Too late for a Barney Miller reunion? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

maclen · 04-17-2003, 02:09 PM

I think they've waited too long to have a Barney Miller reunion (if there were ever plans to have one, which I doubt). I mean, the guys who played the detectives are now around 60 years old; Hal Linden must be in his 70's and Abe Vigoda must be well into his 80's. Not that they couldn't do a reunion, but the story line would have to be something not revolving around policing, since realistically, Barney wouldn't be working anymore. If it ever happened, I would love to see at least a 2-hour retrospective, in the same vein as the Jack Soo retrospective, with the actors commenting on the show and different scenes. This would be totally in line with TV Land's style of original programming.

Do you think that a re-make of the show, with new actors and in current times, would be successful? Personally, I think Barney Miller was perfect with its cast and in its time period (70's) because they were innovative and pushed the envelope in a very subtle, classy way. What envelope is there to push now other than sheer shock value?

maclen

DetectiveGriffin · 04-17-2003, 02:53 PM

How bout a brand spin off show with wojo as the captain of a squad and deitrich as the mayor <G>
they are my 2 fav characters <G>

At their ages, yes, its so unlikely and unrealistic they would still all be working in the field, but i guess it wouldnt be hard to throw in harris as a tv news reporter or something .. hmmm.

These are the situations fan fic was meant to remedy, im telling you - write something down cause im sure its the only way in heck fans are ever going to get a reunion.

egregiousgirl · 04-18-2003, 03:59 AM

1. Yes, I think they have waited too long for a reunion, especially now that James Gregory has passed away.

2. No one would produce a reunion anyway because it wouldn't generate enough interest from the young people. Kids today haven't even heard of Barney Miller. They only do reunions for shows that are still on the air all the time (i.e. The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, etc.) and people in my age bracket (18-24) just haven't seen Barney Miller.

BundyBoy10 · 04-27-2003, 12:47 PM

Great idea, but I dont see it happening. They should of had a reunion in 1995.

brooky · 04-27-2003, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by maclen
I think they've waited too long to have a Barney Miller reunion (if there were ever plans to have one, which I doubt). I mean, the guys who played the detectives are now around 60 years old; Hal Linden must be in his 70's and Abe Vigoda must be well into his 80's. Not that they couldn't do a reunion, but the story line would have to be something not revolving around policing, since realistically, Barney wouldn't be working anymore. If it ever happened, I would love to see at least a 2-hour retrospective, in the same vein as the Jack Soo retrospective, with the actors commenting on the show and different scenes. This would be totally in line with TV Land's style of original programming.

Do you think that a re-make of the show, with new actors and in current times, would be successful? Personally, I think Barney Miller was perfect with its cast and in its time period (70's) because they were innovative and pushed the envelope in a very subtle, classy way. What envelope is there to push now other than sheer shock value?

maclen

They could do a reunion special. Let the remaining actors get together and rehash old times. Not in a documentary format but as a tv movie.

I don't believe a re-make of the show would work. We are too used to the original. It's different when they introduce a new character during the original run, like they did with Dietrich, but an entire new cast set in today's environment wouldn't have the same appeal.

catlover79 · 08-28-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brooky

They could do a reunion special. Let the remaining actors get together and rehash old times. Not in a documentary format but as a tv movie.

I don't believe a re-make of the show would work. We are too used to the original. It's different when they introduce a new character during the original run, like they did with Dietrich, but an entire new cast set in today's environment wouldn't have the same appeal.

I'm all for a retrospective! We have to get these guys all together again, especially you-know-who.

Brian Damage · 08-28-2008, 04:14 PM

The majority of the cast is still alive, so why not?

Chocolate Moose · 08-28-2008, 07:22 PM

WHAT HAVE THEY GOT TO RISK? poor ratings? maybe it would drum up interest.

i'm in my 40's and remember my father loving that show. he's gone now and i imagine many of the fans are.

catlover79 · 08-28-2008, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

The majority of the cast is still alive, so why not?

They should absolutely go for it!! Even if they can't get a network to air it they can produce it independently and put it on DVD. The guys are all in their 60s, 70s and 80s. Do it now while we still have them!!!!

catlover79 · 09-12-2008, 12:11 AM

I found this article from 2005 on ETOnline:

A 'Barney Miller' Reunion'

HAL LINDEN, MAXWELL GAIL, STEVE LANDESBERG and RON GLASS celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Barney Miller."

A fun time was had by all when Barney (HAL LINDEN), Wojo (MAXWELL GAIL), Dietrich (STEVE LANDESBERG) and Harris (RON GLASS) reunited for a 30th anniversary celebration of the now classic "Barney Miller" TV series. The cast of the Emmy® Award-winning show gathered at the Sunset Gower Studios where a special dedication of a commemorative plaque was held at Stage 16, where the show filmed for eight years.

"We're still kicking," Hal tells ET.

"It's [like] yesterday when you see these guys," Steve says.

And Ron adds with a laugh, "When you walk around and see people, It's like, 'Where did all these old people come from?'"

The plaque will hang outside Stage 16, the site if their old squad room, and even though the show has been off the air for 23 years, Hal reveals to ET, it wasn't long ago that he finally watched an entire episode.

