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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Capstone to Buddy Ebsen's Memorable Career..., 11 May 2004
Author: Ben Burgraff (cariart) from Las Vegas, Nevada

A tall, mop-haired, drawling hoofer in musicals of the thirties, a respected stage star/playwright in the forties, Fess Parker's grizzled sidekick in "Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier", in the fifties, and the rustic patriarch of "The Beverly Hillbillies" in the sixties...Each decade introduced a new, successful direction in the career of multi-talented 'Renaissance Man', Buddy Ebsen (1908-2003). The seventies would be no exception, as then 65-year old Ebsen would bring his wisdom, sense of justice, and undeniable charm to one of the decade's most popular, if formulaic detective shows, Quinn Martin Productions' "Barnaby Jones" (1973-1980).

As a retired cop, the murder of his son, a successful private investigator, would bring the elder Jones back, not only to solve the crime, but to continue his son's business, aided by his daughter-in-law, Betty (the beautiful Lee Meriwether, 38). Barnaby was a prickly old codger, more care-worn and serious than Ebsen's 'Jed Clampett', and each episode would focus more on the perpetrators of the crimes he would ultimately solve, than on his personal life, which would give the program an almost "Columbo"-like slant. There was nearly always an 'innocent' to save, and many episodes would climax in shootouts and foot chases, where the ancient Jones would always 'run down' the younger criminals (making the series a favorite target of contemporary humorists).

The addition of young cousin Jedediah Romano ("Call me J.R.") Jones, in the person of 27-year old Mark Shera, in 1976, while geared to attract younger viewers, actually improved the series, as it lightened the overall 'tone', and gave Ebsen a 'student' to give 'Yoda-like' advice to. Together, Barnaby, Betty, and J.R. made quite a team!

While the series would air it's final episode in 1980, and Ebsen would move on to great success as a painter and author over the next two decades, he would revive the detective in his final film appearance, in the big screen version of THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, in 1993. Barnaby Jones, as prickly as ever, would still be taking cases at 85!

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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Jed Clampett meets Mannix, 8 April 2003
Author: Brian Washington (Sargebri@att.net) from Los Angeles, California

This is one of my all time favorite private eye shows. Barnaby Jones was probably the last person you would think of as a private investigator, but he mixed good old fashioned detective work with all the then modern techniques (just check out the lab in his office). Lee Meriwether was perfectly cast as his daughter-in-law/secretary Betty and after a few years they brought in the muscle in the form of Barnaby's cousin J.R.(don't call me Jedidiah) Jones. Too bad they don't show reruns of this show anymore. It was an all time classic.

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4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
I Loved the Feel of this Show, 14 August 2005
Author: EclecticCritic from United States

I remember watching this show as a kid and finding it immensely enjoyable. I watched it in reruns during summer afternoons (cue nostalgic music), though I can't recall the exact years that I caught it. Probably the early 80s. I was young enough where the formulaic nature of the show that has been mentioned in other reviews here didn't taint the show in any way for me. I didn't watch the show religiously and it has been a long time since I saw any episodes, but the thing that sticks with me about it is the casual, laid-back atmosphere, the cast's charm-particularly Buddy Ebsen's-and, yes, Barnaby regularly running down much younger men on foot. Of course, my memory could be playing tricks on me. I just watched a movie, "Coach", with Cathy Lee Crosby, that I had watched in the late 70s and found enormously erotic, and I couldn't believe how tame and unerotic (with the exception of one kiss) it was, proving that you can't go home again. If this series is ever released on DVD, I'll probably buy it, hoping that maybe this time I will be able to go home again. My fear is that, having seen so many TV shows and movies since then, the formulaic nature of the show will be more apparent to me, which could make the show get tiresome in a hurry.

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4 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent Formulistic 70's Show, 7 July 2003
Author: Rat Man from Mars

This show always made me chuckle. Every show had the same plot. Barnaby runs down the kidnappers with his 3 ton Ford LTD, gets shot at, ducks, and kills the kidnappers with a single shot. Then Barnaby frees the young blonde woman tied up in a barn.

The opening of the show was good too. And the always showed who plays the guest characters. Many 70's shows always had a title to the particular show. (Streets of San Fransico) That's one thing, which is missing about todays shows. Many shows today, don't even a have an opening or a list of credits. One must look up a show in the imdb to see who the actors are. Of course nothing can top the opening of "Hawaii Five-O", that was the best part of that show.

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
quality television, 28 August 2002
Author: tiffanywelles from Montreal, Canada

An excellent 1970s detective show with a heart. Lee Meriwether is superb as the supportive Betty Jones. As the series progressed Betty was allowed out of the office and into the fray. Mark Shera as Jedidah Jones was an unnecessary attempt to attract younger viewers. Barnaby could always handle any young punk that he came across without any help.

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
A Great Show I wish I could see again!, 3 September 2001
Author: (big_bellied_geezer@hotmail.com) from USA

Another one of Quinn Martin's great 70's TV series, as a previous user said this show did come of as unintentionally funny at times due to the advanced age of the always entertaining Buddy Ebsen! I remember there would always be a scene in almost every episode where Mr Ebsen would stiffly run after someone. I kept thinking as a little kid that Buddy Ebsen looked soooo Skinny and frail that a puff of air could knock him down! Yet despite all of this, the show held our viewing interest for six seasons, perhaps we were drawn to the subliminal message that milk is good for your bones because it was obviously helping Barnaby Jones not to snap like a matchstick!

