Would younger viewers have a harder time getting in to this show - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-11-2018, 02:34 AM

Barney Miller was one of the few TV shows that I can immediately think of that just about always took place in a single, confined location (like a bottle episode for but the entire series). I mean there was rarely if ever a single establishing or exterior shot. And I think there were a few scenes set at various characters' homes, but nothing in between. It was kind of a big deal the handful of times they left the squadroom at ALL.

Something like that can get extremely redundant if you aren't in the right frame of mind. Watching Barney Miller on the surface (and I'm guessing that it was intentional) at least just feels like watching a three act theatrical stage play.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is more or less, the closest thing that we have to a modern day Barney Miller. I immediately wonder how fans of that show would appreciate the slower pace, cast of veteran actors, stage play atmosphere and touch of melancholy on Barney Miller?

Mr. Television · 04-11-2018, 02:17 PM

Wasn't the Office practically in one setting too?

TMC · 04-17-2018, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Television

Wasn't the Office practically in one setting too?

I guess so, but The Office also had a decidedly faster pace and the "mockumentary" (so it wasn't like we were essentially watching a theatrical stage play) aspect going for it.

QTMcWhiskers · 10-22-2020, 11:30 AM

Possibly. Some concepts don't translate from 197x to 202x. Of course, some do. Those might be easier ones to start out with.

But given technological enhancements, some younger viewers of today who might otherwise "get" the stories still may not be able to suspend disbelief in a show that clings to a reality-based setting because of those newspaper things or how nobody has smartphones . Which is a shame; the quality of the writing is clearly present and in ways that are timeless. Even with a "televised stage play" feel. Which in ways (for me) are preferable to the so-called "naturalism" modern TV puts out. Both are good formats,the stage feel is still used (e.g. TBBT), so it's the effectiveness of their use I'd guess.

When I say "get", I vaguely remembered the show as a kit but later saw the episodes as an adult and the lightbulbs went off. Mostly because most kids have no clue about what prostitutes do, for example.

Chocolate Moose · 10-22-2020, 02:21 PM

I had been binge-watching it when the pandemic started and I felt that it was not the series to binge, which I've posted about here.

It was on when I was a kid and it seemed like an old-man show to me then. It's still not a young, fun, hip show.

TVFactFan · 10-26-2020, 01:33 AM

I would be willing to watch it one day if it came on during sampling time

12am to 1am
Saturday afternoon

OH Nuts! · 10-26-2020, 01:22 PM

The same scenery never bothered me a bit. Maybe because each ep almost always had new interesting characters on it, and because the show had excellent writing.

Also loved the cast; all were great actors.

TVFactFan · 10-26-2020, 07:01 PM

Just realized antenna TV removed BM from the 6pm to 7pm slot during the week

Chocolate Moose · 10-27-2020, 09:46 AM

yes, they remove some shows after they run the entire series. they don't remove them forever, necessarily though

TVFactFan · 10-27-2020, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocolate Moose

yes, they remove some shows after they run the entire series. they don't remove them forever, necessarily though

Time for Three's Company to go

BigManMike · 10-27-2020, 08:06 PM

This is one show I found dull and boring. I just never could really get into it. The theme song is great but the show itself isn’t that great.

OH Nuts! · 10-27-2020, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebigcookie

This is one show I found dull and boring. I just never could really get into it. The theme song is great but the show itself isn’t that great.

To each his own. I love the show and never found it dull and boring. For me, more like low key and clever.

TMC · 11-17-2020, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

To each his own. I love the show and never found it dull and boring. For me, more like low key and clever.

I've often heard that many actual cops cited Barney Miller as one of the most realistic depictions of their field of work.

Yong Fang · 12-31-2020, 11:44 AM

I have been watching many episodes of Barney Miller on YouTube the last two weeks or so, basically most all the episodes are available online.

The show to me is absolutely and completely hilarious. It is madcap with the criminals and weird people of the week. That part of the show is timeless. It’s hilarious and puts the players who are them and of themselves hilarious in interesting situations.

The show is dated because it is over 40 years ago. More like 45. I just saw today, 12/31/20 the News Eve Show from 1975/1976, 45 years ago. Yes, there are some things about the show that are dated because they are dated for the time the series was on and what they were talking about. But is this any different than say, the Marx Brothers which are almost a hundred years old but doesn’t fail to entertain? Plus we get to see the values and attitudes of the time. It is dated because of the time it was on, but it doesn’t mean that future generations shouldn’t be able to enjoy it.

