Detective Janice Wentworth - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

PracTz · 04-22-2016, 06:37 PM

I've been rewatching the episodes featuring Linda Lavin as the above character and it's interesting that NO ONE called her 'Janice' -just 'Wentworth'. Also, she was hilarious and dynamic as a [then unheard of] woman detective who wanted to show she was every bit as tough and savvy as the men detectives- yet not above openly flirting with Wojo. I'm glad they didn't make her a saint or martyr but a good counterpoint to the others [and it was especially funny to imagine what profanities she'd screamed at those who offended her and IMO it was MUCH funnier to be able to imagine them than it would have been to have actually HEARD them].

Ironically, Miss Lavin played a MUCH funnier and more sympathetic character here than she would on her own long running show.

AB · 04-23-2016, 01:15 PM

I also enjoyed her role on Barney Miller. Wentworth was a funny gung-ho character.

verajay · 04-23-2016, 04:43 PM

i was jealous lol because i had a crush on Wojo

Nordy · 04-23-2016, 04:51 PM

I watched this episode just recently and I was trying to figure out who that was. Then it me all of the sudden duh that's Linda Lavin aka Alice. Boy I felt dumb. Wife looked at me and said "do you know everything about old tv?"

EccentricGenius · 11-14-2016, 03:24 PM

Had she not departed "Barney Miller" after season two for her long-running role (nine seasons!) as waitress Alice Hyatt on the CBS sitcom "Alice" (1976-85), Linda Lavin would've probably become a regular on "Barney Miller" during its third season (1976-77). Lavin definitely had chemistry with her male co-stars (Max Gail, Abe Vigoda, Hal Linden, Ron Glass, Jack Soo, and Gregory Sierra [Sierra also departed from "Barney Miller" after its second season]).

Reemo · 02-22-2017, 02:25 AM

Thank God she departed.

LOUD annoying manic character that put my nerves on edge.

I cant watch any of the episodes she is in.

sara · 02-24-2017, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PracTz

I've been rewatching the episodes featuring Linda Lavin as the above character and it's interesting that NO ONE called her 'Janice' -just 'Wentworth'.

Well you could say the same thing about most of the guys, I mean how many times did people call Wojo Stan. I think the only people called by their first names were Nick and Chano. Wentworth was the only female detective I liked.

623East68Strt · 07-09-2017, 12:33 PM

I agree. Det. Wentworth was a funny/savvy character with just the right amount of edge. I liked Alice but prefer Wentworth.

04-22-2016, 06:37 PM	#1
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Detective Janice Wentworth I've been rewatching the episodes featuring Linda Lavin as the above character and it's interesting that NO ONE called her 'Janice' -just 'Wentworth'. Also, she was hilarious and dynamic as a [then unheard of] woman detective who wanted to show she was every bit as tough and savvy as the men detectives- yet not above openly flirting with Wojo. I'm glad they didn't make her a saint or martyr but a good counterpoint to the others [and it was especially funny to imagine what profanities she'd screamed at those who offended her and IMO it was MUCH funnier to be able to imagine them than it would have been to have actually HEARD them]. Ironically, Miss Lavin played a MUCH funnier and more sympathetic character here than she would on her own long running show.

04-23-2016, 04:51 PM	#4
Nordy Gilmore Guy and Proud of it!! Senior Member Join Date: Nov 14, 2012 Location: Rockford, IL Posts: 2,590	I watched this episode just recently and I was trying to figure out who that was. Then it me all of the sudden duh that's Linda Lavin aka Alice. Boy I felt dumb. Wife looked at me and said "do you know everything about old tv?"
	__________________ "If eating cake is wrong, I don't want to be right." —Lorelai Gilmore

04-23-2016, 01:15 PM	#2
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,428	I also enjoyed her role on Barney Miller. Wentworth was a funny gung-ho character.

04-23-2016, 04:43 PM	#3
verajay Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Location: brooklyn ny Posts: 22	i was jealous lol because i had a crush on Wojo

11-14-2016, 03:24 PM	#5
EccentricGenius Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 30, 2015 Posts: 767	Had she not departed "Barney Miller" after season two for her long-running role (nine seasons!) as waitress Alice Hyatt on the CBS sitcom "Alice" (1976-85), Linda Lavin would've probably become a regular on "Barney Miller" during its third season (1976-77). Lavin definitely had chemistry with her male co-stars (Max Gail, Abe Vigoda, Hal Linden, Ron Glass, Jack Soo, and Gregory Sierra [Sierra also departed from "Barney Miller" after its second season]).

02-22-2017, 02:25 AM	#6
Reemo Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 27, 2016 Location: NYC Posts: 5	Thank God she departed. LOUD annoying manic character that put my nerves on edge. I cant watch any of the episodes she is in.

07-09-2017, 12:33 PM	#8
623East68Strt Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 21, 2017 Location: USA Posts: 6	I agree. Det. Wentworth was a funny/savvy character with just the right amount of edge. I liked Alice but prefer Wentworth.