"First of all, I didn't remember them 'cause I never saw them put together," he shares. "Once we did it, we figured we had the rest of our lives to watch it and we do."

As the four cast members reminisced about the good old days, they did feel the absence of ABE VIGODA, who played Detective Fish. Abe, who is now 84, is alive and well, but not able to attend the reunion.

For anyone interested in taking a trip down memory lane, season one of the critically acclaimed series is available on DVD.

"I still run into people who tell me how much the character meant to them," Ron says. "It makes me feel like I made a contribution."

For more "Barney Miller" reunion scoop, tune in to tonight's ET.

Posted December 09, 2005 3:51:00 AM

catlover79 · 09-12-2008, 12:48 AM

Here's another article about the 2005 "reunion":

http://www.armyarcherd.com/2005/11/barney_miller_r.html

04-17-2003, 02:09 PM	#1
maclen Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 29, 2002 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 121	Too late for a Barney Miller reunion? I think they've waited too long to have a Barney Miller reunion (if there were ever plans to have one, which I doubt). I mean, the guys who played the detectives are now around 60 years old; Hal Linden must be in his 70's and Abe Vigoda must be well into his 80's. Not that they couldn't do a reunion, but the story line would have to be something not revolving around policing, since realistically, Barney wouldn't be working anymore. If it ever happened, I would love to see at least a 2-hour retrospective, in the same vein as the Jack Soo retrospective, with the actors commenting on the show and different scenes. This would be totally in line with TV Land's style of original programming. Do you think that a re-make of the show, with new actors and in current times, would be successful? Personally, I think Barney Miller was perfect with its cast and in its time period (70's) because they were innovative and pushed the envelope in a very subtle, classy way. What envelope is there to push now other than sheer shock value? maclen
	__________________ maclen@hotmail.com

08-28-2008, 04:14 PM	#7
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	The majority of the cast is still alive, so why not?
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

08-28-2008, 07:22 PM	#8
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,893	WHAT HAVE THEY GOT TO RISK? poor ratings? maybe it would drum up interest. i'm in my 40's and remember my father loving that show. he's gone now and i imagine many of the fans are.
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

04-17-2003, 02:53 PM	#2
DetectiveGriffin Sankontessou! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2001 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 1,288	How bout a brand spin off show with wojo as the captain of a squad and deitrich as the mayor <G> they are my 2 fav characters <G> At their ages, yes, its so unlikely and unrealistic they would still all be working in the field, but i guess it wouldnt be hard to throw in harris as a tv news reporter or something .. hmmm. These are the situations fan fic was meant to remedy, im telling you - write something down cause im sure its the only way in heck fans are ever going to get a reunion.

04-18-2003, 03:59 AM	#3
egregiousgirl Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Nov 29, 2002 Location: Oregon Posts: 84	1. Yes, I think they have waited too long for a reunion, especially now that James Gregory has passed away. 2. No one would produce a reunion anyway because it wouldn't generate enough interest from the young people. Kids today haven't even heard of Barney Miller. They only do reunions for shows that are still on the air all the time (i.e. The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, etc.) and people in my age bracket (18-24) just haven't seen Barney Miller.

04-27-2003, 12:47 PM	#4
BundyBoy10 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 24, 2002 Posts: 311	Great idea, but I dont see it happening. They should of had a reunion in 1995.

09-12-2008, 12:11 AM	#10
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	I found this article from 2005 on ETOnline: A 'Barney Miller' Reunion' HAL LINDEN, MAXWELL GAIL, STEVE LANDESBERG and RON GLASS celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Barney Miller." A fun time was had by all when Barney (HAL LINDEN), Wojo (MAXWELL GAIL), Dietrich (STEVE LANDESBERG) and Harris (RON GLASS) reunited for a 30th anniversary celebration of the now classic "Barney Miller" TV series. The cast of the Emmy® Award-winning show gathered at the Sunset Gower Studios where a special dedication of a commemorative plaque was held at Stage 16, where the show filmed for eight years. "We're still kicking," Hal tells ET. "It's [like] yesterday when you see these guys," Steve says. And Ron adds with a laugh, "When you walk around and see people, It's like, 'Where did all these old people come from?'" The plaque will hang outside Stage 16, the site if their old squad room, and even though the show has been off the air for 23 years, Hal reveals to ET, it wasn't long ago that he finally watched an entire episode. "First of all, I didn't remember them 'cause I never saw them put together," he shares. "Once we did it, we figured we had the rest of our lives to watch it and we do." As the four cast members reminisced about the good old days, they did feel the absence of ABE VIGODA, who played Detective Fish. Abe, who is now 84, is alive and well, but not able to attend the reunion. For anyone interested in taking a trip down memory lane, season one of the critically acclaimed series is available on DVD. "I still run into people who tell me how much the character meant to them," Ron says. "It makes me feel like I made a contribution." For more "Barney Miller" reunion scoop, tune in to tonight's ET. Posted December 09, 2005 3:51:00 AM

09-12-2008, 12:48 AM	#11
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Here's another article about the 2005 "reunion": http://www.armyarcherd.com/2005/11/barney_miller_r.html