Barney Miller (TV Show) (DVD)
Season 2
APPROX. 553 MINS. - PROD. YEAR: 1975 - MPA RATING: NR
" What kept viewers returning despite some lackluster episodes, was the cast itself.
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6) "Arsonist"--So-so episode finds Chano busting a man for assaulting a vending machine and the detectives trying to catch an arsonist.
7) "Grand Hotel"--Wojo and Wentworth go undercover again, this time playing a couple trying to catch a thief who's robbing a hotel blind. Sounds better than it is. Another weak episode.
8) "Discovery"--Marty (Jack Deleon, in a recurring role) accuses one of Barney's men of attacking the gay community. Meanwhile, Fish is ruled dead, according to the force's database. Another weak one.
9) "You Dirty Rat"--When two pounds of marijuana turns up missing, the detectives get more nervous than the homeless man they bust for camping in a department store. One of the stronger episodes.
10) "The Horse Thief"--When a cab operator loses his horse, he "borrows" one of the police mounts. Another weak one that beats you over the head with the Bicentennial again, as too many episodes this season do.
11) "Rain"--One of the best episodes has the men of the 12th precinct wondering if the dilapidated roof will hold up under a particularly heavy rainstorm. Sidney Miller guests as a very bad stand-up comic.
12) "Fish"--Because of his age, Fish is designated for limited assignment, and he thinks about quitting . . . until he bonds with his someday replacement, Arthur Dietrich (Steve Landesberg). Okay episode, but as with most of these, it's awfully slow to develop.
13) "Hot Dogs"--One of the weakest episodes finds a man claiming his missing wife is Jean Harlow, while a pair of rival female cops beat the detectives to a drug bust. Tired and predictable writing in this one.
14) "Protection"--When rumors have the 12th Precinct shutting down, it sends a panic throughout the building and the neighborhood. Eh.
15) "Happy New Year"--This one gets too cute with the symbols of New Year's, a baby and an old man, as Wojo delivers one and Fish saves a man from killing himself. Another weak episode.
16) "The Sniper"--A sniper has his sights on Fish and Inspector Luger, while a con man is busted for selling trips to Saturn. Pretty tedious dialogue in this one, and yet another situation that thinks it's funnier than it really is.
17) "Fear of Flying"--Wojo has to escort a bigamist to Ohio, but he's afraid to fly; meanwhile, someone turns in an unmarked envelope filled with cash. Pacing is a little snappier in this one, as is the writing. One of the best episodes.
18) "Block Party"--Wentworth stops an assassination, but it's Chano who gets the credit. Okay episode at best.
19) "Massage Parlor"--Another okay episode has the detectives arresting a senior citizen for a mugging, and Wentworth hauling in a good-looking drugstore cowboy.
20) "The Psychiatrist"--After a complaint and an evaluation, a psychiatrist recommends that Wojo turn in his gun. Decent episode.
21) "The Kid"--Fish develops a crush on a pickpocket's mother, while the citizen who turned in the money wants to claim it. Weak episode.
22) "The Mole"--As Harris and Wojo track a thief known as "The Mole," it leads them underground: into the sewers. Fish, meanwhile, wrestles with a medical decision. One of the better episodes.
Video:
Though the box says this is remastered in High Definition, you couldn't prove it by me. It's a rough-looking picture that's only a slight step-up from a VHS tape. There's a general blurriness and muted color palette to contend with, as is the case with many TV shows from this era. The aspect ratio is 1.33:1.
Audio:
The audio is a serviceable Dolby Digital Mono, but it's a little heavy on the treble and light on the bass. The tone isn't terribly rich, but hey, it's Mono. There are no subtitles to this English soundtrack, but it is closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Extras:
The only bonus features are two "minisodes" from unrelated shows, "Angels in Chains" ("Charlie's Angels") and "Growing Pains" ("The Facts of Life").
Bottom Line:
Season Two of "Barney Miller" falls right between a 6 and a 7. Because of the strength of characters and the diverse cast, I'm inclined to round up.
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