Yong Fang · 07-19-2022, 06:23 AM

What was entertaining was the goofballs of the week that were arrested and came into the precinct.

Real cops will say that this is the most realistic show concerning their profession.

04-11-2018, 02:34 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,387	Would younger viewers have a harder time getting in to this show Barney Miller was one of the few TV shows that I can immediately think of that just about always took place in a single, confined location (like a bottle episode for but the entire series). I mean there was rarely if ever a single establishing or exterior shot. And I think there were a few scenes set at various characters' homes, but nothing in between. It was kind of a big deal the handful of times they left the squadroom at ALL. Something like that can get extremely redundant if you aren't in the right frame of mind. Watching Barney Miller on the surface (and I'm guessing that it was intentional) at least just feels like watching a three act theatrical stage play. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is more or less, the closest thing that we have to a modern day Barney Miller. I immediately wonder how fans of that show would appreciate the slower pace, cast of veteran actors, stage play atmosphere and touch of melancholy on Barney Miller?
	Last edited by TMC; 06-05-2023 at 10:51 PM.

04-11-2018, 02:17 PM	#2
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	Wasn't the Office practically in one setting too?
	__________________ Sonny

10-22-2020, 02:21 PM	#5
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,881	I had been binge-watching it when the pandemic started and I felt that it was not the series to binge, which I've posted about here. It was on when I was a kid and it seemed like an old-man show to me then. It's still not a young, fun, hip show.
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

10-22-2020, 11:30 AM	#4
QTMcWhiskers Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 06, 2017 Location: USA Posts: 124	Possibly. Some concepts don't translate from 197x to 202x. Of course, some do. Those might be easier ones to start out with. But given technological enhancements, some younger viewers of today who might otherwise "get" the stories still may not be able to suspend disbelief in a show that clings to a reality-based setting because of those newspaper things or how nobody has smartphones . Which is a shame; the quality of the writing is clearly present and in ways that are timeless. Even with a "televised stage play" feel. Which in ways (for me) are preferable to the so-called "naturalism" modern TV puts out. Both are good formats,the stage feel is still used (e.g. TBBT), so it's the effectiveness of their use I'd guess. When I say "get", I vaguely remembered the show as a kit but later saw the episodes as an adult and the lightbulbs went off. Mostly because most kids have no clue about what prostitutes do, for example.

10-26-2020, 01:33 AM	#6
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,949	I would be willing to watch it one day if it came on during sampling time 12am to 1am Saturday afternoon

10-26-2020, 01:22 PM	#7
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	The same scenery never bothered me a bit. Maybe because each ep almost always had new interesting characters on it, and because the show had excellent writing. Also loved the cast; all were great actors.

10-26-2020, 07:01 PM	#8
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 98,949	Just realized antenna TV removed BM from the 6pm to 7pm slot during the week

10-27-2020, 09:46 AM	#9
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,881	yes, they remove some shows after they run the entire series. they don't remove them forever, necessarily though

10-27-2020, 08:06 PM	#11
BigManMike Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 25, 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 3,021	This is one show I found dull and boring. I just never could really get into it. The theme song is great but the show itself isn’t that great.

12-31-2020, 11:44 AM	#14
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,072	I have been watching many episodes of Barney Miller on YouTube the last two weeks or so, basically most all the episodes are available online. The show to me is absolutely and completely hilarious. It is madcap with the criminals and weird people of the week. That part of the show is timeless. It’s hilarious and puts the players who are them and of themselves hilarious in interesting situations. The show is dated because it is over 40 years ago. More like 45. I just saw today, 12/31/20 the News Eve Show from 1975/1976, 45 years ago. Yes, there are some things about the show that are dated because they are dated for the time the series was on and what they were talking about. But is this any different than say, the Marx Brothers which are almost a hundred years old but doesn’t fail to entertain? Plus we get to see the values and attitudes of the time. It is dated because of the time it was on, but it doesn’t mean that future generations shouldn’t be able to enjoy it.

07-19-2022, 06:23 AM	#15
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,072	What was entertaining was the goofballs of the week that were arrested and came into the precinct. Real cops will say that this is the most realistic show concerning their profession.