Wojo’s Girl
Airdate: January 25, 1979
As a fan of Barney Miller since 2003, and someone who has owned the complete series box set for a few years, I’ve hopped around to episodes that piqued my interest. This was one of them. At the time, I didn’t realize it was an hour-long episode, and I think that affected my reading of the episode. So it was interesting to give it another look. Continue reading
The Indian
Airdate: January 4, 1979
There’s a philosophical element in the air in this particular episode which runs through the various plots here. First, a Maggie DuBois, played by a squeaky-voiced Alix Elias, previously Louise Helton in “Hostage,” reports a shoe thief that has stolen them right from her feet as she sat at a bus stop. She’s unaware of the fetishistic motive of such a crime. Harris eventually brings in Horace Chandler, played by Phil Leeds, seen previously on several episodes, such as “Rain,” “Group Home,” and “Atomic Bomb.”
Then there’s Levitt, who has apparently given up any hope of becoming a permanent detective, even if he’s on duty in the squad room as a substitute, in decidedly unplain plainclothes, presumably for Yemana. He laments his existential ennui to anyone who asks. Continue reading
The Harris Incident
November 30, 1978
First off, though the previous episode was Jack Soo’s final appearance, Dietrich says that Nick is in court, and makes coffee in his stead. So, there’s an acknowledgement that he’s gone, but hope is held out that he might return.
Wojo brings in a beggar, Stanford Whittney, with $186 in his pocket. Barney questions the decision because it’s legally no worse than any other beggar, even if Mr. Whittney really lays it on thick, hamming up his performance for every new customer. Wojo thinks Whittney is taking business away from those truly in need. But that’s the relative comic relief, as the title implies. Eventually his wife, Ruth, bails him out revealing that he’s an embarrassed Wall Street analyst out of a job for three years and too ashamed to let his family know. To contrast, before the opening titles, Harris is shot…by a couple of cops. Continue reading
The Prisoner
Airdate: October 19, 1978
Barney’s relationship with Liz is still on the rocks. Luger brings the bad news that someone from personnel will be down to talk to Barney about it because the department has an image to keep up. Luger defends Barney to the department, saying nothing dirty, smutty, or juicy about the situation. It makes one sigh and lament that it was a different time, when divorce had very different connotations, especially when the officer brought in to talk to Barney is also a priest. Continue reading
Dog Days
September 28, 1978
Barney usually gets on Wojo or Harris’ case for being late, but he arrives at the one-two just before Harris, undermining his moral high ground. But Barney’s under a lot of stress, surprising the other detectives, who usually find him quite unflappable. Wojo happens to mention that Liz called for Barney, sparking an urgency in Barney as he’s upset Wojo didn’t tell him right away. Since the events of “Quo Vadis?” in March of the previous season, Liz and Barney have separated. Continue reading
Kidnapping
Airdate: September 14, 1978
There have been two-part episodes before on Barney Miller, but this is the first time there has been an unbroken hour-long episode. It’s a format that will be revisited later in the season, but here it’s quite effective at pacing out the story. It’s as if the story dictated the pace, and not the other way around. Continue reading
Evaluation
Airdate: May 4, 1978
This is an episode where everyone evaluates everyone else in a way, whether they want to or not. Wojo walks in on Roz, as there’s only a men’s room in the one-two. As embarrassed as she is, Wojo is predictably mortified for the rest of the episode.
An older couple files a complaint against possible vandal(s) who threw a brick through the window of their mom and pop adult bookstore called “The Garden of Earthly Delights.” They’re lifelong merchants who have had to abandon groceries for pornography, as the market has changed. It is after all, Manhattan in the 1970s.
Harris brings in a Mr. 1223, no “surnumber,” a numerology fanatic who shuns labels and has instead given himself a number as a name. He has a paranoid insight into the patterns that numbers reveal, so he’s decided to play the numbers game his way. Unfortunately the bank tellers weren’t as open as Dietrich to 1223’s attempt to open an account in that name. It’s Harris’ job to ID the collar.
And finally, per new protocols from headquarters, Barney has to fill out evaluations of the squad, making most everyone nervous, like the newbie Roz, except for Harris, who has a lunch meeting with a literary agent. Continue reading
Wojo’s Problem
Airdate: February 23, 1978
Max Gail’s directorial debut has Wojo at work early…five hour early. No, he’s not turning into Travis Bickle; he’s in early for the same reason he’s always in late: his love life. Bruno Bender, last seen in “Goodbye, Mr. Fish: Part I,” is back, just sort of hanging around looking through mug books, disgruntled that the vigilantism he advocated previously hasn’t occurred. Harris is annoyed at Dietrich for jumping in and correcting him on a piece of “Casablanca” (1942) trivia, before realizing, that Harris was speaking about something only indirectly related to the movie they were watching. And an Officer Rosslyn Licori is reporting to replace Chano Amangual, who left two years ago. In short, this is an episode focused more on the recurring characters of the one-two than the perps and victims of the week. Continue reading
Rape
Airdate: January 26, 1978
Hoo boy. This is kind of a misstep for Barney Miller. The show tackled a similar theme in “Heat Wave,” back in the second season. In that episode, a Mrs. Boyle files a complaint against her husband for assaulting her. Barney and company hope cooler heads prevail, but that’s not enough. She files charges anyway. The episode showed a flaw in Barney’s approach that was of its time. He assumed that a situation like that could best be resolved within the confines of the home, that a husband and wife would always know best how to reconcile, and that it was always best to do so over divorce. Only Wentworth and Boyle disagreed. Continue reading
The Bank
Airdate: January 5, 1978
Harris has been looking for an apartment since at least “Burial,” which aired October 20, 1977. Though the airdate for this episode is in the new year, there are clues that this actually takes place before Christmas. But it’s still been at least two months. And Harris’ lease ends during this episode, the same day he’s to start the sublease at his new apartment. Continue reading
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