|
|
One bad review in the lot... and it doesn't take a genius to notice that it's formed of simple malice.
Not to mention that this person probably has not watched this entire series,but maybe just some of the episodes. Speaking as one who watched this show starting with episode 1,I know better. Just like the others here know it too.
Barney Miller in it's day,was a one of kind sitcom. Just like M*A*S*H was it's own entity,as was "All In The Family" (before the spin-offs),Barney and the men of the 12th Precinct,were a most unusual and eclectic comedy ensemble.
None of these characters are airheads,they are each funny for their character traits,imperfections and personalities.
Barney Miller is an honest man,doing an honest job and trying to control the chaos the police work can bring as well as keeping these somewhat eccentric characters in line.
Harris is an educated black man in a blue collar job trying to work his way up as a serious writer and author.
Wojo,who can be a little slow to grasp things,is a well meaning good guy lug.
Fish is a veteran cop in his 60s (Abe Vigoda was only in his 40s at the time)and has a supremely dry wit.
Amangual (Gregory Sierra) was a wise guy but a good detective and it was quite the dramatic episode when he killed someone with his gun.
Deitrich,Fish's replacement had the same dry wit but also a kind of humor that comes out of left field.
Yemana (Jack Soo) and his bad coffee,is the great running gag of the show (because even though it's lousy,no one else tries to make it.)
Thebittersweet moment in the series was when the cast made a special episode as a tribute to Jack Soo when he suddenly passed on. It may have been a one man retrospective but it was no less touching. Especially when they all raised their coffee cups at the end.
The other recurring characters : Wentworth (Linda Lavin,later of "Alice")a female cop trying to fit in with the men ,which in the 70s was still a new & uncommon idea.
Inspector Frank Lugar,played to the hilt by veteran actor James Gregory whom before he retired logged in over 170 acting credits. TV and Movies,most notably,"The Manchurian Candidate" playing a Senatorial candidate who's not fit for the job and a pawn in the game of politics ,besides.
Officer Carl E. Levitt (Ron Carey),a cop short in stature and longing to be a detective himself. Who gets on Barney's last nerve in repeated (and sometimes obnoxious) attempts to be promoted to detective.
Internal Affairs Man 'Scanlon' (who once asked Harris sarcastically,"How's everything down in Funkytown?!" ),was always trying to dig up dirt on the otherwise ,nearly squeaky-clean 12th precinct. Actor George Murdock was only in 12 shows but made Scanlon a man you love to hate.
There was recurring character Marty and his same gender lover Darryl Driscoll. Both are delightfully loony but still are given human qualities and not played as homo-sexual stereotypes.
After eight seasons,the old 1-2 closed up.
The farewell show,saw the menre-assigned to different locales in New York,instead of being kept together. The detectives and now Detective Sgt. Levitt all said their farewells to Barney and exited out the door. Barney stayed to close up shop.
The last moments were Barney glancing at different desks,recalling fondly Fish,Amangual,Wentworth and(with a despaired look on his face) Yemana. The final scene is simply Barney taking one last look at the squad room and shutting out the lights.
Then...a long round of applause ,which plays over the end credits and is actually recorded audience applause ,as the show had not been 'live' before an audience' in 4 years.
Lame show?? Hardly.
As for only 1 Emmy win? In the '70s it was up against shows like M*A*S*H,All In The Family,Mary Tyler Moore and Taxi...and that's a pretty tough bunch to beat out! In '81,it was just their year.
It also won a Golden Globe Award and the highly prestigious Peabody Award. (Which oddly enough was also won by the show "South Park" this year!)
The show deserves a better place in TV history as well as the fact it should have been nominated and won more Emmys. ( 06/16/09 ) : I'm hoping that with 3 seasons out in stores now,they'll all be available on DVD very soon.)
06.25.2015 (edit) : Season 8 DVD due out in July.
(END)
score 10/10
happipuppi13 6 July 2006
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1412882/ |
|
19-10-2020 02:09:03