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Good Show, 21 September 2007
7/10
Author: DKOSTY from United States

Buddy Epson & Lee Merriwether- very good acting & put together with Quinn Martin another winning combo. Actually, this show was CBS payback to Buddy who was extremely upset with CBS for canceling the Beverly Hillbillies while they were still a hit show. He kind of felt like he lost his family there & felt the execs at the network were a little nuts.

Buddy was right about that. This show is well done & CBS had raided ABC to get Quinn Martin to do this & Cannon. CBS wanted to change it's country image & these shows became a moderately successful way to do that. Trouble is CBS execs wasted more of the number 1 networks success & by the 1908's after they forced Walter Cronkrite to retire & dumbed down & tarted up their news with Dan Rather, they had pretty much become a second rated network.

This show's success along with MASH & a few others kept them on top through the 1970's. Buddy Ebsen was so talented that he could play almost anybody & make them believable. He comes off here as a fine detective & Lee Merriwether came into her own during this show.

Ebsen is one of the few TV actors to be part of successful shows in the 1950's, 60's, & 70's. It is a fitting tribute to such a unique talent who made his first splash in movies in the 1930's. He has an enduring legacy and this show is the last piece of it.

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3 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Welllllllll Doggie, 24 September 2002
Author: raysond from Chapel Hill, North Carolina

This show was unintentionally funny to the core and sometimes down right superb with a touch of detective know-how. It should have been called as "Jed Clampett:Private Eye". But in all aspects,Barnaby Jones was one of the best of the Quinn Martin produced cop shows of the 1970's but with it had heart. However,this show was a far cry for Buddy Ebsen who played millionaire Jed Clampett for nine seasons on "The Beverly Hillbillies" and it was a change in character for a guy who was approaching his age with this and advancing quickly. Where else can you see a milk drinkin', clean livin' elderly man for one who wants to avenge his son's death by becoming a P.I.,who was always out of breath in some of the episodes chasing and apprehending evil doers and others who were braking the law?

Always a bit of suspension and it shows. Yet despite all of this,the show was a big hit with its audience which originally ran for seven successful seasons and was a huge ratings winner for CBS-TV from 1973-80,producing 169 episodes all in color. However,Jones had his secretary helped him out on cases and was always into the fray(played by Lee Meriwether)of some baddie and psychopath and in just about some of the episodes was always in a sticky situation and it was up to Barnaby and his nephew Jedidah Jones(played by Mark Shera-to whom the producers and CBS attempted to lured in younger viewers and a teenage audience to boost ratings)to get her out of a tight spot since his nephew had the moves and he was a cop! But Barnaby could take out any lowlife punk that came his way,so he didn't need no one's help for this since he had a good sucker punch for his age! Catch the episodes where Buddy Ebsen is chasing criminals and runs out of steam is a hardy laugh-out riot.

Always something.

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1 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
I'll Have a Glass Of Milk...., 14 March 2006
Author: verbusen from Fahaheel, Kuwait

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

OK, I'll admit I am only slightly familiar with Barnaby Jones, but thats a good thing! I watched this series vary sparingly as a pre teen and for me to remember much of it would mean I led a really dull childhood. I gather it was there to appeal to the seniors, Lord knows why I would watch it. I guess I'd watch any Quinn Martin production at that time (Cannon I do remember, that fat guy would blast away!). I was a BIG Beverly Hillbillies fan so I guess thats why I would watch ol Barnaby in action. Some thoughts, Barnaby was up there in the years so I don't remember a whole lot of fist a cuffs, or long running chases, I don't even remember him shooting anyone (but he may have), I think one look of him pointing a gun at you would make you think him saying "look Mister, I've got one foot in the grave anyway, I'll take you down with me if you make a move". But good ol Barnaby was always cool to think about when he'd be looking for that information at a bar, he'd always order a glass of milk, OH BROTHER! THATS CLASSIC, LOL. Buddy your one of the best!

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2 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
At least the theme song was great, 9 August 2005
4/10
Author: Gary James from United States

I don't remember "Barnaby Jones" being no more than a very bland, standard detective show in which, as per any Quinn Martin show, Act I was the murder, Act II was the lead character figuring out the murder, Act III was the plot twist (another character murdered), Act IV was the resolution and the Epilogue was Betty (Lee Meriwether) asking her father-in-law Barnaby Jones (Buddy Ebsen) how he figured out the crime and then someone saying something witty at the end of the show.

One thing I do remember was the late, great composer Jerry Goldsmith's excellent theme song. Strangely, the opening credit sequence made me want to see the show off and on for the seven seasons the show was on the air. I will also admit that it was nice to see Ebsen in a role other than Jed Clampett despite Ebsen being badly miscast. I just wished the show was more entertaining than when I first remembered it.

Update (1/11/2009): I watched an interview with composer Jerry Goldsmith on YouTube through their Archive of American Television channel. Let's just say that I was more kind than Goldsmith about the show "Barnaby Jones."

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