Auteur Watch - Ron Glass

...Alton's father, perchance?  Anyway, this will be a first test of just how popular "Barney Miller" is.  Because even a workaholic like Ron Glass longs... longed for bigger and better things.  Wonder if there's social mobility in Heaven?  I guess there is, when one thinks of Seraphim and Cherubim and what not.  It's not enough just to be even an angel, go figure.  There are alpha, beta and omega members of, say, the X-Men and the Justice League, after all.
But let's face it.  Ron's a star, just not a big star.  You never hear anyone talk about him playing Felix Unger on "The New Odd Couple."  For that matter, when was the last time they played Bustin' Loose on cable?  I mean, it's Richard PRYOR, for God's sake!  And he's bustin' loose!  Why can't we see that every now and again?  Then again, you don't hear much about the new Honeymooners either.  But I think I know how it is.  I'm an average guy, and Ron seems like an average guy, and going from actor to director means a move into management.  Average guys tend not to want to make that move.  You know, and ruin the delicate friendships they've worked so hard to cultivate.  Orchids and morels, they are.  Or like my dad says, whenever he goes to play poker.  If you win big in the first thirty minutes, well... you can't just get up and leave!  People don't like that!  Might not want to play with ya in future tourneys.  They're angry enough already as it is.
But the time eventually came to give it a try.  Ron was tired of watching all his friends getting pulled up by their bootstraps, while he sat by and no one helped.  So he wanted to get a chance to put his ass in that physically humble yet symbolically all-powerful director's chair.  But he didn't want to do an episode of either "Amen" or "Rhythm & Blues."  Because, again, his friends.  Who wants to direct their friends?  Especially when the demons come out because of the looming deadlines.  Looming deadlines always tend to bring them out.  So, an episode of something called "Stat" would have to do.  Oh, but I do it injustice.  After all, as of this writing it's got an 8.7 out of 10 on the IMDb.  Of course, only seven people voted so far.  The Shawshank Redemption, in contrast, has a 9.3, but 1.8 million people have cast a vote!  Now, the episode he did is called "High Society."  Wonder if it's anyone's favourite?  Probably not Dennis Boutsikaris.  Probably doesn't remember doing it.  He's too busy bringing roses to Ron Silver's grave, and telling reporters that he's the best thing on "Better Call Saul."