Was this show supposed to attract young viewers? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TVFactFan · 08-24-2002, 12:49 PM

it doesn'tseem like this show was developed to attract young viewers because there are no young characters on the show-So i'm thinking hat it was supposed to attract 34 and up-Barney Miller cannot hold my interest at all-I was born in 75 and i'm still not as old as no one on that show-Does anyone agree that show didn't have many yung viewers

Janice · 08-25-2002, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SOLOMON
it doesn'tseem like this show was developed to attract young viewers

Bingo! Barney Miller was developed as an adult comedy, meant to attract adults.
On the other hand, The Brady Bunch was geared towards younger viewers.
I hope you now understand this concept.

SOAPDYNASTY · 08-26-2002, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SOLOMON
it doesn'tseem like this show was developed to attract young viewers because there are no young characters on the show-So i'm thinking hat it was supposed to attract 34 and up-Barney Miller cannot hold my interest at all-I was born in 75 and i'm still not as old as no one on that show-Does anyone agree that show didn't have many yung viewers

I'm 24 and i like the show....

skyforge · 08-26-2002, 04:49 AM

When I was a teenager, Barney Miller was my second favorite show.

Kitt · 08-26-2002, 08:00 PM

It was one of my favorite shows as a teenager. If you mean the ages of 6 to 12 as being "young viewers", no, it wasn't intended to attract that crowd.

TVFactFan · 08-26-2002, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kittflynn
It was one of my favorite shows as a teenager. If you mean the ages of 6 to 12 as being "young viewers", no, it wasn't intended to attract that crowd.

I was talking about the ages from 18 to 30

Kitt · 08-26-2002, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SOLOMON

I was talking about the ages from 18 to 30

I woudn't know exactly what the stats were regarding that demographic, but it seemed to me that it very much attracted that age group. It was on during a time of political strife, and that shows deeper than your ordinary sitcom type scripts were a welcome bit of intelectual stimulus and relief to the teenagers and 20 and 30 somethings of the era.

DetectiveGriffin · 08-27-2002, 12:56 AM

well, i know i was watching it in kindergarten, before that i dont remember. when i was bitty, i just couldnt get enough cop shows <G>

used to play starski and hutch with my hotwheels collection <G>

i think a lot of networks dont realize that very young viewers can easily be captivated by interesting people and shows like that, even if they dont get the jokes.

SOAPDYNASTY · 08-27-2002, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DetectiveGriffin
well, i know i was watching it in kindergarten, before that i dont remember. when i was bitty, i just couldnt get enough cop shows <G>

used to play starski and hutch with my hotwheels collection <G>

i think a lot of networks dont realize that very young viewers can easily be captivated by interesting people and shows like that, even if they dont get the jokes.

You are so right

DetectiveGriffin · 08-27-2002, 04:20 PM

heh, ever pass the tv and your 5 year old
is watching a soap opera and laughing out loud, even though there was really no joke. somebody comes on in a real stupid dress and the kid just starts cracking up. advertisers need to take out all those feminine hygene commercials and advertise some barbie dolls and teddy grahams.

catlover79 · 11-29-2008, 09:44 PM

I was born about midway through the show's primetime run. I saw reruns here and there growing up, but I didn't become a fan until 2006 when I rented the DVD of the first season. I was hooked!!

sara · 11-30-2008, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

I was born about midway through the show's primetime run. I saw reruns here and there growing up, but I didn't become a fan until 2006 when I rented the DVD of the first season. I was hooked!!

That's like me. My mom mentioned Barney Miller a few times, mainly about Nick's infamous coffee.

So I knew of the show but I only started watching when it was on TVLand. It is now one of my all time favorite shows.

catlover79 · 12-01-2008, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sara

That's like me. My mom mentioned Barney Miller a few times, mainly about Nick's infamous coffee.

So I knew of the show but I only started watching when it was on TVLand. It is now one of my all time favorite shows.

Same here. You and I about the same age, too!

I remember the show was broadcast on Saturday evenings after the local news in the summers back in the late 80s/early 90s (during school months, a local academic show was aired in that time slot) In the mid 90s, another local channel aired it during weekday afternoons with other cool shows like Laverne & Shirley, Newhart, and The Odd Couple. Those were the days!!

Dr. Thong · 01-10-2009, 12:32 PM

When the show premiered, I was eight. My mother enjoyed the show, but I think I was kind of indifferent to it. I didn't get it. My mother said that it was more of an adult show and that's why I didn't like it.

