimensional extra dumb guy, blossomed into the "complex dumb guy with a heart" that really shined, and ultimately started phoning it in, in the final seasons. But hey, everybody thought Abe would be a lead-pipe cinch for having his own successful show. And it didnt turn out that way. People can say that contract negotiations killed that show but let's be real. FISH was a stinker. Who the hell needed a ghetto version of "Eight is enough"?

04-23-2016, 04:45 PM	#10
verajay Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Location: brooklyn ny Posts: 22	i thought they were gonna give him a show after we saw him and his girl in his apartment

11-14-2016, 03:35 PM	#11
EccentricGenius Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2015 Posts: 766	Season five's "Wojo's Girl" was actually a backdoor pilot for a potential "Barney Miller" spin-off called "Off Duty," which would've focused on the personal lives of Barney and his detectives. "Wojo's Girl" originally aired as an hour-long episode that was re-edited into a two-part episode for syndication.

03-22-2017, 04:49 PM	#13
king of comedy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 31, 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,140	Wojo

04-22-2017, 10:52 AM	#15
EricPost Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 19, 2016 Posts: 15	I don't see any of the actors except Abe Vigoda being strong enough to support a show. Even Hal Linden was pretty useless alone. Barney Miller was the classic example of an ensemble cast. Jack Soo's character was probably the weakest.