#barneymiller

Barney Miller 5x15 "The Spy"

★★★★★★★★★★

Another exceptional episode. Philip Sterling is a bitter ex-CIA operative who mistakenly believes the squad room is the cover for an operation. He pulls a gun. Drama and comedy in equal measure. There are a couple of genuinely poignant moments between the spy and a woman who is in making a complaint. Plus, some real camaraderie between the regulars. The references to Barney being separated from his wife, plus the sight of Officer Levitt back in uniform, makes me think this episode should have aired a couple of weeks earlier. It feels like “Toys” was brought forward, while “Voice Analyzer” and “The Indian” were flipped and should have aired after this one. But that is just a guess. 10/10

Barney Miller 5x14 "Voice Analyzer"

★★★★★★★★★☆

George Murdock is back again as Lt. Scanlon. He is gunning for the regulars because of bribery accusations. It’s funny but (as is often the case with this show) it plays as much as a drama as a comedy. Barney standing up to Scanlon at the end is thrilling. 9/10

Barney Miller 5x13 "The Indian"

★★★★★★★★★★

Charles White-Eagle. Levitt has never been one of my favourite regulars on the show. Possibly because he’s mostly a one-note supporting character. This episode is different. The script gets surprising mileage from making him glum and cynical. It’s very funny. Away from all that, this is an episode with a lot of heart as Wojo is called upon to help an old Indian man die. It’s a beautiful storyline that delivers a powerful conclusion. Fall 1978: ABC aired Barney Miller in the middle hour of Thursday prime time after What’s Happening!! and before Soap. Against it, CBS had Hawaii Five-O while NBC aired Quincy, M.E. 10/10

Barney Miller 5x12 "Toys"

★★★★★★★★★☆

Barbara Barrie, who was a regular in seasons 1 and 2, returns for a guest appearance. It’s the last time we see Barney’s wife and it seems to indicate that their ongoing marital issues are close to being resolved. Barrie is wonderful. The scenes with the Millers are the highlight. And Barney has some lovely moments with Wojo, where the young cop is stepping up to support his captain (and his friend) when needed. The cases are fine but nothing special. Levitt is in plain clothes and using Yemana’s desk without explanation. Fall 1978: ABC aired Barney Miller in the middle hour of Thursday prime time after What’s Happening!! and before Soap. Against it, CBS had Hawaii Five-O while NBC aired Quincy, M.E. 9/10