I kind of shrugged and went, "Whatever." But as I got older, I realized she was right and enjoyed watching the syndicated reruns.

Now I'm 42 and I'm renting the DVDs from Netflix and enjoying the show. It was targeted for adults and was a great show. It's been so long since I've seen this show that it's almost brand new to me. It still holds up. The chemistry and interplay between the actors is phenomenal. The product of creative minds who strived to be the best they could be.

One thing about Barney Miller and other great sitcoms for that era (like M*A*S*H, All In The Family, etc) is that the characters on those shows had their own distinctive voices, characteristics, idiosyncracies and nuances.

Too many of today's alleged comedies have a bunch of characters that tend to sound the same, or the characters are slight variations on one comedic stereotype and it's hard to differentiate between characters.

On Barney Miller you had a very diverse group of characters with their own distinct personalities played by actors who were able to pull these characters off with flair.

I wish more of today's shows had a similar approach.

catlover79 · 01-10-2009, 01:56 PM

^ Adult, sophisticated, sarcastic, but never mean-spirited - Barney Miller's humor was right up my alley.

08-24-2002, 12:49 PM	#1
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,062	Was this show supposed to attract young viewers? it doesn'tseem like this show was developed to attract young viewers because there are no young characters on the show-So i'm thinking hat it was supposed to attract 34 and up-Barney Miller cannot hold my interest at all-I was born in 75 and i'm still not as old as no one on that show-Does anyone agree that show didn't have many yung viewers

08-26-2002, 04:49 AM	#4
skyforge Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Location: Tucson Posts: 27	When I was a teenager, Barney Miller was my second favorite show.
	__________________ "I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question." Yogi Berra

11-29-2008, 09:44 PM	#11
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I was born about midway through the show's primetime run. I saw reruns here and there growing up, but I didn't become a fan until 2006 when I rented the DVD of the first season. I was hooked!!
	__________________ "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

01-10-2009, 12:32 PM	#14
Dr. Thong a/k/a "ACK!" Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 10, 2001 Location: New Hampshire, USA Posts: 5,546	When the show premiered, I was eight. My mother enjoyed the show, but I think I was kind of indifferent to it. I didn't get it. My mother said that it was more of an adult show and that's why I didn't like it. I kind of shrugged and went, "Whatever." But as I got older, I realized she was right and enjoyed watching the syndicated reruns. Now I'm 42 and I'm renting the DVDs from Netflix and enjoying the show. It was targeted for adults and was a great show. It's been so long since I've seen this show that it's almost brand new to me. It still holds up. The chemistry and interplay between the actors is phenomenal. The product of creative minds who strived to be the best they could be. One thing about Barney Miller and other great sitcoms for that era (like MASH, All In The Family, etc) is that the characters on those shows had their own distinctive voices, characteristics, idiosyncracies and nuances. Too many of today's alleged comedies have a bunch of characters that tend to sound the same, or the characters are slight variations on one comedic stereotype and it's hard to differentiate between characters. On Barney Miller* you had a very diverse group of characters with their own distinct personalities played by actors who were able to pull these characters off with flair. I wish more of today's shows had a similar approach.
	__________________ "Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of interest. That is all."

08-26-2002, 08:00 PM	#5
Kitt James Dean Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 16, 2001 Location: California Dreamin' Posts: 6,115	It was one of my favorite shows as a teenager. If you mean the ages of 6 to 12 as being "young viewers", no, it wasn't intended to attract that crowd.

08-27-2002, 12:56 AM	#8
DetectiveGriffin Sankontessou! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2001 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 1,288	well, i know i was watching it in kindergarten, before that i dont remember. when i was bitty, i just couldnt get enough cop shows <G> used to play starski and hutch with my hotwheels collection <G> i think a lot of networks dont realize that very young viewers can easily be captivated by interesting people and shows like that, even if they dont get the jokes.

08-27-2002, 04:20 PM	#10
DetectiveGriffin Sankontessou! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2001 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 1,288	heh, ever pass the tv and your 5 year old is watching a soap opera and laughing out loud, even though there was really no joke. somebody comes on in a real stupid dress and the kid just starts cracking up. advertisers need to take out all those feminine hygene commercials and advertise some barbie dolls and teddy grahams.

01-10-2009, 01:56 PM	#15
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	^ Adult, sophisticated, sarcastic, but never mean-spirited - Barney Miller's humor was right up my alley.