![]() ![]() There are two recurring gay characters who on occasion run afoul of the law. Who wouldn’t want to think that a detective squad full of officers like those in the 12th precinct still exist? Maybe the more depressing question is, did they ever exist outside of this show? I don’t know, but I certainly want to believe. It’s a show with relevance that extends well beyond its time. Everyone on this remarkably diverse and progressive show, from the cops to the lawbreakers were treated like people who were worthy of being seen. Among the issues the series covered during its run from 1975 to 1982 were sexuality, race, gender, nuclear power, politics, economics, and freedom of speech, all in admirable fashion. So, what could be so astonishing about a nearly half century old sitcom about a squad of undermanned detectives working out of a rundown building in an era of high crime, high inflation, and political unrest?īarney Miller was the rare show of its era to comment on subjects affecting the days the characters lived in. So, while the Reframe space has always been set aside for films, I decided that, for the first time, maybe it would be useful to take advantage of this historical column for a television show. What I discovered in revisiting the show astonished me. Being pretty caught up and looking for something to pass the time, I came by the recommendation of Barney Miller from one of the streaming services.įeeling a bit nostalgic, but also a little trepidatious, I decided to hit play on the pilot for this 47-year-old sitcom that I loved so much in my younger days. For the most part, back then, you were either a TV actor or a film actor, and the latter was held in far higher esteem than the former.ĭuring these slower days of the first quarter of the new year, there just isn’t as much prestige TV or film to watch unless you are catching up on shows and films you missed from the previous year. We live in a new golden age of TV, where the work done on the small screen is no longer seen as lesser when compared to film. While I enjoyed the show as a youth, it’s always dicey to go back and look at a series that started way back in 1976 and see how it holds up. If memory serves correctly (always a bit of a guessing game), I first encountered the show in syndication, which meant you could watch the comedic (and sometimes quite serious) machinations of the twelfth precinct detective squad in NYC pretty much every weeknight. Download:: Reframe: Revisiting a TV Classic in 'Barney Miller'Īs an adolescent, Barney Miller was a staple in my household.
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